By Nicole Crawford
Artists are not often known as exuberant adventurers. The two go hand in hand for Cyrus Baldridge (American, 1889-1975), whose work will be on display at the UW Art Museum May 24 through Aug. 9. Being an artist enabled him to explore the world and to find international acclaim.
After college in Chicago, he began his journey as a world traveler while seeking commissions as an illustrator. He worked as a cow hand in Texas, traveled through Belgium and France as a war correspondent and illustrator, served in the National Guard on the Mexican/U.S. border during the skirmish with Pancho Villa, and traveled freely over the 1917 World War I battlefields in Germany and France as illustrator for Stars and Stripes.
He married writer Caroline Singer, and the couple became true nomads and traveled across Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Baldridge and Singer collaborated on several books based on their travels, with the text by Singer and lavish illustrations by Baldridge.
While he and Caroline traveled through Asia in the 1920s, his exposure to the sparse lines of traditional Asian art dramatically affected his style. He learned traditional techniques from Japanese and Chinese masters and produced numerous etchings, drypoint and woodblock prints. This transition away from traditional illustration brought Baldridge acclaim and recognition as an artist, which led to several important commissions. By the early 1940s, he had a successful career in the American Southwest and had illustrated more than 100 books and magazine articles.
The exhibit Cyrus Baldridge: An American Artist in China at the UW Art Museum presents a selection of works from the museum’s permanent collection that were completed during the artist’s journeys in Asia, where he captured the people and the landscape. These artworks show Baldridge’s technique transition from that of illustrator to the free, sparse lines that characterize his later work, a rare opportunity to see an artist in transition.
After the exhibition, the artworks will travel across the state with the Regional Touring Exhibition Service. Now approaching its 30th year, this free service of the museum has curated and circulated exhibitions throughout Wyoming to libraries, schools, community centers, galleries and museums.
Exhibitions included in the Regional Touring Exhibition Service appeal to a wide range of audiences. In addition to the Baldridge exhibition, the museum is currently touring Through the Looking Glass: The Portrait of the Artist, which explores the tradition of portraits of artists by the artists themselves and by others; Kimonos: Strappo Prints by Harold Garde, a series of acrylic paint transfer prints, a technique invented by Garde; and The Botanical Series: The Photographic Work of Gerald Lang and Jennifer Anne Tucker, a series that reconsiders the botanical art tradition through photographs made with current photographic technology. Each exhibition is premiered at the museum before traveling for up to four years across the state. Educational tools and information about the exhibits are available online for teachers and community youth educators.
For more information, visit uwyo.edu/artmuseum.