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Crystal Bridges Welcomes Two Million Visitors and Unveils October Programs

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art will be closed Monday, May 13, to prepare for the visit of Antiques Roadshow. We will return to normal hours of operation Wednesday, May 15.

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art announces that it has welcomed more than two million visitors since opening on November 11, 2011. This includes 89,000 students that have participated in the School Visit Program, more than 200,000 participants in lectures, performances, classes or other public programs, and visitors who view art in the permanent collection galleries and a range of temporary exhibitions, such as  State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now, which drew a record-breaking 175,000 patrons from around the world. In addition, more than 240,000 visitors enjoy the museum’s 3.5 miles of art trails every year. “As we approach our fourth year, we are grateful for the outpouring of support for the museum and excited to share this moment with the two million visitors who have made this museum so meaningful. The museum has become a destination within our region as well as for art lovers from around the world who have experienced art and architecture in our natural setting.” said Crystal Bridges Executive Director Rod Bigelow. Throughout September, Crystal Bridges celebrates this attendance milestone with 2 Million and You, [watch video], thanking the community with offerings that include:

  • Yard signs to be distributed to Members and local businesses.
  • A Memory Booth in the main lobby September 16- 20. Museum guests are invited to fill out a 2 Million and You card with their favorite experience or artwork; the cards will be posted in the lobby for all to enjoy. Visitors can also share photos and memories on Instagram using #CB2Mil for a chance to be featured on the museum’s social channels.
  • Two months of free membership when new members join at any level, September 16-30.
  • Free admission to current exhibitions, Warhol’s Nature and Jamie Wyeth on September 18.
  • 10% discount (20% for Members) on Crystal Bridges branded items in the museum store on September 18.

Bigelow adds, “We look forward to welcoming ALL to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature, particularly new visitors with an affinity for architecture, who will experience the museum and the inspiring landscape of the region for the first time as part of their visit to see Frank Lloyd Wright’s Bachman-Wilson House.  As we embark on the next chapter in the museum’s history, we invite visitors to immerse themselves in the rich story of how a major American art museum emerged deep in the Ozark woods and attracted two million visitors in less than four years.” Currently, visitors to the museum can view a new exhibition, the first to focus exclusively on the museum’s founding. Building Crystal Bridges: Art, Architecture, and Nature is displayed in six cases in the museum’s Great Hall Corridor, explores the inspiration, conception, design, and construction of the museum with text, timelines, renderings, photos, and surprising connections between museum architect Moshe Safdie, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Arkansas native Fay Jones.


October Programs and Exhibitions: Visitors are invited to commemorate the closing of Warhol’s Nature with Art Night Out on October 3 and a Closing Conversation on October 4. October also brings programs inspired by the temporary exhibition, Alfred Maurer: Art on the Edge, on view October 10, 2015 – January 4, 2016. Later in the month, internationally-recognized sculptor and activist, Maya Lin will provide a Keynote Lecture on October 19 alongside a new site-specific work, Silver Upper White River, 2015, (recycled silver), located in the permanent collection galleries. A full listing of October programs is below.  Information and registration are also available on Crystal Bridges’ calendar of events. Sign up for Crystal Bridges email updates at ENewsletter.  

Wednesday, October 2, 7 to 8 pm Architecture Speaker Series » Torchbearer of the American Home, Architect Edward Durell Stone – The internationally acclaimed architect and Fayetteville native son Edward Durell Stone is best known today as a victim of changing tastes, with a disproportionate number of his signature works lost or irrevocably altered. This lecture by Ethel Goodstein, Professor in the University of Arkansas’ Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, explores a lesser-known aspect of Stone’s career – his role as an early torchbearer for the modern American home. Goodstein-Murphree’s lecture will focus in particular on three prototypes for modernist homes that Stone developed for Collier’s magazine in the late 30s. His proposals culminated in “the House of Ideas,” a temporary structure perched on a terrace of Rockefeller Center, high above New York City’s tony Fifth Avenue. Sponsored by Chip and Susan Chambers. $10 (Free for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Saturday, October 3, 10, and 17, 10:30 am to 12 pm Young Artists Class ages 5 to 10 » Painting with Maurer Discover the many styles of painting explored by Alfred Maurer throughout his long career. We’ll use what we’ve learned as we paint in the studio!  $45/3 classes ($36 for Members),register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Saturday, October 3, 8 to 11:30 pm Art Night Out » The Silver Factory Party! Celebrate the experimental spirit of Andy Warhol with Art Night Out! Warhol’s years at The Factory— the hip hangout for artistic types and Warhol superstars— were known as the Silver Era, where parties exploded into DIY happenings. Just like the guests of Warhol’s iconic parties, get into the dance groove with local Fayetteville duo RECESS, and enjoy a cover concert of the Velvet Underground and Nico by the Coverlettes. Show off your favorite outfit to interpret Warhol’s Technicolor camouflage animal print fashion. Throughout the night, the special exhibitions will be open late, featuring a gallery conversation on Warhol’s Endangered Species, and we’ll turn the restaurant into a factory for making screen prints and giant paintings hosted by John Brown University Professor Bobby Martin. To top off the night, witness a site-specific contemporary dance performance in the gallery by Artist Laboratory Theater. Sponsored by AMP Sign & Banner, Arvest Bank, Blue Moon Brewing Company, and Saatchi & Saatchi X. $15 ($12 for Members, free for artinfusion Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Sunday, October 4, 1 to 3 pm Walker Landing Arts Let’s celebrate the first Sunday in October with a family-friendly art project and some great Polka music by Itinerant Locals on Walker Landing! Free, no registration required. Sunday, October 4, 4 to 5 pm Closing Conversation » Chad Alligood and Michael Jay McClure on Warhol’s Nature Curator Chad Alligood, in conversation with Warhol scholar and catalog essayist Michael Jay McClure, discusses the temporary exhibition Warhol’s Nature. Learn more about the improbable life of Andy Warhol and his surprising engagement with the natural world in this closing event for the exhibition. Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335. Members’ Last Look » Warhol’s Nature and Jamie Wyeth Monday, October 5, 9 to 11 am Museum Members are invited to a Members-only Last Look for temporary exhibitions Warhol’s Nature and Jamie Wyeth. FREE, register online or by calling the Member Priority Line at 479.418.5728.

Monday, October 5 and 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 an afternoon drawing with other adult guests at the Museum. 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, October 5, 6 to 7 pm Yoga and Art Yoga Story’s Cindee Joslin leads an uplifting group class uniting the power of art with the beauty of nature. Enjoy this mind/body experience in the Museum’s Great Hall, complemented by views of Crystal Bridges’ ponds, forest, and architecture. Participants should bring their own yoga mat and dress appropriately. $5 (Free for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Wednesday, October 7, 14, and 21, 1 to 2:15 pm Preschool Art Class » Show Me Shapes Let’s cover the basics of art and create with shapes, using a variety of supplies and techniques. All materials are provided. $45/3 classes for one child plus an adult ($36 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Wednesday,October 7, 6 to 6:30 pm Member Meet and Greet with Carol Troyen Crystal Bridges Members are invited to a Meet and Greet with Carol Troyen, Curator Emeritus, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, prior to her Spotlight Lecture at 7 p.m. Separate registration is required for the lecture. Free for Members, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Wednesday, October 7, 7 to 8 pm Spotlight Lecture » ­­­­Carol Troyen: Hopper’s Stories Discover Edward Hopper and his love of Blackwell Island through the stories and research of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Curator Emeritus Carol Troyen. Hopper produced some of the most enduringly popular images in American art, including Blackwell’s Island. The work was painted during the height of his fame and is now on view in Crystal Bridges’ permanent collection. Alluding to urban development and social change, it creates a complex mood evoked by the site’s “brooding, faint, sinister stillness.” Equally evocative are Hopper’s diners, movie palaces, and middle-class buildings that reflect American life between the wars. His light-filled watercolors of Gloucester, Maine, and Cape Cod mirror their austere beauty, and his quiet, yet riveting works of people in their apartments, offices, and hotel rooms express both a sense of urban isolation and anomie, portraying the bittersweet comfort of being alone. These themes will be the focus of Troyen’s lecture, entitled “Hopper’s Stories.” Troyen is an expert on Hopper’s works, having organized the 2007-2008 Hopper exhibition, and is known for her work on a number of American moderns — Charles Sheeler, George Bellows, and Marsden Hartley. Troyen is now an independent scholar. Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Thursday, October 8, 11:30 am to 2 pm Preschool Playdate » Fall Colors Enjoy art projects, story time, and creative play inspired by fall’s changing colors. Sponsored by the Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable Trust and The Hershey Company. Free, no registration required.

Friday, October 9, 6 to 8 pm Photo Salon » Twentieth- Century Photography: Modernist Continue exploring the evolution of photography with Curatorial Assistant Ali Demorotski. This month we will focus on the dramatic shift from the soft, romantic, and hand-worked Pictorialist style into the hard-edge, straight photography of the Modernist era. After the discussion, the Photo Salon group will explore Crystal Bridges’ architecture to emulate and explore the Modernist style. $10 (Free for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Saturday, October 10, 9 to 10:30 am Discover the Grounds » Wood Artists and Demonstrations Join local woodturners Les Brandt, Kim Kenney, and William Moore in a discussion of working with wood pieces found on the Museum’s trails and elsewhere around Arkansas, and learn creative ways to make your own wood art for fall. Artists from Stateline Woodturners Club will demonstrate wood cutting and carving techniques on the museum courtyard before and after the discussion. You’ll have the opportunity to try your hand at carving too! Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Saturday, October 10, 10:30 am to 3 pm Museum Store » Artisan Showcase & Demonstration: Wood Turning This showcase will feature five regional woodturners who will take turns at the lathe (a wood-shaping machine) to demonstrate their skills.  Meet artists Kip Powers, Kim Kenney, William Moore, Les Brandt, and Bill Koch as they create their signature works throughout the day.  Each artist will have a large selection of work on display and available for purchase at the event. Free, no registration required.

Saturday, October 10, 1 to 2 pm Art Talk » Community Conversation with Ana Pulido Rull MeetUniversity of Arkansas Assistant Professor of Latin American Art Ana Pulido Rull in discussing three of her favorite artworks in her native language of Spanish. Ana is a Native of Mexico City, holding a Ph.D. in Art History from Harvard University and a B.A. in History from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), where she began her research on indigenous painted maps and manuscripts. Her passions lie in cross-cultural communication and the social role of art. Join her in this bilingual talk examining the common threads that link three artworks from our permanent collection: Mark Rothko’s painting No. 210/211 (Orange), Janet Sobel’s, Hiroshima, and Norman Rockwell’s, Rosie the Riveter. Free, no registration required.

Sunday, October 11, 11am to 12:30 pm Member Fall Picnic at Family Sunday Join the Museum for our Member Fall Picnic to celebrate you, our Members! Enjoy the outdoors with great food followed by activities, live music, and lots of fun at Family Sunday! This picnic is especially for Museum Members. Free for Members, register online or by calling the Member Priority Line at 479.418.5728.

Sunday, October 11, 12 to 5 pm Family Sunday » The Big Draw Celebrate the art of drawing with activities for all ages throughout the Museum, featuring live music and lots of fun! Sponsored by the Roy and Christine Sturgis Charitable Trust, Northwest Arkansas Naturals, and Rockline Industries. Free, no registration required.

Monday, October 12, 11 am to 12:30 pm Journaling Group » Tranquil Moments Explore how an image can trigger a memory while viewing art in our permanent collection. This month we will discuss various artworks of the late nineteenth century with John Brown University Associate Professor, Jacob Stratman, reflecting on images of leisure and tranquil moments as we recall stories from our own memories of a simpler time. Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Wednesday, October 14, 21, 28, Nov. 4, 11, 18, 6 to 8:30 pm Studio Studies Series » Figure Drawing from the Nude Model Local artist and curator Mia Buonaiuto will lead this six-week figure drawing course teaching contemporary and innovative techniques in rendering the human figure. Gain inspiration from our permanent collection as we reflect on methods used through history to create the human form. All materials provided. Participants must be 18 or older. $200 ($160 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Wednesday, October 14, 6 to 8 pm Wednesday Series for Educators » Difficult Conversations Sometimes it is hard to know how to discuss tough topics when they arise. In this two-hour workshop, we will use artworks in our permanent collection as effective entryways to difficult conversations. We’ll discuss how to set guidelines for a group to maintain an open forum that respects differing points of view. Two hours of Professional Development credit available. Sponsored by Neff and Scarlett Basore. $10, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Friday, October 16, 7 to 8 pm Film » A Strong Clear Vision on Maya Lin This Academy Award®-winning documentary about sculptor and architect Maya Lin tells the gripping story behind the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC, which Lin designed at the age of 21. Though it has become one of the most famous memorials in the world, Lin’s design was initially met with skepticism and controversy. The film explores a decade of the artist’s work, and features her many memorial designs, such as the Civil Rights Memorial, the Yale Women’s Table, and the Juniata Peace Chapel. Sponsored by Demara Titzer and The Legacy Fayetteville Condominiums. Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Saturday, October 17, 8 to 11:30 pm Salsa Night Come out and enjoy the Great Hall’s spectacular dance floor with a night of Salsa dancing to Latin beats by DJ Midnite.  Special thanks to the Hispanic Latino Associate Resource Group. Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Sunday, October 18, 2 to 5 pm College Workshop » Maurer Studio Mixer Mingle with the Crystal Bridges College Ambassadors as they host this avant-garde afternoon studio mixer! Take a tour of our newest exhibition, Alfred Maurer: Art on the Edge, with members of CBCA, discussing the Fauvist art movement, then return to the studio and choose from a variety of materials at our Art Bar to create a giant collaborative mural inspired the colorful artworks of Maurer. Sponsored by Stephen and Claudia Strange. Free, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Monday, October 19, 1 to 2 pm Art Talk » Alfred Maurer: Art on the Edge Join curator Manuela Well-Off-Man and Museum Educator Moira Traw in a discussion on the fascinating life and work of artist Alfred Henry Maurer in our new exhibition, Alfred Maurer: Art on the Edge. This conversational Art Talk will address Maurer’s significant role in the development of American Modernism, highlighting how Maurer’s decisions as an artist and his personal life influenced his art career, and how he became one of the first American artists to adopt Fauvism. Free, no registration required.  

Monday, October 19, 6:30 to 7:30 pm Keynote Lecture » Visiting Artist Maya Lin Designer, artist, and environmentalist Maya Lin will talk about her remarkable career in both art and architecture, which began when she virtually redefined the idea of “monument” with her design for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Lin’s acclaimed work encompasses large-scale environmental installations, intimate studio artworks, and architectural works, as well as memorials. In 2009, Lin was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama, and in 2014 she was honored with the prestigious Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize. Lin’s architectural projects create a close dialogue between landscape and built environment, and she is committed to advocating sustainable design solutions in all her works. Maya Lin has been profiled in Time Magazine, The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Smithsonian, and Art in America, among others. Sponsored by Del Monte Foods. $10 ($8 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Wednesday, October 21, 6 to 7 pm WOW » Oktoberfest in the Ozarks Please join Crystal Bridges Culinary Director Case Dighero along with Special Guest as they discuss the Art of Beer Making in the twenty-first century. Open to guests ages 21 and above. Sponsored by Premier Dermatology and Riedel. $30 ($24 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Thursday October 22 and 23, 10:30 am to 6 pm Saturday, October 24, 10 am to 6 pm Featured Artisan Showcase » UNOde50 The handcrafted creation process is one of the cornerstones of UNOde50’s philosophy. The creation of each design follows a unique process in the world of fine jewelry. UNOde50 still uses the same handcrafted production methods as it did when the store began. The whole process (product design, shaping, casting, coating, mounting and handling) is carried out entirely in Spain.  Stop by and browse the bold and unique collection of Uno de 50 during this three day event. Free, no registration required.

Thursday, October 22, 7 to 8 pm Live Arts » Orphan Riders Orphan Riders is a multimedia theater performance featuring novelist Alison Moore and singer/songwriter Phil Lancaster. The two have combined audio and visual elements, historical fiction, and musical ballads into a collaborative performance that brings the Orphan Train Movement, a largely-unknown chapter in American history, to public awareness. The multi-media presentation tells the story of the 250,000 orphans and unwanted children put on trains in New York between 1854 and 1929 and sent all over the United States to be given away. Featuring original music, an audio-visual presentation of archival photographs, and interviews with two surviving Orphan Train Riders (a man who came to Berryville, AR and a woman who came to Greenville, TX), the presentation is followed by a dramatic recitation from the new novel, Riders on the Orphan Train by Alison Moore. After the performance, there will be an informal discussion led by Alison Moore and Phil Lancaster about the origin and demise of the largest child migration in history and the part it played in the formation of the American Dream. The presenters will take questions from the audience and will invite relatives and acquaintances of Orphan Train Riders to share their stories. Sponsored by Demara Titzer and the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation. $5 ($4 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Friday, October 23, 6:30 to 8 pm Family Workshop » Family Game Night The Wyeth family had strong traditions for Halloween.  What symbol could represent your family tradition? Create your own board game based on this family tradition! $10 (Free for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Saturday, October 24, 9 am to 1 pm Saturday Session for Teachers » Alfred Maurer: Art on the Edge In this workshop we will discover the many art movements Alfred Maurer explored during his long and active career and respond to them in the studio with hands-on activities. Four Hours of Professional Development credit available. Sponsored by Neff and Scarlett Basore. $10, register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Saturday, Oct, 24, 7 to 10 pm Teen Night » Fright in the Museum High school students are invited to Crystal Bridges for live music, dancing, art, and fright!  There will be a costume contest, light refreshments, and more. Planned by the Museum’s Teen Council Free, no registration required.

Sunday, October 25, 1 to 5 pm Adult Workshop » Figure Painting with Jessica Westhafer Learn an abstract way to break down the complex figure into simple geometric shapes in this workshop led by local figure painter Jessica Westhafer. The workshop begins with a “color lab,” developing a rich palette of colors using a full range of intermediate and saturated pigments. Deriving inspiration from contemporary and master painters, we will use these palettes to create a unique planar painting. All painting and drawing will be done from direct observation of a live model. All materials are provided. $55 ($44 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Wednesday, October 28, 5 to 9 pm Artinfusion @ Culture Hour » Pop (a Bottle) Culture 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. Indulge in a new twist on happy hour as artinfusion and Eleven collaborate to provide a new thematic experience.  Enjoy networking, complimentary nosh, and $6 drink specials in Eleven, plus a special presentation and mixed drink on Warhol’s Pop Culture! Then stroll the galleries while they are open late. Culture Hour special pricing extends for artinfusion Members (with proof of membership) until 9 p.m. Bring a friend!  Artinfusion is especially for Crystal Bridges Members ages 21 to 40s. Sponsored by Blue Moon Brewing Company, Arvest Bank, RopeSwing, and Saatchi & Saatchi X. Free, no registration required.  

Friday, October 30, 6:30 to 8:30 pm Art by the Glass » Fauvist Forest Explore innovative methods of landscape painting inspired by our new exhibition, Alfred Maurer: Art on the Edge. Use bright pigments inspired by the Fauvist art movement to change your perspective of a painted landscape. All materials plus two glasses of wine and light hors d’oeuvres are provided. $45 ($36 for Members), register online or by calling Guest Services at 479.657.2335.

Saturday, October 31, 8 to 11 pm Artinfusion: Halloween in the Hollow Mark your calendars for artinfusion’s annual Halloween party with creative costumes, live music, nosh, and more! Reserve your tickets before they sell out. For artinfusion Members only. Sponsored by Blue Moon Brewing Company, Arvest Bank, RopeSwing and Saatchi & Saatchi X. Free for artinfusion Members ($25 for Guests), register online or by calling the Member Priority Line at 479.418.5728.