Cretan Cats, Goats, and Flower Pots

parents and childrens painting flower pots around a table.
Parents and children painting flower pots around a table.

The June 18 Exploring Artism focused on a new art form –  designing and painting a flower pot! Participants learned about the Royal Horticultural Society’s annual Chelsea Flower Show and saw a lot of pictures of flower creations. Next we learned that the flower show inspired an art gallery owner to ask 58 artists to paint a flower pot. The Center has the flower pot that John Craxton painted and we looked at it together in the galleries.

Boy designing his flower pot.
Participant designing his flower pot.

First, everyone looked at John Craxton’s Goats and Flowers painting and discussed the colors and shapes. We then looked at Craxton’s Cretan Cats Flower Pot where they found and learned about kri-kri, cretan cats, and the island of Crete, the island where Craxton was living at the time he painted the flower pot.

Inspired by Crete’s wildlife as seen in Craxton’s works, everyone painted their very own flowerpot.

Kri-kri is a type of wild goat that lives on the island of Crete.
Kri-kri is a type of wild goat that lives on the island of Crete.
Cretan wildcats live on the island of Crete.
Cretan wildcats live on the island and are not friendly with people.

As well as where Crete is located and what plants grow there:

Map of Crete
Map of Crete

The next Exploring Artism at the YCBA is schedule for Saturday, Sept. 17. We hope everyone has a fun and relaxing summer!

It’s great to be back at the Center!

Participants passing around the Talk Star.
Participants passing around the Talk Star.

May 21 was the first Exploring Artism class at the reopened Yale Center for British Art. Returning families as well as a few new families enjoyed looking at artwork in the refreshed galleries. Together everyone looked closely at Rachel Whiteread’s plaster work, “Untitled, Ten Tables”. Back in the Docent Room, everyone made their own sculptures while paying attention to space and form.

Talking about form.
Talking about form.

June 18 is the next session of Exploring Artism at the YCBA. We look forward to seeing you there. To register: contact Education (ycba.tours@yale.edu (link sends e-mail) | +1 203 432 2858) with your name, number, and a good time to reach you.

ARTWORXX SUCCESS!

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Congratulations to the Artworxx artists for the success of their first showing of original artwork at the Yale Center for British Art’s Docent Room from May 15 -22. Over 250 people visited their “exhibition” throughout the week and the opening reception saw hundreds of friends, family, and museum visitors.

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Everyone is looking forward to creating more original artwork inspired by the Center’s collections later this summer and fall. To learn more about the Initiative for Girls and Women with Autism Spectrum Disorders at the Yale Child Study Center, supported by a gift from Marilyn and Jim Simons, click here. The program flyer can be found in the link below.

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