Bentonville, AR — Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is now accepting registration for its summer line-up of art classes for children and teens. Three-day classes or single-day workshops for children ages 6 to 12 and teens 13 to 18 are offered in a variety of art forms. Classes begin June 6. A full schedule of classes and registration information is available on the Crystal Bridges website.
In addition to youth classes, the museum will be offering an ongoing series of outdoor programs focusing on the Crystal Bridges landscape, as well as an artful Family Sunday and Art Night Out, a popular evening event for adults, Below is a full listing of upcoming events and programs for the month. Many programs require pre-registration and discounts are available for museum members. Interested participants may register online or get additional information about these and other programs on the Crystal Bridges website: crystalbridges.org/education/public-programs.
Monday, June 4, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Preschool Playdate | In the Round
Preschool Playdates are monthly drop-in gallery activities just for children ages two to five, with a caregiver. Take a circle tour in the Twentieth-Century Art Gallery, do some dot dab painting in the studio, and enjoy some circular play with parachute games and hula hoops. No tickets necessary. Sponsored by Procter & Gamble and Hershey’s.
Wednesday through Friday, June 6 through 8
Create Your World
Noon to 2 p.m., ages 6 to 9
Explore the galleries and spend plenty of time in the studio, looking at and creating natural landscapes, built environments, and even dreamscapes.
Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Cost: $60 for non-Members, 10% Member discount
2:30 to 4:30 p.m., ages 10 to 12
Explore the galleries and spend plenty of time in the studio, looking at and creating natural landscapes, built environments, and even dreamscapes.
Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Cost: $60 for non-Members, 10% Member discount
Friday, June 8, 10 to 11 a.m.
Discover the Grounds | Balancing Nature’s Palette with a Green Lawn at Crystal Bridges
Class Leader: Trails and Grounds Manager Clay Bakker
The placement of green grass has helped balance the busy visual composition of Crystal Bridges’ dense forest and wild plant life of various textures, shapes, and sizes. Trails and Grounds Manager Clay Bakker will discuss his decision-making on where to place lawns throughout the Museum grounds. Students will learn about Clay’s best practices in preserving the Museum’s lawns, especially for the summer season. Horticulturist Cody George will also provide examples of signature plants that enhance the Museum’s green lawns. Meet at the Tulip Tree Shelter located on the Tulip Tree Trail, which is a moderate walk from the South Lobby. The class is free, but space is limited!
Friday, June 8, 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Film Series | New Look: Samuel F.B. Morse’s Gallery of the Louvre
Film Introduction by Library Coordinator Jason Dean
Known today primarily for his role in the development of the electromagnetic telegraph and Morse code, Samuel F. B. Morse began his career as a painter. His monumental Gallery of the Louvre was the culmination of a three-year period of study in Europe. For his canvas, Morse selected masterpieces from the Musée du Louvre's collection and imagined them installed in one of the museum's grandest spaces, the Salon Carré. Morse exhibited the painting only twice— in New York and New Haven— where it was highly praised by critics and connoisseurs but rejected by the public. Crushed by the response, Morse soon ceased painting altogether, moving on to his more successful experiments in communications technology. Close to two hundred years later, Gallery of the Louvre underwent a six-month conservation treatment in the studio of American painting specialists Lance Mayer and Gay Myers. This video, created by The Terra Foundation for American Art, documents the conservation, which yielded numerous insights into the story of the painting's creation.
Saturday, June 9, 1 to 5 p.m.
Drawing from Nature for Teens, ages 13 to 18
The Hudson River School artists used sketches from their outdoor expeditions to create their marvelous landscape paintings. Visit the Hudson River School exhibition and learn to keep a nature journal to enrich your artwork. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Cost: $45 for non-Members, 10% Member discount
Sunday, June 10, 2 to 4 p.m.
Great Hall Lecture Series | “Thomas Hart Benton: Painting the Song”
Speaker: Author and Professor of American Art History Leo Mazow
Explore the vision of regionalist painter, Thomas Hart Benton, through his love of music! Presented by author and associate professor of American art history, Leo Mazow, learn about Benton’s lifetime (1889–1975) and his work not only as an artist but also as a performing musician who invented a harmonica tablature notation system, and who was also a collector, cataloguer, transcriber, and distributor of popular music. Drawing on material from his newly released book, Thomas Hart Benton and the American Sound, Mazow takes stock of Benton’s most important paintings that depict musical performance and passages taken from folk songs.
Benton found inspiration for his art in classic tunes such as “John Henry,” “Wreck of the Old ’97,” and “Frankie and Johnnie.” Joined on-stage by local blues musician Adam Posnak, the speaker will punctuate his slide lecture with live performances of a few of these songs. Mazow’s book Thomas Hart Benton and The American Sound will be available for purchase before and after the lecture in the south lobby.
Great Hall Lectures are free, but require online reservation as space is limited.
About the Lecturer:
Leo G. Mazow is Associate Professor of American art history at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Among the exhibitions and accompanying publications he has organized are Picturing the Banjo; Taxing Visions: Financial Episodes in Late Nineteenth-Century American Art; and Shallow Creek: Thomas Hart Benton and American Waterways.
Based in West Fork, Adam Posnak is a frequently exhibiting potter who plays guitar in the band Devils Promenade.
Monday, June 11, 12:30 p.m.
New Member Orientation
Once a month, new Members are invited to gather with Membership staff in Crystal Bridges’ lower lobby for an informational talk about the Museum. This optional 45-minute orientation will cover highlights about the Museum, trails & grounds, the collection, and the benefits of Membership. The orientation is offered the first Wednesday of each month at 5:45 p.m. or the second Monday of each month at 12:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted.
Monday, June 11, 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Spotlight Talk | Di Suvero, Dance, and Glass
Speakers: Membership Coordinator Catherine Kyle and Public Programs Coordinator Sara Segerlin
Observe the lines and shapes of Mark di Suvero’s sculpture, Lowell's Ocean, through dance and music. In this discussion, Membership Coordinator and choreographer Catherine Kyle and Public Programs Coordinator Sara Segerlin will use modern dance and music to interact with the sculpture. This presentation will include an interpretative dance performance by dancers Meryl Engelke and Gabrielle Spear, with a recording by Phillip Glass, whose album North Star was created for a 1970s film on di Suvero. After the talk, there will be a surprise activity! The talk is located in the middle of the Early Twentieth-Century Art Gallery.
Wednesday through Friday, June 13 through 15, Noon to 2 p.m.
Gallery Safari, ages 6 to 9
Put on your safari hat—yes, we'll provide one!—and roam the galleries on the hunt for interesting animals and plants. Back in the studio, create two- and three-dimensional works of art based on your safari finds. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Cost: $60 for non-Members, 10% Member discount
Wednesday through Friday, June13 through 15, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Wearable Art, ages 10 to 12
The clothing and jewelry, hats and hairdos that you see in the Museum’s works of art tell interesting stories about their wearers. Design and create wearable works of art that make a statement about you! Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Cost: $60 for non-Members, 10% Member discount
Wednesday, June 13, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Drawing in the Galleries Class | Studying the Neo-Classical Bronze Figure
Bronze sculptors of the late 1800s used neo-classical techniques, combined with imagery from stories and fables, to explore the shape of the female figure. Students will study bronze figure sculptures in the Early Twentieth-Century Art Gallery, including Harriet Whitney Frishmuth’s Roses of Yesterday, John Bradley Storrs’s Night and Day, and Alexander Stirling Calder’s Stretching Girl.
The class begins near the main entrance of the Early Twentieth-Century Art Gallery.
Guided by a teaching artist, each 90-minute session provides instruction on a different topic. We will provide paper and pencils, but you are welcome to bring your own sketchbook. Pencils are the only drawing tool allowed in the galleries. Tickets: $10 per session for non-Members | 10% discount for Members
Thursday, June 14, 1 to 1:45 p.m.
Gallery Talk | Interpreting Thomas Cole and His Writings
Speaker: Curator of American Art Kevin Murphy
Interact with the paintings of Thomas Cole through his writing. Curator of American Art Kevin Murphy will discuss the history of Cole’s collection of artworks such as The Last Shepherd, and examine the visual messages through literary records. The talk is located in the exhibition, New Frontier: Thomas Cole and the Birth of Landscape Painting in America, located in the Upper Gallery. This exhibition is a joint collaboration between the Louvre, High Museum, Crystal Bridges, and the Terra Foundation.
Sunday, June 17, noon to 5 p.m.
(Drop-In Studio open to Members at 11 a.m.)
Family Sunday | Celebrating Art and Nature
Enjoy musical performances by Trout Fishing in America, the four-time-grammy-nominated family folk/rock band, at 1 and 3 p.m. in the Museum’s Great Hall, plus art-making activities, family Yoga classes provided by Yoga Story, a gallery challenge, and a child-friendly tour during this museum-wide afternoon for families. Most activities are geared toward children ages 5 to 12. No tickets are required. Family Sunday is sponsored by the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.
Monday, June 18, 10:30 a.m.
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 discussion with Registrar Elizabeth Weinman beginning at 11 a.m.
Monday, June 18, noon to 1 p.m.
Outdoor Spotlight Talk | Preserving a Natural Spring’s Beauty
Speaker: Horticulturist Cody George and University of Arkansas Geoscience Professor Van Brahana
Crystal Bridges’ name originates from Crystal Spring, a natural spring located just south of the Museum. Gather at Crystal Spring to discuss the Museum’s efforts to preserve the area’s rock beds and plant life with Horticulturist Cody George and University of Arkansas Department of Geosciences Professor Van Brahana.
Meet Cody George at the South Lobby entrance at 11:45 p.m. He will lead you to the location near Crystal Spring.
Mondays, June 18, June 25, July 2, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Class for Youth (ages 10 to 13) | Abstract Expressionism
Learn about artists in the Museum’s collection who were important to the development of Abstract Expressionism, experiment with various painting techniques, and create a final work in this three-part class.
Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Cost: $45 for non-Members | 10% discount for Members
Wednesday through Friday, June 20 through 22
Pattern Play
Noon to 2 p.m., ages 6 to 9
Discover how artists play with pattern in their work, then create and use a plethora of patterns back in the studio as you work in painting, drawing, and collage.
Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Cost: $60 for non-Members, 10% Member discount
2:30 to 4:30 p.m., ages 10 to 12
Discover how artists play with pattern in their work, then create and use a plethora of patterns back in the studio as you work in painting, drawing, and collage.
Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Cost: $60 for non-Members, 10% Member discount
Wednesday, June 20, 6 to 7 p.m.
Members’ Event | WOW
Attention members and guests: Museum Members are invited to join Crystal Bridges Culinary Director Case Dighero in the Museum’s Great Hall to discuss works from the collection paired with samples of drinks and hors d’oeuvres from Eleven. Open to members ages 21 and up. Cost: $30. Seating is limited. Pre-registration and prepayment are required. To register, email membership@crystalbridges.org.
Saturday, June 23, 1 to 5 p.m.
Workshop for Youth (ages 13 to 18) | Pop Art
Discover and discuss this fascinating art movement in the gallery and studios. Participants will communicate their own ideas through the creation of both two- and three-dimensional artworks.
Space is limited and Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Cost: $45 for non-Members | 10% discount for Members
Saturday, June 23, 9 to 11 a.m.
Young Patrons Event | Artmazing Race
Open to Members of the Young Patrons affinity group
Attention members and guests: Teams of Young Patrons Members and their guests will race to find hidden clues around the Museum Trails. Young Patrons is sponsored by Premier Dermatology and Miller Coors. Pre-registration required. To register, email Membership@crystalbridges.org
Wednesday through Friday, June 27 through 29
Garden Art
Noon to 2 p.m., ages 10 to 12
Make art designed to be outside! Create mosaics and more to brighten up your garden or yard.
Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Cost: $60 for non-Members, 10% Member discount
2:30 to 4:30 p.m., ages 6 to 9
Make art designed to be outside! Create mosaics and more to brighten up your garden or yard.
Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Cost: $60 for non-Members, 10% Member discount
Wednesday through Friday, June 27 through 29, 2:30pm to 4:30pm
Nature Journaling, ages 10 to 12 (outdoor class)
Keeping a nature journal is a fantastic way to learn about the world around you, improve your drawing and observation skills, and have a unique record of your days. This class will take place mostly out of doors, on Crystal Bridges’ beautiful trails.
Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Cost: $60 for non-Members, 10% Member discount
Thursday, June 28, 7 to 10 p.m.
Art Night Out | Journey Into the Wild
Attention members and guests: Join us for our adults-only evening program, Art Night Out, and enjoy the rhythms of nature and art both inside and outside the Museum. Watch short experimental nature films by the Seedling Film Association, listen to live outdoor music performances and join a flashlight tour of the Crystal Spring Trail. Enjoy the exhibition “The Hudson River School: Nature and the American Vision” and explore the intersection of art and literature with the University of Arkansas Program in Creative Writing, or enjoy a demonstration of watercolor landscape painting by artist Whitney Johnson.
Tickets: $20 for non-Members | $15 for Members.
Saturday, June 30, 1 to 5 p.m.
Pattern in Art for Teens, ages 13 to 18
Discover how artists enrich their work through pattern and how your art can benefit; then create and use a plethora of patterns back in the studio as you work in painting, drawing, and collage.
Pre-registration and pre-payment are required. Cost: $45 for non-Members, 10% Member discount
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The mission of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is to welcome all to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of landscape. We explore the unfolding story of America by actively collecting, exhibiting, interpreting, and preserving outstanding works that illuminate our heritage and artistic possibilities.
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.