Dec 8, 2014 Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art celebrates 2014 with a New Year’s event, New 365 and kicks off 2015 with Winter Break Wonders featuring free art-making activities, puppets, concerts, and tours for families and kids of all ages. January also offers a final look at John James Audubon and the Artist as Naturalist, closing on January 5, and State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now, on view until January 19. State of the Art artist and powerhouse, Vanessa German will host a live art performance and youth and adult workshops January 9-11. State of the Art will culminate with events including a dance party, forum, and art talks leading up to the closing on January 19. On January 18, Curator Chad Alligood will present a final State of the Art lecture and share reflections on the exhibition and the future of Crystal Bridges in the global world of contemporary art. January Spotlight Lectures include author Joachim Pissarro on January 7, Peter MacKeith, the new dean of the Fay Jones School of Architecture, on January 14, and new museum curator Mindy Besaw on January 31. A full listing of January programs is below. Information and registration are also available on the calendar of events on Crystal Bridges’ website. Sign up for Crystal Bridges email updates at ENewsletter. Wednesday, December 31, 8 pm to 12:30 am State Of The Art NEW 365 Past and future converge in a sensory State Of The Art NEW 365 – a reflection of journeys taken and a glimpse into voyages ahead. Enjoy access to all galleries, have a festive drink, and sample mouthwatering delights from the Eleven chefs. Laugh your way into a new calendar with a stand-up comedy set followed by the Southern-punk-psychobilly sounds of the “Godfather of Modern Rockabilly,” the Reverend Horton Heat. It will be a night of sensations, celebrations, and jubilation. So… chart your course into 2015 with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Get your tickets TODAY! Open to participants ages 21 and up. Valid photo ID required for entry. $100 ($85 for Members), purchase tickets online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Friday, January 2, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Winter Break Wonders » Winter Animals Make your own winter animal to help you snuggle up and stay warm! Free, no registration required. Saturday, January 3, 2015, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Winter Break Wonders » Itty Bitty Igloos Create an itty bitty igloo sculpture using everyday materials in this free, drop-in studio. Free, no registration required. Wednesdays, January 7, 14, 21, 1 to 2:15 pm Preschool Art Class » Habitats (For ages 3 to 5 with an adult.) Parents or caregivers participate with their preschoolers in gallery conversations and art-making activities each week to explore human and animal habitats in select artworks from State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now. Session includes three consecutive Wednesday classes. All materials are provided. $30 (24 for members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Wednesday, January 7, 7 to 8 pm Spotlight Lecture » Joachim Pissarro presents Wild Art Hear from Joachim Pissarro, author of “Wild Art” and the great grandson of artist Camille Pissarro as he examines the question of what constitutes ‘art’ by celebrating the artists and art forms that are usually ignored by the art establishment. “Wild Art” is a visual exploration of everything and anything from outside the exclusive and rarefied spectrum of the ‘Art World.’ It presents a highly illustrated account of the most exciting examples of the vast multitude of ‘other’ art worlds—from pimped cars and graffiti to extreme body art, ice sculpture, and flash mobs—this book has them all. Joachim Pissarro is currently the Bershad Professor of Art History and Director of the Hunter College Galleries at the City University of New York (CUNY). Free with online registration. Thursday, January 8, 2015, 11:30 am – 2:00 pm Preschool Playdate: Cozy Monthly Preschool Playdates feature performances, art projects, story time, and creative play based on themes from our collection. Activities are geared for children ages 2 to 5 with an adult, and begin with a live performance in the Great Hall at 11:30 a.m. Sponsored by The Hershey Company and The Original Wet-Nap. Free, no registration required. Friday, January 9, 2015, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Live Arts » State of the Art artist Vanessa German Join us for special evening of performance and an interview session with State of the Art artist Vanessa German who will explore ideas of hope, interconnection, the power of creativity, and racial and economic injustices. In discussion with German will be Beverly Keown, President of the Northwest Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr Council. German works across disciplines as an actress, playwright, sculptor, performer, and educator. She has pioneered a performance style called Spoken Word Opera; a dynamic hybrid of spoken word poetry infused with the theatrical elements of opera, hip hop, and African storytelling. Sponsored by the Crystal Bridges Art Now Fund. Free with online registration. Saturday, January 10, 2015, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Young Artists Workshop » Art Journals with State of the Art artist Vanessa German (For ages 7-12) Create an expressive art journal with State of the Art artist Vanessa German. Each participant will receive their own journal to adorn with an array of art supplies including buttons, felt, beads, cloth, and much more! Use your journal to respond to German’s creative writing prompts and share your responses as a group. All materials are provided. Sponsored by the Crystal Bridges Art Now Fund. $15 (12 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Sunday, January 11, 2015, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Adult Workshop » Prayer Beads with State of the Art artist Vanessa German State of the Art artist Vanessa German will lead participants in producing sculptural “prayer beads” using fabric and twine to document their hopes, wishes, and concerns. You will then preserve your beads in plaster and cover them with decorative leafing. Attach your beads to a branch to create your own sculptural artifact. All materials are provided. Sponsored by the Crystal Bridges Art Now Fund. Tickets are $15 (12 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Wednesday, January 14, 2015, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Educators Event » Self-Guided 101 Want to bring your class to the Museum, but don’t know where to start? In this two-hour workshop, you will learn Museum guidelines for self-guided tours, the dialogical model, and will practice facilitating a discussion with works of art. Museum educators will be available to help you pair curriculum themes and artworks so you can create a one-of-a-kind experience for your class. Two hours of PD credit will be awarded. $10, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Wednesday, January 14, 2015, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Boundless Book Club » View with a Grain of Sand by Wislawa Szymborska Loving Frank is an historical novel that reinterprets the love story of Frank Lloyd Wright and his second wife, Mamah Borthwick Cheney. Both were married with children when Cheney and her husband, Edwin, engaged Wright to build their dream house. She became totally immersed in working with Wright on the house design and their love affair gradually emerged from this relationship. The novel is told from Mamah’s viewpoint. Free with online registration. Wednesday, January 14, 2015, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Architecture Speaker Series » Peter MacKeith, New Dean of the Fay Jones School of Architecture Peter MacKeith joined the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture in July, 2014. Previously, he was a professor of architecture at the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis. Before joining the Sam Fox School, MacKeith was the director of the Master of Architecture – International Program at the Helsinki University of Technology (now Aalto University) in Finland. He previously held faculty appointments in architecture at the University of Virginia, the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, and Yale University. MacKeith has served on the Fay Jones School’s Professional Advisory Board for the Fay Jones School since 2011. Tickets are $10 (Free for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Online registration. Thursday, January 15, 2015, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Art Talk » State of the Art artist Linda Lopez State of the Art features the engaging ceramic sculptures of Arkansas-based artist Linda Lopez. Lopez thinks of her works in terms of their personalities and relationships. Learn about Lopez’s unusual approach to creating narrative and character out of abstraction. Free, no registration required. Friday, January 16, 2015, 8:00 pm – 10:30 pm Live Arts » Electronic Lab Dance Party State of the Art artists and local artists will join forces in turning the Museum into an Electronic Lab to open the Electric Art Forum taking place on Sunday, January 18. Guests can experiment with artists in tinkering with ways to integrate technology into art. There will also be an experimental dance party in the Great Hall, featuring a VJ show partnered with guest DJs. Sponsored by the Crystal Bridges Art Now Fund. Free with online registration. Saturday, January 17, 2015, 10:30 am – 6:00 pm Electric Art Forum Tune in to the artists’ wavelength in The Electric Art Forum showcasing the shift of everyday technology—cell phones, old TVs, projectors, robots, social media—into artistic expression. All are welcome to join in discussions with eight artists featured in State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now who are experimenting with light, projections, machines, video, and sound art in a variety of ways. In the final month of State of the Art, this is an opportunity to think critically about technology’s impact on experiencing art, and the artist’s role in flipping our perspective of time and space, both virtually and physically. The forum features State of the Art artists: Adam Belt, Dave Greber, Susie Lee, Danial Nord, Randy Regier, Carl Joe Williams, Nate Larson, and Marni Shindelman, along with local artists Craig Colorrusso and Donna Smith. Moderating the program is The University of Arkansas Department of Art’s Time-based Media Professor John C. Kelley, and Northwest Arkansas Community College’s Graphic Design Chair Victor Chalfant, as well as Senior Museum Educator Sara Segerlin. Free with online registration. Saturday, January 17, 2015, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm Young Artists Class » Landscapes (For ages 5 to 10) Experiment with innovative approaches to landscape, drawing inspiration from select works in State of the Art as well as the Hudson River School landscapes in the Museum’s permanent collection. All materials are provided. $45 (36 for members) for 3 classes, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Saturday, January 17, 2015, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm Museum Store » Featured Artisan Zeek Taylor Local watercolorist Zeek Taylor will be in the Museum Store to sign copies of his new book Chimps Having Fun. The book features reproductions of some of his most popular fun-loving chimps along with the stories behind them. Zeek’s prints will also be available for purchase during this event. No registration required. Sunday, January 18, 2015, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm Geolocation Photography Workshop Join State of the Art artists Nate Larson and Marni Shindelman, featured in the Electric Art Forum, to learn about their collaborative photographic process and discover ways of integrating their techniques into your own work. Participants should bring a smartphone to take their images. All other materials will be provided. Tickets are $15 ($12 for members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Sunday, January 18, 2015, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm Adult Workshop » Figure Painting State of the Art figurative painter Vincent Valdez will lead this workshop on painting the human figure. Using acrylic paints, guests will work from a clothed model under Valdez’s guidance. Explore a new interest in figurative painting or practice a long time love of the craft. All materials are provided. Sponsored by the Crystal Bridges Art Now Fund. $20 ($16 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335 Sunday, January 18, 2015, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm Spotlight Lecture » State of the Art and Beyond with Curator Chad Alligood Join us for a closing lecture and reception with Curator Chad Alligood who will share his reflections on co-curating the State of the Art exhibition and what he envisions coming next for Crystal Bridges in the global world of contemporary art. After the lecture, Alligood will be available to sign State of the Art catalogs, followed by a light reception. Free with online registration. Monday, January 19, 2015, 9:00 am – 11:00 am Members’ Last Look for State of the Art Crystal Bridges Members are invited to a Members-only last look at State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now. Free with registration online or by calling the Member Priority Line 479.418.5728. Monday, January 19, 2015, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Art Talk » State of the Art artist Vincent Valdez San Antonio-based artist Vincent Valdez will talk about his series of large-scale paintings, The Strangest Fruit, which reference the lost history of the many Mexican and Mexican-American men who were lynched in Texas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to draw attention to the bonds still hobbling Mexican-American men today, including poverty, incarceration, drug wars, lack of education, and racial profiling. Free with online registration. Monday, January 19, 2015, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Figure Drawing Join State of the Art artist Vincent Valdez in this special figure drawing session. Valdez will guide guests based on his own expertise and process. Whether you’ve always had a love for figure drawing or are trying it for the first time, you’ll enjoy an afternoon of drawing with others at the Museum from a clothed model. A variety of drawing materials will be provided, and model poses will include both shorter warm-up poses, and longer poses. Sponsored by the Crystal Bridges Art Now Fund. Tickets are $10 (free for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Wednesday, January 21, 2015, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Art Book Club » The Goldfinch: A Novel by Donna Tartt Please join avid reader and library volunteer Emily Douglas in a lively discussion of this engaging novel. Sure, it’s a long read, over 800 pages, but it’s a popular read and one many people are talking about! “The Goldfinch (the title is that of a real 13 1/4 x 9 inch masterpiece painting by Dutch artist Carel Fabritius from 1654) is the fictitious journey of the painting as it turns up missing after an explosion and eventually alters the trajectory of a young boy. The development of his character reveals the trauma of loss, the yearning for love and companionship, the craziness of lonely adolescent youth, and the transcendence of beauty and the power of art.” (Corinna Lothar – Special to The Washington Times – – Friday, April 18, 2014) Free with online registration. Wednesday, January 21, 2015, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm WOW » Tales from the South Land Please join Crystal Bridges Culinary Director Case Dighero along with Chef Melody Lane as they discuss Southern artists in the Museum collection and the regional cuisine of their times. Open to guests ages 21 and above. Sponsored by Premier Dermatology. Tickets are $30 ($24 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Friday, January 23, 2015, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Evening for Educators Join us for an evening event honoring and celebrating the talented educators of our region. The evening will include food, beverages, entertainment, and engaging gallery talks. There is no charge for this event and educators are welcome to bring one guest. Space is limited, and will be filled on a first come, first-served basis. Free with online registration. Saturday, January 24, 2015, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Drop-In Art Making » Paper People Drop by the studios to create your own paper person inspired by your favorite figure in our collection. Make your figure movable by deconstructing it and reattaching the pieces with brads! All materials are provided. Free with online registration. Saturday, January 24, 2015, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm TEN » Drop-in Dance Class: Hip Hop In our previous Teen Experience Nights, we’ve tried Swing dancing and Salsa; in January it’s time for Hip Hop! Join us in the Great Hall for a fun (and possibly funny!) informal hip hop class, planned by the Museum’s Teen Council for area high school students. Free, no registration required. Sunday, January 25, 2015, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Drop-In Drawing » Figures Drop in anytime between 1 and 4 p.m. for a free, informal drawing session. Join an art instructor for guidance in drawing figures from the permanent collection. Materials are provided and an art instructor will be on hand to get you started. Check at Guest Services for the specific location. All ages are welcome! Free, no registration required. Wednesday, January 28, 2015, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm Artinfusion @ Culture Hour Get together with artinfusion Members and friends at a special Culture Hour just for you! Artinfusion Members and friends are invited to come together on the fourth Wednesday of each month to meet and mingle during Culture Hour in Eleven. Enjoy networking, complimentary nosh, and $5 drink specials in Eleven, then stroll the galleries while they are open late. Culture Hour special pricing typically ends at 7 pm, but on these fourth Wednesdays we extend the deals for artinfusion Members (with proof of membership) until 9 pm. Bring a friend! Artinfusion is especially for Crystal Bridges Members ages 21 to 40s. Sponsored by Blue Moon Brewing Company. Free, no registration required. Wednesday, January 28, 2015, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Figure Drawing Join us on the first and third Wednesdays 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 evening drawing with others at the Museum. A variety of drawing materials will be provided, and model poses will include both shorter warm-up poses, and longer poses. $10 (free for members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Friday, January 30, 2015, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Art by the Glass » Crochet Bouquet with Gina Gallina Local master crochet artist Gina Gallina will lead this evening of wine and fibers in which guests will create their own small crochet object. Gallina will introduce basic methods of crochet for beginners. Advanced crocheters are welcome to create a more complicated piece. All materials are provided. Two glasses of wine are included with registration – don’t miss it! Open to participants age 21 and up. Sponsored by Demara Titzer. Tickets are $45 (36 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Saturday, January 31, 2015, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Art Talk » Meet Curator Mindy Besaw Meet our new curator Mindy Besaw. Besaw will provide an overview of her career highlights as a curator working for Whitney Western Art Museum, part of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, where she served spearheaded the new installation of the Whitney for its 50th anniversary. Prior to that, Besaw was at the Denver Art Museum, where she was curatorial associate at the Institute of Western American Art and planned the re-installation of the permanent collection galleries in the museum’s new wing.. Free, no registration required.
