September, 2015 Workshop
Tue, September 22 2015, 1:30pm
Campus Club ABC
Bring your walking shoes — Weisman Art Museum tour follows September 22 luncheon
At the close of UMRA’s September luncheon meeting, UMRA members will be treated to a special tour of the art and exhibitions at the Weisman Art museum (WAM). When you sign up for the luncheon, please indicate if you intend to attend the tour so that the Weisman tour staff can plan for our numbers accordingly.
Carrying on a tradition begun last year with the tour of the New Northrop, this year we have arranged for UMRA members to tour the Weisman Art Museum at 1:45 p.m. after the September 22nd luncheon. The museum is at 333 East River Road, just a short walk from Coffman Union.
Since its origin in 1934, when the original art collection was housed in Northrop, the University’s art museum has been a teaching museum. Today, education remains central to the museum’s mission to make the arts accessible to the University and public communities.
Frederick R. Weisman was a noted California philanthropist, art patron, and entrepreneur. He provided the pivotal gift of $3 million, which gave the University of minnesota Art Museum its current home. The Weisman opened on November 21, 1993. The architect, Frank Gehry, created a striking stainless steel and brick design for the Weisman Art Museum, winning him a prestigious Progressive Architecture Design Award in 1991.
“The museum’s collection features early 20th-century American artists, such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Marsden Hartley, and also a diverse selection of ceramics and contemporary art.”
Several types of tours are available at the Weisman. We will split into manageable size groups and focus on the unique architecture, the permanent collection, or special exhibits. You will be welcome to stay after the tour and explore the ceramics collections and other parts of the museum.
Don’t forget to visit the Weisman gift shop, which offers a 10 percent discount to UMRA members on the days of our meetings. We hope you all plan to attend and enjoy this wonderful U of M asset.
— Jean Kinsey, UMRA President
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.