Williamstown, Mass. — On Sunday, February 2, admission to the Clark Art Institute galleries is free all day as part of the First Sundays Free program. Visitors can enjoy family-friendly activities related to the theme “Wellness” throughout the museum from 1 to 4 pm.
The Clark offers an afternoon of relaxation and reflection. Learn mindfulness techniques in a special wellness class or participate in guided meditations in the permanent collection. For those who prefer more hands-on activities, there are artmaking opportunities: visitors may make a sweet-smelling “dream pillow” sachet or play with process art and create a self-care sketchbook.
Visitors may also view the exhibitions Travels on Paper and Arabesque, open all day. Travels on Paper looks back to a time when only a privileged few could visit renowned sites and armchair travelers relied on prints of drawings and photographs to see images of foreign lands. The exhibition, on view in the Eugene V. Thaw Gallery for Works on Paper, features works by Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps, John La Farge, Robert Macpherson, Thomas Moran, Félix Teynard, among others.
Arabesque considers the influence and evolution of the distinctive decorative motif and its influence on artists and artistic movements, focusing particularly on nineteenth-century European work, from the highly ornate compositions of the German Romantics to the Nabi and Art Nouveau artists. Works by Alphonse Mucha, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Aubrey Beardsley, Carlo Bugatti, William Morris, Owen Jones, and more are on view.
The First Sundays Free program is generously supported by the officers and employees of Allen & Company, Inc. First Sundays Free continues through May. Upcoming themes are Improv (March 1), Women’s Suffrage (April 5), and Taste of Summer (May 3). Learn more at clarkart.edu or by calling 413 458 0524.
About the Clark
The Clark Art Institute, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, is one of a small number of institutions internationally that is both an art museum and a center for research, critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. Opened in 1955, the Clark houses exceptional European and American paintings and sculpture, extensive collections of master prints and drawings, English silver, and early photography. Acting as convener through its Research and Academic Program, the Clark gathers an international community of scholars to participate in a lively program of conferences, colloquia, and workshops on topics of vital importance to the visual arts. The Clark library, consisting of more than 275,000 volumes, is one of the nation’s premier art history libraries. The Clark also houses and co-sponsors the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.
The Clark, which has a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide, is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Its 140-acre campus includes miles of hiking and walking trails through woodlands and meadows, providing an exceptional experience of art in nature. Galleries are open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm; open daily in July and August. Admission is $20; free year-round for Clark members, children 18 and younger, and students with valid ID. Free admission is available through several programs, including First Sundays Free; a local library pass program; EBT Card to Culture; and Blue Star Museums. For more information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303.