Warm up with interactive activities and art-making projects designed to celebrate the process of creative discovery, rather than the finished product, during a Free First Saturday dedicated to all things “in the works.”
Free First Saturday features free gallery admission on the first Saturday of every month. Tickets are available in advance online and on-site on the event day from the Main Lobby desk. Free admission 10 am–5 pm; activities 10 am–3 pm.
Activity Information
“Yes and …” Improv Workshops, 10:30 am and 12 noon
Join host Chelsey Williams to explore the additive and playful art of improv through games and a collaborative storytelling activity.
Winter Wiggles Dance Workouts, 11:15 am and 12:45 pm
Get your heart pumping and creative juices flowing as you salsa and shake through a family friendly dance workout with artist and performer Mikha Dominguez.
Tour for Families, 11:30 am
Tour for General Audiences, 1 pm
Join a Walker educator for a guided family tour of artworks in the galleries at 11:30 am (40 min.), or take a guided tour for general audiences at 1 pm (60 min.). Tours meet at the Main Lobby desk, five minutes before the tour start time. Tours explore a selection of works across current exhibitions and include interactive discussion.
Art-Making Activity: Double Color Cutouts, 10 am–3 pm
What happens when you combine two or more colors? Can a simple shape tell a story? Experiment with color and composition to create your own see-through collage inspired by artist Jan Dobkowski’s plexiglass sculptures on view in the exhibition Multiple Realities: Experimental Art in the Eastern Bloc, 1960s–1980s.
Art-Making Activity: Meditative Mandalas, 10 am–3 pm
Join COMPAS teaching artist Shakun Maheshwari in an immersive exploration of the symbolism and significance of mandalas—an ancient, meditative art form. Discover the cultural richness of this practice as Shakun, renowned for her expertise in traditional folk arts and diverse artistic mediums, leads an enlightening session of mandala creation on paper.
J.K. Ping-Pong Club, 10 am–3 pm
One part art installation and one part sport, J.K. Ping-Pong Club by Slovak artist Július Koller was launched in the 1970s as a way to encourage community gathering and self-organized play. The work has been remounted for the exhibition Multiple Realities, and families are invited to grab paddles and volley together during Free First Saturday!
Short Film: Und dänn…, 10 am – 3 pm
Stop by the Bentson Mediatheque to watch a short film. What will happen next as three children take turns adding to a collaborative story about a whale and a hot air balloon? The three-minute film will loop between 10 am and 3 pm.
Visit the Walker Art Center Library, 10 am–3 pm
The Walker’s library is open! Explore the stacks and find inspiration in the Walker Library’s collection of artful books. The library entrance is through the Art Lab.
Accessibility
The short film will be captioned.
For more information about accessibility or to request additional accommodations for this performance, call 612-375-7564 or email access@walkerart.org.
For more information about accessibility at the Walker, visit our Access page.
Bios
Mikha Dominguez (aka Mikhamik) is a queer, nonbinary Venezuelan artist based in Minneapolis. They are a visual artist, photographer, performer, sculptor, and blacksmith. With a former career in Venezuelan television as an art director, their art has been featured in Twin Cities Pride (2022, 2023), Art Shanty Projects (2023, 2024), and NE Sculpture Gallery’s artist residency. They engage with the community through Mikhamik House of Arts, a series of public installations on the facade of their South Minneapolis home. Currently studying at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), Dominguez also teaches workshops at Springboard for the Arts.
Shakun Maheshwari is a visual artist with a rich tapestry of artistic influences. Originating from India, she immersed herself in traditional folk arts, learning from family members and friends. Her formal training in graphic design, photography, and various artistic mediums has enriched her teaching methods and artistic repertoire. A graduate of North Hennepin Community College’s graphic design program, she works with a range of materials and techniques, from oil and acrylics to pastels, watercolors, pen and ink, and printmaking. Photography, especially during her travels, became her favored medium. Recently, she authored a coloring book that delves into the meanings of symbols in Asian culture. Maheshwari’s dedication to teaching the creative process and connecting cultures shines through her role as a COMPAS teaching artist.
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