Back to Their Roots
A walk through the SMFA Art Sale can be overwhelming as you take in the thousands of works on display. You see artwork in every type of medium, in every size, and at a range of prices. Despite these differences, there is one thing that unifies these works – they are all created by artists who have been connected to SMFA at one time or another in the school’s long history. Whether crafted by students, alumni, faculty, or other affiliated artists, every piece of artwork carries its own SMFA story. For alumni Edward and Daveda Movitz, the school is not only a part of their story as artists, but a part of their love story, too.
Edward (BFA ’51) and Daveda (BFA ’50) dropped-off Edward’s piece Signal Tower for the Art Sale on a recent Friday with the help of their son. “We have strong nostalgia about our years here,” Edward says as he sits in Grossman Gallery during Art Sale installation. After both attended graduate school, Edward went on to teach at MassArt for 33 years, later becoming dean, and Daveda worked in public education as the head of the art department at Newton North High School. They both still exhibit work and agree that their time at the Museum School strongly shaped them as artists. It also helped spark their marriage of 65 years. “In our sophomore year, we both chose graphic arts [as our concentration],” Edward said, “And that’s the year we fell in love!” Daveda added.
When the Movitz’s started at SMFA in 1946, the school’s curriculum was structured differently than it is today, and was just one year into a new partnership with Tufts University, allowing Tufts to bestow accredited degrees. “Russell T. Smith was the head of the school then, and taught art history. Once a week he gave a lecture to the entire school. For me that was heaven,” Daveda recalls. She came to the school at sixteen and recalled “that was the first time I was really able to see art. And of course, the Museum [the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston] was my second home.” Some things were the same then as they are now, including regular visiting artists lectures. “When the visiting artists came, it was very exciting for us. We attended lectures by Max Beckmann, Oskar Kokoschka, and Richard Pousette-Dart”, Edward recalled. In their senior year, Edward and Daveda headed to Medford for classes. Daveda remembers her “terrific Shakespeare class” fondly, while the French class Edward took stands out in his mind.
SMFA is now formally a part of Tufts University, and much has changed since the Movitz’s tenure at the school. Students are no longer limited to a single concentration when earning their BFA. And some traditions have ended, like the annual winter masquerade ball where students competed to create the best costumes, “He came as a boat one year, and I remember how hard it was to dance with,” Daveda says of one of Edwards more memorable creations. The school itself has also doubled in size since 1946 with the addition of what is now the B wing.
Before leaving, Daveda stops her husband on the way out to walk down the A wing corridor one more time. As an art teacher Daveda has recommended SMFA to many of her students, adding “I’m always very happy to send students here. I feel very grateful that the Museum School is still here.”
You can find Signal Tower, by Edward Movitz for purchase at the SMFA Art Sale along with thousands of works by the SMFA community of artists November 16 to 19. Hours are Thursday, November 16 to Saturday, November 18, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. (opening reception, November 16, 5–8 p.m.); and Sunday, November 19, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Admission is free.