Blaffer Art Museum offers youth and adults introductions to contemporary art

Summer Arts, Saleri Studio Saturdays, and Brown Bag Gallery Tours set for July

The Blaffer Art Museum hosts this month Summer Arts, its annual workshop for elementary and middle school students. Led by artist and UH alumna Lindsey Slavin, the workshop runs July 9 – 19 and is an opportunity for young people to create dynamic new works inspired by Blaffer exhibitions.

Blaffer is presenting two exhibitions – Andy Coolquitt “Attainable Excellence” and Pamela Fraser “The Fourth Dimension was Ha-Ha, in Other Words, That is Laughter.” In July, it expands on these collected works by offering public programs designed to educate and engage art aficionados of all ages.

For works focused on Coolquitt’s art, students will use found objects in their own art. Fraser’s pieces will inspire an exploration of color. Students also will develop artistic alter egos and compose short stories and generate art focused on their respective characters.

Summer Arts registration is $80, and scholarships are available. Students can select Tuesday/Thursday or Wednesday/Friday sessions. All Summer Arts sessions run 9:30 a.m. – noon.

In July, Blaffer also hosts Saleri Studio Saturdays from 1 – 4 p.m., July 13 and 20. These free weekend tours and workshops are open to patrons of all ages.

Following a short tour, participants can create their own art in Blaffer’s Saleri Studio with guidance from Blaffer Curator of Education Katherine Veneman, education intern Araceli Casas and UH School of Art student Nohelia Vargas. These events are free, but reservations are required.

To enroll students in Summer Arts or to reserve a spot in Saleri Studio Saturdays, contact Veneman at keveneman@uh.edu or 713-743-9526.

Also in July, the museum will present its Brown Bag Gallery Talks. On July 10, artist Hana Hillerova delivers a talk and tour on Coolquitt’s work. Texas artist Myke Venable leads a discussion on Fraser’s art on July 17. Both tours begin at noon and are followed by conversations in Blaffer’s lounge. Patrons are encouraged to bring a lunch.

For more details on Blaffer’s educational events in July, visit its online calendar.

Blaffer Art Museum opened to the public in 1973. Named for Houston arts patron and collector Sarah Campbell Blaffer, the museum quickly earned notoriety as a space for innovative, cutting-edge exhibitions. In addition to hosting artists’ works, the museum commissions work and organizes exhibitions that tour nationally. In 2012, the museum underwent an expansion that included the addition of lounge, new second level spaces (studio, media gallery), front entrance, new signage and redesigned staircase. To learn about Blaffer Art Museum, visit its website.

- By Mike Emery