Create
Create at Home
Create with us at home! At least once a month, we'll post a supply list, followed by a fun, step-by-step video showing you how to make your own creation with materials found in your own home.
Second Saturdays Are for Families: Cake Art
This April, celebrate artist Nancy Holt’s birthday with us by making pretend birthday cakes!
Supply List
Cardboard
Spackle or Royal Icing
Plastic bag
Scissors
Tape
Sequins / Glitter / Sparkles
Markers or Paint
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Don’t want to use your own supplies from home? Reserve a free art kit filled with cool art supplies for this project! Kits are for 1 child each. Then pickup your kit in the cul-de-sac at the entrance to Laguna Gloria April 10 or 11, 9A-12P.
Second Saturdays Are for Families: Mythical Water Creatures
Take a deep dive into the lagoon this month and invent your own mythical sea creature inspired by Wangechi Mutu's Water Woman! Transform colorful 2D materials such as paper, fabric, and film into 3D forms to build an imaginative mythical sea creature!
Supply List
Dowel or skewer
Wire, rubber bands, or tape
Colorful fabrics and papers
Embellishments
Scissors
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Reserve a free art kit filled with supplies to accompany your Second Saturdays Are for Families activity! (optional). Kits are for 1 child each. Pickup will occur in the cul-de-sac at the entrance to Laguna Gloria from February 10 to February 14, 9A-12P, and February 18 to February 21, 9A-3P. Ticket reservations are not required for actual event.
Second Saturdays Are for Families: Pinwheels
For this month's at-home activity, make a pinwheel inspired by Monika Sosnowska's The stairs!
Supply List
Sheet of acetate
Stick
Plastic attachment
Washi tape
Sharpie
Step-by-Step Video Guide
IMAGE: Monika Sosnowska, The stairs, 2011. Painted steel. 140 15/16 x 181 1/8 x 98 7/16 inches. Collection of The Contemporary Austin. Purchased with funds provided by the Edward and Betty Marcus Foundation, 2017.3. Installation view, The Contemporary Austin – Laguna Gloria, Austin, Texas, 2015. Artwork © Monika Sosnowska. Image courtesy The Contemporary Austin. Photograph by Brian Fitzsimmons.
Second Saturdays Are for Families: Gingerbread Villas
Be the art-chitect of your very own candy home! We’re whipping up edible houses like you’ve never seen before, inspired by the architecture of the Driscoll Villa at Laguna Gloria.
VIEW ACTIVITY GUIDE
Supply List
Graham crackers
Royal icing (Confectioners' sugar, meringue powder, water)
Assortment of candy + cereal
Tray
Toothpicks
Sandwich bag
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Make a turkey hat for Thanksgiving!
As part of our years-long partnership with H-E-B's annual Feast of Sharing, we've loved sharing the tradition of making turkey hats with members of our community! While we won't be able to gather at an in-person event this year, you can still make a turkey hat with materials found in your own home! Check out the video above and follow along with Beau as she guides us through this fun-filled activity.
VIEW ACTIVITY GUIDE
Second Saturdays Are for Families: Foil Figures
A brand new work of art has landed at the sculpture park! Help us welcome Nicole Eisenman’s Man at the Center of Men by creating a foil-tastic work of art at home. We’ll use foil and plaster to explore the idea of "action" in art making.
VIEW ACTIVITY GUIDE
Supply List
Aluminum foil
Sharpie or other permanent marker
Plaster
Scissors
Water
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Second Saturdays Are for Families: Branching Out
Learn about the leafy residents of Laguna Gloria – both natural and artist-made. Embark on a virtual tree ID adventure with TreeFolks and museum staff, then create your own colorful art project using plants and flowers from your own backyard!
VIEW ACTIVITY GUIDE
Supply List
Hammer or heavy rock
Heavy weight paper, such as cardstock or watercolor paper
Paper towels
Leaves and flowers from your yard
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Tree ID Tour with Treefolks
Create at Home: Ice Painting + Second Saturdays:
A Virtual Ice Sculpting Event
Cool down from the summer heat with a little ice painting fun! Learn how to experiment with colors and unusual art materials at home, then tune into virtual ice sculpting demo!
Supply List
Water
Watercolor paint or food coloring
Ice tray
Watercolor paper or thick paper
Freezer
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Tune in below and watch Sean from Full Spectrum Ice Sculptures create a mirror image of Miffy with ice! Streamed live from Laguna Gloria on Saturday, August 8, 2020.
Create at Home: Storytime with Abby
Calling our littlest artists! Dive into an imaginary world with Beyond the Pond by Joseph Kuefler, then make a magical underwater painting inspired by the story. All you’ll need this week is some basic supplies and a big imagination! Read by Abby Mechling, Director of Education, with permission from HarperCollins Children's Books.
Supply List
Crayons
Watercolor paints + paintbrush
Watercolor paper or other thick paper
Water cup
Salt
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Create at Home: Cardboard Cars
Make your own cardboard "art car" inspired by Terry Allen's Road Angel at Laguna Gloria! Then, take your new creation for a spin and pull into your very own living room drive-in theater to watch your favorite movie in style!
Supply List
Cardboard box (big enough to sit in)
Construction paper
Paper towel roll
Egg carton
Aluminum foil
Paper plates
School glue, hot glue, and hot glue gun or tape
Drawing tools
Step-by-Step Video Guide
IMAGE: Terry Allen, Road Angel, 2016. Bronze with audio and light. 65 x 181 x 81 1/2 inches. Collection of The Contemporary Austin. Commission, purchased with funds provided by the Edward and Betty Marcus Foundation, 2017.2. Installation view, The Contemporary Austin – Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park at Laguna Gloria, Austin, Texas, 2016. Artwork © Terry Allen / Artist Rights Society, New York. Image courtesy The Contemporary Austin. Photograph by Brian Fitzsimmons.
Create at Home: Kinetic Swimmers + Second Saturdays:
A Virtual Event
Splish splash! This week, we are exploring movement and the body with a kinetic sculpture project, plus a kid-friendly yoga event! Learn how to engineer an aquatic work of art that can actually swim, inspired by the watchful lifeguard sculpture at Laguna Gloria by duo Elmgreen & Dragset.
Supply List
Buoyant container – empty can, plastic bottle, etc.
4 sticks – twigs, popsicle sticks, etc.
Hot glue gun and glue
Rubber band
Rigid piece of plastic – old gift card, empty berry container, etc.
Scissors
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Then, tune in on Instagram this Saturday, July 11 for our first ever virtual Second Saturdays event, live from Laguna Gloria!
Grab your mat and head online to get moving in a kid-friendly yoga flow with Bea Love Yoga! This virtual event will be streamed from Laguna Gloria beginning at 10A live on Instagram.
Click here to tune in!
IMAGE: Elmgreen & Dragset, Watching, 2017. Bronze, black patina, and wax. 126 x 39 1/2 x 33 1/2 inches. Installation view, The Contemporary Austin – Laguna Gloria, Austin, Texas, 2018. Artwork © Elmgreen & Dragset. Collection of Lora Reynolds and Quincy Lee, Austin. Photograph by Brian Fitzsimmons.
Create at Home: Colorful Flags
Take tie-dyeing to the next level with this summer-ready art activity, inspired by artist Liam Gillick’s colorful platform at Laguna Gloria! We’ll show you how to use modern materials and an ancient technique to create fabric art that you can hang up, wear, or turn into something else!
Supply List
Fabric (cotton or other natural material works best)
Rubbing alcohol
Sharpies or other permanent markers
Small plastic bag
Rubber bands or clothes pins
Bowl
Step-by-Step Video Guide
IMAGE: Liam Gillick, Raised Laguna Discussion Platform (Job #1073), 2013. Painted steel. 120 x 160 x 431 3/4 inches. Collection of The Contemporary Austin. Commission, purchased with funds provided by the Edward and Betty Marcus Foundation, 2014.8. Installation view, The Contemporary Austin – Laguna Gloria, Austin, Texas, 2017. Artwork © Liam Gillick. Image courtesy The Contemporary Austin. Photograph by Brian Fitzsimmons.
Create at Home: Storytime with Emma
We are excited to announce our new monthly Storytime art making sessions, created specifically with our younger viewers in mind! This week, Education Assistant Emma reads Tokyo Digs a Garden, by Jon-Erik Lappano, and guides us through a "nature portrait" activity! Read with permission of Groundwood Books.
Supply List
Natural Materials (grass, flowers, leaves, etc.)
Paper
Glue
Paint (optional)
Storytime & Activity Guide
Create at Home: Mirror Monotypes
You’ll have twice the fun with this week's Create at Home activity, inspired by artist Nic Nicosia's sculpture, the twins, which formerly made its home at Laguna Gloria. Make a mirror-image work of art while exploring monotyping with materials you can find right in your home!
Supply List
Mirror (or other non-porous surface)
Markers (washable)
Paper
Spray bottle with water
Paper towel or kitchen towel
Step-by-Step Video Guide
IMAGE: Nic Nicosia, the twins, 2018. Stainless steel. 79 x 59 x 53 inches. Edition 1 of 3. Commissioned by The Contemporary Austin with funds provided by the Edward and Betty Marcus Foundation. Installation view, The Contemporary Austin – Laguna Gloria, Austin, Texas, 2018. Artwork © Nic Nicosia. Courtesy the artist and Erin Cluley Gallery, Dallas. Photograph by Brian Fitzsimmons.
Create at Home: Nature Weaving
Take a walk around the block to find materials for this week's Create at Home project – a nature weaving! Chinese artist Ai Weiwei used trees as inspiration for his sculpture Iron Tree Trunk at Laguna Gloria... what will YOU use?
Supply List
Cardboard
Natural Materials (grass, flowers, etc.)
Yarn or string
Tape
Scissors
Step-by-Step Video Guide
IMAGE: Ai Weiwei, Iron Tree Trunk, 2015. Cast iron. 185 x 63 x 82 5/8 inches. Edition 1 of 3. Installation view, The Contemporary Austin – Laguna Gloria, Austin, Texas, 2017. Collection of The Contemporary Austin. Purchased with funds provided by the Edward and Betty Marcus Foundation, members of The Contemporary Austin Board of Trustees, and generous friends of the museum, 2018.3. Artwork © Ai Weiwei Studio. Image courtesy The Contemporary Austin. Photograph by Brian Fitzsimmons.
Create at Home: Tape Lanterns
Get glowing with this week's Create at Home Activity! Create an extraordinary light sculpture using ordinary materials, inspired by Ursula von Rydingsvard’s luminous sculpture, Luna.
Supply List
Clear tape
Scissors
Stuffed animal or ball
Flashlight or lamp
Step-by-Step Video Guide
IMAGE: Ursula von Rydingsvard, Luna, 2006. Urethane resin. 70 x 43 x 33 inches. Collection of The Contemporary Austin. Gift of Morton and Estelle Sosland, 2014.1. Installation view, The Contemporary Austin – Laguna Gloria, Austin, Texas, 2014. Artwork © Ursula von Rydingsvard. Image courtesy The Contemporary Austin. Photograph by Brian Fitzsimmons.
Create at Home: DIY Drawing Tools
Forget crayons and pencils—we’ll show you how to create a brand new drawing or painting tool for outdoor art making in this week's Create at Home activity! Gather up some wacky items and see how you can design a brand new way to "make a mark!"
VIEW ACTIVITY GUIDE
Supply List
DIY sidewalk chalk paint
Sidewalk chalk (store bought, or try our DIY recipe included in the video below!)
Materials found around your house including but not limited to: egg cartons, sponges, plastic containers, broom sticks, twigs, leaves, etc.
Tape
String
Glue
Follow the simple instructions in this video to make DIY Sidewalk Chalk and DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint!
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Create at Home: Twisty Totems
Squeeze, squish, swirl! Get your hands messy with some homemade clay, and see how your favorite colors twist together to make a colorful work of art inspired by Cameron Jamie’s sculpture Mon Singe at Laguna Gloria!
VIEW ACTIVITY GUIDE
Supply List
Homemade clay (corn starch, Elmer’s glue, oil)
Markers or watercolor paint
Stick
Wax paper
Follow the simple instructions in this video to make your own air dry clay!
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Create at Home: Wobbly Weebles
Can you make a sculpture that will sway, bob, and dip, but never falls over? Create a gravity-defying work of art inspired by a trio of bulbous sculptures at Laguna Gloria by artist Juan Muñoz!
Supply List
Hollow, rigid ball
Small weight
Cardboard or paper
Tissue paper
Markers
Glue or tape
Twist ties or string
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Create at Home: Mold Making
Ever wonder how the giant works of art at Laguna Gloria were made? Learn how sculptures are cast in metal and other materials through this fun and easy mold making activity. See how you can take a toy or other object in your home and duplicate it with simple art supplies!
Supply List
Play-Doh
Crayons
Muffin tin or baking tray
Toy (with smooth and shallow details)
Oven or toaster oven
Don't have any Play-Doh at home? Follow the simple instructions in this video to make your own air dry clay!
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Create at Home: Tape Art
Opposites attract in this week's Create at Home project! Inspired by two very different sculptures by artist Carol Bove, we're making works of art that combine the straight, geometric shapes in one with the swirly, curving lines in the other.
Supply List
Tape and/or string
Rigid surface to paint (cardboard, poster board, etc.)
Drawing or painting supplies
Scissors
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Create at Home: Recycled Robots
Bleep, blarp, bloop! This week we’ll show you how to make your very own robot friend using ordinary materials from your recycling bin—and your imagination!
VIEW ACTIVITY GUIDE
Supply List
3–5 containers such as bottles, paper tubes, and small boxes
Tape
Glue
Scissors
Items to decorate, such as lids, metal washers, and string
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Create at Home: Bug Hotels
It's officially spring, and that means our favorite bugs are coming back to town! Join us this week as we make bug hotels for our resident bees, butterflies, and other crawly creatures, using materials you can round up from your own backyard.
Supply List
Container of some kind
Sticks
Cardboard
Rope, twine, or string
Scissors
Glue
Tape
Step-by-Step Video Guide
Make and Explore Materials
Make and Explore: Aluminum Foil
Make and Explore: DIY Clay
Make and Explore: DIY Sidewalk Chalk
Make and Explore: Cardboard
Online Art School Classes
Tap into your creativity right from your home in an online Art School class! We're offering live, online classes in drawing, painting, ceramics, and more, taught by our wonderful Art School faculty in real time. We've got offerings for adults, as well as children and teens.
Capacity is limited to ensure small class sizes so you can maximize your time with your instructor and your classmates. You'll learn together in community with your fellow students, with additional opportunities for one-on-one time and individual feedback from your instructor, just like in our in-person classes!
Upon registration, we'll send detailed information on ordering supplies for either local pickup or to be shipped to your home.
Make a Zine
Make a zine inspired by artist Jessica Green's video work, I have faith in nights, co-presented by The Contemporary Austin for Fusebox Festival 2020: Virtual Edition.
How do you have faith in nights? How might you gather force from a slow walk or a quiet observation of shifting light now that you experience time differently?
For Fusebox Festival 2020: Virtual Edition, artist Jessica Green and an ensemble of weavers and artists meditate on these ideas in a zine and video they made reflecting their slow walks during sunrises. Enjoy the poetry, drawings, and prompts in their zine.
Want to make your own zine? Follow the artist's instructions below to do it yourself. Using words and images, reflect on slow observations of your environment, or invite friends to each contribute a page of a collaborative virtual zine about whatever interests you!
Support Us
While The Contemporary Austin is closed to the public, we remain committed to inspiring our community through experiences with contemporary art. We have developed virtual programming to keep Austin inspired, organized virtual art classes for adults and kids through our Art School, and built robust art-based curricula and resources for educators and the general public—all while maintaining our 14-acre sculpture park and caring for the artwork at the Jones Center on Congress Avenue so we will be ready to welcome you back in-person soon. Please consider supporting our efforts if you are able.
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