The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

The Stark Museum of Art still has spots available this summer for its free art class program, ArtQuest. Art classes for students entering grades 1-5 are filled but there are still openings for those entering grades 6-12.

Stark Museum has openings in the Art Detectives class for students entering grades 6-8 and the Museum Connections class for students entering grades 9-12. Both classes are taught by the Museum’s Chief Educator, Elena Ivanova, and docents will assist to provide students with a hands-on learning experience. Classes begin at 9 a.m. and end at 1 p.m.

Art Detectives, the class for students entering grades 6-8, will provide students the opportunity to practice their art-making skills, create a scavenger hunt and search through the Museum for clues in solving a mystery. This class is scheduled for June 12, 13 and 14 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

In the Museum Connection class for students entering grades 9-12, participants will learn about museum professions and expressing themselves in a professional manner in speech, writing and art. Behind-the-scene activities needed to run a museum will be exposed to students as they learn about preserving and presenting the collection. This class is scheduled for July 10, 11 and 12 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

“Museums often have an aura of mystery. What happens in the galleries when visitors are not there? Popular movies such as Night at the Museum and The Da Vinci Code are just two examples of imaginary happenings that reflect this fascination with museum magic,” says Elena Ivanova, Chief Educator. “I hope that teens who will participate in our summer classes will get a better understanding of the ways things work in museums and also will have fun unraveling ‘museum mysteries.’”

Advance application is required. Classes will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, with a maximum of 20 children per class. Applications are currently available for download from the Stark Museum of Art website, http://www.starkmuseum.org or may be picked-up in person at the Museum’s Information Desk during open hours. Completed applications are due no later than June 4.

Located at 712 Green Avenue in Orange, Texas, Stark Museum of Art is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Admission is free for all ages. Group tours are available by appointment. For more information, call 409-886-ARTS (2787) or visit http://www.starkmuseum.org.