RAM Talks Art: Winter break activities in Rockford

By Stacey Sauer, Education Coordinator, Rockford Art Museum            

The holidays are, obviously, a hectic time for many families. Between wrapping presents and ringing in the New Year, many families are also looking for things to do over the winter break. There is no need to travel far for family fun. There are plenty of activities in the area to keep you busy through Jan. 5, 2009.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Festival of Lights at Sinnissippi Park. When the festival began in 1989, there were just 12 displays. This year, 50 local groups, businesses, and high schools have created spectacular lighted displays. The Festival of Lights is open Friday-Sunday evenings through Dec. 28, from 5 to 10 p.m. The festival will be open Christmas Eve, all evening. So gather your friends and family together, and take a ride through this Rockford tradition. Admission is $1 per car.

New Year's Eve, bring the family down to Discovery Center Museum for the annual “Countdown to Fun!” celebration, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Join the Discovery Center staff as they count down to midnight with cities across the globe. Crafts, geography, music and art are all offered to help ring in the New Year. Watch the craziness ensue as confetti rains down from the ceiling. Rockford Art Museum (RAM) staff will also be on hand to help children create New Year's crowns from different cultures around the world.

Midway Village Museum's new exhibition, Winter in the Prairie State, details the early history of Rockford, and also features hands-on activities based on immigrant traditions during the winter months. Tear the children away from their Xbox and Wii consoles, and explore how our ancestors entertained themselves. Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009, head over to Midway Village at 1 p.m., to learn about the winter sports and games that were played by immigrants to Rockford. Now is the perfect time for the kids to learn the card game Whist or the tabletop billiard game Caroms.

The holidays also mark your final chance to check out the current RAM exhibition Vera Klement: Paint Into Icon, which closes Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009. On display you will see a variety of Klement's large-scale canvas paintings. Children and adults alike will be drawn to the vibrant colors and textures she incorporates into these awe-inspiring paintings. While you're there, pick up an I Spy activity sheet at the front desk, and see how many objects you can find hidden within Vera's paintings.

Be sure to stop at the RAM Store and browse the consignment artwork for sale by 10 local artists, including Diane Rose Dailing, Michelle Dorr, John Verl McNamara and Betsy Youngquist. Here you will find something for everyone's tastes, including pottery, knitwear, beaded objects and glasswork.

Feeling the urge to brave the elements over your holiday break? Instead of taking the family sledding, visit Anderson Japanese Gardens on Spring Creek Road, now open year round, weather permitting. These gardens are awe-inspiring in the spring and summer, and are sure to be just as breathtaking in the snow. Call before visiting to make sure the garden is open, (815) 229-9390. Closed Mondays.

Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden is also open this season. Be sure to stop by the art gallery, located inside the Klehm visitor center, and take a look at their exhibiting artists. Artwork by Linda Kelly-Fosse, whose vivid landscapes and botanicals will remind you of warmer days, is on display until Jan. 15.

One more local tradition that is right around the corner is the 24th Annual Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition (Jan. 21-24, 2009). Teams from around the state, including many local high schools, will converge on Sinnissippi Park to sculpt 5-ton blocks of compacted snow into enormous works of frozen art. Keep your eyes open for more information about this annual event.

Contact Rockford Art Museum Education Coordinator Stacey Sauer at ssauer@rockfordartmuseum.org.

from the Dec. 23-30, 2008, issue

 

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