Playdates, Classes, Shaky Bugs and an Exhibition Bids Farewell
April Programming at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Bentonville, AR — April events at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art include new outdoor trail tours, drop-in fun for preschoolers, the first in a new art documentary film series, and the return of Art Night Out: a popular evening event just for grown-ups. Below is a full listing of upcoming events and programs for the month of April. Many programs require pre-registration and discounts are available for members. Click here to register online or get additional information about these and other programs.
Monday, April 2, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Last day of Wonder World exhibition
Wonder World, the temporary exhibition showcasing the Museum’s collection of contemporary artworks, will close after April 2 to make way for a major traveling exhibition from the New-York Historical Society, opening in May. Some of the works in Wonder World will be relocated to other areas in the permanent galleries, while others will be returned to the Museum vaults to rest for a period.
Saturday and Sunday, April 7 and 8, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Museum Store | Rae Ann Bayless Trunk Show
(Members-only Preview and Sale, 10 to 11 a.m.)
For more than 20 years, Rae Ann has dedicated her craft to the idea of jewelry as wearable art. Approaching jewelry-making with the eye of a painter, Bayless adds the tactile sensibilities of a sculptor, combining rich colors and textures—with just a touch of the exotic. In this way, each piece becomes an expression of personal adornment, a signature of the wearer. Bayless designs jewelry for the fanciers of both the contemporary and the classic.
Monday, April 9, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Preschool Playdate
Preschool Playdates are monthly drop-in gallery activities just for children ages two to five, with a caregiver. A variety of theme-based and collection-inspired activities are offered, allowing you and your preschoolers to explore at your own pace. No tickets necessary.
Join us at 11:30 am for a Shaky Bugs performance in the Great Hall—it’s a singing, dancing, and shaking experience with Jules Taylor and her guitar! Then visit the Museum with your preschooler. Activities include making creative “shakers” in the studios, story time with Bentonville Children’s Librarian Sue Pekel, and a special “Hear the Art” preschool tour. This program is sponsored by Procter & Gamble and Hershey’s.
Wednesday, April 11, 6 to 7 p.m.
Members’ Event | WOW
Attention members and guests: Museum Members are invited to join Crystal Bridges Culinary Director Case Dighero and Matthew Dawson, Deputy Director of Arts and Education in the Museum’s Great Hall to discuss works from the collection paired with beverages from Eleven’s menu. The theme of this event is “The Picturesque, The Beautiful, and The Sublime.” Open to all members age 21 and above.
Tickets: $30 per person. Seating is limited. Pre-registration and payment are required. To register, email membership@crystalbridges.org. Memberships can be purchased online at http://crystalbridges.org/Membership.
Wednesday, April 11, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Drawing in the Galleries Class | Sketching Stuart Davis
Discover the paintings of Stuart Davis that pop with jazzy abstract lines and shapes. Explore Davis’s compositional technique that mixes Cubism and pre-Pop styles while combining still life objects with the city landscape. In this class, students will practice from four Davis paintings—Still Life With Flowers, Rue de L'Echaud, Punch Card Flutter No. 3, and Still Life with Map, New Mexico.
Guided by a teaching artist, each 90-minute session provides instruction on a different topic. Classes are geared for participants ages 18 and up and take place monthly on Wednesdays, with two sessions offered: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 5:30 to 7 p.m. We will provide paper and pencil, but you are welcome to bring your own sketchbook. Pencils are the only drawing tool allowed in the galleries.
Cost: $10 per session for non-Members | 10% discount for Members
Thursday, April 12, 1 to 1:45 p.m.
Gallery Talk | The Frame
Speaker: Curator of American Art Kevin Murphy
How do artists "frame" the identity of their subjects? Join Curator of American Art Kevin Murphy in discussing how John Singleton Copley communicated the economic and social status of Mrs. Theodore Atkinson and signaled her identity as a North American colonist. In addition, by examining the interesting double frame of the painting, Murphy will discuss differences in the function of art from the eighteenth century to the twenty-first.
The talk is located in the Colonial to Early Twentieth-Century Art Gallery in front of Mrs. Theodore Atkinson Jr. (Frances Deering Wentworth).
Friday, April 13, 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Film Series | The Cowboy and the Eclipse
A discussion with Public Programs Coordinator Sara Segerlin and the Skyspace Facilitators will follow the film.
The Cowboy and the Eclipse is a documentary film focusing on American artist James Turrell, who created the Skyspace, The Way of Color, on Crystal Bridges’ Art Trail. Turrell is famous for thinking big and the material he works with is light. To commemorate the last solar eclipse of the twentieth century, Turrell was commissioned to produce a special work located on a hillside overlooking St. Michael’s Mount in Cornwall, England. The film covers two years with Turrell, working and living both in Cornwall and at his ranch in Arizona leading up to the eclipse itself. This film was created by ZCZ Films.
The event is free with no reservations necessary. Seats are first-come, first-served.
Saturday, April 14, 9 a.m. to noon
Saturday Sessions for Teachers | Art and Innovation
Saturday Sessions are immersive professional development programs that enable teachers to learn more about the artworks in the Museum’s collection, and then incorporate them into the classroom. In this session, through discussion and activity, teachers will discover how artists have reflected innovation, as well pioneered innovative uses of materials and ideas. All materials and light refreshments will be provided. Three professional development hours from the State Department of Education are available. Cost: $10 per person. Pre-registration is required.
Monday, April 16, 10:30 a.m.
Members’ Event | Member Monday
Museum Members are invited to meet at the coffee bar at 10:30 a.m. to purchase a cup of coffee or other beverage and then gather in one of the Museum’s function rooms for an informal topic discussion with Curator of American Art Kevin Murphy beginning at 11 a.m. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. To register: membership@crystalbridges.org.
Monday, April 16, 1 to 1:45 p.m.
Spotlight Talk | Theatre in 1900 through the Eyes of Artist Everett Shinn
Speakers: Public Programs Manager Janelle Redlaczyk and Development Officer Jamey McGaugh
Everett Shinn’s passion for the stage dominated his art and his life. His fascination with theaters, vaudeville halls, and circuses became a common theme in his paintings. Shinn was a leading figure of the Ashcan School, a Realist art movement that focused on modern urban experience in the early 1900s. Listen to a discussion between Public Programs Manager Janelle Redlaczyk and Development Officer and actor Jamey McGaugh about Shinn’s painting, A French Music Hall.
The talk is located in the Late Nineteenth-Century Art Gallery in front of Everett Shinn’s A French Music Hall
Thursday, April 19, 7 to 10 p.m.
Members’ Event | Young Patrons Event | Mod about You
Attention members and guests: Members of Crystal Bridges’ Young Patrons group will enjoy food and beverage pairings highlighting the 1960s Madison Avenue trend and Crystal Bridges’ collection of Modern art. Skinny ties, Brylcreem, red lipstick and hairspray—come dressed in your best 1960’s Madison Avenue party attire for an evening of Pop Art and fun. Impress your friends with your best Swim, Mashed Potato, Twist, Frug, Watusi, and Pony as our DJ spins the hits of the time. Sponsored by Premier Dermatology & Miller Coors. Pre-registration is required. To register, email Membership@crystalbridges.org.
Friday, April 20, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Great Hall Lecture Series | Mark Catesby’s Hortus Europea Americanus or Collection of 85 Curious Tree and Shrubs
Speakers: Library Director Catherine Petersen and Director of Trails and Grounds Scott Eccleston
Library Director Catherine Petersen and Director of Trails and Grounds Scott Eccleston present a fascinating discussion about naturalist Mark Catesby, who published the first account of the flora and fauna of North America. Unlock the secrets behind Catesby’s 1767 book, Hortus Europea Americanus or Collection of 85 Curious Tree and Shrubs cataloged in the rare American color plate collection of Crystal Bridges Library.
Saturday, April 21, 1 to 5 p.m.
Workshop for Youth (ages 10 to 13) | Cut, Assemble, Glue: Collage for Kids
Collage is a medium with endless possibilities. Learn about American artists who have worked in collage, explore new techniques using lots of different materials, and create a work of focusing on YOU! Pre-registration is required. Register online and pay at the Museum half an hour prior to the beginning of the workshop. Cost: $45 for non-Members | 10% discount for Members
Monday, April 23, noon to 1 p.m.
Outdoor Spotlight Talk | Earth Day Reflection: Envisioning the Landscape a Decade Later
Speakers: Director of Trails and Grounds Scott Eccleston and Horticulturist Cody George
Learn how the natural landscape at Crystal Bridges was developed, and what processes are in place to grow and maintain it. Explore the landscape design which integrates the Museum’s modern building with its environment. Learn about sustainable practices onsite, and the use of native plants and special cultivars.
The talk is located outdoors in the garden nook above Walker Landing.
Thursday, April 26, 7 to 10 p.m.
Art Night Out | Edible Culture
Art Night Out: Edible Culture brings the Ozark community together to enjoy the local flavors of Northwest Arkansas. Attend ourOzark Style culinary show, Art and Food, Food as Art that highlights the local farming and food community with sample tastes created by Crystal Bridges chefs and inspired by artwork in the Museum’s collection. Try your hand at sketching a still life. Dance to live music performed by an 18-piece Big Band from the University of Arkansas on Walker Landing. Enjoy live music in the galleries and learn about the fruits and other food featured in works in the Crystal Bridges collection through gallery talks by Museum Curators and guest speaker John Clark, University of Arkansas Horticulture Professor. The Museum Store will also be open for late-night shopping.
Tickets : $25 for non-Members | 10% discount for Members. Reserve your cooking show time (7 to 8 p.m. or 8:45 to 9:45 p.m.) when you order your tickets online.
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The museum is closed on Tuesdays. General admission to Crystal Bridges is sponsored by Walmart, There is no fee to view the permanent collection. Trails and grounds are open every day, year-round, from sunrise to sunset.
Opened to the public on 11-11-11, Crystal Bridges was founded in 2005 by Alice Walton, who chairs the Museum's board of directors.