February Events at Lynden

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

In February, the Lynden Sculpture Garden is open daily from 10 am-5 pm (closed

Thursdays). Thanks to the generosity of our donors, admission is free. For complete

information on events, visitor guidelines, and everything that goes on at Lynden, visit

www.lyndensculpturegarden.org.

A NOTE ON ICE SKATING

We will offer ice skating on one of the ponds at Lynden on Saturdays and Sundays when weather and ice conditions permit. Please visit us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/LyndenSculptureGarden) for ice skating updates.

.

EXHIBITIONS: GALLERY

CALL & RESPONSE: ASMAA WALTON AND THE BLACK ART LIBRARY

Through February 28, 2025

More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/exhibitions/asmaa-walton-and-black-art-library

Call & Response: Asmaa Walton and the Black Art Library is a public humanities project that asks how we create, share, and preserve cultural memory for a more complete and accessible cultural record. A Detroit native and developer of the Black cultural archive, Asmaa Walton noticed a conspicuous gap in the mainstream narration of art history around Black art and artists when she was training as an art educator and then working in museums. In 2020 she launched the Library, a collection of publications, exhibition catalogues, theoretical texts, and research materials about Black art and visual culture. Its mission is straightforward: “Black Art Library is a collection of books and other art history ephemera on Black visual art intended to be an educational resource to share within the Black community and beyond. The Library’s mission is to introduce or expand the community’s knowledge of Black art from the past and the present through art books.”

Walton aligns her project with other libraries that are vital community spaces and she places herself in the lineage of librarians as agents of change. Black Art Library will be in residence in Lynden’s gallery for four months. The gallery, an emphatically domestic space that was once a living room, is an ideal setting for this temporary community gathering place that functions as an interactive, participatory archive. Visitors can examine books and materials at their leisure. When she is in Milwaukee, Walton will host a Story Time (February 8) and keep “library hours” during which she will be available to engage with visitors and recommend books (February 5, February 10, February 15). The public is invited, while the Library is in residence, to donate mission-appropriate items to this growing archive. This project is funded in part by a grant from Wisconsin Humanities, with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

WEDNESDAY WORK DAYS

Wednesdays, February 5, 12, 19, 26, 2025 – 10 am-12 pm

More information and to register:

https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/wednesday-work-days

The Lynden land team is kicking off 2025 by launching a new series of Wednesday Work Days, a weekly volunteer opportunity on the grounds. Whether you are looking for a few hours of volunteer work or want a weekly activity that keeps you outside, you are welcome to join us on Wednesday mornings from 10 am to 12 noon. Projects vary from season to season; for the next few months, you will work alongside land staff to control woody invasive species in our natural areas. No experience is necessary, though you are encouraged to bring your favorite gardening gloves and digging tools if you have them. Water, snacks, and additional tools will be provided.

ASMAA WALTON AND THE BLACK ART LIBRARY: LIBRARY HOURS WITH ASMAA WALTON

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 – 1-4 pm

FREE.

More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/exhibitions/asmaa-walton-and-black-art-library

Asmaa Walton, founder of the Black Art Library, will be present for library hours. Drop in to learn more about her project and the books in the library.

HOME: MULTILINGUAL STORY TIME WITH ASMAA WALTON

Saturday, February 8, 2025 – 10:30-11:30 am

FREE

More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/home-multilingual-story-time

In 2025, HOME Multilingual Story Time transitions from a monthly, virtual series to an episodic in-person event at Lynden. Join special guest Asmaa Walton and Lynden’s Claudia Orjuela in the Black Art Library to hear some of the many books by and about Black artists gathered there. You will be able to fill out your own Black Art Library card to take home. This iteration of Walton’s project features an extensive selection of children’s books for children of all ages. Come early or stay late to browse and read.

CREATIVE TIME FOR FAMILIES: UPCYCLED WIND CHIMES

Sunday, February 9, 2025 – 12:30-2:30 pm

Fee: $15/$10 member per family (all materials included). All ages are welcome; children younger than 12 should attend with an adult.

More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/creative-time-winter-2025

During the winter and spring, we will be offering 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. This time, you will repurpose and assemble a variety of materials and found objects into a wind chime that will give your outdoor space its own voice. Consider bringing an object from home to add to your piece.

ASMAA WALTON AND THE BLACK ART LIBRARY: LIBRARY HOURS WITH ASMAA WALTON

Monday, February 10, 2025 -1:30-4 pm

FREE.

More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/exhibitions/asmaa-walton-and-black-art-library

Asmaa Walton, founder of the Black Art Library, will be present for library hours. Drop in to learn more about her project and the books in the library.

LEO FULL MOON CIRCLE AND SOUND BATH

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 – 6-7:30 pm

Fee: $30/$25 members. Pre-registration required.

More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/leo-full-moon-circle-and-sound-bath

Join artist-in-residence Jenna Knapp and sound facilitator Sevan Arabajian-Ries as they continue their collaborative events indoors for the winter. This sound bath will take place in the gallery, where participants will be surrounded by Asmaa Walton’s Black Art Library.

Inspired by the winding path of the labyrinth, Jenna will begin the evening with a short guided meditation inviting us to turn inward and attune to the frequency of our heart before Sevan begins the sound bath. We’ll wrap up the evening with an astro talk, writing prompts, and time for group reflection and sharing. Throughout the evening, we will explore themes present under the Leo Full Moon including listening to our heart’s truth, celebrating the courage it takes to self-reflect, and tending to who we are at our very core.

DOG DAYS AT LYNDEN

Saturday, February 15, 2025 – 10 am-4 pm

FREE.

More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/dog-days-2025

Bring your canine friends for a wintry walk. Dogs must be leashed and considerate of other visitors, canine and human.

ASMAA WALTON AND THE BLACK ART LIBRARY: LIBRARY HOURS WITH ASMAA WALTON

Saturday, February 15, 2025 -1:30-4 pm

FREE.

More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/exhibitions/asmaa-walton-and-black-art-library

Asmaa Walton, founder of the Black Art Library, will be present for library hours. Drop in to learn more about her project and the books in the library.

LYNDEN BY NIGHT: A WALK WITH CLAUDIA ORJUELA

Saturday, February 15, 2025 – 6-7:30 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-feb-2025

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 Snow Moon. A bonfire and treats await at the end.

HOME BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Thursday, February 20, 2025 – 7-8 pm ***VIRTUAL***

FREE.

More information and to register:

https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/home-book-discussion-group-2025

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 February we begin Aednan: An Epic, by Linnea Axelsson. Newcomers welcome!

WINTER PROGRAMS FOR THE YOUNG AND VERY YOUNG

HOME: MULTILINGUAL STORY TIME WITH ASMAA WALTON

Saturday, February 8, 2025 – 10:30-11:30 am

FREE

More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/home-multilingual-story-time

In 2025, HOME Multilingual Story Time transitions from a monthly, virtual series to an episodic in-person event at Lynden. Join special guest Asmaa Walton and Lynden’s Claudia Orjuela in the Black Art Library to hear some of the many books by and about Black artists gathered there. You will be able to fill out your own Black Art Library card to take home. This iteration of Walton’s project features an extensive selection of children’s books for children of all ages. Come early or stay late to browse and read.

TUESDAYS IN THE GARDEN FOR PARENTS & VERY SMALL CHILDREN

Tuesdays, February 18, 25, 2025 – 10:30 am-11:30 am

Fee: $16/$12 members for one adult and one child.

More information and to register:

https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/tuesdays-in-the-garden

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. Tuesdays in the Garden meets twice in February and the themes are Colorful Snow and Ice Sculpture.

REGISTER FOR SESSION II OF ART + NATURE LAB

Thursdays, March 6-April 24, 2025 – 3:30-5:30 pm

Ages 7-11

Fee: $154/$112 members per 7-week session

More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/art-nature-lab-ages-7-11

Lynden’s Art + Nature Lab engages participants aged 7-11 in inquiry-based art and nature learning, problem solving, and creative making. Over the course of each seven-week session, art educator Jeremy Stepien will take you on a series of art challenges and studio projects. Art + Nature Lab will meet indoors in the studio at Lynden with occasional excursions in the garden.

SUMMER CAMPS AT THE INTERSECTION OF ART AND NATURE—REGISTRATION OPENS IN JANUARY

June 23-August 20, 2025

For information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/camps

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.

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 February, we announce the second cohort of Ruth Arts Mary L. Nohl Alumni Awardees, a program open to past Nohl Fellows.

COMING UP IN MARCH

We begin the month with The Ecology and Management of Invasive Species, a hands-on workshop on March 1. Other workshops include Jeremy Stepien’s Greenwood Gathering (March 15) and a spoon-carving intensive (March 24-26): you will emerge with your own finished spoon. The Wisconsin Ukrainians return on March 23 for another pysanky workshop and fundraiser, part of our HOME workshop series. Learn to decorate eggs the Ukrainian way, using a colorful wax resist process. In mid-March we open and then down became up, an exhibition of new work by Sonja Thomsen (Nohl Fellow 2011, Ruth Arts Alumni Awardee 2023). Artist-in-residence Jenna Knapp and Sevan Arabajian-Ries host a Virgo Full Moon Circle and Sound Bath on March 14. Dog Day is March 15. Once again you can bring your dog in the daytime and then return at 7 pm for Lynden by Night, a walk beneath the Worm Moon with Claudia Orjuela. The HOME Refugee Book Discussion group continues Aednan, by Linnea Axelsson, on March 20. For the younger set, Tuesdays in the Garden meets every Tuesday in March, and Claudia also offers another installment of Creative Time for Families on the 9th: we’ll be making seed paper. We begin a new session of Art + Nature Lab (ages 7-11) on March 6; it continues to meet weekly until the end of April. If you’re looking for an outdoor volunteer opportunity, and would like to help us control buckthorn and other woody invasives at Lynden, check out our weekly Wednesday Work Days. Keep an eye out for the return of our monthly bird walks with artist-in-residence Chuck Stebelton.

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. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.