2/26/2009 - New Exhibit Gets a Helping Hand at Austin Children's Museum
When installing a new exhibit, having extra hands to help is appreciated by Dustin Newcomb, Exhibits Manager at Austin Children’s Museum.
Austin, Texas (February 26, 2009) — When installing a new exhibit, having extra hands to help is appreciated by Dustin Newcomb, Exhibits Manager at Austin Children’s Museum. About 80 volunteers from Home Depot and American YouthWorks painted, sanded, carpeted, set up new lighting and assisted in the installation of En mi familia/In My Family, the new permanent exhibit opening Saturday, February 28 at ACM.
“We knew our timeframe to get the gallery renovated and the exhibit installed was really tight,” said Newcomb. “We could not have done it without all the volunteer help. We are very thankful to have the support of Home Depot and American YouthWorks.”
The Home Depot Foundation is sponsoring the exhibit and employees from local Home Depot stores have volunteered to help install the exhibit over the last week and a half. “Home Depot takes great pride in giving back to the community in which we do business. Our associates believe that no project is too big and they have a sincere interest in any project that benefits children. This project has been very rewarding for our associates and we are proud of our affiliation with the Austin Children’s Museum.” said Mike Leviseur, Human Resources Generalist at Home Depot.
En mi familia/In My Family is a bilingual, hands-on exhibit inspired by the works of acclaimed artist Carmen Lomas Garza. It brings four of Carmen’s vibrant paintings to life, each depicting loving childhood memories of the artist’s life growing up in Kingsville, Texas. En mi familia/In My Family will open Saturday, February 28 and remain at ACM as a permanent exhibit.
Climb into Carmen’s World
Based on painting Camas para sueños (Beds for Dreams)
Enter Carmen’s world!
- Climb on her bed and flip through her book of family pictures.
- Make a wish for your own dream for the future in the fanciful dream chair.
- Listen to Carmen introduce you to the exhibit and her dreams to become an artist.
La Tamalada/Making Tamales
Based on painting Tamalada (Making Tamales)
A kitchen scene where the family is gathered making tamales together for the holidays.
- Practice making tamales using fabric tamales.
- Watch a video of people making real tamales!
- Explore the history of traditional Mexican American foods, such as tamales.
Birthday Barbecue
Based on painting Barbacoa para cumpleaños (Birthday Barbecue)
Join in the party!
- Try your hand at the piñata. Fill it with treats and watch them spill out.
- Put together a papel picado puzzle design (Mexican paper cut outs).
- Sit down on Grandma’s lap and read more stories from Carmen’s childhood.
Dance at El Jardín/Baile en el jardín
Based on painting Baile en 1958 (Dance in 1958)
Dance to the rhythm of the accordion at this dance under the South Texas stars.
- Make music with the band and dance along.
- Pick an instrument to play - the drums, guitar or stand-up bass.
- Dance! Follow the lead of the dancers in the video and see if you can learn some steps!
For more information about the exhibit visit www.austinkids.org. For more information about the artist, Carmen Lomas Garza, visit www.carmenlomasgarza.com.
En mi familia/In My Family was developed by Austin Children’s Museum in cooperation with Carmen Lomas Garza and a team of community advisors and educators. Local presentation of En mi familia/In My Family is sponsored by the Home Depot Foundation. Additional support provided by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division, by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts and various foundations, businesses and individuals.
ABOUT ACM
The mission of the Austin Children's Museum is to create innovative learning experiences for children and families that equip and inspire the next generation of creative problem solvers. Located at the Dell Discovery Center downtown at the corner of 2nd Street and Colorado, the Austin Children's Museum is one of the city's popular cultural attractions with 200,000 visitors annually. Founded in 1983 as a non-profit organization, the Austin Children's Museum delivers its mission through a variety of exhibits, programs and outreach activities. For more information, please visit www.austinkids.org.
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