Apr 20, 2016 In the month of May, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art invites visitors to explore architecture with Distinguished Speaker Thom Mayne, celebrate the trails and grounds with the second annual Garden Party, and enjoy an all-new series highlighting women in the culinary and art worlds. May is the final month to view Crystal Bridges’ first large-scale photography exhibition, The Open Road: Photography and the American Road Trip. The exhibition features 100+ images by 19 photographers on the move across America from the 1950s to today. College Night will celebrate summer on the open road on Friday, May 6. On May 7, photographer Chuck Davis provides insight on the exhibition in his Gallery Conversation. The Open Road Film Series continues on Thursday, May 26 with a screening of 45 RPM. Thanks to exhibition sponsors, admission to the exhibition is free on Thursday evenings from 5 to 9 pm. On May 12, award-winning architect Thom Mayne will explore how architecture connects us with people and landscape. Mayne founded Morphosis Architecture as a collective architectural practice engaged in cross-disciplinary research and design. His honors include the Pritzker Prize and the AIA Gold Medal. Celebrate the beauty of Crystal Bridges’ trails and ground on May 14 with the second annual Garden Party. Enjoy music in multiple locations as part of Walton Arts Center’s Artosphere Trail Mix, a native plant and seed sale, artmaking, nature and art talks, refreshments, and more. Featured performers include Calle Soul, Circa Acrobats, and Austin Bike Zoo. On May 25, join Culinary Director Case Dighero for the new DISH series, which cultivates lively, dialog between strong women in both the culinary and art worlds. Dighero will welcome the first guests: Emily Lawson of Pink House Alchemy and Foxhole and visual artist Christina Mariotti. A full listing of May programs is below. Information and registration are available on Crystal Bridges’ calendar of events. Saturdays and Sundays, 1 to 4 pm Drop-In Artmaking Drop in our studios any time between 1 and 4 p.m. for creative artmaking all ages will enjoy. Monday, May 2 and 16, 1 to 3 pm Figure Drawing Join us on the first and third Mondays of each month to draw from a clothed model. Whether you’ve always had a love for figure drawing or are trying it for the first time, you’ll enjoy an afternoon drawing with other adults at the Museum. A variety of drawing materials will be provided, and model poses will include both shorter warm-up poses and longer poses. All materials are provided. $10 ($5 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Monday, May 2, 6 to 7 pm Yoga and Art » Chakra Series: Sacral Refresh and replenish creativity! Yoga Story’s Cindee Joslin leads this uplifting group experience, uniting the power of art with the beauty of nature. Discover various spaces of the Museum, inside and out, as you are refreshed and renewed through motivational sessions that embody balancing chakras, color, and movement. Participants should bring their own yoga mat and dress appropriately. This month’s chakra: sacral. $5 (Free for Members), register online or by calling479.657.2335. Wednesdays, May 4, 11, and 18, 1 to 2:15 pm Preschool Art Class » Artful Animals Wag your tail and get ready to discover animals in our permanent collection! Create artful animals back in the studio using a variety of media. $30 for 3 sessions ($24 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Thursday, May 5, 1 to 2 pm and 6:30 to 7:30 pm Gallery Conversation » What’s New? Enjoy stimulating conversations facilitated by speakers from the Museum and community, including curators, artists, writers, professors, and more! In this Gallery Conversation, Curator Chad Alligood will present a discussion on our recent acquisition, “Untitled” (L.A.), by Felix Gonzalez-Torres. The work involves 50 pounds of green cellophane-wrapped candy and encourages viewers to directly interact with the piece, forming their own experiences. In providing an endless replenishment of candy, the artist gives continued life to the artwork. Free, no registration required. Friday, May 6, through Monday, May 9 Member Double Discount Days Crystal Bridges Members will receive four days of double discounts (20% off) during this special four-day event! Have you been eyeing memorabilia from The Open Road exhibition, the artisan boxes inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, or handcrafted jewelry by a regional artist? Now is the time to buy, and with Mother’s Day around the corner you’ve got an excuse to splurge. Discounts do not apply to Chihuly Studio Editions. Friday, May 6, 10 am to 6 pm Saturday, May 7, 10 am to 6 pm Featured Artisan Showcase » Bespoke Rocks and Sew Ingenious Designs Browse the latest collection of gemstone jewelry designs by Bespoke Rocks, and handbags by Little Rock designers Sew Ingenious Designs. Maryalice Haest, owner of Bespoke Rocks, selects the highest-quality semi-precious gemstones for her designs. Jeannette Barry and Thomas Wirries of Sew Ingenious Designs make each of their bags by hand, using colorful upholstery fabric and leather. Free, no registration required. Fridays, May 6, 13, and 20, 2 to 3:30 pm Homeschool Friday Fun » Art and Nature (Ages 5 to 8) Explore art and nature both inside and outside the Museum! Create art back in the studio inspired by what you’ve seen. $45 for 3 sessions ($36 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Fridays, May 6, 13, and 20, 2 to 3:30 pm Homeschool Friday Fun » Art and Nature (Ages 9 to 12) Explore art and nature both inside and outside the Museum! Create art inspired by what you’ve seen back in the studio. $45 for 3 sessions ($36 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Friday, May 6, 8 to 11 pm College Night » Summer on the Open Road Calling all college students! Get ready for summer with a night of live music, gallery performances, and more, inspired by The Open Road. Screenings of cult-classic films will be held outdoors on the lawn of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Bachman-Wilson House. All are welcome to attend, presented by Crystal Bridges College Ambassadors. Sponsored by Stephen and Claudia Strange. Free, register online or with Guest Services. Saturday, May 7, 1 to 2 pm Gallery Conversation » The Open Road Enjoy stimulating conversations facilitated by speakers from the Museum and community, including curators, artists, writers, professors, and more! See The Open Road exhibition through the lens of photographer and Photographic Society of Northwest Arkansas Member Chuck Davis in this insightful discussion on photography and fine art. Price of The Open Road exhibition: $10 ($8 for Members). No registration required, but a ticket to the exhibition is necessary. Space is limited, so please arrive 5 to 10 minutes early. Monday, May 9, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Educator Program» Economics and Art: Making Connections Explore the intersection of economics and visual arts! K through 12 educators will learn how to engage students with economic concepts through exploring visual arts. Learn to identify economic concepts depicted in the Museum’s permanent collection, and how works of art can show the historic impact of economics. The program will include discussions by experts in economics and art, interactive gallery discussions, and small working groups. Participants will receive six hours of approved Arkansas Department of Education Professional Development credit, $100 substitute reimbursement, a LiveBinder of curriculum resources, plus lunch and snacks. The session is presented in collaboration with Economics Arkansas and Bessie B. Moore Center for Economic Education. Sponsored by Neff and Scarlett Basore. $20, register online here. Monday, May 9, 11 am to 12:30 pm Writers Group » Featured Poet: Houston Hughes Explore poetry inspired by the beauty of nature with poet Houston Hughes in our spring series of Writers Group. Each month, we’ll explore a variety of traditional and contemporary poetry styles honoring art and nature through group discussions, writing, and recitations on the Museum grounds and in the galleries. $8 (Free for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Monday, May 9, 1:30 to 3:30 pm Creative Connections Creative Connections is a program for individuals in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or related dementia and their care partners. Museum Educators facilitate interactive discussions of artworks in the galleries and hands-on art activities in the studio. No prior art experience required! Refreshments and art materials are provided. Sponsored by Loreen Arbus. Presented in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association and Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education. Free. Advance registration through Alzheimer’s Association required. To register, contact: Alzheimer’s Association by calling (479) 273-5559, or email sdillingham@alz.org. Wednesday, May 11, 5 to 9 pm Artinfusion @ Culture Hour Get together with artinfusion Members and friends each month to mingle during Culture Hour in Eleven! Artinfusion’s Culture Hour features a jazz concert and discussion at 7 p.m., presented by the Northwest Arkansas Jazz Society. Join us on Walker Landing with your artinfusion Culture Hour drinks for an opening exhibition discussion on Black Unity with Curatorial Assistant Alejo Benedetti, as well performance by the jazz ensemble The Crusades. Sponsored by Saatchi & Saatchi X, RopeSwing, Wright Lindsey Jennings, and Blue Moon Brewing Company. Free, no registration required. Wednesday, May 11 and 25, 6:30 to 8:30 pm Figure Drawing from the Nude Model Join us on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month for this adult figure drawing class with a nude model. A variety of drawing materials will be provided, and model poses will include both shorter warm-up poses and longer poses. Participants must be 18 or older. (Note: Figure Drawing sessions with a clothed model are offered on the first and third Mondays of each month, and are open to participants ages 14 and up.) $10 ($5 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Thursday, May 12, 11:30 am to 2 pm Preschool Playdate » Spring Flowers! Spring is in full bloom! Enjoy art projects, interactive tours, and creative play inspired by the lovely flowers found in and around Crystal Bridges. Playdate begins with an 11:30 a.m. performance in the Great Hall. Sponsored by Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable Trust, Bank of America, N.A. Trustee, and The Segal Family Foundation. Free, no registration required. Thursdays, May 12, 19, and 26, 6:30 to 8 pm Studio Squad » Nature Connections Discover the connections between art and nature! We will see how artists are inspired by nature, and even try our hand at plein-air painting. Sponsored by Nickelodeon. $45 for 3 sessions ($36 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Thursday, May 12, 7 to 8 pm Distinguished Speaker Series » Thom Mayne, architect and Pritzker Prize winner Innovative designer, inspiring thought leader, and award-winning architect Thom Mayne will explore how architecture connects us with people and landscape. The founder of Morphosis Architecture, Mayne’s honors include the Pritzker Prize (2005) and the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal (2013). Morphosis Architecture’s designs include the NYC Cooper Union Building and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas. The firm has been the subject of various group and solo exhibitions throughout the world, including a large solo exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in Paris in 2006; its buildings and projects have been published extensively, including 26 monographs. The Distinguished Speaker Series is sponsored by Del Monte Foods, Inc. Architectural programming at Crystal Bridges is sponsored by Chip and Susan Chambers and Ken and Liz Allen. American Sign Language interpretation is provided for all Distinguished Speaker programs. For preferred seating, please contact us at access@crystalbridges.org or 479.418.5724 (voice). Relay or voice calls welcome. American Sign Language interpretation is sponsored by Loreen Arbus. $10 ($8 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Friday, May 13, noon to 6 pm Saturday, May 14, 10 am to 6 pm Arkansas Crystal Showcase Founded in 2008, Avant Mining is based in Blue Springs, Arkansas, and produces the finest quartz crystals in the world. In this Crystal Showcase, learn more about how these stunning specimens form. A large selection of crystals will be available for viewing and purchase during this event. Free, no registration required. Saturday, May 14, 10 to 11:30 am Discover the Grounds » Nature Photography with Bob Lyons See the great outdoors through the eyes of renowned nature photographer Bob Lyons from Longwood Gardens. After an inspiring presentation about his 30-year career as a photographer and contributor for the plant magazine Horticopia, Lyons, the former Director of the Longwood Graduate Program in Public Horticulture, will guide participants in using eyes, mind, and camera to capture extended and fleeting moments in your personal landscapes. All image-taking devices are welcome; or simply come, listen, and gain a new understanding of looking at nature and landscapes! Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Saturday, May 14, 10 am to 4 pm Featured Artisan » Valerie Sanson Valerie Sanson has combined her background as an artist and her admiration of Mother Nature’s infinite kaleidoscope of colors and textures into the unique jewelry line Painting with Stones. Made up of colorful and inventive necklaces, pins, and bracelets, this collection is available in a range of prices and styles. Free, no registration required. Saturdays, May 14, 21, and 28, 10:30 am to 12 pm Young Artists Class (Ages 5 to 10) » Nature Inspiration Explore the flora and fauna in and around the Museum. Create art inspired by what you’ve seen back in the studio. $45 for 3 sessions ($36 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Saturday, May 14, noon to 5 pm Garden Party Celebrate the beauty of Crystal Bridges’ trails and ground with our second annual Garden Party! Enjoy fantastic music in multiple locations as part of Walton Arts Center’s Artosphere Trail Mix, a native plant and seed sale, artmaking, nature and art talks, tasty refreshments by Eleven and local food trucks, and more! Sponsored by Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable Trust, Bank of America, N.A. Trustee and Rockline Industries Free, no registration required. Wednesday, May, 18, 1:30 to 2:30 pm Art Book Club » On the Road Discuss Jack Kerouac’s seminal tale of life on America’s highways and its connection to contemporary photographers like Robert Frank, whose work is featured in the exhibition The Open Road. Free, no registration required. Wednesday, May 18, 6 to 7 pm WOW » Permanent Collection – SOLD OUT Join Crystal Bridges Culinary Director Case Dighero and Curator Chad Alligood as they discuss masterworks from the permanent collection. Open to guests ages 21 and above. Sponsored by Premier Dermatology and Riedel Glassware. $35 ($28 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Friday, May 20, 6:30 to 8:30 pm Photo Salon » Route 66 with Greg Disch Grab your camera and hit the road during this exciting opening for the Photo Salon series. Photographer Greg Dish leads the annual Route 66 excursion for the Photographic Society of Northwest Arkansas each year and has taken r 3,500+images along Route 66, many of which are soon to be published. He kicks off our first salon of the season by highlighting photography of The Open Road exhibition and sharing his personal photographic journey on the iconic highway. Afterward, we’ll go off-site and explore the landmarks of Downtown Bentonville. $10 (Free for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Friday, May 20, 7 to 8 pm Performance Lab » Nels Cline and Norton Wisdom present Stained Radiance Guitarist Nels Cline of Wilco, and painter Norton Wisdom, both masters of their medium, will join together for an evening of sonic and visual improvisation in this live performance of Stained Radiance. Armed with his guitar and audio effects, Cline constructs lush soundscapes illustrated by Wisdom’s brush-stroke spontaneity in creating ever-changing images. Stained Radiance received rave reviews at the Big Ear Festival in Knoxville and at the Solid Sound Festival at MASS MOCA. Cline has been a major force as a guitarist and improviser, and was named one of the top 100 guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone. He has gained his widest fame as lead guitarist of the acclaimed rock band Wilco. Wisdom is a performance artist who spontaneously paints images onstage with musical ensembles, capturing the essence of the live moment. In addition to Stained Radiance, Wisdom has collaborated with The Doors and super-group Banyan featuring Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction), Mike Watt (Minutemen), Rob Wasserman, Willie Waldman, and Cline. Sponsored by the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation and Demara Titzer. Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Saturday, May 21, 1 to 2 pm Gallery Conversation » Fashion and Art Enjoy stimulating conversations facilitated by speakers from the Museum and community, including curators, artists, writers, professors, and more! Fashion designer and Springdale native Raul “Rulli” Torres will present a conversation on fashion, art, and social influences in our 1940s to Now Gallery. Torres has had a love for fashion since he was five years old, influenced by Yves St. Laurent and Christian Dior, and has participated in fashion shows in Northwest Arkansas, Dallas, and New York. Free, no registration required. Monday, May 23, 1:30 to 3:30 pm Creative Connections Creative Connections is a program for individuals in the early stages Alzheimer’s or related dementia and their care partners. Museum Educators facilitate interactive discussions of artworks in the galleries and hands-on art activities in the studio. No prior art experience required! Refreshments and art materials are provided. Sponsored by Loreen Arbus. Presented in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association and Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education. Free. Advance registration through Alzheimer’s Association required. To register, contact: Alzheimer’s Association by calling (479) 273-5559, or email sdillingham@alz.org. Wednesday, May 25, 6 to 7:30 pm NEW DISH » Inspiring Women This NEW series cultivates lively, insightful dialog between strong women in both the culinary and art worlds. Join Culinary Director Case Dighero in welcoming our first guests: Emily Lawson of Pink House Alchemy/Foxhole and artist Christina Mariotti of Fayetteville. Open to guests ages 21 and above. $35 ($28 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Thursday, May 26, 8:30 to 10:30 pm The Open Road Film Series » 45 RPM & Conversation with Filmmaker Juli Jackson The Open Road Film Series presents an outdoor screening of the Arkansas-based film 45 RPM, as well as a pre-screening conversation with Arkansas filmmaker Juli Jackson, artist Mandi Maxwell, and actor Jason Thompson. 45 RPM is a dark comedy following a road trip through Arkansas, told from the perspective of a young woman journeying to become an artist. Drawing on Arkansas’ unique musical heritage, showcasing local artists, and featuring original music, 45 RPM brings together a wealth of modern talent and Southern music legends, including bluesman CeDell Davis, rockabilly pioneer Joyce Green, and early garage rockers The Coachmen and The Spyders. Sponsored by inVeritas and Demara Titzer. Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Friday, May 27, 6:30 to 8:30 pm Art by the Glass » Masterpiece Mashup Discover two very different artists and artistic styles in our permanent collection, and combine them in one original work of art! This social class is complemented with two glasses of wine and light hors d’oeuvres. All materials are provided. $44 ($35 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Friday, May 27, 8 to 9 pm Walton Arts Center’s Artosphere Festival and Music Director Corrado Rovaris present Live from Crystal Bridges: Mozart in the Museum – SOLD OUT Join us for this live radio event featuring the Artosphere Festival Orchestra with soprano soloist Deanna Breiwick as they perform a program of Mozart arias and early symphonies in the stunning sound space of the Great Hall. The event is sold out but you can tune in to KUAF 91.3 FM National Public Radio! Saturday, May 28, 10 am to 6 pm Featured Artisan » Jim Young: Pottery Wheel Demonstration and Sale Award-winning potter and member of the Arkansas Craft Guild Jim Young has been a stoneware potter for more than 40 years and a pottery teacher for 38 years. Young’s work is influenced by travels in Europe, Latin America, and Asia, as well as his beloved Ozark Mountains. See Young at work as he demonstrates his skills at the pottery wheel during this three-day demonstration and sale. Free, no registration required. Monday, May 30, 9 to 10 am Members’ Last Look » The Open Road Members are invited to a Members-only Last Look of the temporary exhibition The Open Road, Crystal Bridges’ first large-scale photography exhibition. With 100+ images, The Open Road features 19 photographers on the move across America from the 1950s to today. Celebrate the great American road trip with a final look at this don’t-miss exhibition. Free, register online or by calling the Member Priority Line at 479.418.5728.
