RAM: Holiday Art Party

B. Duncan
·3 min read
The Fort Smith Regional Art Museum Holiday Art Party will be held from 1-3 p.m., Dec. 11.
The Fort Smith Regional Art Museum Holiday Art Party will be held from 1-3 p.m., Dec. 11.

Every year, during the Fort Smith Christmas parade, families gather on the streets downtown and celebrate the joy of the holidays with floats filing down the avenue. This year, before the sleigh bells ring for the big parade, the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum will be hosting a Holiday Art Party for those who want to put a little more creativity into their festivities.

“We wanted to provide our community a little family fun before the event,” said education director Daleana Vaughan. “So when Talicia Richardson of 64.6 reached out to us, I was thrilled of the potential collaboration!”

The outside party will feature free hot cocoa and cookies, and a photo op in front of the mural. In addition, RAM will turn into a Winter Wonderland and anyone who wishes to participate can take part in a grand sidewalk chalk contest with prizes. For those families who wish to simply drop by, RAM will also be handing out it’s monthly Art To-Go Box, which features up to three distinct take-home art projects. Like opening up a holiday gift and not knowing what’s inside – most of the art activities will remain a surprise to whoever opens them.

“I can say for sure that there will be an air-dry clay project!” said volunteer Marti Corff, who has worked for the past month on the project, “It is my hope that these art projects that I’ve organized bring joy to each person and spark a fascination with art. I believe that art is a major part of learning and benefits all subjects.”

The Holiday Art Party is free and open to the public and lasts from 1-3 p.m. on Dec. 11. Guests will be ushered downtown afterward, so it’s a perfect family activity before the big Fort Smith parade at 3 p.m. To beat the crowd, families can register for an art box in advance by calling the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum at 479-784-2787.

This column is produced by the River Valley Art Coalition, whose mission is to inform citizens and visitors of fine art exhibitions and education opportunities in Fort Smith and the surrounding region, while also highlighting people who make the local art scene such a vibrant and important part of the community. To send comments or for more information on the River Valley Art Coalition, contact daleana@fsram.org.

ART THIS WEEK:

Fort Smith Regional Art Museum

1601 Rogers Ave., Fort Smith

479-784-2787

  • "UAFS Student Art Exhibition": On view through Dec. 19.

  • "David Malcolm Rose: The Lost Highway": On view through Jan. 30.

  • "John Bell Jr. – Coming Home": On view through Feb. 20.

  • "RAM Sketch": Pen and ink series with Laura Wattles available on Zoom every Tuesday at 7 p.m.; register at fsram.org/education or join via Facebook Live.

  • Visit RAM's online store at shop.fsram.org.

  • Visit RAM's YouTube Channel for classes, lectures and virtual exhibits.

  • Visit fsram.org to see video tours and listen to podcasts by various artists.

Windgate Art & Design

5210 Kinkead Ave., Fort Smith

479-788-7290

  • Permanent collection on view Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

  • "Arkansas Women to Watch 2021: Paper Routes": On view through Nov. 30.

Center for Art & Education

104 N. 13th St., Van Buren

479-474-7767

  • Afterschool art classes for k-12: Free classes meet Mondays and Fridays from 3:30-5 p.m., through Dec. 10.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: RAM: Holiday Art Party