© Ed Paschke, Untitled, about 1976, lithograph, 11 1/4 x 8 1/16 inches

Written by Tori Smith, Public Relations and Social Media Assistant

It’s the time of the year when museums close for the holidays. Here at DOMA, we wish you an excellent holiday and students a restful break. Here are five pieces of art at DOMA that celebrate the holidays.  

Drinking Hot Chocolate – Still Life #71 

According to a survey conducted by YouGov, out of 1,000 U.S. adults over 21, 34% selected hot chocolate as their favorite winter beverage. The acrylic on canvas Still Life #71 features a golden shiny cup of what viewers could only imagine to be whatever drink they’re craving now. For the sake of the holidays, viewers can assume it’s a cup of steaming hot chocolate. The shiny cup and its reflectiveness are not a mistake; its artist, Jeanette Pasin Sloan, got inspired while looking at her toaster. Her art then reflected what she saw and literally reflected the designs on the object’s surfaces. 

Dinner – Christmas Eve Dinner, from the volume “Interior Exposure” 

Although this is a photograph, its photographer, Jessica Todd Harper, became inspired as a young child while walking around museums. She started taking photos as a teenager. The photographic print features a family sitting around a dinner table wearing paper tissue crowns that likely came out of a Christmas cracker. According to Olde English, the crowns are a traditional component of British Christmas crackers. 

Christmas Tree Shopping – Christmas Trees 

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, there are approximately 25-30 million real Christmas trees sold in the U.S. every year. This lithograph by Mabel Dwight adds another family to that number. There are multiple large trees shown in the lithograph, and those trees could’ve taken as many as 15 years to achieve that height.  

Ugly Christmas Sweaters – Untitled 

Ugly Christmas sweaters date all the way back to the 1950s when they were called Jingle Bell Sweaters. They became even more popular with the rise of the media, specifically on television in “The Cosby Show.” This lithograph, Untitled by Ed Paschke, doesn’t resemble the typical ugly sweaters that we view today. But, if the viewer looks closely, the dots could appear as buttons, and the lines as stripes on the flat-chested space underneath the head. Look even closer and notice the Christmas tree design behind it. 

Christmas Caroling – Puerto Rican Folk Song 

Christmas caroling is typically a group of individuals going through a community and singing together. In The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, a parranda or tulla is the Puerto Rican version of Christmas caroling. Merrymakers gather in front of a house, typically after 10 p.m., to wake the residents up with joyful music. The household offers refreshment, then joins the group.

Here is a Spotify link to possible music for Puerto Rican caroling!

As always, thank you for reading the DOMA insider and make sure to visit the museum soon! DOMA is free and open to the public; we are open Tuesday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and Saturday from 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Check out our website at bsu.edu/doma.