Click directly to events in February, March, April, May or Museum Exhibits.

February

Saturday, February 23, 3–5 pm: The Sundown Schoolhouse: How to Eat Austin – Workshop #5, Your Children. Workshop on making gardens for children, schools and students, with Martha Cason, Garza Independence High School Institution. ADMISSION IS FREE. Arthouse at the Jones Center, 700 Congress info@arthousetexas.org, (512)453-5312, www.arthousetexas.org

March

Saturday, March 1, 3–5 pm: The Sundown Schoolhouse: How to Eat Austin – Workshop #6, Your Food. Homegrown produce cooking workshop, with Sustainable Food Center’s The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre program. ADMISSION IS FREE. Arthouse at the Jones Center, 700 Congress. info@arthousetexas.org, (512) 453-5312, www.arthousetexas.org

Saturday, March 1, 10 am–4:30 pm: Hot Art Hip Kids in conjunction with Explore UT Families experience and learn about works of art together through fun hands-on gallery activities and creating their own artwork. This program held in conjunction with Explore UT: the biggest open house in Texas. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Sunday, March 2, 2 pm: Special Public Tour Brian Jones, a graduate student in the department of history at UT, discusses Colonial South America and The Virgin, Saints, and Angels. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Tuesday, March 4, 6:30 pm: Artistic License: Jorge Macchi Participate in a conversation with Jorge Macchi and composer Edgardo Rudnitzky on the collaborative nature of their work. The talk will include time for audience questions and comments and will be moderated by Gabriel Perez-Barreiro, curator of Latin American Art. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Thursday, March 6, 12:30 pm: Expert Perspective Katherine Moore McAllen, PhD candidate in art history at Harvard University, leads a tour of The Virgin, Saints, and Angels. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Thursday, March 6, 7 pm: Film Screening-- Austin Art Studio Shorts. Video shorts look inside New Art in Austin artists' studios to reveal the artists and their work. Austin Museum of Art-Downtown. 823 Congress Ave., (512) 495-9224. Admission: Free with museum admission.

Friday, March 7, 6–11 pm: B scene Join us for B scene, the Blanton's monthly art party. In March celebrate Women's History Month with a special Ladies Night* and a live performance by retro darlings The Carrots. Plus, move and groove to tunes by DJ Honeycomb, explore the artistic expression of women in the Blanton's collection, and enjoy drinks from our cash bar and free appetizers courtesy of Catering by Rosemary. Admission: Cost: $5 members; $10 non-members. * Ladies will have the opportunity to win fabulous prizes. Regular admission still applies. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Saturday, March 8, 12-4 pm: Second Saturdays are for Families. Drop in and create! Austin Museum of Art-Downtown. 823 Congress Ave., (512) 495-9224 Admission: $7 per family; $5 Member families

Saturday, March 8, 3–5 pm: The Sundown Schoolhouse: How to Eat Austin – Workshop #7, Your Market. Marketing opportunities for backyard (and front yard) gardeners, with Andrew Smiley, Sustainable Food Center. ADMISSION IS FREE. Arthouse at the Jones Center, 700 Congress. info@arthousetexas.org, (512) 453-5312, www.arthousetexas.org

March 14-16, Time: all day: Edible Estate Regional Prototype Garden #5. Join Arthouse, artist Fritz Haeg and the residents of Sierra Ridge apartments for the planting of Edible Estates Regional Prototype Garden #5. Edible Estates is an ongoing project by Fritz Haeg to replace suburban lawns with edible garden landscapes responsive to local culture, climate and geography. Commissioned by Arthouse at the Jones Center. PLANTING IS AT SIERRA RIDGE, 201 WEST ST. ELMO, AT SOUTH CONGRESS AVE. To sign up to volunteer: info@arthousetexas.org, (512) 453-5312, ADMISSION IS FREE

Saturday, March 15, 2-4 pm: Explore the Story - Telling It Through Time. Discover the technology of Eyewitness and beyond - from quill pens to weblogs and from hand-drawn portraits to cell phone cameras. Explore how memories have been preserved and shared with others, as well as how these methods and materials have changed over the last three centuries. The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. 1800 N. Congress. www.thestoryoftexas.com. Free with exhibit admission

Sunday, March 16, 2 pm: Special Public Tour Deborah Spivak, a graduate student in the department of art history at UT, talks about Colonial South America in The Virgin, Saints, and Angels. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Thursday, March 20, 12:30 pm: Curator’s Tour Join Curator Annette Carlozzi for a discussion of WorkSpace: In Katrina’s Wake. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Thursday, March 20, 5 – 9 pm: Third Thursday Theme: Memorial/Collective Experience Wine is available for purchase courtesy of Catering by Rosemary. 6 pm Artistic License: In Katrina’s Wake 6:30 pm Yoga in the Galleries 7 pm Blanton Book Club, Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans? by Various Authors 7 & 8 pm Art Brief tour. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Saturday, March 22, 3 pm: Discussion with Trenton Doyle Hancock, Stephen Mills & Graham Reynolds. Hear the artist, choreographer, and composer discuss their collaboration, Cult of Color: Call to Color, a ballet and exhibition jointly commissioned by Ballet Austin and Arthouse at the Jones Center. ADMISSION IS FREE. Exhibition on view at Arthouse March 21 – April 27. Arthouse at the Jones Center, 700 Congress. info@arthousetexas.org, (512) 453-5312, www.arthousetexas.org

Tuesday, March 25, Noon: Bach Cantata Project Listen to beautiful music in the Blanton’s soaring Rapoport Atrium. The Bach Cantata Project is a joint venture between the Blanton and the UT School of Music. This month: BWV 4 Christ lag in Todesbanden [Christ lay in the snares of death]. Media sponsor: KMFA, Classical 89.5. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Tuesday, March 25, 4 pm: Artistic License: Matheus Rocha Pitta The artist-in-residence discusses his current projects with the Creative Research Laboratory at UT. This event will take place at the Creative Research Laboratory, 2832 E MLK. FREE. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Sunday, March 30, 4-6 pm: Power of the Eyewitness. Today, the swift evolution of technological advances makes it possible to record and disseminate information about history-in-the-making events within a matter of minutes. Join Dr. Betty Sue Flowers, director of the National Archives' Lyndon B. Johnson Library and Museum, as she leads a discussion on how devices such as cell phones, digital video, and the World Wide Web are changing the speed, accuracy, and impact of current events. The panel, including Neal Spelce, award-winning Austin broadcast journalist and entrepreneur, and Tracy Dahlby – an award-winning print journalist and producer of historical documentaries for television – who holds the Frank A. Bennack Chair in Journalism at The University of Texas at Austin, will address concerns regarding the public's ability to absorb, evaluate, and react critically to historic events related in an ever-increasingly fast-paced world. The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. 1800 N. Congress. www.thestoryoftexas.com Free, reservations required. Call (512) 936-4649 for reservations.

April

Thursdays in April, April 3, 10, 17, 24 at 7 pm: Artists' Talks. Twenty artists-to-watch discuss their art in the galleries. Austin Museum of Art-Downtown. 823 Congress Ave., (512) 495-9224. Admission: Free with museum admission

Friday, April 4, 6 pm: B scene The Blanton’s monthly art party featuring live music, DJs, art activities, tours, cash bar, and free appetizers. Admission: $5 members/$10 non-members. Tickets available at the museum. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Sunday, April 6, 1 pm: If These Walls Could Speak: The Blanton Poetry Project Join poets from across Texas in a reading of work inspired by art from the Blanton’s collection. 1 pm Coffee reception 2 pm Readings by poets 3 pm Tours of works that inspired the poets. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Thursday, April 17, 5–9 pm: Third Thursday (a free evening of great art and great activities) Theme: An evening devoted to works on paper 6PM Art Fix: Printmaking 6:30PM Yoga in the Galleries 7PM Art Brief tour 7PM Blanton Book Club, Rembrandt’s Whore by Sylvie Matton 8PM Art Brief tour. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Friday, April 18, 7:30–10:30 pm: Taste of Mexico 2008. Curated by Martha Papadimitriou, Taste of Mexico 2008 is a museum inside a museum. La Caja is made up of two parts: the Huge and the Small. Featuring prominent contemporary artists from Mexico, The Huge is an exhibition of twenty-one “regular” size paintings and sculptures displayed in a traditional museum gallery, and the Small is a miniature contemporary museum. Organized by Mexic-Arte Museum, the event takes place at the Hyatt Regency Austin on Town Lake. (512) 480-9373 or www.mexic-artemuseum.org. For information about sponsorships, please contact Frank Rodriguez at 512-480-9373 x29 or development@mexic-artemuseum.org Admission Information: $60 for general admission ticket (can be purchased online, by phone, or by visiting the Museum)

Friday, April 18, 6–8 pm: Director’s Circle Preview Party Celebrate the Blanton's new spring exhibitions The University of Texas Art Faculty Triennial and The Language of Prints. Admission: For Director's Circle members only. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Sunday, April 20, 1:30, 2, 2:30, 3, & 3:30 pm: Members-Only Tours Tour the new exhibition The Language of Prints. Admission: Open to all Blanton members. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Thursday, April 24, 12:30 pm: Expert Perspective Members of the University of Texas faculty discuss their work in The University of Texas Art Faculty Triennial. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Thursday, April 24, 7 pm: The Cult of Color String Quintet, featuring Graham Reynolds, in conjunction with Refraction Arts & Fuse Box Festival. Themes and elements of the Cult of Color: Call to Color ballet music are presented as a live, finished piece for the first time. ADMISSION IS FREE. Cult of Color: Call to Color is a ballet and exhibition jointly commissioned by Ballet Austin and Arthouse at the Jones Center. Exhibition on view at Arthouse March 21–April 27. Arthouse at the Jones Center, 700 Congress. info@arthousetexas.org, (512) 453-5312, www.arthousetexas.org

Saturday April 26, 11 am-5 pm: Maifest. German cultural festival celebrating spring with German food and a biergarten, folk dancing, singing, a marinonette show, used German books and a rummage sale. German Free School, 507 E. 10th St. (512) 482-0927, info@germantexans.org, www.germantexans.org Admission Information: Free

Sunday, April 27, 3 pm: UT Faculty Chamber Ensemble UT Faculty Chamber Ensemble performs works by Beethoven, Handel, and others in the Rapoport Atrium. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Tuesday, April 29, Noon: Bach Cantata Project A joint venture between the Blanton and the UT School of Music Choral Program. Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen (Himmelfahrts-Oratorium) [Laud God in His Kingdoms (Acension Oratorio)] BWV 11. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

May

Thursday, May 1, 12:30 pm: Expert Perspective Lee Chesney, associate professor and associate chairman of art and art history at the University of Texas, explores the printmaking techniques in The Language of Prints. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Friday, May 2, 6–11 pm: B scene The Blanton’s monthly art party featuring live music, DJs, art activities, tours, cash bar, and free appetizers. Admission: $5 members/$10 non-members. Tickets available at the museum. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Friday, May 2–Sunday, May 11 during regular museum hours: Member's Double Discount Shopping Days Blanton members receive 20% discount on all purchases. Some restrictions may apply. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Sunday, May 4, 2-4 pm: Reception for Ahead of Their Time 2008: 9th Annual Austin-Area Advanced Student Art Exhibition. Arthouse organizes Ahead of Their Time, an annual exhibition of art made by high school students enrolled in advanced art courses. This exhibition offers an opportunity for the public to enjoy the accomplishments of young Austin-area artists. We believe that many of these young artists truly are "Ahead of Their Time," and are beginning to show levels of talent and creativity expected from older artists. Exhibition is on view May 3 – 11, 2008. Arthouse at the Jones Center, 700 Congress. info@arthousetexas.org, (512) 453-5312, www.arthousetexas.org ADMISSION IS FREE

Sunday, May 4, 2 pm: Expert Perspective Curator Jonathan Bober presents Printmaking Beyond Technique. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Saturday, May 10, 12-4 pm: Second Saturdays are for Families. Drop in and create! Austin Museum of Art-Downtown. 823 Congress Ave., (512) 495-9224. Admission: $7 per family; $5 Member families

Saturday, May 10, 12–5 pm: Art Bash. An annual showcase of teen musicians, coupled with hands-on art activities for visitors. This event is organized by teens and for teens. Held in the galleries, in the midst of exceptional student art, Art Bash is an afternoon of inspiring musical performances. A project of Club Arthouse. Arthouse at the Jones Center, 700 Congress. info@arthousetexas.org, (512) 453-5312, www.arthousetexas.org ADMISSION IS FREE

Sunday, May 11, 2 pm: Expert Perspective Larry Silver, Farquhar Professor of the History of Art at University of Pennsylvania, presents “Size Matters: Breaking the Boundaries of the Single Sheet.” Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Thursday, May 15, 5–9 pm: Third Thursday Theme: Where in the Art World? Wine and light snacks all night 6PM Art Fix 6:30PM Yoga in the Galleries 7PM Art Brief 7PM Book Club, The Museum Guard: A Novel by Howard Norman 8PM Art Brief. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Thursday, May 15, 6–7:30 pm: Curatorial Connection Experience behind-the-scenes access of the Julia Matthews Wilkinson Center for Prints and Drawing with Curator Jonathan Bober. In conjunction with the exhibition The Language of Prints. Admission: For Contributor, Patron, and Contemporary Salon members only. Blanton Museum of Art MLK at Congress 471-7324. www.blantonmuseum.org

Saturday, May 17, 7:30-10 pm: 5x7 2008 – Annual Art Splurge & Exhibition. Arthouse’s annual spring fund-raiser featuring hundreds of 5 inch by 7 inch works of art created by contemporary artists with strong Texas ties. All artwork is displayed anonymously. Only when you purchase a work of art do you discover the artist. Each 5x7 is $100 – a great opportunity to start or add to an art collection. Exhibition and sale continue through June 1. Arthouse at the Jones Center, 700 Congress. info@arthousetexas.org, (512) 453-5312, www.arthousetexas.org Admission Information: Tickets for the fund-raiser are $125 and may be purchased on-line beginning April 1. Admission is free May 18 - June 1.

Ongoing Exhibits

Spring Break & Summer. Time: varies, check website. Spring Break & Summer Camps Kids will enjoy educational, hands-on fun in topics like science, technology and math. Half-day camps for ages 4-6 and full-day camps with daily field trips for ages 7-10. Check web for topics, dates and prices. Austin Children’s Museum. 201 Colorado St., (512) 472-2499, www.austinkids.org Admission Information: prices vary, check web

February 8–May 15. Mon-Thur 10 am-6 pm, Fri. and Sat. 10 am-5 pm, Sun. noon-5 pm. La Caja Museo Contemporáneo de Arte (The Box Contemporary Museum of Art). Curated by Martha Papadimitriou, the exhibit is a museum inside a museum. La Caja is made up of two parts: the Huge and the Small. Featuring prominent contemporary artists from Mexico, The Huge is an exhibition of twenty-one “regular” size paintings and sculptures displayed in a traditional museum gallery, and the Small is a miniature contemporary museum. Mexic-Arte Museum. (512) 480-9373, www.mexic-artemuseum.org Admission Information: $5 adults, $4 seniors/students, $1 children 12 and under, members free

February 16-April 20, 2008. Eyewitness: American Originals from the National Archives The Museum will be the only venue in Texas where you can be an eyewitness to some of the nation's most powerful historical records. Eyewitness draws on rarely-displayed documents, audio recordings, and film footage from the extensive holdings of the National Archives and its Presidential Libraries and Regional Archives. The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. 1800 N. Congress. www.thestoryoftexas.com. Admission $5-$7.

February 27-August 31. Monday-Friday 10 am–5 pm; Saturday 9 am–2 pm. Natchez Mississippi, Photographs by Henry Norman from the Tom and Joan Gandy Collection. Photographs by Henry Norman, a Natchez photographer, provide a remarkable visual record of the unique town of Natchez, Mississippi, from the Civil War through the Victorian era into the 20th century. These images document the built environment, transportation, and commerce as well as raise vexing questions about race, gender, and class. The Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin, Sid Richardson Hall 2.109. www.cah.utexas.edu. Free parking in the LBJ Museum lot on Red River St. Contact Information: Lynn Bell, Asst. Director for Exhibits and Material Culture, 495-4515; l.bell@austin.utexas.edu. Admission Information: Free Admission.

February 20-May 24, 2008. Tuesday-Saturday 10 am–5 pm. Kings of the River, Photographs by Henry Norman from the Tom and Joan Gandy Collection. Kings of the River showcases 33 images of historic riverboats by Natchez photographer Henry Norman whose camera documented daily life in the river port town of Natchez in the last decades of the 19th century when steamboats and cotton still dominated transportation and commerce. Presented by the Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin. On view at FLATBED PRESS, 2830 East MLK Jr. Blvd 78702. Gallery space courtesy of the Creative Research Laboratory, U.T. Department of Art and Art History. Contact Information: Lynn Bell, U. T. Asst. Director for Exhibits and Material Culture, 495-4515; l.bell@austin.utexas.edu Admission Information: Free Admission.

Now through September 14, 2008. Play It By Ear. Explore the art and science of tinkering with sound in our feature exhibit. Experiment with echoes, create music with dancing Slinkys, change your voice to sound like a robot. You can bring to life artworks created by sound artists and create your own sound art. Austin Children’s Museum. 201 Colorado. 512-472-2499, www.austinkids.org Admission Information: $5.50-$3.50, under 12 mos. free

June 5–July 31, 2008. Monday & Friday 9:30 am-6 pm; Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 9:30 am-8 pm; Saturday 1 pm-5 pm. Calvin Littlejohn Photographs. Calvin Littlejohn Photographs documents the African-American community in Fort Worth during the years following World War Two. Presented by the Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin. On view at the George Washington Carver Museum & Cultural Center, 1165 Angelina St, 78702. Contact Information: Lynn Bell, Asst. Director for Exhibits and Material Culture, U. T. Center for American History, 495-4515; l.bell@austin.utexas.edu Admission Information: Free Admission.