The travels of Howard Cook (1901-1980) and Barbara Latham (1896-1989) resulted in oeuvres that are penetrating and distinct. Interweavings provides a concise panorama of important works from the Museum’s Permanent Collection offering a rich exploration of the joint travels and intellectual bond that impacted the imagery and stylistic pathways of these artists.

Cook and Latham were natives of Massachusetts that independently studied at the Art Students League. They eventually met in New Mexico when Latham was working for a greeting card company and Cook was on assignment with The Forum magazine. A year later, in 1927, Cook and Latham were married and began a series of travels that would take them to Paris, New England, New York, Texas, Mexico, and the southeastern United States; the later two destinations were funded by fellowships awarded to Cook in 1932 and 1934 by the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation.

The one-year Guggenheim fellowship in Taxco, Mexico, which focused on learning fresco technique, proved to be the tipping point in Cook’s artistic career. Leaving printmaking almost entirely, for which he was known, Cook launched into oil, watercolor, and fresco painting—never looking back. Latham is acknowledged not only for her prints, but also for her fluid watercolors and brilliant egg temperas that capture the people and landscapes around Taos. As witnessed in this exhibit, both artists had the capacity to render their sitters with absolute honesty.