Museum Exhibit Celebrates Prominent Local Artist

By Misty Cryer

The artwork of Roderick Mead, one of Carlsbad’s most distinguished artists, is on display at Carlsbad Museum in an exhibit titled “Roderick Mead: An Artist in Four Mediums.” The artwork in the exhibit will be on display until January 3.

An opening reception was held on October 11, featuring a guest speaker who took the audience on a journey through Mead’s life and artwork. Mead’s grandson also made comments at the reception.

Edward Vanscotter, Director of the Carlsbad Museum, opened the reception, thanking attendees for coming on behalf of the City of Carlsbad and the Carlsbad Museum. “At Carlsbad Museum, our goal has always been to celebrate the people and stories that make our community unique,” Vanscotter said.

About the exhibit, he said, it highlights the four mediums that Mead dabbled in, including oils, watercolors, printmaking, and drawings, adding that he was also a prominent photographer.

“Although we do host a lot of traveling exhibits, it is always special to us when we get to curate an exhibit of a local, prominent figure such as Roderick Mead,” said Vanscotter.

He expressed gratitude to the community, everyone coming out for the opening, and those who support the museum, with special thanks to Elaine Mead Murphy (Mead’s daughter) and Christopher Murphy (Mead’s grandson, who was present).

He thanked K & P Catering and Milton’s Brewing, who served at the reception.

Contributors to the exhibit through donation or lending of Mead’s artwork were recognized as well. “We couldn’t do this without your support,” Vanscotter said.

Gregory Most, a Carlsbad native, an art historian and curator, and the former Chief of the Library Image Collections at the National Gallery of Art, was the guest speaker for the event.

Standing in the gallery, Most shared details of Mead’s artwork, travels, and life events, including an explanation of the mediums, timeline, and related history. He also added a touch of information about local landscapes and people that inspired specific pieces of art, like the painting in a scene at Queen, and the oil painting of Mark Smith on the Smith Ranch.

Works featured in the exhibit span Mead’s career, according to the museum’s press release dated September 5. “Together, these works highlight Mead’s versatility and lasting influence as an artist who bridged continents, styles, and eras,” it stated.

Prior to the reception, Jameson Lucas, Community Historian with the Carlsbad Museum, said there were 56 pieces in the collection. Vanscotter added that they are expecting four more, bringing the number of expected pieces in the exhibit to 60.

Mead was born in New Jersey, studied fine arts at Yale University, and trained at the Art Students League in New York, with his artwork featured in many museums, according to the press release. “In the 1930s, Mead traveled to Paris, where he joined the legendary Atelier 17 printmaking studio and worked alongside artists such as Joan Miró and Pablo Picasso,” it states.

Mead met Jarvis Kerr, who became his wife, with the couple settling in Carlsbad, Jarvis’ hometown, after World War II, the press release states. “Mead found endless inspiration in the Chihuahuan Desert landscape,” it adds.

At the end of Most’s presentation, Christopher Murphy spoke on behalf of the Mead family, thanking everyone for coming out. He shared his feelings about his grandfather’s work and the impact that he had on him from a young age.

“I think there was a little bit of expectation that me and my siblings would be artists,” Murphy said. To understand his grandfather’s work, he said he studied photography and printmaking. He encouraged the audience to take an art class to be able to understand how hard it is to do work like the pieces featured in the exhibit.

While acknowledging particular individuals at the reception, Murphy said, “I need to thank that they have done all of this without any help from our family. It’s hard to believe that we have such devoted fans throughout Carlsbad.”