Iron Pour & More
Saturday’s snow—and the threat of snow—did not deter us from celebrating International Sculpture Day with another remarkable creation from Debbie Pagel
May at-a-glance:
* Spring Sawdust Firing Part 2 with Katheryn Corbin, Saturday, May 4
* Kites Over Lynden: A Day for Art and Flying, Saturday, May 4
* Women’s Speaker Series: Jennifer Robson, Monday, May 6
* Teacher Professional Development: Entanglement: Zooming In, Saturday, May 11
* Garden Series: Spring Herb Walk with Kyle Denton, Saturday, May 11
* World Bonsai Day, Saturday, May 11
* Mother’s Day Silk Scarf Painting with Leslie Perrino, Sunday, May 12
* Majolica: Painting with Glaze with Katheryn Corbin, Wednesdays, May 15 & 22
* Altered Books with Evelyn Patricia Terry, Sunday, May 19
* Lynden Sculpture Garden Iron Pour & Scratch Tile Workshops, Saturday, May 25
* Birding with Chuck Stebelton & Emir Cakaroz, Sunday, May 26
* Poetry is the Question with Emily Kendal Frey, Friday, May 31-Sunday, June 2
* Recurring events: Tuesdays in the Garden, Weekly Art Drop-In, Ages 11 and Up, Weekly Art Drop-In, Ages 6-11, Dog Days
I guess the talk of retiring the snowblower for the season was a little premature. Was it only last week that, in a period of twenty-four hours, the magnolia outside my window went from a few blooms to full flower? It happened so fast that I felt that if I could just pull my eyes away from the computer screen long enough, I would be able to see individual flowers open.
The magnolia is looking a bit worse for wear after our snow, wind, and rain. There is another magnolia growing next to it that never fully recovered from the drought of several summers ago: it was sparse even before the weather turned. The lawn around the trees is littered with tepals; it looks like it will be a short magnolia season.
Saturday’s snow—and the threat of snow—did not deter us from celebrating International Sculpture Day with another remarkable creation from Debbie Pagel: a cake in the shape of one of our Henry Moore sculptures. We sowed some prairie seed down in the labyrinth, admired Gary John Gresl’s pop-up, The Big Whimsy (which remains on view a while longer), collected cast iron (from frying pans to radiators) for our iron pour, and began a sawdust firing. Sunday started chilly, but Chuck Stebelton and his birdwatchers spotted 38 species, including a Yellow-rumped Warbler and seven Red-breasted Mergansers. Stebelton returns at the end of May for another walk. By afternoon the sun was out and plenty of people came to enjoy the opening of Evelyn Patricia Terry’s new exhibition, America’s Favor/Guests Who Came to Dinner (and Stayed!). The show remains on view until July 28, and Terry will be offering workshops each month. First up is an altered books workshop on May 19.
We’re hoping the snow stays away for Kites over Lynden this Saturday, and for World Bonsai Day (which marks the official opening of the Bonsai Exhibit for the season) on May 11. Kyle Denton will also be offering a spring herb walk that day. Weather will be less of an issue when we move indoors for the Women’s Speaker Series, which welcomes Jennifer Robson, author of The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding, or when Leslie Perrino offers her annual Mother’s Day silk scarf painting workshop on the appropriate day. Katheryn Corbin leads a two-part Majolica ceramics workshop for those who want to learn more about painting with glaze. We have two workshops of special interest to teachers this month: Zooming In: Scale and Point of View in Image-making (taught by our teachers-in-residence) and Poetry is the Question, a workshop with Emily Kendal Frey, who writes that “poetry can be deeply healing not only in the way it names, but in the way it leads us to clarify our questions.” Special teacher discounts are available for both workshops. Finally, we’ll be back outdoors for Lynden’s first-ever iron pour on May 25. You can sign up in advance for a scratch tile workshop or you can just come and watch as professionals, students, and enthusiasts from across the region engage with molten metal.
Six of our summer camps have already filled, and another one is on phone registration, which means that only a few spaces remain. Don’t forget that we offer need-based tuition waivers.
May events, arranged chronologically:
May 1, 8, 15
Wednesdays, 3-5:30 pm
WEEKLY ART DROP-IN FOR KIDS AGED 11 and Up
Drop into our studio for informal art exploration. Come for 30 minutes or stay for 2 1/2 hours; visit weekly or stop by when you need an after-school activity; bring a friend or sibling or try it on your own. Each week we’ll introduce different materials, processes and themes, and get you started on a project. We’ll focus on three-dimensional artmaking–though we will also do plenty of painting, drawing and collaging–and make use of Lynden’s special resources: the collection of monumental sculpture and 40 acres of park, lake and woodland. After May 15, Art Drop-In goes on hiatus until the fall.
May 2, 9, 16
Thursdays, 2:30-5 pm
WEEKLY ART DROP-IN FOR KIDS AGED 6-11
Drop into our studio for informal art exploration. Come for 30 minutes or stay for 2 1/2 hours; visit weekly or stop by when you need an after-school activity; bring a friend or sibling or try it on your own. Each week we’ll introduce different materials, processes and themes, and get you started on a project. We’ll focus on three-dimensional artmaking–though we will also do plenty of painting, drawing and collaging–and make use of Lynden’s special resources: the collection of monumental sculpture and 40 acres of park, lake and woodland. After May 16, Art Drop-In goes on hiatus until the fall.
Saturday, May 4, 2019 – 10-11:30 am
SPRING SAWDUST FIRING WITH KATHERYN CORBIN (Part 2)
Join ceramic artist Katheryn Corbin for our spring sawdust firing. On the first Saturday (April 27), learn to set-up and pack the “kiln”—a metal trash can filled with sawdust—with your bisque-fired pieces. The smoke from the smoldering fire blackens the pots, leaving them with a subtle, shining finish. Return a week later (May 4), once things have cooled, to open and unload the can and collect your pottery. Fire the planters and vessels made in previous workshops at Lynden, or bring in your own bisque-fired work. When registering, you will need to specify the dimensions and number of pieces you are bringing (maximum two).
Saturday, May 4, 2019 – 12 noon-4 pm
KITES OVER LYNDEN: A DAY FOR ART & FLYING
Kite makers, flyers, artists and art lovers of all ages are invited to celebrate the arrival of spring with an afternoon of events and activities. Drop in to the studio to make and decorate simple, earth-friendly kites. Expect additional artist-led activities, as well as treats.
Monday, May 6, 2019 at 7 pm
WOMEN’S SPEAKER SERIES: JENNIFER ROBSON, AUTHOR OF THE GOWN
This event is co-presented by Milwaukee Reads and Boswell Book Company, with snacks from MKE Localicious. Tickets include an autographed copy of The Gown and admission to the sculpture garden. From the internationally bestselling author of Somewhere in France comes an enthralling historical novel about one of the most famous wedding dresses of the twentieth century—Queen Elizabeth’s wedding gown—and the fascinating women who made it.
London, 1947: Though the war ended two years ago, England’s recovery has been difficult. But the nation’s spirits are lifted when Buckingham Palace announces the engagement of Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten. For Ann Hughes and Miriam Dassin, colleagues at the famed Mayfair fashion house of Norman Hartnell, the upcoming wedding is more than a celebration. The talented embroiderers have been chosen to create the beautiful, intricate stitching that will adorn the royal bride’s wedding gown. It is an extraordinary opportunity for an ordinary working-class English girl and a French émigrée who survived the Nazis. Toronto, 2016: Intrigued by the exquisite set of hand-stitched flowers she has inherited from her late grandmother, Heather Mackenzie discovers the embroideries match the motifs decorating Queen Elizabeth II’s stunning gown from her wedding almost seventy years before. Among her grandmother’s possessions, she also finds an old photo of Nan with Miriam Dassin, a celebrated artist and Holocaust survivor. How did her beloved Nan, a woman who never spoke of her old life in Britain, come to possess these embroidered treasures? What was her connection to Miriam Dassin, and why did Nan never mention her? Yearning to know more about her grandmother’s past and the mystery of the embroideries, Heather travels to London. It is a journey that will unlock the secrets of Nan’s life, including her connection to Miriam, and may even lead Heather to her own destiny.
Saturday, May 11, 2019 – 10 am-12 pm
TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
ENTANGLEMENT: ZOOMING IN – SCALE AND POINT OF VIEW IN IMAGE-MAKING
Using digital microscopes, we will make visual discoveries that will lead us to new ways of developing meaning and images in our artmaking. Participants will bring in natural materials from home, as well as collect items in the Lynden gardens. Through the lens of entanglement, participants will explore the “zoomed in” parts of their world, uncovering connections to the human experience through scale and point of view. A variety of art media will be explored, including printmaking, collage, silk screening, citra solv transfers, watercolor, and monoprints. Visual discoveries will be extended through text, further connecting us to our senses and memories. (This workshop is for educators.)
Saturday, May 11, 2019 – 1-3 pm
THE GARDEN SERIES: SPRING HERB WALK WITH KYLE DENTON
Stroll Lynden’s grounds with herbalist Kyle Denton of Tippecanoe Herbs and Apothecary and discover the spring bounty of plants found in the wilds of southeast Wisconsin. Inside, we’ll prepare the healing herbs we forage, sample them, and discuss their taste and energetic qualities. Drawing on folklore, ancient wisdom, plant identification, and science, Denton will expand your understanding of our relationship to the natural world.
Saturday, May 11, 2019– 1-4 pm (Demonstration 1-3 pm, reception to follow.)
WORLD BONSAI DAY
Bonsai is a living art that is appreciated by people in every culture. World Bonsai Day is for sharing this peaceful art and advancing international friendship and goodwill throughout the world. In honor of this year’s World Bonsai Day and the re-opening of the Bonsai Pavilion, Lynden will host a special temporary exhibit of bonsai that have been created from material that was collected from nature. The exhibit will open on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at the Bonsai Pavilion, with a demonstration by Milwaukee Bonsai Collection Curator Jack Douthitt at 1 pm. A reception will follow at 3 pm. The temporary exhibit will remain on view daily (except Thursday) through Saturday, May 18, 2019. Thereafter the Bonsai Pavilion, which houses the collection of the Milwaukee Bonsai Society, will be open to the public Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and by appointment, from May to October. Admission is free to members or with admission to the sculpture garden.
Sunday, May 12, 2019 – 10 am-4:30 pm
MOTHER’S DAY SILK SCARF PAINTING: A WORKSHOP WITH LESLIE PERRINO
Grab your mother and bring her along for this daylong workshop that will explore easy and artful ways to apply dye to pre-hemmed silk scarves. From simple techniques such as tie-dyeing, resist and salt, to interesting ways to make marks, we’ll let ourselves be inspired by the wonderful art and nature surrounding us at Lynden. Each student will create three wearable and uniquely painted scarves using this centuries-old painting form. No experience (or mother) required, and all materials supplied.
Two Wednesdays, May 15 & May 22, 2019 – 10 am-3 pm
MAJOLICA: PAINTING WITH GLAZE
A CERAMICS WORKSHOP WITH KATHERYN CORBIN
The island of Majorca and the surrounding Mediterranean countries produce decorative and utilitarian pottery known as Majolica. Majolica ware uses an opaque white glaze as a ground and brush painting with colorful ceramic oxides and satins to create surface decoration. The brush work is similar to painting with watercolors, and this is an excellent workshop for painters new to ceramics. On the first day you will learn basic slab and coil construction, and will hand-build a clay vessel of your choice—perhaps a platter or shallow bowl with plenty of surface for painting. Return a week later to paint your bisque-fired piece in bright spring colors.
Saturday, May 18, 2019 – 10 am-5 pm
DOG DAYS AT LYNDEN
Bring your canine friends for a springtime stroll. Dogs must be leashed and considerate of other visitors, canine and human.
Sunday, May 19, 2019 – 10 am-3 pm
ALTERED BOOKS: A WORKSHOP WITH EVELYN PATRICIA TERRY
Artist Evelyn Patricia Terry is offering a series of workshops in conjunction with her exhibition at Lynden, America’s Favor/Guests Who Came to Dinner (and Stayed!). The exhibition includes 13 of her unique artist books, often made by altering old books found in thrift stores. For the books on display, Terry repurposed her old work, particularly prints, collaging them on second-hand books and embellishing them with scraps of leather, textiles, and her own hair. In this workshop, Terry will guide you through the process of transforming an old board book (of the kind given to children) into an artist book. She will start by demonstrating how to make a bookbinding press, and you’ll be able to take yours home with you to continue your bookmaking adventures. Then, using a variety of techniques—collage, sewing, mark-making–you’ll prepare and alter your own book, creating a personal art object. Feel free to bring an old book you’d like to alter (we will also have some available) and personal materials you might want to use: old artwork, images, handmade papers, small objects to attach to the cover.
Saturday, May 25, 2019 – 11 am-6 pm
LYNDEN SCULPTURE GARDEN IRON POUR
Join professionals, students, and enthusiasts from across the region in the dramatic spectacle of molten cast iron. Lynden’s first iron pour brings together some of the Midwest’s best cast iron artists for a day of workshops and demonstrations. Spectators welcome, but those who want to participate more actively can register for one of the scratch tile workshops ($35 for a large tile, $25 for a small tile; includes admission to the sculpture garden)—then watch as your creation gets poured and take your one-of-a-kind cast iron artwork home with you. Or feel free to drop in and watch the process. Workshops run from 11 am to 2 pm (info below); pour begins at 3 pm.
Saturday, May 25, 2019 – 11 am-2 pm; iron pour is 3-6 pm.
LYNDEN SCULPTURE GARDEN IRON POUR: SCRATCH TILE WORKSHOPS
Come take an active part in Lynden’s first iron pour by creating a scratch tile. Choose a large (5 x 5 in.) or small (3.5 x 3.5 in) tile, and when the pour begins at 3 pm, watch as your creation gets poured and take your one-of-a-kind cast iron artwork home with you. Drop in between 11 am and 2 pm to make your tile (it takes approximately half an hour), and then watch the preparations before the pour begins at 3 pm. Suitable for ages 8 and up.
Sunday, May 26, 2019 – 8:30-10 am
BIRDING WITH POET CHUCK STEBELTON AND FRIENDS
Poet/birder and artist-in-residence Chuck Stebelton continues his series of bird walks at Lynden this spring, and he’s bringing friends! Please wear appropriate footwear and bring your binoculars if you have them; no previous birding experience required. Stebelton’s guest today is filmmaker Emir Cakaroz.
Tuesday, May 28, 2019 -10:30am -11:30 am
TUESDAYS IN THE GARDEN: AN OUTING FOR PARENTS & VERY SMALL CHILDREN
The 40 acres that house the Lynden collection of monumental outdoor sculpture are also home to many birds, insects, frogs, mammals and plants. Naturalist Naomi Cobb offers a nature program that explores a different theme each month, taking into account the changing seasons, and provides an opportunity for those with very small children to engage in outdoor play and manipulation of art materials. The theme for May is flower friends.
Friday, May 31, 2019 – 6-7:30 pm; Saturday, June 1, 2019, 12-3 pm; Sunday, June 2, 2019, 12-3 pm. The final reception and student reading (with Emily Kendal Frey) will take place on Sunday, June 2, 2019 at 7 pm at the Woodland Pattern Book Center, 720 E. Locust St., Milwaukee, WI 53212.
POETRY IS THE QUESTION: A WORKSHOP WITH EMILY KENDAL FREY
In collaboration with the Woodland Pattern Book Center
Participants will explore poetry as a healing, self-actualizing tool and practice writing exercises designed to help people understand their life experiences, tune into and release emotions, discover new ways of approaching stressful situations, and more. Emily Kendal Frey is a licensed therapist and the author of two full-length poetry collections, Sorrow Arrow (2014) and The Grief Performance (2011), and the chapbooks Frances (2010), The New Planet (2010), and Airport (2009). The Grief Performance was selected for the Cleveland State Poetry Center’s 2010 First Book Prize by Rae Armantrout. Frey also won the Poetry Society of America’s 2012 Norma Farber First Book Award. She works as a counselor and as a teacher of writing and poetry at nonprofits and universities in Portland, Oregon.
COMING UP IN JUNE
In June we shift decisively to summer programming, though year-round programs like Tuesdays in the Garden (the subject on June 18 is pond pals), and our monthly dog day (June 15) continue. Our summer first-Sunday docent-led tours begin on June 2 (be sure to register in advance), and we switch to our summer hours on June 5, staying open until 7:30 pm on Wednesday evenings. The bonsai exhibit will be open on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays—and you, too, can learn how to make your own bonsai tree in Bonsai for Beginners (June 15). June workshops also include the first in a series of yoga/artmaking workshops with Heather Eiden, Asana and Art (June 2); a two-part majolica ceramic workshop with Katheryn Corbin (June 8 & 15); a temari workshop with Edie Whitten (June 15); and a silk scarf workshop with Leslie Perrino (June 23). Lauren Willig, author of The Summer Country, visits the Women’s Speaker Series on June 6. In June, our Call & Response programming gets underway in earnest. Arianne King Comer returns in mid-June for a month with her open-air, drop-in dyeing studio; she will be part of our first Free Family Day of the summer, HOME, a celebration of Milwaukee’s refugee communities (June 22). Be sure to stop in to get to know your refugee neighbors and sample food, crafts, and performances. Evelyn Patricia Terry, whose exhibition, America’s Favor/Guests Who Came to Dinner (and Stayed!), is on view, invites you to come and draw her ethnic doll collection during HOME, and chef and food scholar Scott Barton returns from New York to cook in proximity to Eliza’s Peculiar Cabinet of Curiosities and Lizzie’s Garden that day. Finally, some of us will be offsite at the Haggerty Museum of Art for the opening reception of the 2018 Nohl Fellows exhibition on June 6.
Don’t forget your rainboots,
Polly
5/2/19
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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