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Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art January Programs: Picturing the Americas and new series for tweens

In the month of January, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art bids farewell to Picturing the Americas: Landscape Painting from Tierra del Fuego to the Arctic, welcomes a new temporary exhibition, and introduces a new youth art class for tweens.

 

Picturing the Americas is on view through January 18 with a variety of exhibition-themed programs including a Writer’s Group on January 11, a Panel Discussion with Curator Mindy Besaw and prominent Native American voices, and a last look for Crystal Bridges Members. On January 23, the museum welcomes the temporary exhibition Samuel F.B. Morse’s Gallery of the Louvre and the Art of Invention, hosting a Gallery Conversation on January 30 to discuss the long-standing tradition of copyists.

 

In addition to the upcoming exhibition, January welcomes the return of youth art classes, including Preschool Art Class, Young Artists Class, and a new series for ages 11 to 13: Studio Squad. The new series begins with Upcycled Art, where tweens will discover how artists use recycled materials to create high-end works. On January 15, Crystal Bridges Film Series will host a viewing of Mooz-lum, an independent film centered on an African American Muslim family whose lives are changed by the September 11 attacks. On January 16, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Dr. Caree Banton will lead a discussion on inspirational leaders and their legacy.

 

A full listing of January programs is below.  Information and registration are also available on Crystal Bridges’ calendar of events. Sign up for Crystal Bridges email updates at ENewsletter.

 

Friday, January 1, 2016, through Sunday, January 3, 1 to 4 pm

Winter Break Wonders

Join us at the Museum over your school break! We’re planning special family-friendly activities each afternoon, including art-making, music, puppets, and more! Free, no registration required.

 

Monday, January 4 and 18, 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 short 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, January 4, 6to 7 pm

Yoga and Art » Chakra Series: Crown

Find focus and release with Yoga Story’s Cindee Joslin in this uplifting group experience. Discover various Museum spaces through motivational sessions that embody balancing chakras, color, and movement. This month’s chakra is Crown. Participants should bring their own yoga mat and dress appropriately. $5 (Free for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

 

Wednesday, January 6, 6 to 8 pm

Wednesday Series for Educators » Looking Beyond the Obvious

In this first of a two-part series, we’ll explore artworks using historical context clues to decipher the artist’s use of symbolism and intended meaning. Sponsored by Neff and Scarlett Basore. $10, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

 

Friday, January 8, 15, and 22, 2 to 3:30 pm

Homeschool Friday Fun (Ages 5 to 8 and 9 to 12) » Picturing a Story

Examining character, plot, and setting, our teaching artists will guide you in using our permanent collection to inspire your own stories and artistic creations. $45 for 3 sessions ($36 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

 

Friday, January 8, 15, and 22, 2 to 3:30 pm

Homeschool Friday Fun (Ages 9 to 12) » Picturing a Story

Examining character, plot, and setting, our teaching artists will guide you in using our permanent collection to inspire your own stories and artistic creations. $45 for 3 sessions ($36 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

 

Saturday, January 9, 9 am to 1 pm

Saturday Session for Teachers » Learning with Chemistry and the Arts

This workshop allows participants an opportunity to learn how teachers are using poetry and the arts to empower learning. We’ll focus on the process of integrating the art of mixed media in the classroom to promote content literacy. This creative and effective form of arts integration allows students to imagine and demonstrate what they are learning through an artistic form. Participants will learn about arts integration in content classrooms and will work as artists by creating a mixed media piece that reflects their knowledge of a topic.  Sponsored by Neff and Scarlett Basore. $10, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

 

Monday, January 11, 11 am to 12:30 pm

Writer’s Group » Universal Stories

Join John Brown University Professor Trisha Posey for a discussion of travel and universal stories in the temporary exhibition Picturing the Americas. Posey will discuss the rise of travel journals and guidebooks in the nineteenth century, inspiring us to reflect on our past travels and outlining our own small guidebook. $8 (Free for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

 

Wednesday, January 13, 20, and 27, 1 to 2:15 pm

Preschool Art Class » Texture

Get a feel for texture! Use mixed media to create art that can be touched. $30 for 3 sessions ($24 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

 

Wednesday, January 13, 1 to 3 pm

Homeschool Tour and Art » Friendship

Spend the afternoon at the Museum as we explore the theme of friendship through artworks in our permanent collection. We’ll start with a collaborative art activity in which you’ll find artistic inspiration to express your creativity! Afterward, we’ll venture into the galleries to explore the theme of the day while completing various activities. Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

 

Wednesday, January 13, 1:30 to 2:30 pm

Art Book Club» Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain

Discuss Twain’s classic tale of American exploration, and view landscapes along the Mississippi River represented in artworks in the temporary exhibition Picturing the Americas as well as our permanent collection. Free, no registration required.

 

Thursday, January 14, 11:30 am to 2 pm

Preschool Playdate » Shapes!

Circles and rectangles and squares, oh my! Enjoy art projects, story time, and creative play inspired by the shapes around us. Preschool Playdate begins with a live performance in the Great Hall.

Sponsored by the Roy & Christine Sturgis Charitable Trust, Bank of America, N.A. Trustee, and The Hershey Company. Free, no registration required.

 

Thursday, January 14, 21, and 28, 6:30 to 8 pm

Studio Squad (Ages 11-13) » Upcycled Art

Join us for this new series just for tweens! Discover how artists use recycled materials to create high-end art! Make your own upcycled art back in the studio.  All materials provided. Sponsored by Nickelodeon. $45 for 3 sessions ($36 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Durand and Estes

 

Thursday, January 14, 7 to 8 pm

Panel Discussion with Curator Mindy Besaw » Picturing the Americas

Join Curator Mindy Besaw to reflect on the temporary exhibition Picturing the Americas. The panel discussion features three prominent Native American voices with multiple perspectives on the land from past to present, including: Muscogee Creek artist Bobby Martin, Director of the Cherokee Heritage Center Candessa Teehee, and Eastern Band Cherokee artist and activist Shan Goshorn. Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

 

Friday, January 15, 7 to 9 pm

Film and Discussion » Mooz-Lum

Crystal Bridges’ Film Series explores the art of film and exposes us to new ideas, artists, and cultures. The independent film Mooz-lum centers around an African American Muslim family whose lives are changed by the September 11 attacks and their aftermath. The film director, Qasim “Q” Basir, will join us for a post-screening discussion to share the behind-the-scenes challenges of portraying racial injustices on film. Basir’s film debuted at the 14th Annual Urban World Film Festival in New York and received the honor of Best Narrative Feature. The film was also an official selection at the Chicago International Film Festival and the 34th Cairo International Film Festival.

Sponsored by Demara Titzer and inVeritas. Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

 

Saturday, January 16, 23, and 30, 10:30 am to noon

Young Artists Class » Painting Stories

Discover stories in art and make up your own along the way! Use fun painting techniques to illustrate your setting and characters. All materials are provided. $45 for 3 sessions ($36 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

 

Saturday, January 16, 1 to 2 pm

Gallery Conversation » Dreams and Inspirational Leaders

Join stimulating conversations facilitated by speakers from the Museum and community, including curators, artists, writers, professors, and more! In this Gallery Conversation, Assistant Professor of Afro-Caribbean History at the University of Arkansas Dr. Caree Banton, will lead a discussion on inspirational leaders and their legacy in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

Bio for web: Dr. Banton is an Assistant Professor of Afro-Caribbean History at the University of Arkansas, writer, and recipient of the Lapidus Center Fellowship from the Schomberg Center for the Research in Black Culture. Free, no registration required.

 

Monday, January 18, 9 to 11 am

Members’ Last Look » Picturing the Americas
Members are invited to a Members-only Last Look of the temporary exhibition Picturing the Americas: Landscape Painting from Tierra del Fuego to the Arctic.  Free, register online or by calling the Member Priority Line at 479.418.5728.

 

Wednesday, January 20, 6 to 7 pm

WOW » Permanent Collection: The Scoop

Join Crystal Bridges Culinary Director Case Dighero and Museum Curators as they discuss little-known insights and anecdotes about the American artists in the collection and the regional cuisine of the time. Open to guests ages 21 and above. Sponsored by Premier Dermatology & Skin Renewal Center and Riedel Glassware. $30 ($24 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

 

Wednesday, January 27, 5 to 9 pm

Artinfusion @ Culture Hour + Mixer with College Ambassadors for the Arts

Artinfusion Members and friends are invited to come together each month for Culture Hour in Eleven. Enjoy networking, complimentary nosh, and $6 drink specials in Eleven.  At 7 p.m., artinfusion Members are invited to join a brainstorm session with our College Ambassadors in the south lobby, who are planning their first-ever pop-up art activity on college campuses across Northwest Arkansas! Listen to their engagement strategy and find out how you can participate or be supportive mentors. Bring a friend! Artinfusion is especially for Crystal Bridges Members ages 21 to 40s. Sponsored by Saatchi & Saatchi X, RopeSwing, Arvest Bank, Wright Lindsey Jennings, and Blue Moon Brewing Company. Free, no registration required.

 

Wednesday, January 27, 7:30 to 9 pm

College Program » Spring Semester Kick Off and Schedule

Join us for a special evening mixer at the Museum! We’ll brainstorm for the spring season of events, including our first pop-up art activity on college campuses across Northwest Arkansas and College Night on Friday, May 6. Save the dates for upcoming meet-ups on February 24, March 13, March 30, April 10, April 27, and May 6. Sponsored by Stephen and Claudia Strange. Free, no registration required.

 

Friday, January 29, 6:30 to 8:30 pm

Art by the Glass » Intergalactic Kitchen Prints

Learn how to create lithographs with common items found in your pantry! All materials plus two glasses of wine and hors d’oeuvres are provided. $45 ($36 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

 

Saturday, January 30, 1 to 2 pm

Gallery Conversation » Copyists

Join stimulating conversations facilitated by speakers from the Museum and community, including curators, artists, writers, professors, and more! In this Gallery Conversation, curator Manuela Welloffman and Educator Moira Traw will discuss the long standing tradition of Copyists in the galleries of the temporary exhibition Gallery if the Louvre. Free, no registration required.