Art Venture Launch Blog

Watch the Theatre Area Emerge
Mar 23, 2012

The puzzle pieces are all falling into place as the theatre space in Art Venture takes shape!  The puppet area was the most popular place in the old Art Venture and our puppets received a lot of love. I wanted to make sure this element of play and imagination continued in the new space but also to expand the realm of possibilities to include an actual stage area, props, costumes, and theatre lights. This is sure to stay a child’s favorite. Make sure you look for our interactive theatre box filled with descriptions of theatre games, skits and activities to get the whole family involved. A special thanks to Roanoke Children’s Theatre for their continuing collaborative efforts. RCT performs monthly in the Art Venture space on selected Free Spectacular Saturdays.

The brainstorming, design and actual building of the theatre has been a community effort. From the brainstorming phase with Pat Wilhelms to the design of the presidium by Jimmy Ray Ward the area was ready to be built.  The theatre did not come alive until the painting began and the crimson curtains were hung. Even the adults will feel like they are in another world as they step onto the cartoon-like drawn floor by John Wiercioch. A group of our four active Taubman volunteers have built the entire theatre from start to finish with precision and patience. Costumes on and hats off to all those who have assisted to create Art Venture’s theatre!

Cindy Petersen
Director of School and Community Based Education

Collaborative Museum Studies Project – “Enchanted Roanoke”
Mar 22, 2012

Look around in the new Art Venture and you will see collaborative student artwork on display. From the "Enchanted Roanoke" 10'x5' mural to the origami mobile, 9th-12th graders from the Center for Visual Arts and Museum Studies have participated in collaborative art projects.  From November to February each group spends 30 hours at the Taubman learning about our collections and museum careers, meeting artists and curators, and engaging in a collaborative project. This is a four year program that is taught at the Burton Center for Arts and Technology, Roanoke County Public Schools.

As part of the giant dry erase board, I wanted to use the space at the top as inspiration for children as they create and imagine below. The concept is to have a mural that changes quarterly and connects to an exhibition. “Enchanted Roanoke” is a collaborative project created by the Center for Visual Arts and Museum Studies senior class of 2012. Eight students planned, developed, and executed this mural specifically for Art Venture. Inspiration for this mural comes from the fantastical creations of Mark Cline, which served as the basis for the creatures found in this mural and many of the popular landmarks found around the Roanoke area. The students used marker and pastel on a vinyl canvas to create a vibrant, dizzying array of colors that help capture an eye-catching fantasy which is sure to delight viewers of all ages.

Cindy Petersen
Director of School and Community Based Education

Creation of the “Enchanted Roanoke” Mural by 12th grade students during Museum Studies Course at the Taubman. Burton Center for Arts and Technology, Visual Arts and Museum Studies.

Discover Art Venture from All Angles
Mar 20, 2012

As visitors have peeked in during the renovation, one of the comments I have heard continually has been, “Wow, have you increased the size of Art Venture?”  The dimensions are still 28’ by 74’ with the walls 16 feet high, but I have added a mezzanine, the theatre with a 12 feet tall presidium, and changing mural and installation art both hung in the upper portion of the space, which does give this illusion.

I have incorporated line, shape, and color in bold and subtle ways which can be used as a learning tool within the area and are tied to our educational lessons.  With your child, explore the subtle lines on the walls, check out the floor design under the mezzanine and ask them what they imagine, what sounds they hear, and how those lines, shapes, and color make them feel.

Join us on March 31st and discover our nordic purple mezzanine, immerse yourself in the artwork connecting to our exhibitions from the 9th-12th grade Museum Studies students: Burton Center for Arts and Technology, interact with our bold Color Wheel that is 12 feet in diameter, and imagine in our Cox Communications Theatre!

Cindy Petersen
Director of School and Community Based Education

Left: Installation of the nordic purple mezzanine and flooring happened in January and February.               

Right: Art Venture changes daily as the walls are painted and the color wheel installed in early March.

Art Venture opens in 13 days!
Mar 19, 2012

The Taubman Museum of Art’s Art Venture, redesigned and expanded, as an immersive, interactive, gallery for families and the young will be unveiled on Saturday, March 31. In the upcoming two weeks I look forward to provide a behind-the-scenes view of the collaborative efforts, the process as well as details of our hands-on exploratory stations.

The process started in Spring of 2011 where I conducted interviews and focus groups to gain insight into what the community wanted to see in an interactive learning space. This included input from parents, volunteers, docents, board members, arts organizations, community partners, educators, artists and staff. This feedback gave insight to the redesign as I created the first sketches and model design of the area. The creative process continued and evolved as I met with various people in the community to brainstorm and develop the various areas within Art Venture.

My vision of designing a creative space where children, youth and families can explore art, stimulate learning, integrate all the arts and have the educational activities connect to our exhibitions and permanent collection has come to fruition. Another part that I believe is vital to the success is to have changing elements so each time a family comes to visit there are different creative art activities but also the space itself has changing elements for example; the sculpture that is featured in as part of the sculpture area, the mural as part of the giant dry erase board, the mobile hanging above the architecture station, and the display wall showcasing community projects will all rotate and change.

The newly renovated Art Venture will definitely be a destination for families on an on-going basis where they can immerse themselves in art: discover, imagine, create and participate!

Cindy Petersen
Director of School and Community Based Education