Nov 22, 2016 In the month of December, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art invites visitors to the temporary exhibition The Art of American Dance, on view through January 16, and to enjoy live performances, artist conversations, and New Year’s celebrations. World-renowned artist Nick Cave will visit Crystal Bridges on December 2 as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series. He will talk about his life’s work and examine Soundsuit, an artwork in the Museum’s permanent collection and currently on view as part of The Art of American Dance. Visitors can continue to experience contemporary dance with a Performance Lab on December 7. CONTRA-TIEMPO will present Agua Furiosa, a stunning performance combining modern, Latin American, and Afro-Cuban traditions of dance and raising questions of race in America. On December 8, viewers will have the unique opportunity to hear from CONTRA-TIEMPO’s Artistic Director, Ana Maria Alvarez, during a Spotlight Talk which will explore themes of social justice. On December 8, CONTRA-TIEMPO will also hold a Gallery Conversation examining the power of dance to enact social change. Ring in the New Year with NEW 365 at Crystal Bridges on December 31! Attendees can choose just the dance party or both experiences which include: 1) a sit-down, multiple-course dinner as part of a speakeasy-style Supper Club, and 2) an electro-swing DJ, performances, and more at the Museum Dance Party. A full listing of December programs is found below. Information and registration are available on Crystal Bridges’ calendar of events. Thursday, December 1, 6 to 7:30 pm DISH Culinary Director Case Dighero hosts a lively, insightful dialogue with Crystal Bridges’ very own Chef Melody Lane! Melody’s life reads like a novel: from her time as a chef to rock stars in the 1970s and ‘80s, through her tenure at the world-renowned Nelson Atkins Museum in Kansas City, all the way to her life as a fisherman in Belize—proof of a life lived loud and delicious. Join us for an exciting evening of food, stories, and insights on how women inspire the world at large. Open to guests ages 21 and above.Sponsored by Arvest Bank, Briar Rose Bakery, ONYX Coffee Lab, Cindy Flynt Walters and Betty Flynt. $35 ($28 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Friday, December 2, to Monday, December 5 Member Double Discount Days Crystal Bridges Members will receive double discounts (20% off) on all purchases during this special four-day event. Discounts do not apply to works by Chihuly Studio Editions.Free, no registration required. Friday, December 2, and Saturday, December 3, 10 am to 6 pm Trunk Show » Whispers Handmade Ribbon Necklaces & Scarves Made of exquisite Italian ribbon, Whispers necklaces, scarves, and earrings are handcrafted by women in Alabama to help individuals in the Black Belt region combat the rural poverty of the area. Whispers are changing lives one ribbon necklace at a time. Come browse the wide assortment of colors available in this unique line of fabric jewelry. Free, no registration required. Friday, December 2, 7 to 8 pm Distinguished Speaker Series » Nick Cave Nick Cave is an artist and educator working between the visual and performing arts. In a conversation with Curator Chad Alligood, Cave will talk about his life’s work, including his Soundsuits in Crystal Bridges’ permanent collection. Utilizing a wide range of mediums, including sculpture, installation, video, sound, and performance, Cave’s solo exhibitions are seen throughout the world, including the Denver Art Museum; Chicago Cultural Center; Studio la Città, Verona, Italy; Jack Shainman Gallery, New York; and Seattle Art Museum. Cave serves as a professor at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. American Sign Language interpretation is provided for all Distinguished Speaker Programs. To ensure that ASL users have unobstructed views of the interpreter, contact access@crystalbridges.org or call 479.418.5724 (voice or relay calls) for seating. American Sign Language interpretation is sponsored by Loreen Arbus. Sponsored by Del Monte Foods, Inc. $10 ($8 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Saturday, December 3, 9 to 11 am ArtShare Join us for ArtShare, a fun event for youth with autism and their families. The Museum will open early for families to explore the galleries, participate in hands-on activities, and create art. Ages 5+.Free, register online. Questions? Contact 479-418-5724 or access@crystalbridges.org. Sponsored by Loreen Arbus. Monday, December 4, 6:30 to 8:30 pm CR(EAT)E » Art Inspires Cuisine Enjoy an in-depth glimpse and taste of how art inspires the culinary world of Crystal Bridges! Join Culinary Director Case Dighero, Executive Chef Bill Lyle, and special guests to discuss the inspiration they draw from the Museum while experiencing a special dinner inspired by artwork in our collection. $100 ($80 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Monday, December 5 & 19, 1 to 3 pm Figure Drawing Join us on the first and third Mondays of each month for this adult Figure Drawing class 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 this introductory life drawing class. 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, December 5, 6 to 7pm Yoga and Art » Chakra Series: Heart and Brow Celebrate bliss! Yoga Story’s Cindee Johnson leads this uplifting group experience uniting the power of art with the beauty of nature. Discover various spaces of the Museum 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: Crown. $5 (Free for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Thursday, December 8, 11:30 am to 2 pm Preschool Playdate » Blue Don’t be blue about winter, celebrate the color at Preschool Playdate! Enjoy art projects, story time, and creative play inspired by the beautiful hue of blue. Playdate begins with an 11:30 a.m. performance in the Great Hall. Sponsored by Roy & Christine Sturgis Charitable Trust, Bank of America, N.A. Trustee and the Segal Family Foundation. Free, no registration required. Wednesday, December 14, 1 to 2 pm Gallery Conversation » Reflections on The Art of American Dance Curatorial Assistant Alejo Benedetti shares his reflections on the temporary exhibition The Art of American Dance, discussing how American painters, sculptors, and photographers are inspired by dance, as well as how we share culture through movement. No registration required, but a ticket to the exhibition is necessary. The Art of American Dance exhibition: $10 (Free for Members) Wednesday, December 14, 6 to 7 pm SOLD OUT WOW » High South Greatest Hits Join Crystal Bridges Culinary Director Case Dighero, alongside Executive Director Rod Bigelow, as they invite regional chefs and mixologists to discuss (and eat) the virtues of High South cuisine. We’ll take a look back at Bigelow’s favorite moments in 2016. Open to guests ages 21 and above. Sponsored by Premier Dermatology and Riedel Glassware. Wednesday, December 14, 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 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, December 15, 6:30 to 7:30 pm Great Reveal » Christmas Stories View rare books with a holiday theme, from lavishly illustrated nineteenth-century Christmas carols to a copy of Grandma Moses’s limited-edition Christmas Tale from 1952. Free, no registration required. Thursday, December 15, 7 to 9 pm Film Screening » Hollywood Cinema Series: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers Enjoy our Hollywood Cinema Series complementing The Art of American Dance exhibition. We’ll view the 1937 film, Shall We Dance, featuring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, who were central to popularizing tap and swing dance for mainstream culture. Sponsored by inVeritas, Demara Titzer, and JTH Productions. Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Saturday, December 17, through Monday, January 2, 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 artmaking, music, puppets, dance, and more! Check our website for a schedule of each day’s activities. Sponsored by Nice-Pak Products, Inc. Free, no registration required. Wednesday, December 21, 7 to 9 pm Film » Hollywood Cinema Series: Busby Berkley Enjoy our Hollywood Cinema Series complementing The Art of American Dance exhibition. We’ll explore the 1933 film 42nd Street, which showcases Busby Berkeley’s revolutionary use of elaborate musical production numbers, incorporating showgirls and props as fantasy elements in kaleidoscopic on-screen performances. Sponsored by inVeritas, Demara Titzer, and JTH Productions. Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Saturday, December 31, 11 am to 3 pm Noon Year’s Eve Family Celebration Ring in the New Year (without staying up past bedtime) at our second annual family celebration. We’ll have fun art projects, performances, and a huge family dance party! Sponsored by Coca-Cola, Mark and Diane Simmons, and Arvest Bank. Free, no registration required. Saturday, December 31, 8:30 pm, to Sunday, January 1, 1 am NEW 365 Whether you prefer a stylish supper or a get-your-groove-on dance party, Crystal Bridges offers two unique ways to ring in the New Year! CB Supper Club: 8:30 pm $225 ($200 member) Knock on the secret door and slip into our speakeasy-style supper club in the Museum’s Great Hall. You’ll enjoy a seated, fine dining experience with each of multiple courses paired with cocktails or wine. Crystal Bridges Culinary Director Case Dighero and Robert Ginsburg, Executive Director of the Northwest Arkansas Jazz Society, will be your hosts for an evening featuring jazz bands, torch singers, dancing, and a midnight celebration. Reserved parking makes entry to the club a breeze, and your ticket covers Museum Dance Party admission as well. Museum Dance Party: 9:30 pm $60 ($55 member) Kick New Year’s Eve celebrations into high-gear with our Dance Party, featuring an electro-swing DJ, silent disco, dance performances, and more. The party begins in the Museum’s restaurant, Eleven, spreads through the art galleries, outside to Walker Landing, and even into the special exhibition, The Art of American Dance, all designed to create a unique, high-energy experience. Cash bars are available and appetizers are complimentary while you dance the night away, as is a celebratory glass of champagne for the midnight count-down.
