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Adrienne Bell
Associate Professor of Art History
Director College Honors Program
email
212-517-0676

Degrees
B.A. , with Honors in Art, Smith College
M.A., The Institute of Fine Arts, New York University
M.Phil., Columbia University
Ph.D. , with Distinction, Columbia University


Adrienne Baxter Bell’s scholarship centers on American art and cultural history from the pre-colonial period to the present, with a focus on the nineteenth century. Her graduate work at Columbia University was supported by grants from Columbia and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, as well as the Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship from The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. It culminated in her dissertation, “George Inness: Painting Philosophy,” an analysis of the metaphysical underpinnings of Inness’s life and work. While at Columbia, she authored George Inness and the Visionary Landscape (George Braziller, Inc., 2003) and curated an exhibition of the same name (National Academy of Design, New York, 2003-04; San Diego Museum of Art, 2004). She published her second book, George Inness: Writings and Reflections on Art and Philosophy, in 2007. Dr. Bell has delivered lectures and participated in symposia at New York University; the Thomas Cole National Historic Site; the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the Museo di Santa Giulia, Brescia; and other locations. She recently presented her work at the annual conferences of the College Art Association and the Nineteenth Century Studies Association. Her current research explores the impact of spirituality and the growing understanding of consciousness on the visual vocabulary of early American and European modernists; she is also conducting research on how these ideas continue to resonate with contemporary artists. At MMC, she teaches both sections of the Western Art Survey, seminars in Ancient and Classical Art, Medieval Art and Architecture, American Art, and the Senior Art History Seminar. She also co-teaches interdisciplinary study-abroad courses in France and Italy, such as “Art and Philosophy in Venice."


2009-2010
Achievements in Scholarship and Service



Presentations
“Asher B. Durand: Philosopher of the Hudson.” Symposium: Home on the Hudson: Women & Men Picturing the Nineteenth-century Hudson Valley Where They Lived. The Graduate Center, City University of New York, in conjunction with Boscobel Historic Site. New York. June 12 2009.


Other Professional Activities
Member of Dissertation Defense Committee for Sarah Kelly, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Art History and Archaeology, Columbia University. New York. February 11, 2010.
Co-taught ART 451 - Senior Art History seminar class with Dr. Bruce Weber, Senior Curator of 19th century Art. National Academy Museum. October 20, 2009.
Co-taught ART 451 - Senior Art History Seminar class on American Art with Aviva Izkowitz, Specialist, American Paintings. Christie’s. September 26, 2009. 
Co-chaired with Prof. Katherine E. Manthorne, Department of Art History. Graduate Center, City University of New York. Associates of American Art. 2006-present.

Awards and Fellowships
Junior Leave, Marymount Manhattan College: to work on Charles Caryl Coleman: Myth and Memory in Italy (critical study and catalogue raisonné). Spring 2010 semester.
Sokol Grant, Marymount Manhattan College: funding to pursue research on Charles Caryl Coleman: Myth and Memory in Italy. For Junior Leave Spring 2010.

Publications
“George Inness (1825-1894).”  www.TheLiteraryEncyclopedia.com. November 2009.

Faculty-Student Collaborations
Faculty Sponsor of Erica Jackson, ’12, for “Frida Kahlo: Beyond Surrealism.” Honors Day. March 17. 2010. Written for Writing 102: The Life of the Artist (Spring 2009). Winner: Writing 102 Award for Excellence; and Virginia Melvin, ’10, for “Childe Hassam: American Impressionist or Ashcan Artist?” Honors Day. March 17. 2010. Written for ART 451 – Senior Art History Seminar (Fall 2009).
Guest Speaker, “Working in Print Journalism” symposium. MMC. February 3. 2010.
Initiated, Arranged, and Supervised Student Internship Placements
Jane Berger, '10 (Art History major/Photography minor) at Free Arts

Allegra Coryell, ’10 (Art History major/Communication Arts minor) at Christie’s (fall 2009) and ARTStor (summer 2009)

Alexia de Cockborne, ’10 (Art History major) at Christie’s Proposals Department (fall 2009) and Creative Department (spring 2010)

Sarah Filliault, ’10 (Studio Art major/Art History minor), assistant to artist Melanie Baker (fall 2009)

Elizabeth Goodridge, ’11 (Art History major/Communication Arts minor) as gallery director’s assistant, Betty Krulik Fine Arts Ltd. (spring 2010)

Jennifer Karigan, ’12 (Art History major), Leo Kesting Gallery (spring 2010)

Rebecca La Pera ’11 (Studio Art major), as studio assistant to Jo Wood-Brown, artist and president of Artists Exchange International (spring 2010); Virginia Melvin, ’10 (Art History major/International Studies minor), North Carolina Museum of Art (summer 2009), Christie’s Antiquities Department (fall 2009), Christie’s Japanese and Korean Art Department (spring 2010)

Jimena Montemayor, ’12 (Graphic Design major), Christie’s Proposals Department

Jillian Moseman, ’10 (Art History major), gallery director’s assistant, Betty Krulik Fine Arts Ltd. (fall 2009), Christie’s Antiquities Department (spring 2010)

Sofia Palacios Blanco, ’10 (Studio Art/Theatre Arts double major), studio assistant to Jo-Wood Brown, artist and president of the Artists Exchange International (summer 2009)

Elizabeth Sweigart, ’11 (Studio Art major), studio assistant to artist Katy Martin (spring 2010)

Kaitlin Yent, ’11 (Art History major), studio assistant to Jo-Wood Brown, artist and president of Artists Exchange International (fall 2009), Christie’s Prints and Drawings Department (spring 2010).
College Service: Events and Publications
Initiated, organized, and co-chaired (with Melissa Benca): Internships in the Visual Arts Symposium, April 26, 2010. Presenters: Jillian Moseman, ’10, on the Antiquities Department at Christie’s. Elizabeth Goodridge, ’11, on
the art dealer Betty Krulik. Virginia Melvin, ’10, on the Japanese and Korean Art Department, Christie’s. Katie Hennessy, ’11, on Free Arts NYC. Rebecca La Pera, ’13, on Artists Exchange International.
Initiated and supervised first annual “Marymount at the Met,” an annual event featuring tours of galleries of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for Marymount alumni and friends by Art History majors. The first tour, directed by Jillian Moseman, ’10, and Virginia Melvin, ’10, and featuring works from the American Wing of the museum, was held on March 4. 2010.
Co-authored Art History Department Student Handbook. 2009-2010.
Organized Panel Discussion with participating artists for “11/9-9/11: Berlin/New York.” November 3. 2009. Exhibition curated by Jo-Wood Brown, President, Artists Exchange International. Hewitt Art Gallery of Art: Marymount Manhattan College. November 2-December 1, 2009.
Attended Integrative Learning Conference. Association of American Colleges and Universities (with Profs. Sue Behrens and Cecilia Feilla). Atlanta, Georgia. October 22-24. 2009.
Conceived of, organized, and co-chaired (with Melissa Benca): Internship in the Visual Arts Symposium. October 8. 2009. Invited representatives from five New York City museums, galleries, and non-profit arts organizations to meet with Art and Art History students and discuss securing internships in the visual arts. 
Represented Art History department at Fall 2009 Open House, October 3, 2009. 
Led Graduate School Workshop for Art History majors. October 2, 2009.
Led session on “Writing the Three Essays” in Writing Seminar Workshop (directed by Prof. Martha Sledge). August 24. 2009.
Contributed “Envisioning the Liberal Arts” to What is the Meaning of Liberal Arts? Marymount Manhattan Reflections – Handbook for Learning Communities. Fall 2009.

College Service: Committees
Member, Financial Subcommittee, Middle States Review Panel.

Member, US Perspectives Subcommittee, General Education Committee.

Member, Committee on Learning Communities/Pedagogy Group.
AWARDS:


2008:
Sokol Award, Marymount Manhattan College





2007-2008 Achievements in Scholarships and Service

2008-2009 Achievements in Scholarships and Service

2009-2010 Achievements in Scholarships and Service