Visitors at the Ulrich got to know the museum’s sculpture collection through “Sketch and Sculpt” on Saturday.
The free event included guided tours, demonstrations by local artists, a food truck and hands-on projects. It was part of the Ulrich Art Museum’s new “Makers and Masterpieces” event series.
Brenda Lichman is the museum’s curator of education and organized the event to help visitors learn about how art is made.
“Makers and Masterpieces is about (visitors) getting their hands in and learning the process,” Lichman said.
Ernie Kind, an Ulrich volunteer and textile artist, taught visitors to make their own sketchbooks using a method called Japanese stab binding. Then, attendees could use those sketchbooks to draw the campus’s many sculptures.
Kevin Kelly and Rachel Curtis, both art faculty at Butler Community College, gave live demonstrations of their own drawings. Kelly sketched a piece called “Oiseau” or “Bird.” It’s part of the museum’s “Fully Dimensional” exhibit, which highlights the artists of the outdoor sculpture collection.
“How many times do students just walk by sculptures outside and don’t really think about them because they’re always there?” Kelly said. “You bring it inside, and all of a sudden you start looking at it more.”
Lichman said the “Makers and Masterpieces” series is an evolution of what used to be the museum’s Family Fun Days. It’s an effort on the museum’s part to engage the larger community.
“We want it to be inclusive for everyone,” she said, “but it’s still fun.”
Despite the end of Family Fun Days, several families attended the event. Lila Cure, an associate professor of engineering, brought her two kids. They participated in another hands-on activity, making miniature versions of “Millipede,” the sculpture affectionately known as Millie.
For Cure, it was an opportunity to teach her children about art.
“Because they experience it and see it from real artists,” she said.
