Mettingen, Germany – Draiflessen Collection
The Florence County Museum Leads the Way
For their second Slow Art Day, The Florence County Museum in South Carolina invited visitors to take a slow look at several artworks by local artist William H. Johnson (born 1901), featuring scenes of the everyday life of African Americans during the 1930s and 1940s.
On the day, all visitors were offered a printed slow looking guide (see below) and a Slow Art Day button when entering the museum. Visitors could choose between walking around on their own or taking part in a guided group tour, which were available throughout opening hours 10am-5pm. Refreshments were available in the afternoon (nice touch!).
Here’s the guide:
The Florence County Museum did a great job with their Slow Art Day – a simple effective printed guide, a lovely button, focus on one artist, a choice between a formal tour and self-guided reflection, and, finally, even refreshments.
What an effective holistic approach to the day.
Other museums and galleries may want to consider copying their design (or at least their guide).
The Florence County Museum is leading the way in celebrating Slow Art Day and we look forward to what they come up with for Slow Art Day 2024 (registration is open!)
-Johanna, Phyl, Ashley, and Jessica Jane
PS. Stay up to date with the Florence County Museum’s news and exhibitions through their Instagram and Facebook pages.
Slow Art Day with Rosé at the Bula Barua Gallery
For their first Slow Art Day, the Bula Barua Gallery in St. Petersburg, Florida, hosted an event called “Rosé and Fine Art.”
Arriving guests were welcomed with a glass of wine or water and given a slow tour of The Bula Barua Gallery. Each artwork had a QR code, which revealed the artwork’s story and description.
Bula Barua is an artist whose conscientious approach to painting fits in well as a slow making approach. In her own words:
“I take a lot of time to plan out my paintings before I pick up a brush. I first start with a sketch and then graduate to pigments and paints. It often takes hundreds of layers of color to bring my vision to life […] This entire process from start to finish can take weeks or months, depending on the size of my canvas and which materials I use.”
Bula Barua. Statement from the Bula Gallery Website.
At Slow Art Day HQ we hope that more individual artists copy Bula Burua and host Slow Art Day events in their galleries and studios. It’s a great way to deepen their relationship with their followers, fans, and potential buyers.
We look forward to what Bula Burua comes up with for Slow Art Day 2024.
-Johanna, Ashley, Phyl, and Jessica Jane.