Jan 6, 2012 BENTONVILLE, Ark., January 6, 2012 Guided tours, an evening for educators and drawing classes in the galleries are a few of the new programming options coming up in January at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. The museum’s first offering of public programs is now open for registration. Guided tours are now available on a drop-in basis.. These one-hour, thematic tours begin daily at 2:30 p.m. and do not require a special ticket or pre-registration. Each tour can accommodate up to15 participants. Three different thematic tours will be offered, including “Greatest Hits,” which will focus on some of the most popular works in the galleries; “Strong Women,” showcasing the role of women in American art, both as artist and as subject; and “Wonder World” which will provide insight into the temporary exhibition of the same name featuring selected works from the museum’s collection of contemporary art. The three drop-in tours are offered on a rotating schedule. For information regarding which tours are offered on any specific day, visit the Crystal Bridges website. Gallery Talks and Spotlight Talks continue in January with two offerings. Shifting Perspectives with Nature is a Spotlight Talk, featuring a conversation between museum Horticulturist Cody George and Director of Education Niki Stewart about art and the landscape, past and present. The talk will take place in the Early Nineteenth-Century Art Gallery beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 9. On Thursday, Jan. 19, a Gallery Talk by Curator of American Art, Kevin Murphy, will focus on The Legacy of American Realism. This presentation will take place in the Twentieth-Century Art Gallery beginning at 11:30 a.m. No registration is required, but participants are encouraged to arrive five minutes early, as gallery seating is limited. Gallery and Spotlight talks last about 45 minutes. Two classes in art-making are offered in January. Drawing in the Galleries begins Wednesday, Jan. 25 with a focus on landscape drawing. This monthly class for participants ages 18 years and up is guided by a teaching artist. Each one-and-a-half-hour session provides instruction on a different topic, including portraiture, the human figure, landscape, fashion, trompe l’oeil, architecture, and abstraction. The classes take place on Wednesdays, with two sessions offered: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 5:30 to 7 p.m. The museum will provide paper and pencils, but participants are welcome to bring their own sketchbook. Pre-registration is required and each session is $10 for non-members. Crystal Bridges members receive a 10 percent discount. Bring Your Own Art: Collage-Making from Found Objects is a workshop for adults scheduled from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29. This is the first in an adult workshop series offered every other month, focusing on hands-on projects that connect participants to works of art in the museum collection. Workshops will feature a variety of media, including painting, photography, sculpture, collage, book-making, and more. In this workshop, participants will explore mixed-media artwork through discussion and hands-on experience. Each participant is encouraged to bring found and recycled materials from home for use in his or her work. Pre-registration is required. Tickets are $45 for non-members Crystal Bridges members receive a 10 percent discount.
