Most of the works exhibited by American Eyes were those done between 1930 and the end of 1990s. The pieces represent a vastly changing art scene in America as seen by some earlier artists like Fredrick S., Stephen Parrish, and Thomas Moran. In the late 1800s, academic training for artists slowly shifted from a European-based style to an artistic style that was an emerging enthusiasm and was completely indigenous. Even young children were taught systematically to draw well as education in the arts was rapidly expanding all across America. The drawing techniques were based on simple rules found in textbooks authored by men such as Denman Ross and Arthur Wesley Dow. These authors attracted aspiring professionals to study with them, and many people, eager for this training, joined the many universities and colleges that were starting fine-art departments as well as thee art schools that were opening in an attempt to rival those in London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Munich.
Screen-print was developed for commercial use in the 1920s and was exploited by WPA artists in the 1930s. An important portfolio of this media with works by Charles Burchfield, Marguerite Zorach, John Whorf, and others, is shown in American Eyes. They give a fascinating glimpse at how artists experimented with the process. The most recent works in American Eyes reflect the interest with realism. It also shows the works of some of the many artists who continued to work in this style. Ivan Summers, Fairfield Porter, Carl Sprinchorn, and Jean Schonwalter, are just a few of the artists whose work carried the realist tradition into the 1970s.
