Albany Museum of Art Family Day Is a Free Event
Everyone has a story to share. Some tell theirs with visual art. Others tell theirs with written or spoken words. Still others put their stories to music, or act them out in a performance.
Telling stories in their many forms will be at the center from 10 am-1 pm on Saturday, July 29 when the Albany Museum of Art partners with the Dougherty County Public Library System to present Family Day: Storytellers at the AMA, located at 311 Meadowlark Drive. The event is free and open to the public.
“We are very appreciative of the Dougherty County Public Library, which has a treasure trove of stories, partnering with us for this special Family Day,” AMA Director of Education and Public Programming Annie Vanoteghem said. “Library volunteers will be here to read stories to visitors.
“This event also comes at the end of our first Storytelling with Art & Theater Camp, led by longtime children’s theater teacher Vickie Knuckles. Our campers will return on Family Day for a special encore performance.”
Storytelling has been a big part of the summer at the AMA with the exhibition Steve Hinton & Friends … From the Beginning, which features paintings by Hinton, who passed in 2021, and artwork by many of the creative people he befriended. That multi-gallery exhibition continues through Saturday, Aug 12.
“Steve was the consummate storyteller,” Vanoteghem said. “Each of his paintings is a colorful, whimsical narrative that captures a scene from his life and imagination. His love for dogs, especially his beloved pet Jupiter, also shows through his work. Our Storytelling with Art & Theater campers are making that part of their performance. Their skit Saturday will feature dog hand-puppets that they are creating this week in camp.”
The Dougherty County Public Library will have an area set up to provide information about what is available for the public in the community’s main downtown library and its four branches. You also will be able to sign up for a library card during the event.
In addition, there will be a scavenger hunt for kids and families in the galleries, and fun art projects in the AMA Classroom. AMAzing Space, the museum’s activity center for creative play, will be open all day. For those who want to enjoy more stories, AMAzing Space has a library corner where parents and kids can read art-inspired books on a variety of reading levels.
Visitors also can learn more about the stories of Hinton and his friends. In the Hodges Gallery, Hinton’s studio is re-created. Also in the Hodges Gallery, there is a multimedia presentation in which the artist’s friends tell more of their stories through film, readings, and music.
“On what is sure to be a hot summer Saturday, this is definitely the cool place to be. You and your family can enjoy inspirational art, listen to and read great stories, and engage in creative activities,” Vanoteghem said. “And best of all, it is free for everyone.”
AMA EXHIBITIONS
- Steve Hinton & Friends … From the Beginning is in the Haley, East, McCormack and Hodges Galleries April 20-Aug 12, 2023.
- Escape Plan, Installation by Elinor Saragoussi, is in the West Gallery.
ABOUT THE ALBANY MUSEUM OF ART
The Albany Museum of Art is located at 311 Meadowlark Drive in Albany, Ga., adjacent to Albany State University West Campus just off Gillionville Road. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The Albany Museum of Art is open to the public 10 am-5 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays. Admission is free.
For more information about the AMA please visit our website, or call 229.439.8400. Be sure to follow the AlbanyArtMuseum on Twitter, AlbanyMuseum on Instagram, and AlbanyMuseumOfArt on Facebook.
