The Walker inaugurated Open Field last summer, and it was a huge hit. Unfortunately I never let you, my lovely reader, know about it until it was pretty much over. This year I thought I'd give you a little heads up so you can work Open Field into your summer plans. It's free, it's fun and there's something for everyone.
I wrote about one of the Open Field activities last August. I'm not sure if they'll be doing the Scavenger Hunt again this year, but I hope so.
My favorite event was the weekly Drawing Club, held right outside the Walker's doors:
"Come doodle, sketch, or paint during weekly sessions hosted by local artists to add to a pool of collectively created artworks. Art supplies are provided on large tables in shaded areas of the outdoor Open Lounge. Start a new drawing or select one in progress from the table. Slide it back into the pool, pass it around, and alter, edit or amend it until the group declares it complete. All ages, abilities, and aesthetics welcome."
I tried to go as often as I could, because I had so much fun. They provide all the materials--you provide the artwork. All kinds of people show up, you're outside enjoying the sunshine, you get to take part in a community art project, and you might make a few friends along the way. It was cool to go back every week and see drawings I'd worked on before be changed and transformed by others' ideas. At the end of the summer, they put all the completed pictures into books and those are now in the Walker's permanent collection.
So you could make a day of it: Have a picnic on the hill overlooking the Sculpture Garden, followed by some artsy fun with Drawing Club, then cool off from the summer sun afterward as you wander a few galleries. All for the price of parking for a few hours in the Walker parking ramp, which is quite reasonable (bonus: it's a short walk back to your vehicle at the end of the day, and your car doesn't sit and bake in the sun all afternoon).
This year, they've changed Drawing Club to Thursdays 2pm-7pm, which is nice, because the Walker is free after 5pm on that day. The rest of the week you do have to pay to see the galleries (which can get a bit pricey when you have multiple kids in tow).
