Author Archives: Johanna Bokedal

Slow Art Week and Slow Art Club at Galleria l’arte di seta in Slovenia

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For their fifth Slow Art Day, Galleria l’arte di seta in Ljubljana, Slovenia, hosted a weeklong series of slow-looking experiences titled Beyond Visible, held April 5–14, 2025. Facilitated by executive coach and gallery founder Lidija Drobež, the event invited small groups to engage in quiet reflection and guided discussion while viewing works of abstract art. This marked the gallery’s first time featuring abstract art for Slow Art Day, expanding from a prior focus on figurative works.

Juraj Dobrović, second abstract painting. (Photo courtesy of Galleria l’arte di seta)
Juraj Dobrović, abstract geometric work. (Photo courtesy of Galleria l’arte di seta)

The exhibition featured two works by Croatian artist Juraj Dobrović (b. 1928), a key figure in Geometric Abstraction and Neo-Constructivism. Dobrović’s art explores structured geometries across painting, sculpture, and graphic media. He has exhibited at major international venues including the Venice Biennale (1972) and São Paulo Biennale (1973). Though the gallery also included figurative works, guests naturally gravitated toward Dobrović’s abstract pieces for their slow-looking sessions.

Each session began with 15 minutes of silent viewing, followed by a guided group discussion. Participants were encouraged to remain in quiet reflection even after completing their own viewing. The works inspired rich personal interpretations:

  • “I noticed how I hang on lines, these lines here, not to be pulled through… I slowly moved with my eyes along the white line. This was a safety line.”
  • “I am used to geometrical forms. They are beautiful,” shared one guest, an architect.
  • Others reported joyful transformations: seeing toys dance or birds singing in a garden.
  • One called the experience “a pure harmony. A mathematical solution, the highest form of mathematics.”
Visitors slow looking at Juraj Dobrović’s work. (Photo courtesy of Galleria l’arte di seta)
Participant observing a single piece. (Photo courtesy of Galleria l’arte di seta)

Beyond this annual event, Galleria l’arte di seta has expanded its commitment to slowness through a year-round series called Meetings with Art, now part of the Slow Art Club Galleria l’arte di seta. These sessions are built on a shared structure:

  • 30 minutes of gathering and small talk
  • 60 minutes of slow engagement (art, poetry, embodiment)
  • 30 minutes of group reflection and farewell

The themes range from slow poetry readings to embodied responses to artwork, yet all share the values of facilitated dialogue, mindful presence, and deep connection.

Galleria l’arte di seta’s thoughtful curation of abstract art and their expanding year-round programming reflect a deep and evolving commitment to slow looking. We are grateful for their creative leadership and look forward to seeing what they design for Slow Art Day 2026.

– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

P.S. View them on Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/galleria.si/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Galleria.si/

Freer Gallery of Art at the Smithsonian Hosts First Slow Art Day with Forest Bathing and Qigong

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For their first Slow Art Day, the Freer Gallery of Art, part of the Smithsonian Asian Art Museum in Washington, D.C., hosted a day-long celebration focused on slowing the mind, body, and spirit.

Visitors were invited to participate in a series of immersive activities held in the Freer’s galleries and courtyard, designed to deepen observation and foster mindfulness through art and nature. The day offered both guided and self-guided experiences, welcoming adults and families alike.

Featured activities included:

  • Guided Slow Looking sessions in Gallery 5, focusing on Japanese screens (11:30 a.m. family session; 1:30 p.m. adults-only session)
  • Forest Bathing mindfulness walks in the courtyard led by naturalist and certified forest therapy guide Ana Ka’ahanui from Capital Nature (1 p.m. family session; 2 p.m. adults-only session)
  • Qigong practice in the courtyard, or Gallery 17 in case of rain (12–1 p.m.)
  • Self-Guided Slow Looking with sketching, writing, and conversational prompts available to encourage personal exploration at one’s own pace
A group of people doing yoga in an art gallery.
Image courtesy of Create Calm

Each session offered participants an opportunity to slow down, open their senses, and form a deeper, more personal connection with the art and environment around them.

Throughout the day, participants could be seen sketching quietly before the intricate screens, breathing mindfully in the courtyard, and moving gracefully through Qigong sequences that mirrored the flow of nature. The museum’s thoughtful integration of art, nature, and mindfulness—including the leadership of Ana Ka’ahanui in the forest bathing sessions—beautifully embodied the spirit of Slow Art Day.

We at Slow Art Day HQ love how the Freer Gallery of Art created such a great mix of events and wish we had been there to participate. We can’t wait to see what they come up with for Slow Art Day 2026.

– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

P.S. You can learn more about the Freer Gallery’s events and exhibits by visiting their website. You can also follow them on:

Slow Art Day at the Boston Athenaeum: Honoring Allan Rohan Crite and Polly Thayer Star

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For their second year participating in Slow Art Day, the Boston Athenaeum hosted a full day of slow looking and community reflection centered around the works of Boston artists Allan Rohan Crite (1910 – 2007) and Polly Thayer Starr (1904 – 2006).

Visitors were invited to explore the Athenaeum’s first floor galleries freely throughout the day or join one of four scheduled guided sessions at 11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm (a family session), and 3 pm. Each session began with 10 minutes of slow, close looking at a selected work, followed by a docent-led conversation encouraging participants to share their observations and experiences.

Featured works included:

Visitors participating in a slow looking session inside the historic Boston Athenaeum during Slow Art Day 2025. (Photo courtesy of the Boston Athenaeum)

Self-guided visitors were encouraged to select their own piece of art and use a printed Slow Art Day handout (below) featuring guiding questions for deeper reflection.

Slow Art Day handout (3)Download
Screenshot of the Boston Athenaeum’s social media post for the event. (Photo courtesy of the Boston Athenaeum)

On the day, the United States witnessed the largest coordinated protest since President Trump’s return to office, and the Athenaeum provided a space for contemplation and connection. The choice to highlight the works of Crite, an African American artist, and Starr, a female artist, resonated deeply on a day when issues of representation, equity, and justice were at the forefront of national discourse.

We at Slow Art Day HQ extend our gratitude to the Boston Athenaeum, and to all Slow Art Day hosts, this year for providing a sanctuary for reflection and dialogue during a pivotal moment in the world’s political discourse.

We look forward to seeing what the Boston Athenaeum designs for 2026!

– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

P.S. You can follow the Boston Athenaeum on:

MelonRouge and Artichoke Gallery in South Africa Hosts 7th Slow Art Day

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For their Slow Art Day 2024, the MelonRouge and Artichoke Gallery in Magaliesburg, South Africa, invited visitors to slowly experience the exhibition ‘POP Art – is it ISM or is it ART?’, listen to music, and eat food.

Slow Art Day poster for the event

Richard Scott, ‘Candy. Touch Me.’ (unknown date). Photo by Hannelie Sanders

Lighters with pop-art prints on display for Slow Art Day

Slow Art Day participants (and a dog vistor!) and Hannelie Sanders. Photo by Hannelie Sanders

Food served as part of the event. Photo by Hannelie Sanders

On Slow Art Day, visitors gathered at the Gallery to explore the art of Richard Scott and listen to the
music of Niki Daly. The gallery also displayed various practical items adorned with Pop Art, such as lighters, vinyl covers, and magazines, integrating art into everyday life.

Hannelie Sanders, the event host, led a lively and informative discussion. The central question during the event was whether Pop Art qualifies as an art form or merely an “ism.” The conversation was inspired by Niki Daly’s song, whose lyrics playfully questioned the distinction between artistic movements and true art:

Lyrics Excerpt:
Maholy-Nagy, Maholy-Nagy
I love his ism, but is it art?
Tell me my Bauhaus baby
Is it art?
Is it an ism or is it an art?
…

The song set the tone for the day’s theme, blending humor with a critical examination of art
history and theory.

Richard Scott, a prominent British artist based in Cape Town, was a key feature of the event. Scott’s art often combines vivid Pop Art elements with everyday objects, making his work accessible and engaging. His art was displayed alongside practical items, emphasizing Pop Art’s integration into daily life.

As most readers know, Pop Art emerged in the mid-20th century, characterized by its use of popular culture imagery and mass media techniques. Artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein drew inspiration from advertising, comic books, and consumer products, challenging traditional notions of art. This movement blurred the lines between high art and mass culture, making art more accessible to the general public.

At Slow Art Day HQ we are looking forward to whatever MelonRouge Artichoke Gallery designs for Slow Art Day 2025.

-Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

P.S. Stay up to date with events at the MelonRouge Artichoke Gallery via their Facebook

Here you can also see some videos produced in connection with the Slow Art Day event and shared to Facebook:

Haliburton’s Rails End Gallery Hosts Again in 2024

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For their 4th Slow Art Day, held in 2024, Rails End Gallery and Arts Center in Haliburton, Canada, invited visitors to look slowly at art from their annual local artist exhibition and then vote for their favorite.

Voting station at the Slow Art Day event

Slow Looking Prompts

Wendy Wood, Not all dreams are happy ones, acrylic on canvas, 2024

David Douglas, Eurydice Hunting Antlers, found art assemblage, 2024

Gregor Gillespie, Unscheduled Departure, wood and stone, 2024 

Voting station at the Slow Art Day event

Slow Art Day coincided with the final day of their annual exhibition, making the Slow Art Day event their finale.

For Slow Art Day 2024, staff at the Gallery prepared cards with leading questions that visitors could reference while they looked.

A magnifying glass was also provided to visitors to take a (literal) close look at the art. Ahead of time, each artist had been asked to write a statement which was placed in a binder. Much to the surprise of the Gallery staff, one mother who took part in the event even read aloud from the binder for her children. 

Note that Rails End Gallery is a registered nonprofit with an active and arts-minded volunteer community.

Many large museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Art Gallery of Toronto (Canada’s largest museum) lead the Slow Art Day movement, but we also have a growing number of smaller locations like Rails End Gallery.

We look forward to seeing whatever Rails End Gallery and Arts Center come up with for Slow Art Day this year.

-Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

P.S. Stay up to date with events at Rails End Gallery and Arts Center through their Instagram

Slow Looking and Dance at the University of Navarra’s Museum

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For their second Slow Art Day, the University of Navarra’s Museum located in Pamplona, Spain invited visitors to look slowly at “De este paraíso” (“Of this paradise”), 1969, by Manolo Millares. Present at the event were also a professional dancer and a choreographer for a body expression session.

Visitors looking slowly at De este paraíso” (“Of this paradise”), by Manolo Millares. Photo by Manuel Castells.
De este paraíso” (“Of this paradise”), by Manolo Millares. Photo by Manuel Castells.

Ahead of Slow Art Day, the event was published to the Museum’s website, and an invitation newsletter was sent to subscribers.

The Slow Art Day session on April 13 took place from 5 to 7 p.m. It was free and there were 20 places available. Between 5 to 6 pm, all participants first looked slowly at the artwork together, followed by a discussion.

From 6 to 7 pm the group moved into another room for the body expression workshop. It was led by the dancer and choreographer Itsaso Álvarez Cano, and visitors were invited to respond to the artwork through dance (Unfortunately there are no pictures from this part of the event).

At Slow Art Day HQ we love the inclusion of the body expression session. We experience art with several of the senses, and moving our bodies seems like a perfect way to extend slow looking into an embodied response.

We can’t wait to see what the Museum at the University of Navarra comes up with for Slow Art Day this year.

-Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

P.S. Slow Art Day 2025 is coming up on April 5. If you have not done so, please register your museum, gallery, church, sculpture park or movie theater here: https://www.slowartday.com/be-a-host/

P.P.S. Stay up to date with the Museum at the University of Navarra through their Instagram or Facebook.

Bloomington Citywide Slow Art Day

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For their 5th Slow Art Day, Eaton Studio Gallery in Bloomington, IL., spearhead another citywide Slow Art Day in 2024, and as one of the *18* locations, invited participants to a sip-n-view followed by a conversation with artist Herb Eaton.

Exterior of the Studio Gallery

Participants slow looking and engaging with artist Herb Eaton

Herb Eaton with Slow Art Day participants

“Scribbler’s Memorial” Bronze & Stainless by Herb Eaton

Assorted artworks by Herb Eaton

Slow Art Day has become a prominent force across Bloomington during the past few years, and Pamela Eaton, who has spearheaded the citywide Slow Art Day, told us that the whole multi-venue celebration has been transformative for art in Bloomington.

“Collaborating with the other artists and galleries in our community for Slow Art Day has given our local art scene more visibility and we are now attracting more local and out of town visitors to our art locations.”

Pamela Eaton

The citywide event received a promotion grant to help cover the cost of printing promotional materials, and Eaton Gallery itself received an Illinois Tourism grant to promote the Art Trail on Route 66 for Slow Art Day.

To conclude the festivities, all Slow Art Day goers across the 18-venue city-wide Slow Art Day event were invited to a closing reception with a prize giveaway at The Hangar Art Company from 2 to 4 p.m. in Downtown Bloomington.

At Slow Art Day HQ we have been delighted to follow the events by Eaton Studio Gallery since they joined the Slow Art Day movement during the Covid19 Pandemic. From designing a drive-by exhibition in 2020 to now leading a city-wide phenomenon — we can’t wait to see how Slow Art Day grows in Bloomington during the years to come.

-Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

Mason City, IL, Hosts City-Wide Slow Art Day

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For their first city-wide Slow Art Day, the town of Mason City, Illinois lined up three venues to host artwork events for Slow Art Day: the public library, Reimagine Mason City Foundation, and the Arlee Theater. 

All three are local nonprofits who are actively involved in youth services and the arts. Even though Mason City is not large enough to need a stop light (with a population of 2500), they still make sure to celebrate local artists. This year’s featured works included pieces from local artists who have passed on, as well as works from four other Central Illinois artists with various ties to Mason City. Most of the entries were paintings, with one sculpture.

This year’s local artworks were: 

  • Unknown titled piece by Andrea Maxson
  • “Colorful Flowers” by the late Helen Kim
  • Two untitled pieces by Anastasia Neumann
  • “Protection” and “Old Warrior” by Rick Kehl
  • Unknown titled piece by the late Mary Price
  • Unknown titled piece by the late Mary K. Mangold
  • “Arcturian Landscape Study in Aluminum” by Paige Price 
Untitled work by Anastasia Neumann
Untitled work by Anastasia Neumann
Untitled work by Andrea Maxson
“Colorful Flowers” by Helen Kim
Untitled work by Mary K. Mangold
Untitled work by Mary Price
“Arcturian Landscape Study in Aluminum” by Paige Price
“Old Warrior” by Rick Kehl
“Protection” by Rick Kehl

On Slow Art Day, the artworks were divided across the three selected locations, and tips for looking at art slowly were provided at each venue.

  • The public library showed their pieces in a special exhibit.
  • The Reimagine Mason City Foundation hosted a pop-up coffee shop where their works were displayed. 
  • And lastly, the Arlee Theater projected digital versions of all of the works onto the big screen prior to the evening’s show (we have seen several theaters participate over the years, and love this type of venue for slow looking!).

At Slow Art Day HQ, we love to see citywide events – and especially appreciate smaller towns who come together to celebrate the day. We also hope to see more movie theaters join the Slow Art Day movement.

We look forward to seeing what Mason City comes up with for Slow Art Day in 2025.

-Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl


P.S. Slow Art Day 2025 is coming up on April 5. If you have not done so, please register your museum, gallery, church, sculpture park or movie theater here: https://www.slowartday.com/be-a-host/

Mindful Slow Looking at The Foster Museum

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For their first Slow Art Day, The Foster Museum in Palo Alto, California, invited participants to engage with works by Tony Foster, a plein air watercolor artist who creates series of paintings he calls “Journeys.” Per their website, “Foster’s unique art form is a series of paintings with accompanying notes and symbolic objects or “souvenirs” made with the intention to reveal wild places or explore a specific idea or theme.”

The free Slow Art Day event was advertised in the museum lobby and in their newsletter for a few months before the event on Saturday, April 13. The event started with an introduction by Anne Baxter, co-Director of The Foster Museum, and was followed by an hour of mindful slow looking at 5 of Tony’s artworks. The event ended with a closing discussion and light refreshments.

Slow Art Day participants engaging with artworks by Tony Foster (Ph: Anne Baxter).

Anne told us that she learned about Slow Art Day through Alan Petersen, Fine Art Curator at the Museum of Northern Arizona, a longtime Slow Art Day museum. Last year when Alan was in California teaching a drawing workshop and researching the whereabouts of Gunnar Widforss’ paintings in the area, Anne asked him for programming ideas that seem like a great fit with The Foster Museum. Alan immediately suggested Slow Art Day. Love that. Word-of-mouth is how we have built this movement.

And we are happy to welcome The Foster Museum to Slow Art Day and look forward to what they come up with for Slow Art Day 2025.

– Jessica Jane, Johanna, Ashley and Phyl

P.S. Slow Art Day 2025 is coming up on April 5. If you have not done so, please register your museum, gallery, church, sculpture park here: https://www.slowartday.com/be-a-host/

P.S.S. You can follow The Foster Museum on Instagram, FB and X.


McMichael Canadian Art Collection Hosts First Slow Art Day

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For their first Slow Art Day, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, Canada, organized a slow looking and sketching event.

Visitors were encouraged to walk around the museum and look slowly at their chosen works of art. Guided tours were canceled for Slow Art Day in order for participants to experience the art slowly and on their own terms – excellent!

McMichael Collection Slow Art Day image from their social media post, advertising the event.

Slow looking participants listening to the introduction in the Founder’s Lounge.

To introduce the concept of slow looking, visitors were also invited to a short explanation followed by a 15 minute self-guided sketching activity in front of an artwork of their choice. The sessions were held in the Founder’s Lounge at the top of the hour during three time-slots. All sketching materials were provided, and visitors were given stools to place in front of their chosen artwork.

Images of participants slow looking and sketching were shared to social media.

Participant sketching in front of their chosen artwork.

We love this simple, creative design and encourage other museums to consider copying some of what the McMichael Canadian Art Collection did for 2024.

And we look forward to what they come up with for April 2025!

-Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

P.S. Slow Art Day 2025 is coming up on April 5. If you have not done so, please register your museum, gallery, church, sculpture park here: https://www.slowartday.com/be-a-host/

P.P.S. Stay up to date with other events at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection through their Instagram and Facebook.