Beautiful Art, Crafts, Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival, Film Screenings, the Briscoe Birthday Bash and Much More Start at the Briscoe this Weekend!
Reminder to grab your posse and head to the Briscoe this fall for beautiful art, crafts, Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival, film screenings, the Briscoe birthday bash and more! This Saturday, the museum’s family-friendly favorite “Full STEAM Ahead” series is back where visitors of all ages are invited to learn about the American West with STEAM based, hands on craft projects. Each program explores an aspect of life in the West to engage and inspire learning. See more details below along with future events taking place throughout the fall.
Briscoe Goes Wild
Think art museums can’t get wild? The Briscoe Western Art Museum will prove that wrong this fall as it welcomes Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In The Wild, an exhibition containing 40 of the renowned nature photographer’s most resonant photographs—images that take viewers on a journey across the West and around the globe. To add another dimension to these fantastic images, the Briscoe is hosting a range of programs for guests of all ages. Whether it’s an urban nature walk, a birthday celebration with bison or animal sculpting, there’s something for everyone to get wild this fall. Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In The Wild will be on view at the Briscoe through Jan. 29, 2023, and is included with museum general admission.
One of the most prolific nature photographers of our time, Mangelsen has been described as a spiritual descendant of pioneering American nature photographers Ansel Adams, Eliot Porter and Edward Weston. Bill Allen, the now retired Editor-in-Chief of “National Geographic”, considers Mangelsen to be one of the most important nature photographers of his generation. Forty classic photographs by Mangelsen, photographs which the photographer himself refers to as his legacy photographs, were personally selected by the photographer for this retrospective exhibition. The exhibition also features a children’s area, allowing children to connect with the animals captured by Mangelsen’s lens.
A Life In The Wild programming and events include:
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STEAMing into the WILD West
Oct. 15, Nov. 19, Dec. 17, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. each day
Families and visitors of all ages are invited to learn about the American West during the museum’s “Full STEAM Ahead” series on the third Saturday of each month. From transportation and weather to animals, astronomy and engineering, each program explores an aspect of life in the West to engage and inspire learning. Full STEAM Ahead is included with museum general admission. Children 12 and under receive free admission to the Briscoe. Dates include Oct. 15, Nov. 19 (part of Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival) and Dec. 17.
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Briscoe Birthday: Day of the Bison
Oct. 22, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Celebrate the Briscoe’s ninth birthday with a special day of bison fun! An iconic symbol of the American West and part of the Briscoe’s logo, the bison is an indelible part of the wildlife and story of the American West. Enjoy hands-on bison crafts all day and hear Caprock Canyons State Park Superintendent Donald Beard discussing the “Official Bison Herd of the State of Texas.” Roaming more than 10,000 acres in the park, the bison are being restored to their native habitat. Learn about the park’s work as one of the five foundational herds that saved the bison from extinction.
The herd exists thanks to legendary rancher Charles Goodnight, who started the herd on his JA Ranch in the Texas Panhandle in 1878 in an attempt to save the animals that had meant so much to him. When the bison were initially donated to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and moved to Caprock Canyons State Park in 1997, it was discovered that their DNA was different, and feature genetics that are not shared by any other bison in North America. In fact, the Official Texas State Bison Herd at Caprock represents the last remaining examples of the Southern Plains variety. The Briscoe Birthday celebration is included with museum admission.
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Make Prints with the Sun: Cyanotype with Mary Margaret Johnson
Oct. 30, Noon-2 p.m.
Cyanotype was one of the first ways of producing photographs and dates back to 1842. This alternative printing process uses UV rays to make prints. Each piece is made by applying the cyanotype solution to the material, arranging items such as flowers, foliage or objects on the material and exposing it to the sun. After the material is washed with water, the piece turns to a Persian blue. Learn how to make cyanotypes and go home with your own cyanotype bandana. The class will be taught by local artist Mary Margaret Johnson. The program is $35 and pre-registration is required via briscoemuseum.org.
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WILD in Texas: “Deep in the Heart” Film Screening with Producer Katy Bladock
Nov. 10, 6 – 9 p.m.
A visually stunning celebration of Texas’ diverse landscapes and remarkable wildlife found nowhere else, “Deep in the Heart” aims to conserve our remaining wild places, to show the connectivity of water and wildlife, and to recognize Texas’ conservation importance on a continental scale. Narrated by Matthew McConaughey and featuring state-of-the-art cinematography, this family-friendly film journeys from the highest peaks in West Texas, through our aquifers, rivers, and bays, and deep into the Gulf of Mexico. Producer Katy Bladock will be present for a post-film discussion and Q&A and guests will be able to view Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In the Wild before the film screening. $12 and pre-registration is recommended via briscoemuseum.org.
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Celebrating Native American Heritage: Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival
Nov. 19, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Highlighting the continued vibrancy and artistic traditions of Native American communities, Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival offers a glimpse into traditional and contemporary Native American culture. Featuring Native American artists, musical performances and dancing, this free community event features storytelling, artist demonstrations of painting, printmaking, pottery, weaving and carving, as well as Native American-inspired food. Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival also features workshops and lectures celebrating Native American culture. Admission to the festival and the museum is free throughout the day.
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Sculpting Animals: Artist Talk with Mick Doellinger
Dec. 3, 11 a.m. – Noon
Known best for his animal sculptures, artist Mick Doellinger will share his inspiration and creative process. Doellinger will bring sculptures for guests to explore and discuss how he creates realistic sculptures of Western wildlife. The program is free with museum admission.
The Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In The Wild tour is produced by David J. Wagner, L.L.C. in partnership with Thomas D. Mangelsen, Inc. The exhibition is supported in part by Jan McCaleb Elliott, the Greehey Family Foundation, and Jessica Elliott Middleton.
Head West from the Heart of San Antonio
An oasis of Western beauty just off the River Walk, the McNutt Sculpture Garden and the museum grounds feature 33 sculptures portraying various aspects of Western life. Inside the museum’s beautifully restored historic home inside the former San Antonio Public Library building, the Briscoe’s collection spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and a fantastic museum shop, providing art, culture, history and entertainment.
The Briscoe is open Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and closed to the public on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Admission is free for children 12 and under and for active duty military members. The museum is proud to participate in Museums For All, Blue Star Museums and Bank of America Museums on Us. The Briscoe is located on the south end of the River Walk, near the Arneson River Theatre and La Villita, with convenient parking at the Riverbend Garage directly adjacent to the museum or one of many downtown surface lots. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online.
