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Summer Reading Fun at the DMA

Published May 15, 2014 Art & Teaching , Family Fun Closed
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If you have or know any school-aged children, you know that the countdown to the end of school has begun! Dreams of afternoons at the pool, summer vacations to see grandparents, and lots of watermelon and ice cream are dancing through children’s heads. For me, one of the best parts of summer was the summer reading club at the library. I loved to read anyway, but getting rewards for reading? What a brilliant idea! (I just wish there was a summer reading club for grown-ups.) If reading by the pool isn’t your thing, why not bring a book to the DMA? Families are always welcome to read together in the galleries—on a bench or even on the floor.

To give you a jump start on your summer reading list, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite books along with suggestions for the perfect reading spot in the museum.

Edgar Degas, Ballet, Dancers on the Stage, 1883, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Franklin B. Bartholow

Clad in her swimsuit, cap and flippers, little Flora seems to be bursting with the need to move. Her muse? A pink flamingo who does not appreciate the little girl’s adoration! The two dance across the pages in this wordless book in a graceful ballet that reminds us that imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery and perhaps a way to begin unlikely friendships. Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle is the perfect book for your little dancer, and would be a great choice to tote along to the DMA when the Mind’s Eye: Masterworks on Paper from David to Cezanne exhibition opens at the end of June. Several of the museum’s pieces by Degas will be on display, including these lovely dancers.

Alfred Thompson Bricher, Time and Tide, c. 1873, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Mayer

The push and pull of waves on the beach is irresistible at any age. In Wave by Suzy Lee, a little girl timidly approaches the edge of the water, then slowly gets wetter and wetter as she becomes more sure of herself. The wave takes on its own personality as it interacts with its little companion, and in a splash of watercolor resembling a Pollock painting, the two become the best of friends. Several views of the ocean are on display in the American galleries on Level 4. Perhaps the waves in Alfred Thompson Bricher’s Time and Tide can become your friends too!

Maurice de Vlaminck, Bougival, c. 1905, Dallas Museum of Art, The Wendy and Emery Reves Collection

Have you ever wondered where imaginary friends live before they join your family? In Dan Santat’s charming book The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, we discover the answer to this mystery. A little marshmallow-like creature patiently waits on an island far away for a child to imagine him into the world. But when no one chooses him, he bravely ventures forth on an adventure to find his person himself. Across the vast ocean, through crowded city streets, and finally perched high in a tree’s branches, our hero discovers a perfect friend waiting for him and learns that she has been thinking of him all along. Santat turns the idea of an imaginary friend on its head, and his color-saturated illustrations will make you wish you could have Beekle as your own unimaginary friend. Bring Beekle along for a visit to the Reves collection on Level 3 and search for Maurice de Vlaminck’s Bougival. The vibrant colors of this painting remind me of Beekle’s birthplace, and I can imagine him and his new friend tramping through these woods!

John Chamberlain, Dancing Duke, 1974, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Dr. and Mrs. Harold J. Joseph in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Max Walen

Beep, beep! Look out—fun is on the way! If your child loves everything that goes, Poem-mobiles: Crazy Car Poems by J. Patrick Lewis & Douglas Florian should be tops on your list. Douglas Florian has written some of my favorite poetry collections for children, and for this high speed volume, he’s teamed up with U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis. As soon as you open up to the first page, you know you are in for a wild ride. The table of contents looks like a bunch of blueprints, and the list of vehicles is sure to get some giggles. From “The Dragonwagon” to the “Eel-ectric Car,” these crazy car poems will ride their way right into your imagination. The rhythm and flow of the language is just right for kids, and Jeremy Holmes’ illustrations are so involved, you’ll get lost in the pictures. Tow this book straight to the Hoffman galleries later this month and find John Chamberlain’s Dancing Duke. Chamberlain uses car parts and materials found in junkyards to create his fantastical sculptures.

If you can’t get enough of stories in the galleries, join us for story time this summer! Each Tuesday in June and July at 1:00 p.m. Education staff will lead story time, DMA-style. We’ll read stories, look at art in the galleries, and do hands-on activities. Story time is free and open to all ages.

Artworks shown:

  • Edgar Degas, Ballet Dancers on the Stage, 1883, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Franklin B. Bartholow
  • Alfred Thompson Bricher, Time and Tide, c. 1873, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Mayer
  • Maurice de Vlaminck, Bougival, c. 1905, Dallas Museum of Art, The Wendy and Emery Reves Collection
  • John Chamberlain, Dancing Duke, 1974, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Dr. and Mrs. Harold J. Joseph in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Max Walen

Leah Hanson
Manager of Early Learning

The Forecast Calls for Stars

Published May 14, 2014 Late Nights , Special Events 1 Comment
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Before there were Xboxes and smartphones, TVs and radios, and even theater and literature, people sought entertainment in other ways. Among those activities was the experience of star gazing. The endeavor was a social one, often involving conversation and the creation of folklore around oddly shaped objects that observers conjured up in the stars above.

Though the same stars hang above us today, those interpretive experiences are few and far between. But a group of graduate students from the University of Texas at Dallas are working to change that. Their interactive activity, the Constellation Game, brings back the experience of campfire conversation and celestial storytelling. Visitors, or “players” of the game, are encouraged to let their imaginations run wild as they use a motion controller to “draw” their own constellations in a projected night sky. They can even invent their own myths around their creations.

Constellation1

This Friday, we’re excited to have the Constellation Game set up on our Ross Avenue Plaza for our monthly Late Night. In preparation for Friday night’s activities, we took the opportunity to ask Spencer Evans, the lead programmer behind the experience, a few questions about the Constellation Game.   

How did you come up with the idea for the Constellation Game?

SE: In many ways, the idea we initially came up with is actually far off from what we have now. It was a very vague idea that evolved organically, and was refined based on players’ impressions and our realized goals. We are big fans of games that fit in the play space between arcade, art gallery, and museum exhibition pieces, and we wanted to create something in that same space. We are also very passionate about storytelling and mythology, and we wanted to revive that act of storytelling around shapes perceived in the stars, which seems a bit lost and forgotten today. To that end, it was also important to us to create an accessible interface and interaction that people today can understand.

How does the experience work?

SE: The core player experience is to create and draw constellations in an almost connect-the-dots like way in a shared space. Players do this with a motion controller while lying down, looking up at the stars of our night sky projected onto the ceiling, and discussing with others the meaning of the shapes created. Our design was focused on storytelling, social interaction, and creative expression. And, we strove to create an experience that closely resembles the relatable, perhaps nostalgic, real-world act of lying down outside and pointing up at the stars. We feel this is something that comes through in the way players interact with it, and the immersive atmosphere we try to create.

Constellation2

What have you learned by watching visitors interact with the installation?

SE: We have learned that it is very much a group experience, not just the one or two players currently interacting with it. It is the audience participating as well. Everyone tends to explain or argue about the shapes they are seeing, and share their personal interpretations that they, and others, have made. We have learned that players tend to enjoy exploring the star-field—the space in which they can draw constellations—before they create their own. They want to see what others have created first, and see which star clusters or historical constellations they recognize.

Constellation3

If you want to make your own constellations, you can play the Constellation Game between 8:00 and 11:00 p.m. this Friday. We’ll also have numerous other activities, performances, tours, lectures, and more! Find the full schedule here.

Betsy Glickman is Manager of Adult Programming at the DMA.

 

Make This: Etching with Cola

Published May 13, 2014 Creativity , DIY Tutorial 6 Comments
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Coke Etching

Example of a “coke” etching

Printmaking is one of my favorite mediums. There’s something satisfying and magical about transferring an image you created onto another surface. Plus, there are so many fun and experimental ways to do it that make learning new techniques a joy and not a chore. I especially love finding alternative methods to techniques that may otherwise be cost-prohibitive for the at-home printmaker–namely, intaglio and lithography.

This idea of alternative processes was the basis of April’s Urban Armor workshop for teens. One of the techniques I taught was a version of lithography appropriately dubbed “kitchen lithography” because most of the supplies can be found in your pantry. Popularized by Emilie Aizier, there are lots of tutorials on how to do it on various internet sites. Finding a perfect guide is hard because the process is finicky and everyone does it in a slightly different way. It’s definitely something to experiment with on your own, but I’ll share what gave me the most consistent results.

If you’ve never tried lithography before, it basically consists of creating a master image on a plate (usually metal or stone); in this case, cola is used to etch the image into aluminum foil (it contains phosphoric acid–yum!). Printing from the plate works on the principle that water and oil repel each other: the plate is first coated with water, which doesn’t stick to the etched image because of the gum arabic in the cola. Oil-based ink is then rolled onto the plate, which sticks to the image but is repelled everywhere else by the water.

Several months back, the DMA hosted the wonderful exhibition Posters of Paris: Toulouse-Lautrec and His Contemporaries that not only featured fantastic lithograph posters from the late 1800s, but highlighted many of the tools and steps involved in lithography.

What you need:

  • Small sheet of plexiglas
  • Heavy duty aluminum foil
  • Tape
  • Sharpie permanent marker
  • Scrubber pad/steel wool
  • Vegetable oil
  • White vinegar
  • Cola (I used Coke)
  • Sponge and bowl of water
  • Lithography ink (NOT water-based)
  • Latex gloves
  • Printing brayer
  • Printing baren or large spoon
  • Heavy drawing paper
  • Spray bottle
  • LOTS of paper towels

Steps:

Prepare your plate

  • Cut a piece of foil slightly larger than your sheet of plexi. Carefully smooth it down so it’s nice and flat; try to avoid creating any folds or wrinkles.
  • Fold the edges of the foil around the plexiglas and tape them down to the back.
  • Use your sponge to wet the surface of the foil with a little water, then sand it lightly with your scrubber until it’s dull and no longer super shiny.
  • Wipe the surface down with white vinegar to clean off the plate.
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Sharpie image on plate

Draw and etch your image

  • When the surface of your plate is dry, draw an image on it with a Sharpie permanent marker. If you are adding text, remember to write backwards (your print will be a mirror image of your plate).
  • After you’re finished with your drawing, make a cola bath for your plate: fill a shallow pan (big enough to accommodate the plate) with about 1/4″ of soda. Then place your plate in the cola drawing-side down.
  • Let your plate soak in the cola bath for 10 minutes or longer.
  • Remove the plate and rinse it in the sink, gently trying to remove as much of the Sharpie drawing as you can.
  • Dry off your plate, then buff the surface using a small amount of vegetable oil and a paper towel. This should help remove the last bits of marker. Even though you may not be able to “see” your drawing any more, don’t panic!  The cola should have etched it into the foil, creating a “ghost” image.

Ink your plate and print

  • Load your brayer with ink: spread a small amount of ink on a paper plate, then roll it out with your brayer until the entire surface is coated evenly with ink. Set the brayer aside.
  • Set your plate face-up on the counter. Wipe down the entire surface with a wet sponge.
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Inking

  • Roll the brayer across your plate. You should notice the ink start to stick to your ghost drawing. It may take a few passes of alternating between wiping your plate with water and inking it to ink the entire plate.
  • Spray your drawing paper evenly with water and place it on top of your plate. Rub the back of your paper with a baren or the back of a spoon. If you have access to a printing press, that would be ideal.
  • Carefully peel back the paper and leave it to dry.
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Printing

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Printing

Coke Etching 2

DSC01836

Finished print side-by-side with original plate

As I said earlier, there are many variations on this technique that you can experiment with. People have drawn their image into the foil with grease/litho crayons, touche, even Murphy’s Oil Soap! Each of these options would be fun to try out and should give you different results.

To me, the trickiest part is inking the plate–I ruined the first two that I tried to print during that stage. I found that I didn’t use enough water when I was wetting my plate and the ink ended up sticking to everything instead of just my drawing. The nice thing is that it’s really easy to make a new one–just crumple up the old one and try again!

JC Bigornia
C3 Program Coordinator

Friday Photos: Mother Knows Best

Published May 9, 2014 Friday Photos Closed
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The Dallas Museum of Art is home to an encyclopedic collection of more than 22,000 works of art. While most are on display in the Museum’s permanent galleries, you can also find several in the Center for Creative Connections, including John Biggers’ Starry Crown.

starrycrown

John Biggers, Starry Crown, 1987, Dallas Museum of Art, Museum League Purchase Fund

In Starry Crown, a majestic trio of black women work together on a traditional African quilt. The quilt in the painting features patterns resembling a quilt crafted by the artist’s own mother and the string symbolizes the spoken word that passes traditions and knowledge through generations.

The next time you visit C3, be sure to check out our unique interactive connected with Starry Crown. You can share words of wisdom that an important woman in your life has given. It may come as no surprise that for many, that important woman is their mother.

In celebration of Mother’s Day this Sunday, we wanted to share some of our favorite words of wisdom that the mothers of DMA visitors’ have provided. It’s clear that mothers make an indelible, lasting impact on our lives, no matter how big or small we are!

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What words of wisdom has your own mother given you? Let us know in the comments and have a Happy Mother’s Day!

Amy Elms
McDermott Intern for Visitor Engagement

World War I Through the Eyes of Käthe Kollwitz: One Hundred Years Later

Published May 7, 2014 Collections , European Art 2 Comments
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A new installation in the European Works on Paper Gallery contemplates the life and work of the German artist Käthe Kollwitz (1867-1945). For Germans born in the latter half of the 19th century, life was in a constant state of chaos. Immigration to America was at an all-time high, and World War I would soon be on their doorstep only to be followed by the destruction of World War II. For Kollwitz, the impact of these grave events became the inspiration for her artwork.

Käthe Kollwitz, Self Portrait, 1927. Lithograph, 12 5/8 x 11 ¾ in. (32.068 x 29.845 cm.), Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred L. Bromberg, 1953.37

Käthe Kollwitz, Self-Portrait, 1927. lithograph, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred L. Bromberg

As a graphic artist and sculptor, Kollwitz was widely popular in Europe and America throughout her long life. Kollwitz had always been drawn to representing the working classes. But it was with a cycle of six prints documenting the Weaver’s Revolt of 1844 that she achieved instant fame. The DMA owns the last two prints in the series, Revolt and End.

Käthe Kollwitz, Revolt (Sturm), 1897. ink and etching on paper, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts, The Alfred and Juanita Bromberg Collection, bequest of Juanita K. Bromberg

Käthe Kollwitz, Revolt, 1897. ink and etching on paper, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts, The Alfred and Juanita Bromberg Collection, bequest of Juanita K. Bromberg

Käthe Kollwitz, End (Ende), 1897. aquatint and etching on paper, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred L. Bromberg

Käthe Kollwitz, End, 1897, aquatint and etching on paper, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred L. Bromberg

Together these works document the uprising of peasant workers and the resulting death and destruction. This series was so popular that Kollwitz was awarded a gold medal at the Great Berlin Exhibition of 1898, but the Prussian emperor Wilhelm II refused to award it to her, fearing her striking images would spark rebellions among the working classes. Nevertheless, it was this subject matter that would carry throughout her life’s work. She became dedicated to advocating for the lower classes and the downtrodden in society.

After the war, Kollwitz created many lithographs of women and children, such as Bread! and Hungry Children. These images were widely popular and circulated throughout the country. Kollwitz intended to draw attention to the starving working class and the impact of World War I on the nation.

Käthe Kollwitz, Bread! (Brot!), 1924. lithograph, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred L. Bromberg

Käthe Kollwitz, Bread!, 1924. lithograph, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred L. Bromberg

Käthe Kollwitz, Hungry Children (Deutschlands Kinder Hungern!), 1924. lithograph and ink, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts, The Alfred and Juanita Bromberg Collection, bequest of Juanita K. Bromberg

Käthe Kollwitz, Hungry Children, 1924. lithograph and ink, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts, The Alfred and Juanita Bromberg Collection, bequest of Juanita K. Bromberg

These two works were reprinted nearly a decade later. During World War II, Bread! was published in the National Socialist women’s magazine, Warte, as pro-Nazi propaganda, with the forged signature of St. Frank. Kollwitz was outraged, as she was a staunch opponent of Nazism and another world war. The United States appropriated Hungry Children as a propaganda poster to encourage rationing for the war effort.

After Käthe Kollwitz (German, 1867-1945), Brot!, reprinted by the Nazi Party in NS Frauen Warte, the National Socialist Women’s Paper, photo credit Elizabeth Prelinger, Käthe Kollwitz (Washington: National Gallery of Art, 1992), pg. 122. After Käthe Kollwitz (German, 1867-1945), Ask the Women and Children Whom Hitler is Starving Whether Rationing is Too Great a “Sacrifice,” 1942-1945, Photomechanical print, 55 ¾ x 39 13/16 in. (141.6 x 101.2 cm.), National Archives at College Park, MD, ARC Identifier, 513836

After Käthe Kollwitz, Bread!, reprinted by the Nazi Party in NS Frauen Warte, the National Socialist Women’s Paper, photo credit Elizabeth Prelinger, Käthe Kollwitz (Washington: National Gallery of Art, 1992), pg. 122. After Käthe Kollwitz , Ask the Women and Children Whom Hitler Is Starving Whether Rationing Is Too Great a “Sacrifice,” 1942-45, Photomechanical print, National Archives at College Park, MD, ARC Identifier, 513836

The works are currently on view in the Museum’s European Works on Paper Gallery on Level 2 and are included in the DMA’s free general admission.

Update September 5, 2014:
Listen to an interview with Michael Hartman discussing the exhibition on Tyler Green’s The Modern Art Notes Podcast here.

Michael Hartman is the McDermott Intern for European Art at the DMA.

Which DMA Summer Volunteer Are You?

Published May 7, 2014 Art & Teaching Closed
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Summer is almost here, and that means it’s time to recruit some new volunteers to make possible our summer programs both at the Museum and out in the Dallas community. This summer, we’re looking for Go van Gogh Summer Outreach volunteers, who will spend summer months teaching art programs to young children at libraries and recreation centers across Dallas; and Center for Creative Connections volunteers, who will spend summer months (and beyond!) leading experiences and working with visitors of all ages in the Museum’s galleries and art studio.

With our volunteer application deadline only days away, we’ve created a quick cheat sheet that will help you decide which DMA Summer Volunteer you are!

You might be the perfect Go van Gogh Summer Outreach volunteer, if:

  • You’re a kid at heart and enjoy working with children
  • You love the variety of traveling to different places and have transportation to get you where you need to go
  • You’d describe yourself as a natural teacher and art enthusiast
  • You’re available some mornings or early afternoons during weekdays
  • You can attend mandatory training sessions at the Museum on Friday, May 30th and Friday, June 6th from 10:00am-12:30pm

You might be the perfect Center for Creative Connections volunteer, if:

  • You’ve never met a person you couldn’t talk to, and enjoy meeting and getting to know people of all ages
  • You love spending time around artworks in the Museum’s galleries
  • You’d describe yourself as a natural conversation starter and art enthusiast
  • You’re available for three or four hour daytime shifts on weekdays and weekends and/or three hour shifts select Thursday and Friday evenings
  • You can attend a mandatory training session at the Museum on Saturday, May 17th from 9:30am-12:30pm

If either of these descriptions sound just like you, we hope you’ll fill out a volunteer application and join us for a summer of art-filled fun! To learn more about your perfect DMA summer volunteer opportunity and our volunteer application process, visit the Volunteer section of our website. Applications are due this Friday, May 9th.

Amy Copeland
Manager of Go van Gogh and Community Teaching Programs

Melissa Gonzales
C3 Gallery Manager

Celebrating Mexico in the DMA Collection

Published May 5, 2014 Collections Closed
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El Dallas Museum of Art es poseedor de excepcionales obras de arte mexicano, desde esculturas olmecas tempranas hasta instalaciones artísticas contemporáneas. La colección mexicana del Dallas Museum of Art, de casi mil piezas, cubre más de tres milenios de historia del arte mexicano. Desde escultura hasta impresiones, de terracota a oro, el Museo cuenta con la capacidad de exhibir una increíble variedad de objectos.

Explora las obras muestradas abajo, , y más, gratuitamente en la DMA en celebración del Cinco de Mayo.

The Dallas Museum of Art has exceptional holdings of Mexican art, from early Olmec sculptures to contemporary art installations. The DMA’s Mexican collection, with almost a thousand pieces, covers more than three millennia of Mexican art history. From sculpture to prints, from terracotta to gold, the Museum is able to display an incredible array of objects.

Explore the works shown below, and more, for free at the DMA in celebration of Cinco de Mayo.

Diego Rivera, Portrait of Dr. Otto Ruhle, 1940, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Elizabeth B. Blake
Standing female figure, Mexico, state of Mexico, Valley of Mexico, Tlatilco, Tlatilco style, Early Formative period, c. 1200–900 B.C., ceramic and paint, Dallas Museum of Art, General Acquisitions Fund
Head of the rain god Tlaloc, Mexico, state of Oaxaca, Teotitlan del Camino (?), Mixtec, Late Postclassic period, c. 1300–1500, ceramic, tufa, stucco, and paint, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Marcus in memory of Mary Freiberg
Wall panel depicting Na-Bolon-K’an in ritual dress, Mexico, state of Tabasco, southern Maya lowlands, Pomoná, Maya, Late Classic, A.D. 790, limestone, stucco, and paint, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Clark
Tripod plate with plumed serpent, Mexico, state of Veracruz, south-central region, Los Tuxtlas area, early Postclassic period, c. A.D. 900–1200, ceramic, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association Purchase
Rufino Tamayo, El Hombre (Man), 1953, vinyl with pigment on panel, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Art Association commission, Neiman-Marcus Company Exposition Funds
Mask, Mexico, state of Veracruz, Rio Pesquero, Gulf Coast Olmec culture, Middle Formative period, c. 900–500 B.C., jadeite, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene McDermott and The Eugene McDermott Foundation and Mr. and Mrs. Algur H. Meadows and the Meadows Foundation, Incorporated
Eccentric flint depicting a crocodile canoe with passengers, Guatemala, southern Maya lowlands, Maya, Late Classic, A.D. 600–900, flint, Dallas Museum of Art, The Eugene and Margaret McDermott Art Fund, Inc., in honor of Mrs. Alex Spence
Cabinet, probably Goa, India, Viceroyalty of New Spain, c. 1680–1700, mahogany, mother-of-pearl, ivory, and tortoiseshell, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of The Eugene McDermott Foundation, in honor of Carol and Richard Brettell
Miguel Cabrera, Saint Gertrude, 1763, oil on canvas, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Laura and Daniel D. Boeckman in honor of Dr. William Rudolph
Cylindrical tripod vessel with two goggled figures, Mexico, state of Mexico, Teotihuacan, III, c. A.D. 400–650, ceramic, stucco, and paint, Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Elizabeth M. and Duncan E. Boeckman
Miguel Covarrubias, Genesis, the Gift of Life, 1954, glass mosaic, City of Dallas, Gift of Peter and Waldo Stewart and the Stewart Company, 1992

Friday Photos: Food, Glorious Food!

Published May 2, 2014 Art & Teaching , Friday Photos , Just for Fun , works of art Closed
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As someone who spends a lot of time thinking about food, I’m a sucker for a still life with anything edible, especially if trompe l’oeil is involved. Walking through the galleries recently, I was excited to discover that two of my favorite DMA still-life paintings are currently on view: Still Life with Landscape and Munich Still Life. Still Life with Landscape has always been a favorite tour stop–kids love talking about food as much as I do, so it’s a fun, if hunger-inducing, way to kick off a Museum visit.

Recently, I’ve taken my passion for food beyond conversations in the galleries. I’ve begun an adventure in gardening at the Lake Highlands Community Garden, to try and grow just a little of the produce I eat. Now that the temperatures are warming up and transplants have had time to grow, the plots are full of spring vegetables—some of which will be ready for harvest this weekend! Below are pictures of the Lake Highlands Community Garden, its Butterfly and Donation Gardens, and a few vegetables that I hope will someday soon make a tasty, still-life worthy snack!


Amy Copeland
Manager of Go van Gogh and Community Teaching Programs

Go Mean Green!

Published May 1, 2014 Art & Teaching Closed
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Since January, I have had the privilege of working alongside a dear friend and professor Lesli Robertson at the University of North Texas leading a project for her Topics in Fibers course for undergraduate studio majors. The idea for the project arose from a conversation between the two of us about the importance of artists being able to teach others about their creative process. At the Museum, my primary responsibility is to teach adults and to bring in local artists to educate through hands-on workshops in our studio. I am often interviewing artists and trying to find the perfect artist-teachers for my visitors. My background in K-12 art education has helped inform my current teaching practice and we thought it would be helpful to teach these young, up-and-coming artists the value of quality educational art experiences.Throughout the course of a few months, I was able to speak to the students, talk about my educational philosophy and give them some hands-on teaching practice.

As part of the project, the students were assigned the task of designing a workshop for a class of twenty adults. They had to visit the DMA and find works of art from our collection that would be the basis for the hands-on art workshop and design a presentation to pitch. Of the 17 presentations given, we selected a winner based on the following criteria: the student with the most unique idea who modeled how they would scaffold the learning and proved to be someone who would provide my adults with a quality experience! Our selected artist was recently given the opportunity to lead his workshop in C3.

Students brainstorming
Leading the student’s class
Creating based on memory

Check out images from his workshop called Memory Cocktail, inspired by the work of John Hernandez. We also selected three additional students to lead workshops in the coming months. We would love for you to join us on May 29th with student Sarah Poppelwell, June 15th with Kat Burkett and the Urban Armor teen program with Felicia Fischer on Sunday, July 13th.

Winner Robert Bayer from UNT leading the adult workshop
Robert talking about the Hernandez work in C3
Participants working on their projects
Participants sharing their work
Participants sharing their work

It was amazing hosting a competition for students to translate their work as artists into innovative ways to share their approach with the community. For more information about adult programs in C3 Click Here!

Amanda Batson
C3 Program Coordinator

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