April Events at the Lynden Sculpture Garden
The Lynden Sculpture Garden is located at 2145 West Brown Deer Road. Admission is free. All events listed below are free unless otherwise indicated. Memberships, which offer significant discounts on workshops and other events, are available.
HOURS
The Lynden Sculpture Garden is open daily from 10 am-5 pm (closed Thursdays). Thanks to the generosity of our donors, admission is free at this time. For complete information on events, visitor guidelines, and everything that goes on at Lynden, visit lyndensculpturegarden.org. We will be closed Sunday, March 31, 2024, for the holiday.
EXHIBITIONS: GALLERY
THE TIME HAS COME: THE LYNDEN STAFF EXHIBITION
Through June 8, 2024
More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/exhibitions/time-has-come-lynden-staff-exhibition
Technically, Lynden is not an artist-run organization, but we operate a lot like one, placing artists at the center of all we do. Moreover, almost everyone who works here is an artist, musician, or dancer–and those that aren’t actively practicing are makers. They paint, they carve (wood and mushrooms), they make ceramics and costumes and batik and empanadas, they write songs and take photographs and build puppets, they draw.
With the participation and support (material, practical, moral, and otherwise) of Kellen (Klassik) Abston, John W. Balsley, Willy Dintenfass, Anna Grosch, Emmanuel Guerra, Robert Kaleta, Patrick Kernan, Kim Khaira, Polly Morris, Open Kitchen (Rudy Medina & Alyx Christensen), Claudia Orjuela, Esther Portnoy, Sergio Salinas, and Jeremy Stepien.
See below for related programming in April.
WORKSHOPS & EVENTS
VEGETABLE GARDENS FOR BEGINNERS WITH ALYX CHRISTENSEN
Saturday, April 6, 2024 – 10-11:30 am
Fee: $15/$10 members.
More information and to register:
https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/vegetable-gardens-beginners
It’s time to start planning your vegetable garden for three seasons of harvesting. In this workshop, you will be introduced to techniques such as companion planting, intercropping, and vertical growing, as well as sustainable maintenance practices, starting seeds from scratch, and how to incorporate established plants from greenhouses. Using this information, you will design a master plan for a 4 x 4-foot garden bed that can be scaled up for larger spaces or shrink to the size of a planter. Bring your questions and ideas, garden planning materials will be provided.
Saturday, April 13, 2024 – 10 am-4 pm
Fee: $100/$85 members.
More information and to register:
https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/quetzalcoatl-make-alebrije-ceci-tejeda
Making cartonería— papier mache sculptures—is a traditional Mexican paper-based craft. Among the varieties of cartonería are alebrijes, statues of colorful and mythical creatures. Cartonera Ceci Tejeda will immerse us in the Mesoamerican legend and traditions of the powerful Aztec deity Quetzalcoatl, who was transformed into a feathered serpent. You will create your own Quetzalcoat alebrije using traditional cartonería techniques. No experience necessary; suitable for adults and children 12 and up.
THE ART OF BIRDING WITH CHUCK STEBELTON
Sunday, April 14, 2024 – 10-11:30 am
Fee: $10/$5 members.
More information and to register:
https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/birding-2024
Join poet and Wisconsin Master Naturalist volunteer Chuck Stebelton on the second Sunday of each month to bird by eye and ear with a focus on the life histories of wild birds. We’ll watch for seasonal migrants and resident bird species and seek out the best bird habitats to identify as many species as we can. Please dress for the weather and plan to walk in varied terrain. Bring your binoculars and field guides if you have them; no previous birding experience required.
HOME BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
Thursday, Thursday, April 18, 2024 – 7-8 pm
VIRTUAL
FREE.
More information and to register:
https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/home-book-discussion-group-2024
The Lynden/HOME Refugee Steering Committee book discussion group, moderated by Lynden’s Kim Khaira, is for those interested in firsthand accounts of displacement. We consider works of non-fiction and fiction, including autobiographical and semi-autobiographical works, by writers who have faced or are facing forced displacement as refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants. In April we finish No Friend but the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison by Behrouz Boochani. Newcomers welcome!
SPRING EPHEMERALS WALK WITH JUSTINE MILLER
Friday, April 19, 2024 – 10-11:30 am
Fee: $20/$16 members.
More information and to register:
https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/spring-ephemerals-walk-2024
Join horticulturist Justine Miller on a plant walk through Lynden’s grounds with a primary focus on Wisconsin native spring ephemerals. These plants are the earliest flowers to bloom but keep their growing season brief, taking advantage of full sun before the canopy leafs out. Participants will learn about their ecology, cultivation, and how they can promote these beautiful species in their own yards.
DOG DAYS AT LYNDEN
Saturday, April 20, 2024 – 10 am-4 pm
FREE.
More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/dog-days-2024
Bring your canine friends for a spring walk. Dogs must be leashed and considerate of other visitors, canine and human.
Actively Missing You Poetry Workshop with Jenna Knapp and KP Kaszubowski
Saturday, April 20, 2024, 1-4 pm
Fee: $20/$15 members. Scholarship assistance available.
For information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/lsolsg-actively-missing-you-apr-2024
Join artist-in-residence Jenna Knapp and poet KP Kaszubowski for an afternoon of walking and writing together during their third interactive poetry workshop at the garden. As Earth Day approaches, we will continue to honor and celebrate the life of the Norway maple that long provided shade and shelter at the top of the hill overlooking the labyrinth. April invites us to celebrate the earth and take notice of all the slow and beautiful moments in nature that are always waiting for us, despite our fast-paced lives. In this third iteration of Actively Missing You we will continue to explore themes of grief, change and loss–this time through the lens of our relationship to the places that make us and how their ever-changing landscape changes us. We will discuss the labyrinth’s history, silently walk its winding path, and use poetry prompts to generate more written material. There will be time to share and reflect together as a group, and you’ll have the option to contribute your writing to be engraved into the logs at a later date, allowing the Norway maple’s history to live on.Everyone is welcome to attend, regardless of writing experience. We will spend part of this workshop in the labyrinth and part inside the studio.
FORAGER’S POUCH LEATHER MAKE-ALONG WITH DENNIS CARL
Sunday, April 21, 2024, 1-4 pm
Fee: $55/$48 members.
For information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/foragers-pouch-apr-2024
An accessory you’ll never want to be without, this small forager’s pouch folds into a leather strap that fits on your belt. The pouch is removable and large enough for flowers, mushrooms, stones, and berries –just to name a few! Craft your own forager’s pouch out of beautiful leather and weatherproof waxed canvas and prepare for your next adventure. Learn to create a mixed material item and practice the foundational leather techniques of cutting, punching, riveting, and sewing. This is a beginner level project with all materials provided; no experience required.
NATURAL AREAS WORK DAY
Tuesday, April 23, 2024 – 10 am-12 pm
FREE
More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/2024-natural-area-work-days
Join the Lynden land team—Robert Kaleta, Esther Portnoy, and Alyx Christensen–for a volunteer work day on the grounds. The Lynden Sculpture Garden is transforming its natural habitats and formal landscapes into sustainable and diverse ecosystems that highlight the natural beauty inherent in them. The Lynden’s goal is to steward healthy habitats for an array of native plants and wildlife while adding a vibrant mosaic of color and texture to this sculptural landscape through every season. In April, we invite you to help us control invasive garlic mustard within the forested ravine. Learn about invasive species control and leave with a handful of garlic mustard and a recipe for Garlic Mustard Pesto as a thank you for your time. Bring your favorite gardening gloves and digging tools (if you have them)! Water, snacks, and additional tools will be provided.
GARDEN WORK DAY: TINCTORIAL GARDEN
Thursday, April 25, 2024 – 10 am-12 pm
More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/2024-garden-work-days
Join the Lynden land team—Robert Kaleta, Esther Portnoy, and Alyx Christensen–for a volunteer work day on the grounds. The Lynden Sculpture Garden is transforming its natural habitats and formal landscapes into sustainable and diverse ecosystems that highlight the natural beauty inherent in them. The Lynden’s goal is to steward healthy habitats for an array of native plants and wildlife while adding a vibrant mosaic of color and texture to this sculptural landscape through every season. In April, we will assist artist-in-residence Kim Khaira with seeding and spring cleanup in her tinctorial garden (a garden of plants that can be used in natural dyeing). Work alongside Khaira and the land team to continue with the removal of any remaining invasive species, as well as spreading seed for new dye plants to grow. Khaira will introduce the native plants she has chosen for the garden, including the significance of the seeds chosen, and talk about their many uses beyond their role in natural dyes. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their favorite gardening gloves and digging tools (if you have them)! Water, snacks, and additional tools will be provided.
Friday, April 26, 2024 – 7:30-9 pm
Fee: $10 per session/$5 per session for Lynden members. Children under 6 are free.
More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/lynden-night-apr-2024
Come walk Lynden’s grounds with educator Claudia Orjuela, who will introduce you to the mysteries and unique features of outdoor life after dark. Discover the sights and sounds of the night in Lynden’s back acres and observe our monumental sculptures beneath the light of the worm moon. A bonfire and treats await at the end.
INTERNATIONAL SCULPTURE DAY: A GREEN WOOD GATHERING
Saturday, April 27, 2024 – 11 am-4 pm
FREE
More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/is-day-2024
We celebrate International Sculpture Day with a special focus on green wood carving. Green woodworking starts with “green” (still wet) wood. We’ll begin with a carving-specific tree walk with Robert Kaleta at 11 am. You’ll discover which trees are perfect for greenwood carving and gain insight into the unique forest management practices implemented at Lynden. At 12:30 pm, Jeremy Stepien will host a Sloyd-Inspired Carving Workshop. Sloyd, or slöjd, is a Scandinavian-based handcraft movement and educational system. Sloyd items are meant to be functional, designed for everyday use around the home: spoons, bowls, cups, buttons, coat hooks, furniture (you can see Stepien’s carved spoons in our current exhibition, The Time Has Come). Practicing Sloyd encourages self-sufficiency and an intimate knowledge of the local natural resources. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced carver, all are welcome. Workshop capacity is limited, so please register in advance. Or just stop by to walk the grounds, visit your favorite sculpture, or become better acquainted with others. We’ll have some treats and beverages (temperature to be determined by weather) available.
GREEN WOOD GATHERING: A SLOYD-INSPIRED CARVING WORKSHOP WITH JEREMY STEPIEN
Saturday, April 27, 2024 – 11 am-4 pm
Fee: $15/$10 members. You may purchase a Mora sloyd knife to take home for $35.
More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/green-wood-gathering-sloyd-inspired-carving-workshop
Sloyd, or slöjd, is a Scandinavian-based handcraft movement and educational system. It falls under the umbrella of green woodworking–woodwork that starts with “green” (still wet) wood. Sloyd items are meant to be functional, designed for everyday use around the home: spoons, bowls, cups, buttons, coat hooks, furniture. Practicing Sloyd encourages self-sufficiency and an intimate knowledge of the local natural resources. Our green woodworking experience starts at 11 am with a carving-specific tree walk. You’ll discover which trees are perfect for greenwood carving and gain insight into the unique forest management practices implemented at Lynden. We’ll take a lunch break and at 12:30 pm we’ll gather around a campfire for an afternoon of hands-on carving. Sip tea made from foraged plants as you try your hand at carving a jam spreader, wooden bead, or spatula. The workshop will move indoors if the weather is inclement. This workshop, suitable for ages 16 and up, covers carving fundamentals, including safe axe and knife techniques, responsible material gathering, finishing, and tool maintenance. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced carver, all are welcome. Bring your own carving tools, or we’ll provide sloyd knives for beginners. You can also purchase a Mora sloyd knife as part of the workshop package.
PROGRAMS FOR THE YOUNG AND VERY YOUNG
TUESDAYS IN THE GARDEN FOR PARENTS & VERY SMALL CHILDREN
Tuesdays, April 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30, 2024- 10:30 am-11:30 am
Sessions meet outdoors.
Fee: $16/$12 members for one adult and one child.
More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/tuesdays
Join art educators Claudia Orjuela and Denice Niebuhr for hands-on art making and all-senses-engaged exploration of the outdoor world at Lynden. Tuesdays in the Garden, designed for children aged 1-3, provides a nurturing environment where children’s curiosity and wonder are extended through play and exploration, and children and their caregivers learn and discover side-by-side. We’ll consider different themes, each designed to connect Lynden’s environment with children’s interests. We will encourage experimentation and the manipulation of art and natural materials to tell stories, solve problems, and develop relationships. The themes for April include Fairy Gardens, Signs of Spring, Nature Meets Sculpture, Pebbles and Twigs and Flower Friends.
Sunday, April 14, 2024 – 12:30-2:30 pm
FREE but registration encouraged.
More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/creative-time-families
From February to April, Lynden offers free, monthly, drop-in workshops for families. Stop by for engaging, hands-on activities that bring art and nature to life. Whether you make a quick visit or stay the entire two hours, count on spending some quality creative time with family and friends. In April we will use the sun to make detailed prints—cyanotypes–from objects that cast a shadow. Cyanotype is a sun-printing process and one of the earliest photographic techniques. Stop by the studio to make your own cyanotype to take home.
HOME: MULTILINGUAL STORY TIME
Wednesday, April 17, 2024– 10:30-11 am
VIRTUAL
FREE
More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/home-multilingual-story-time-2024
In April, Jeannette Arellano reads Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood / Quizás Algo Hermoso. Cómo el Arte Transformó un Barrio, written by Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell and illustrated by Rafael López, in Spanish and English. The story is followed by an artmaking activity with Claudia Orjuela. Ages 4-8.
SUMMER CAMPS AT THE INTERSECTION OF ART AND NATURE
Lynden’s art and nature camps for children aged 4 to 15 years integrate our collection of monumental outdoor sculpture and temporary installations with the natural ecology of our hidden landscapes and unique habitats. Led by artists, naturalists, and art educators, the camps explore the intersection of art and nature through collaborative inquiry and hands-on artmaking, using all of Lynden’s 40 acres to create a joyful, all-senses-engaged outdoor experience. Information and registration will be posted in January.
NOHL FELLOWSHIP EVENTS
Supporting artists is a at the core of Lynden’s mission. One of the ways that we support artists is by administering a range of grant programs for artists: the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Mary L. Nohl Fund Fellowships for Individual Artists, the Suitcase Export Fund, and the Ruth Arts Mary L Nohl Alumni Awards. In April, we host Jodi Throckmorton, chief curator at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center and a former Nohl Fellowship juror, for studio visits.
COMING UP IN MAY
There is plenty to do outdoors in May. The Bonsai Exhibit opens just in time for World Bonsai Day (May 11), and the bonsai docents will be on hand to tell you everything about the collection and how to grow your own bonsai. The Milwaukee Bonsai Foundation’s artistic director, Suthin Sukosolvisit, will be in town May 18-19 to conduct a workshop for the bonsai volunteers who staff the pavilion at Lynden. You are welcome to observe. Chuck Stebelton leads a bird walk on May 12, dog day is May 18, and Claudia Orjuela hosts the final Lynden by Night of the season on May 24, beneath the light of the flower moon. We’ll be looking for garlic mustard and dame’s rocket during the natural areas work day (May 21) and we’ll be removing daylilies from the ravine on the garden work day (May 23). Tuesdays in the Garden meets weekly and the themes are A Nest for Explorers, Meet a Tree, Nature’s Kitchen, and Plant a Prairie Seed. We’re pulling from the archives for Home Story Time on May 15: Soñadores/Dreamers by Yuyi Morales, read in Spanish and English by Claudia Orjuela. The HOME Book Discussion Group begins a new book on May 16—watch the website for the new title and pick up your free copy in advance.
ABOUT THE LYNDEN
The Lynden operates as a laboratory at the intersection of art, nature, and culture. Since opening to the public in 2010, we have worked with artists, educators, students, and our community to create, support, and share experiences that integrate our collection of more than 50 monumental sculptures and temporary installations, Lynden’s community of artists, and the natural ecology of our 40-acre site. The sculpture garden is open to art and nature lovers of all ages daily, 10 am-5 pm; closed Thursdays. Admission is free. Learn more about visitor guidelines here: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/visit. Annual memberships are also available.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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