By: Bridgette Beard Klein, Communications Assistant 2012 has been an exhilarating year for the Akron Art Museum. We continued to launch our new visual look, celebrated 90 years in the community, exhibited monumental art and made major leadership changes. We really kicked off the year with our 90th anniversary celebration in February. The performance included abstract painter Al Bright in concert with the Jesse Dandy Band. In March, Ray Turner: Population opened featuring an ever-expanding series of portraits, including key Akronites from the University Park
by Gina Thomas McGee, Associate Educator Aside from working on programs, tours, films, concerts and lectures at the museum, the education department has been spending some time off-site bringing the museum experience to local preschool classrooms through our MiniMasters preschool art education program. The MiniMasters program, funded by PNC Bank’s Grow Up Great initiative, allows our staff to spend time in Summit County Head Start classrooms, teaching three to five year old students about our collection. The last year of the MiniMasters program has taught
By Maria Iafelice, Education Assistant MiniMasters is an educational outreach program, bringing a little bit of the museum to Akron Summit Community Action Inc. Head Start preschool classrooms. After learning about the lines, shapes and colors in William Sommer’s watercolor portraits and creating works of their own, the preschool artists and their families were invited to a day at the museum. During the MiniMasters Family Day, families made paintings together, viewed their artworks on display and helped a percussion group from the University of Akron