Special to The Leader

Saddle up for Western Family Day at the Stark Museum of Art on Saturday, April 8, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be a bushel basket of activities located throughout the Museum, on the front porch and in the adjacent Education Building. Bring family, friends and neighbors to enjoy a full day of free fun with arts and edible crafts, fancy face painting, family-friendly games, live bronze sculptures to meet ‘n’ greet, music, gallery scavenger hunt, photo ops and more!

“Get framed” in a life-size replica of one of the masterpieces from the Collection of the Stark Museum of Art and step into a larger-than-life, 3-D bluebonnet photo booth. Take a selfie to post online, and hashtag it with #FamilyDay. Design a mini desert scene or a tasty tipi then eat your art – both of these are edible! Create a sculpture of friends and family at a Pueblo Storytelling hands-on craft area, and go on a family-themed scavenger hunt through the Museum and get a Wild, Wild West badge – this is also the activity patch for Scouts.

Visitors of all ages will find something wild and wooly to enjoy during this big day of rootin’ tootin’ fun. Hear a very special performance of western music by the 5th grade choir from Little Cypress-Mauriceville. Take a load off by sippin’ lemonade and having a cookie on the Museum porch. Re-imagine a work of art on view and enter a coloring contest hosted by Neighbors Emergency Center or draw your own panoramic landscape of earth, sky and plants you would see in the West. The Touch-A-Pelt station, presented by staff from Shangri La Gardens, is an interactive space where guests can learn about critters of the west.

Visitors can enter a raffle to be drawn at 11 a.m., Noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. with gift basket prizes ranging in value from $20 to $100 (must be present to win). Also, all guests are encouraged to view the 78-foot mural painted by 3,000 students from Orange County elementary and intermediate schools, which is currently on display on the fence outside the Museum.

Education Intern, Amanda Burkhart stated, “We are so excited to invite you to spend the day making art and making memories at Western Family Day. From face painting and live performances to art projects both in and out of the galleries, there is something for everyone at this celebration of family, community, and creativity.”

Western Family Day is deigned for families with children of all ages and aligns with the theme of a new special exhibition, Branding the American West: Paintings and Films, 1900-1950s. This special exhibition features over 80 works of art and related film content highlighting the changing brands, or imagery of violence, beauty and celebration of the American West.

Stark Museum of Art is located at 712 Green Avenue in Orange, Texas, and is open Tuesday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information, visit starkmuseum.org.