Photo by Pavel Danilyuk via Pexels

First Fridays are a FAMily Affair at the Yellowstone Art Museum

April 2, 2024

by brooke wagner

Dutch Golden age painter Rembrandt famously said, “Painting is the grandchild of nature. It is related to God.” The family ties run deep this month at the Yellowstone Art Museum, located at 401 N 27th Street. FAM at the YAM invites families to visit the museum and not just admire art, but participate in it as well. April 5th at 4:00 pm will find kids of all ages gathered around a professional artist to create fun and unique characters and faces through a “Roll and Draw” technique. Participants roll the dice to determine which creative elements to add to their drawing, leaving tons of room to the imagination while providing a semi-structured framework to guide young artists. Many laughs are sure to be shared between family members, as moms, dads, grandmas, and grandpas create alongside kids, teens, aunts, and uncles. Whose creation will turn out to be the wackiest, or perhaps elegant enough to display in the gallery?

Families will also have the opportunity to explore the photography of Navajo artist Will Wilson and be inspired by his representations of indigenous culture. Wilson, a student of photography, sculpture, and art history at the University of New Mexico (2002), now serves as the head of photography at Santa Fe Community College. His work is exhibited internationally, and he continues to inspire students in areas important to the economic, political, environmental, and social development of the Navajo Nation.

Admission to the museum is free, and there is no pre registration required for this event. FAM at the YAM is sure to be one of the highlights of the month for families of all kinds in our area, and is a great way to “roll” into April and the upcoming spring season.

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Brooke Wagner

is a Southern girl at heart, but a Montanan by choice. She lives just outside of Billings with her husband and three children, ages 13, 11, and 6. She is a board-certified music therapist who enjoys cooking, spending time with her family, and hiding under the covers with a good book.

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