Whispers in a Crowded Room by Buck Christensen
2024-04-12 08:00 - 2024-05-27 17:00 (America/Chicago) | Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft Street, Omaha, NE, 68108, United States
April 12 through May 27, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.open until 8 p.m. on May 6, 13, 14, 20, 21, and 27 On the gallery walls in the visitor and education centerIncluded with paid admission or garden membership. $15 + tax, $9 + tax for ages 3-12, and free for ages 2 and under.The photographs in this series of botanical portraits are inspired partly by the scientific tradition of botanical illustration, whose usual purpose is to provide a detailed depiction of individual species for identification, documentation, and discussion. Using a similar minimalist aesthetic as a framework, my artistic goal is to explore and highlight the amazing architecture that comprises natural botanical design and that often goes unnoticed by the naked eye, particularly the structures, patterns, colors, and textures during all phases of the plant’s lifecycle. I also enjoy exploring mood and expression brought about by subtle variations in posture, angle, light, and shadow. My advocacy goal is to help conservation efforts by creating public awareness and empathy for plants of all types. Many of the botanical subjects in my photographs are wildflowers collected in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area and surrounding prairies.About the ArtistBuck Christensen is a photographer, writer, editor, fogchaser, and flower whisperer in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he resides with his wife, Teri, and daughter, Gavin. Christensen’s current photographic interests include Midwest landscapes, floral portraits, light painting, and oil drops. His ongoing Boy Scout Island (Lake Manawa) series of photographs was documented by the PBS series Iowa Outdoors in 2017 and featured in Outdoor Photographer magazine in 2018. His prints have been displayed at various galleries and exhibitions since 2010, including a solo exhibition of minimalistic floral portraits at Lauritzen Gardens in 2014; a solo exhibition entitled Vanishing at Everything Electric Gallery in 2016; Breakfast With Shiva, an exhibition of photographs depicting the smoldering remnants of a riverfront wildfire in 2019; and Midwest Gothic, an exhibition of his photographs paired with microfiction by the filmmaker Kate Brewer in 2020, among many others. His photograph “Exit Wounds” was chosen for inclusion in the 2019 Nebraska Artist Biennial. His photograph “Hollowkeeper” was chosen for inclusion in the 2022 Regional Biennial and was recognized as an honorable mention. He is currently a studio artist at the Hoff Center in Council Bluffs.

Frida y Diego Community Art Show Opening
2024-04-12 16:00 - 2024-05-23 21:00, 2024-05-10 16:00 - 21:00 | Joslyn Castle & Gardens, 3902 Davenport St, Omaha, NE, 68131, United States
This captivating exhibition seeks to bring another layer of excitement, awareness and engagement to Opera Omaha’s production of the beautiful opera El último sueño de Frida y Diego (The Last Dream of Frida and Diego), a new opera by Gabriela Lena Frank and Nilo Cruz.For this show artists were encouraged to seek inspiration from the opera’s story as well as commemorate the passionate and tumultuous relationship between these two iconic artists, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.Artists from all backgrounds to submited their visual art of any medium influenced by the fascinating love story of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, in a unique opportunity to express their interpretation of the icons’ passionate bond, their artistic endeavors, and their profound influence on each other’s work, the fascinating and beautiful story depicted in The Last Dream of Frida and Diego, and Día de los MuertosThis art show is being produced in collaboration with Opera Omaha, Joslyn Castle, and The Castle and Cathedral Creative District.Frida and DiegoDates: April 12-May 23rdLocation: Carriage House Gallery, Joslyn Castle, Omaha NebraskaOpening Reception: Friday April 12th, 4-9pmClosing Reception: Thursday May 23rd, details TBAA small selection of art from this exhibition will be chosen to be featured at the Orpheum Theater during Opera Omaha’s performances of El último sueño de Frida y Diego.

Arts for ME! Spring Exhibition
2024-05-10 13:00 - 19:00 | KANEKO, 1111 Jones St, Omaha, NE, 68102, United States
The Arts For ME! mission statement is:
WE EXIST TO EMPOWER MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES WITHIN OUR SCHOOL, AND TO INCREASE THE VISIBILITY AND IMPORTANCE OF THEIR WORK
This organization fosters, cultivates, and advocates for adaptive art programs for alternative students and are driven by their passion to share their philosophy and approach to teaching adaptive art. A truly collaborative effort, AFM employs the ideas, guidance, and expertise of educators and artists from around the world.
AFM’s successful methodology is based on (4) tenets: Collaborating, Lesson Planning, Set Up and Cycles, and Support.
Collaborating:
All programming is only made possible through their collaboration with Special Education teachers, occupational therapists, peer educators, guest artists, and public partners.
Lesson Planning:
Founded on Discipline-Based Art Education, each lesson plan starts by focusing on an artist or art movement and is built out from there. Lesson objectives are to develop individually tailored processes so each learner is able to express themselves with the goal to expose students to new artists and provide unique experiences that allow them to make choices within their work.
Set Up and Cycles:
Structure is integral to successful learning. AFM conducts class once a week led by two certified teachers with no more than 8 students per class. The classroom set up is based on the project and mobility needs of each student. Lessons may last 1-4 weeks with a project cycle of 4 years which ensures that a student can take the class for all 4 high school years and always have a new learning experience.
Support:
Participation from peers, nurses, occupational therapists, educational assistants, and special education teachers supports the organization’s operations and helps build friendships and confidence in each learner as well. AFM is dedicated to cultivating that confidence so students learn how to support themselves and feel it is equally important to provide students with independent space to freely express themselves on their own.
For more information on the Arts for Me! program, please visit www.artsforme.org
