The Ringling Magazine | May – September 2015

As The Ringling anticipates welcoming the newest facility— the center for Asian art—to its beautiful 66-acre campus on Sarasota Bay in early 2016, it seems an auspicious moment to explore the institution’s profound and sustained commitment to the arts of Asia and how it is becoming a prominent Asian cultural resource for our region. The Ringling’s scope and reach have always been global in nature. A natural outgrowth of both our historic collections and our wide-ranging international initiatives, The Ringling’s expanded focus on Asian art reinforces for our community the importance and relevance of Asian culture in the twenty-first century.

John and Mable Ringling traveled widely with their collecting interests at the forefront of their travels. They began collecting Asian art in the 1920s and subsequent major gifts to the Museum have extended the reach of the Asian collections, which cut across a range of cultures, eras, and media. For example, in 2001 Ira and Nancy Koger brought their astonishing collection of nearly 400 pieces of Chinese ceramics—the earliest of which is 2,000 years old—to The Ringling. The Koger Collection will be on permanent view for the first time in the new center for Asian art.

The Ringling’s growing contemporary and modern Asian holdings build on these impressive strengths and underline the Museum’s ongoing focus on the art of our time. This fall, The Ringling will kick off a season of Asia as part of the countdown to the opening of the new center for Asian art. On October 9, we will debut Royal Taste: The Art of Princely Courts in Fifteenth-century China, the first major collaboration of its kind for an art museum in the state of Florida. The Ringling will be partnering with the Hubei Provincial Museum, a premier institution in China, bringing significant artworks to the United States never before shown outside of China. Also in October, we will launch the seventh season of the Ringling International Arts Festival (RIAF), which will feature seven genre-defying productions that represent the dynamism of contemporary performing artists across Asia.

Looking ahead, we anticipate future partnerships with Asian museums and artists, weaving these cultural conversations throughout our exhibitions, programs, and research. By reflecting the most current thinking on the traditions and contemporary practices from this vast and diverse continent, we will continue John and Mable Ringling’s legacy of creative excellence and engaged global citizenship.

5401 Bay Shore Road

Sarasota, FL 34243

941.359.5700

ringling.org

Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums

GOVERNOR

The Honorable Rick Scott

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

John E. Thrasher President

OFFICE OF THE PROVOST

Dr. Sally E. McRorie

Interim Provost

COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS

Peter Weishar, Dean

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Steven High

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Michael E. Urette, Chair

Paul G. Hudson, Vice Chair

Nancy J. Parrish, Treasurer

Jane Skogstad, Secretary

Martin A. Arch

Madeleine H. Berman

Thomas J. Charters

Daniel J. Denton

Rebecca Donelson

George R. Ellis

Kenneth J. Feld

Frances D. Fergusson

Darrel E. Flanel

Casey Gonzmart

Priscilla M. Greenfield

Patrick J. Hennigan

Jeffrey R. Hotchkiss

Dorothy C. Jenkins

Thomas W. Jennings Jr.

Patricia R. Lombard

Thomas B. Luzier

Michael R. Pender, Jr.

Michéle D. Redwine

Ina L. Schnell

Linda Streit

Howard C. Tibbals

James B. Tollerton

Clifford L. Walters, III

EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS

Roberta J. Schaumleffel, Chair, Volunteer Services Advisory Council

Barbara A. Swan, Chair, Docent Advisory Council

Steven High Executive Director

ISSN 2165-4085

One of a pair of hairpins in phoenix shape, Ming Dynasty, Mid-16th century. Gold, Length 25cm, Qichun County Museum, China.

Walker Guest House, architect Paul Rudolph (1952), photograph courtesy ©Ezra Stoller/Esto

ROYAL TASTE: THE ART OF PRINCELY COURTS IN FIFTEENTH-CENTURY CHINA

Fan Jeremy Zhang, Helga Wall-Apelt Associate Curator of Asian Art

OCT 9, 2015 – JAN 10, 2016

Museum of Art

Organized by The Ringling, Royal Taste: The Art of Princely Courts in Fifteenth-century China, an exhibition of Ming courtly treasures, will be the first of its scale in Florida. Most of the objects will be on public view in the U.S. for the first time. Along with porcelain works from The Ringling’s permanent collection, more than 140 items of pictorial, sculptural, and decorative arts from China will reveal some lesser-known aspects of the daily life, royal protocols, religious practices, and afterlife beliefs in Ming-dynasty princely courts. Royal Taste will feature a selection of recent archeological finds, including a marvelous bracelet set inlaid with gemstones and a hat top mounted with a jade carving, which showcase the staggering luxury at princely courts in fifteenth-century southern China.

Fascinated with the stunning wealth of Ming art, scholars have traditionally paid close attention to the capital Beijing, yet neglected China’s provincial areas, where princes were often granted their own fiefs to protect the central throne as “screens and fences.” These provincial courts, belonging to 51 princes and over 600 secondary princes over time, enjoyed great social and financial privileges outside the capital. Recent discoveries of

treasures from royal tombs have greatly enriched our knowledge of the material culture of the early- and mid-Ming dynasty and enabled new examination of the courtly art and culture from the distinctive perspective of regional courts. One of the most luxurious burials, belonging to Prince Zhuang of Liang Principality (d. 1441), has more than 1,400 pieces of gold, silver, jewelry, and porcelain, counting a total of 16 kilograms of gold and more than 700 gemstones.

The Ming dynasty also identified the Daoist god Zhenwu as a guarding deity of the throne and dedicated tremendous resources to supporting the construction of temples and production of religious statues on the sacred Wudang Mountain, which is renowned for its tai-chi practice, an internal martial art with great health benefits. The exhibition will feature a dozen statues from Wudang Mountain to show the superior artistry of Ming sculpture under royal patronage. Some personal items and ritual objects from royal tombs will also illustrate the interest of the early Ming emperors and their princes in Tibetan Buddhist beliefs and art.

While familiar with the images of Ming blue-and-white porcelain treasured in European courts, many may not know that the Ming dynasty stretched nearly 300 years, from 1368 to 1644. In addition to its ceramics legacy, this dynasty was significant for many reasons. It overthrew the reign of the Mongol empire and developed a splendid material culture, significantly impacting pre-modern Asian history. The Ming Empire established Beijing as its new capital and started numerous largescale state projects: the Forbidden City was built as the imperial residence and the Grand Canal was restored, connecting waterways between the north and the south. It also built the Great Wall along the borders to defend against the Mongols from the north. To claim power and prestige, it sent large fleets across the Indian Ocean to reach Arabia and East Africa, before the Europeans started their own explorations of global maritime trade routes. The fifteenth century witnessed the unrivaled splendor of Chinese material culture at the dawn of European voyages of great discoveries.

This exhibition will mark the first of a series of upcoming collaborations between The Ringling and the Hubei Provincial Museum, one of the eight leading state museums in China. It will support The Ringling’s efforts to expose its audience to the richness of traditional and contemporary Asian art and promote exchanges of high-quality exhibitions and research between the U.S. and China.

Left to right:

Gold hat top ornament inlaid with jade and gemstones, Yuan dynasty, 14th century or earlier. Gold and gemstones, Height 6.3 cm, Diameter 6.6 cm, Hubei Provincial Museum.

Gilded bronze statue of a Daoist deity, 16th century. Bronze, Height 68 cm, Wudang Museum.

Gold bracelet set, before 1441. Gold and gemstones, Length 12.5 cm, Diameter 6.7 cm, Hubei Provincial Museum. Excavated in 2001 from the tomb of Prince Zhuang of Liang.

This exhibition is sponsored by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation Endowment, and the Arthur F. and Ulla R. Searing Endowment.

RIAF 2015 RIAF 2015

In October, the 2015 Ringling International Arts Festival (RIAF) launches the tenth season of performances presented in the Historic Asolo Theater since its restoration and reopening in 2006. With a festival roster of international productions from Asia, followed by a New Stages lineup of newly commissioned choreographic works, the 2015-2016 Art of Performance season bears testament to the vitality of The Ringling’s programming, its dynamic engagement with the work of contemporary artists, and the ever-growing base of awareness and support the program is generating for The Ringling’s Art of Our Time initiative.

Curated as a prelude to the inauguration of The Ringling’s center for Asian art (scheduled for opening in February 2016), the roster of artists for RIAF 2015 represents the vast geography and many cultures of contemporary Asia. Seven vibrant productions, each bringing a unique and compelling perspective on beauty, innovation, and virtuosity, will grace the RIAF venues from October 15 through October 18.

On the stages of the Historic Asolo Theater and Mertz Theatre, four genre-defying productions variously blend dance, theater, music, and circus to create exciting new forms of expression:

From China, TAO Dance Theater combines stunning visual impact with technical brilliance to present a powerful take on contemporary dance that stretches the boundaries of the human form.

Khmer Metal, performed with humor and humanity by Phare: The Cambodian Circus, infuses movement and music with circus artistry in an edgy and progressive tale of nightlife, passion, heartbreak, and hope.

The paths of two wandering travelers intersect in time and space through the theatrical wizardry of Tom Lee as he employs the rich traditions of Japanese puppetry in the telling of Shank’s Mare

The Indonesian Orkes (orchestra) Sinten Remen, under the direction of the charismatic Djaduk Ferjanto, blends traditional folk music with the dynamism of pop culture in performances that are at once nostalgic and somewhat rowdy.

Dwight Currie, Curator of Performance

Photo courtesy of artist

Photo by Peter Phoeng

Photo by Ayumi Sakamoto

Photo courtesy of artist

In the Cook Theatre, three solo artists expand our perceptions of performance through their masterly expressions of original works:

Exquisitely trained in the traditional dances of his native Thailand, Ronnarong Khampha embraces contemporary aesthetics in his mesmerizing and profoundly moving performance of My Name is Ong

The Indonesian composer and singer Peni Candra Rini—hailed for her mastery of traditional music and her innovative creativity—evokes the mysterious and infinite manifestation of Rahim (the womb) through music, movement, and imagery.

An ecstatic musical experience unfolds as the American-East TimoreseTaiwanese artist Jen Shyu plays lutes, zithers, and percussion instruments and interweaves movement and acting into songs that are uniquely her own.

The curation of RIAF 2015 was realized in partnership with Stanford Makishi, who—in his previous role as Executive Director of the Baryshnikov Arts Center—helped launch the festival in 2009. More recently, Stanford served as Deputy Director of Programs at New York’s Asian Cultural Council and in January of this year was named Vice President for Programming at City Center New York.

OCTOBER 15 – 18, 2015

Tickets : 941.360.7399 or ringling.org

Purchase tickets to multiple productions and save up to 20%!

NEW

STAGES: THE ART OF MAKING DANCE

Soon after the curtain comes down on RIAF, it rises again on New Stages: The Art of Making Dance a multi-part exhibition of contemporary choreography created in conjunction with and through the support of The Ringling’s Art of Performance residency program.

The series opens on November 6 when Alex Ketley, Artistic Director of The Foundry in San Francisco, returns to the Historic Asolo stage for the premiere of Deep South, an exploration of dance in the American southeast. Underwritten by a grant from the Princess Grace Foundation, Ketley began his 18-month odyssey of research and development on this work soon after he presented No Hero for New Stages 2014.

The series continues in December with Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre presenting the full-length performance of Joseph’s Coat, a work commissioned by The Ringling for a winter solstice performance of the same name in the James Turrell Skyspace. The balance of the roster continues with a new work by David Neumann, The Ringling’s first Art of Performance Artist in Residence, in March and a commissioned work to be announced for performance in February. Program details will follow.

SUPPORT ART OF PERFORMANCE

As the Art of Performance program continues to develop and evolve, it is doing so through the growing support of both audiences and sponsors who are embracing the opportunity to participate in The Art of Our Time. We are grateful for their encouragement and support.

If you are interested in joining the ranks of sponsors, please contact:

Susan Sigman at 941.359.5700 x1-5806 or susan.sigman@ringling.fsu.edu

Photo courtesy of artist

Photo by Steven Schreiber

Photo courtesy of artist

WELCOMING THE PAUL RUDOLPH WALKER GUEST HOUSE REPLICA

Matthew McLendon, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art

In November, The Ringling will have a new occupant on its storied grounds. In partnership with the Sarasota Architectural Foundation (SAF), a replica of architect Paul Rudolph’s 1952 Walker Guest House will be built. While Rudolph is known globally as the former Dean of the Yale School of Architecture and father of the “brutalist” style, in Sarasota we know him as one of the fathers of the Sarasota School of Architecture. Popularized in the mid-twentieth century, the Sarasota School of Architecture stressed the use of locally-sourced materials, large windows and screens allowing cross ventilation, and new, non-traditional commercial materials for domestic architecture. Today we see in this the roots of sustainable or environmentally-friendly architecture. In short, the mid-century Sarasota architects stressed good design, and good design never goes out of style.

The original Walker Guest House still stands on Sanibel Island and was commissioned by Dr. Walter Walker and his wife Elaine. The most notable features of the Guest House are the large plywood flaps which are raised and lowered by a pulley

system. When raised, the house benefits from large screened windows allowing for cross ventilation. The 24’ x 24’ Walker Guest House is one of Rudolph’s most loved designs.

The full-scale replica, which will reside at The Ringling, will be designed so that it can easily be disassembled and relocated to locations across the country to educate audiences about Sarasota and its contribution to modernist architecture. This effort heightens awareness of Rudolph’s Florida legacy as well as the important legacy of the other Sarasota School architects.

Yet another connection with The Ringling exists. The architect of Ca’ d’Zan, Dwight James Baum, sent his employee Ralph Twitchell to Sarasota to oversee the building of John and Mable Ringling’s winter home. Twitchell remained in Sarasota and opened his own architecture firm, eventually hiring a young Paul Rudolph, with whom he would collaborate on several important projects.

This exhibition is sponsored by the Arthur F. and Ulla R. Searing Endowment.

Walker Guest House, architect Paul Rudolph (1952), photograph courtesy ©Ezra Stoller/Esto

SPONSORING THE RINGLING

Corporate sponsors of The Ringling enjoy many benefits including a presence at Ringling events.

For Sharon Prizant, managing director and director of marketing of Cumberland Advisors Inc., a leading investment management firm based in Sarasota, supporting The Ringling means more than recognition. Sponsors have the opportunity to help facilitate the work of the Museum in engaging new and exciting exhibitions, performances, and commissioned works that enrich the lives of the hundreds of thousands of people who visit every year.

Cumberland Advisors’ sponsorship has been critical in supporting performance art and The Ringling’s Art of Our Time initiative. However, for Prizant the sponsorship has been about promoting arts and culture in the community. As a corporate sponsor of The Ringling, an organization becomes part of the initiatives that contribute to the cultural richness of the Sarasota community.

Why did Cumberland Advisors choose to become a sponsor of The Ringling?

The Ringling offers something for everyone from the Circus Museum to Mable Ringling’s Rose Garden, the Bolger Playspace and the Ca’ d’Zan mansion. There is something that appeals to just about any interest. The Ringling is also very community oriented and offers programming for all age groups, which is increasingly important for us grandparents who have grandchildren visiting on a regular basis.

Throughout my career, I have worked in non-profit organizations that have included museums as well as theaters. Therefore, I understand the arts and the type of support that arts organizations require. Supporting arts organizations enriches the community that you live in. You win, the organization you are sponsoring wins, and everyone who visits and enjoys their experience at the museum wins. So it is a win, win, win. A little bit of support goes a long way, and if one organization starts to show support, others will follow to create something great. –

Sharon Prizant

MEET DECLAN SHEEHY

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art has hired Declan J. Sheehy as Associate Director of Development. “The Ringling is excited to bring Declan aboard,” Steven High, Executive Director of The Ringling said. “He is an accomplished professional with achievements in development who will strengthen an already excellent team.”

Sheehy will be responsible for gifts in support of The Ringling’s comprehensive capital campaign through planned giving, major gifts, and annual campaigns. “I am thrilled to join the Development team at The Ringling,” Sheehy said. “This position merges a passion for philanthropy with a keen interest in higher education and the arts. There is something for everyone at The Ringling, and I look forward to sharing this message with new audiences.”

Prior to joining The Ringling, Sheehy served as assistant director of special gifts for the Smith Fund at Smith College in Northampton, Mass. Sheehy and his wife Laura visited the area many times before moving, and they are looking forward, as Sheehy says, “to calling Sarasota our forever home, we could not be happier to be here.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Declan to the community and to our team,” Anna von Gehr, Senior Director of Development at The Ringling said. “His expertise, wit, and passion for the arts will serve our donors well at this tremendous period of growth and transformation. Philanthropy is changing the face of The Ringling and I know our supporters will enjoy working with Declan in creating a lasting impact on this beloved cultural gem.”

A NEW STUDIO ART GLASS PAVILION

John Ringling’s gift to the state of Florida transformed the cultural landscape and the city of Sarasota. His passion for collecting and vision to serve the widest possible audience by creating this awe-inspiring facility to display masterpieces for the public to enjoy has served as an example for many to follow. We are grateful to John and Mable Ringling for their vision—and for the donors who have followed in their footsteps to transform the Museum into a center for the study and appreciation of the visual and performing arts.

Philip and Nancy Kotler and Warren and Margot Coville have chosen to continue the tradition set by the Museum’s founder with a generous act of philanthropy. Together, through the power of giving, they have transformed The Ringling in its collections and in the experience artists and visitors will enjoy for decades to come.

The Kotlers and the Covilles have partnered to provide the lead financial support for a major 5,500 square foot expansion to the John M. McKay Visitor Pavilion, creating The Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion. With an anticipated opening in the fall of 2017, The Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion will provide a permanent presence for studio art glass at The Ringling in a prominent location that nearly all Museum guests will pass through during their visit. The pavilion will also serve as a new formal entrance to the Historic Asolo Theater and provide improvements to the artist facilities, greatly enhancing the Museum’s growing performance programming.

“HAVING THE GLASS PAVILION AS A PLACE TO DISPLAY OUR COLLECTION OF STUDIO ART GLASS IS A DREAM COME TRUE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SHARE THIS MAGNIFICENT ART FORM WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.” – Philip and Nancy Kotler

In addition to their remarkable financial support, both the Kotlers and the Covilles have gifted their prestigious collections of studio art glass to The Ringling. Soon, when visitors enter the Museum, they will be greeted with floor-to-ceiling displays of studio art glass in a facility designed specifically to showcase this unique medium. Objects will rotate on a regular basis, encouraging visitors to come again and again to engage with European and American masters in the studio art glass movement.

“It is remarkable that two philanthropic families can join together to create something so exciting, all with the hopes of expanding arts opportunities for Sarasota and the state of Florida,” Executive Director Steven High said.

This noteworthy act of philanthropy was inspired by the donors’ mutual appreciation for studio art glass and the performing arts. The Ringling’s commitment to both theater and studio art glass aligned perfectly as each family determined the best home for their collection. The Kotlers and Covilles have a deep commitment to Sarasota and the arts community. They began speaking together with Museum staff about the impact a facility like this would have— not only on raising public awareness of studio art glass but also by enhancing the experience all visitors have when they come to The Ringling and the Historic Asolo Theater.

Visionary philanthropy created The Ringling in the 1930s, forever changing the face of Sarasota. The Kotlers and Covilles have generously continued this tradition enabling The Ringling to engage generations to come with the best in visual and performing arts. For that, we are grateful and look forward to 2017 and the opening of The Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion.

Kotler-Coville

Philip Kotler, Nancy Kotler, Margot Coville, Warren Coville.

Livio Seguso, Italian, born 1930, Scultura #2, 1991.

Gift of Philip and Nancy Kotler, 2012

Pavel Hlava, Czechoslovakian, Form #23 (Brown Vessel), 1981, Glass, 22 × 58 × 8 cm

On loan from Warren and Margot Coville, 2013

Nicolas Africano, American, born 1948, Untitled (Seated Figure), 2002.

Gift of Philip and Nancy Kotler, 2012

“WHEN I HEARD THAT THE KOTLERS WERE GOING TO INITIATE A PROCESS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A GLASS PAVILION, AND THAT IT WAS MARGOT’S INTENT TO GIFT HER COLLECTION TO THE RINGLING, IT WAS JUST A ‘NO BRAINER’ THAT WE WOULD JOIN WITH THEM.” – Warren Coville

Photos, from bottom left:

press announcement (left to right):

WHAT DO OUR MEMBERS WANT TO KNOW?

How do “Member for a Day” passes work?

▪ Each Membership household receives a number of passes that can be used during a 12-month period. It is a great way to introduce your guests to The Ringling.

▪ Members may purchase additional “Member for a Day” passes at the discounted price of $15 each.

▪ Passes are valuable as they give your guests full member benefits on the day of their visit. Benefits include a 10% discount in the Museum stores, Treviso, Banyan Cafe, and the Coffee Shop. In addition, a complimentary docent-led tour of the first and second floors of Ca’ d’Zan is available.

▪ “Member for a Day” passes can be used by your guest without you being present.

Is the Private Places tour of the Ca’ d’Zan mansion free or half-price to Members?

▪ This exclusive 45-minute tour explores the private areas of the mansion including the third floor game room and Belvedere Tower, weather permitting. Tickets are regularly $20 but members pay only $10. At the Reciprocal level of membership and above, you get a specified number of complimentary tours in your membership year. Private Places tours can be booked at the time of your visit but it is recommended that you pre-book through Advance ticketing as only 7 people can be on a tour at a time.

What is the VIP Lounge at the Members Exhibition Preview Events?

▪ The VIP Lounge is a designated area for distinguished Members at the Supporting, Partner, and Circle Member levels. It is an area in which distinguished Members can mingle with the curators and visiting artists and enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and more generous seating. There are four Member Preview events during the calendar year. Information regarding these events is in your Members Magazine, our Member-only monthly e-newsletters, and flyers.

Where do my membership dues go?

▪ Your membership is extremely important for the Museum as it helps to support our exhibitions, programming, and the conservation and preservation of the Museum’s collections. Your membership donations allow the Museum to have the varied and vast number of programs and exhibitions presented on a year-round basis.

What can a family with young children do at the Museum?

▪ There is a myriad of fantastic ways to engage your children and grandchildren with the art and artifacts we have at The Ringling! Whether spending a Saturday afternoon making an art project, enjoying storytime in the Library, or walking the tightrope in the Tibbals Learning Center, The Ringling is a place for fun and learning for all ages. Our grounds, too, offer fun options for young visitors— try to spot a dolphin in the bay, take a picnic into the Dwarf Garden, or get the wiggles out at the Bolger Playspace. Learn more about our programs by visiting the “Family Friendly” section of our website—or call us in the Membership department, 941.360.7330. For more information, call Youth and Family Programs, 941.359.5700 x3707.

SAVE THE DATES!

MAY 2

FRIENDS OF ASIAN ART RECEPTION

MAY 7

COFFEE AND CONVERSATION WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, STEVEN HIGH

MAY 16

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY RECEPTION

JUN 4

FRIENDS OF THE RINGLING LEGACY

AUG 13

MEMBERS PREVIEW: FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY PAINTING FACULTY

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 941.360.7330

2015 WINE WALK

The third annual Wine Walk to Ca’ d’Zan was held in March and was deemed an overwhelming success with a sold out VIP area and over 500 members and guests in attendance. Guests enjoyed a wonderful evening as they strolled through the magnificent grounds enjoying the entertainment, food, and wine from Germany, Spain, France, India, Italy, and America that were represented at various stations throughout the estate. Our VIP guests and sponsors, whose donations supported the Ca’d’Zan preservation fund, ended the evening on the terrace of Ca’d’Zan with exclusive VIP wines, a fabulous carving station, and delicious desserts.

THANK YOU TO OUR 2015 WINE WALK TO CA’ D’ ZAN SPONSORS

Andrick & Associates, Inc.

David and Mary Benfer

Cumberland Advisors

Pat and Jim Lombard

SunTrust Private Wealth

Management

IN-KIND SUPPORT

The Cake Zone

FH Weddings and Events

Herald Tribune Media Group/ Style Magazine

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING FOR THEIR DONATIONS

Big Top Brewing Company

Constellation Wine Brands

CWS Distributor

Deutsch Family Wine Company

Gold Coast Eagle Distributing

Louis Latour

Mezzacorona

Sarasota Architectural Salvage

SWS Distributor

Total Wine & More

Trinchero Wine Estates

Prestige Wine Company

Ste. Michelle Wine Estates

For more information on how you can support Wine Walk to Ca’ d’Zan in 2016, please contact Susan Sigman at 941.359.5700 x1-5806 or susan.sigman@ringling.fsu.edu

The Ringling’s Bolger Playspace is in some amazing company as a destination for children. Along with Walt Disney World and Legoland Discovery Centers, the Playspace has been named one of the “10 Trips to Take Before Your Kid Turns 10” by Parents magazine.

FOCUS ON YOUTH AND FAMILIES AT THE RINGLING

As part of its mission to be an accessible visitor-centered Museum, The Ringling is dedicated to providing educational experiences which are meaningful and provide inspiration for all. One primary audience for the Museum’s wide-ranging educational programs is children and their families, and over the last two years, the Museum has reinvigorated its youth and family offerings.

Numerous studies have outlined the benefits of early arts education on creative thinking and innovation across disciplines. The Ringling serves as a key adjunct to the efforts of parents, teachers, and schools—connecting the community to the extraordinary collections and exhibitions at The Ringling and building lifelong arts and culture enthusiasts in the process.

“We hope that families see The Ringling as a vital resource— a welcoming place to play, learn, and feel comfortable,” said Maureen Zaremba, Curator of Education. “As we know, exposure to the arts at a young age positively impacts future school performance, and through the tools and programs we now offer, the Museum plans to play a significant role in the education of area youth and families.”

“The goal of our youth and family programs is to facilitate truly intergenerational experiences,” said Leigh Dale, Youth and Family Program Coordinator. “By presenting parents with games, projects, and other ideas about how to engage their children with the arts, we seek to instill creativity and cultural literacy in our youngest visitors.”

One common thread throughout these youth and family programs is the practice of art making. Weekly Family Workshops feature self-guided art projects that are thematically related to that week’s Kids Quest, in which a Museum educator takes children on an adventure of discovery across The Ringling grounds.

ROAR! (Ringling Order of Art Readers) is The Ringling Art Library’s family storytime that bridges art with early literacy. The stories chosen link up with The Ringling collections and are accompanied by an art activity.

The importance of free play for children of all ages has been increasingly documented in educational literature. Last year, The Ringling inaugurated the David F. Bolger Playspace, an inventive new playground that includes a tower, fountain, and other

creative equipment. The Playspace was designed with family visitors in mind and families are encouraged to roam The Ringling grounds freely without being charged an admissions fee.

The most recent addition to the Museum’s youth and family offerings are exhibition brochures intended for parents visiting with their children. These family gallery guides introduce the artists on view, present an activity, and encourage visitors to spend time together looking closely at the works on view.

EXPERIENCE THE RINGLING AS A FAMILY!

The key to a successful family visit to The Ringling is to relax and enjoy it together. Everything doesn’t have to be seen in one day—membership makes it easy to come back again and again. Allow your children to explore the Museum at their own pace, letting their interests be your guide.

Each time you visit, you could focus on a different theme, for example: shapes, colors, animals, or objects from home represented in the works of art. Other things to do at the Museum:

• Play games such as I-Spy or a memory game recounting the details of an object with your back to it.

• Make up a story about what might be going on in a particular painting.

• Don’t forget that the Museum is a great place to draw. There is inspiration all around you just remember to use a pencil!

Talk to your children about other Museum rules. Remind them that it is important to stay three steps away from the objects and that touching the works of art is not allowed. Encourage children to use “inside” voices. Always feel free to take a break outside to get the wiggles out!

Keep in mind that you don’t have to be an expert to chaperone children to a museum. As long as kids are having fun thinking and talking about works of art, they—and you—will be enriched by the experience.

The Ringling MUSEUM STORE

Shop Daily in Store 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Thursdays until 8:00 PM

941.359.5700 x1110

TheRinglingStore.org

a. Inspired by the breathtaking beauty of The Ringling’s Bayfront Gardens, the floral tote collection includes some of our visitors’ favorite flowers, including the Mable Ringling rose, the unique shaving brush flower, and the cascading bougainvillea. $7.50 – $32

b. Still life flowers seem real enough to touch on our exclusive floral women’s top. Adapted from the masterpiece Pausias and Glycera in The Ringling Museum of Art permanent collection, this fitted top is a colorful addition to any summer wardrobe. $35

c. The vibrant blue iris from Pausias and Glycera adorns this attractive leather wallet. Decorative, yet practical, our wallet features ample card slots, two billfold sections and a zippered change compartment. $37

MEMBERS RECEIVE 10% OFF PURCHASES ALL YEAR!