Studio Activities

The Sid Richardson Museum houses a studio classroom where tour groups, ages kindergarden through 12th grade, can experience hands-on activities aligned with docent-guided tours.

  • Studio activities provide hands-on experiences that allow students a way to relate their personal response to the collection with their own artistic experience. Activities are designed to complement tour themes and school curriculum standards. All studio activities are designed to encourage higher level thinking skills, creative expression and practice with authentic artistic mediums and/or techniques.

  • If you are interested in reserving a guided tour with a studio activity, please contact Shelby Orr at sorr@SidRichardsonMuseum.org or call 817-332-6554. for more information about selecting a studio activity that best fits your group's needs. Activities are provided free of charge. 

Below is a list of available tour themes and studio activities. 

Pathways

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Tour Theme - Follow the challenges and adventures of those who travelled during the great Westward expansion. Tours may address the artist's role as illustrator of the West as well as transportation and communication in the Old West.

Studio Activity - How were people enticed to travel West?

What is a print and how was printmaking used for mass reproduction in the 1800's?

Printmaking - Students will create a relief print poster about the Old West.

Pathways

print sample from a studio activity

Tour Theme - Follow the challenges and adventures of those who travelled during the great Westward Expansion. Tours may address the artist's role as illustrator of the West as well as transportation and communication in the Old West.

Studio Activity - What was it like to travel through the Old West by wagon or stagecoach?

Drawing - Students will create a narrative drawing using a wagon wheel for inspiration.

Art of Story

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Tour Theme - The Museum houses a wealth of narrative imagery in its collection. This tour explores elements shared by narrative images and the stories they inspire. Tour may include discussion of character, setting, action and details and incorporate myth and storytelling.

Studio Activity - How are narrative paintings and stories similar?

How do artists show the setting of the story?

Painting - Students will consider the setting of a story or painting and create an acrylic landscape painting on canvas board.

The First Americans

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Tour Theme - Consider the social order of the Native American, whose traditional way of life was vanishing by the late 19th century. Tours may explore legends, culture, symbols and/or the Plains American Indian's dependence upon the buffalo.

Studio Activity - What resources did Native Americans use to make clothing and accessories?

Weaving - Students will make a decorative wool weaving.

or

Studio Activity - What habitats and environments existed in the American West?

Printmaking - Students will create an acrylic landscape.

Creating Communities

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Tour Theme - Investigate how Native Americans, pioneers, military, settlers and cowboys contributed to diversity in the American West.

Studio Activity - Why are journals important tools or resources?

How were journals used during the 1800s to document the West?

Journal Making - Students will create a journal for sketching or documenting.

Home on the Range

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Tour Theme - Discover why the myth of the cowboy is still celebrated today, exploring the proud and diverse heritage of the American Cowboy. Tours may incorporate discussion about cowboy clothing/equipment, work and leisure.

Studio Activity -How is the tradition of silver working related to cowboys?

Metal Tooling - Students will explore cowboy clothing and equipment and create a metal tooling design in heavy aluminum.

The Artist's Process

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Tour Theme - Explore Frederic Remington and Charles Russell's artistic inspirations, development, styles, and methods in this art focused tour. Tour may include a comparison of the images, a look at early sketches by the artists, and discussion regarding how the paintings reflect the artists' life experiences.

Studio Activity - What tools, both physical and imaginary, does an artist use?

Painting - Students will create an acrylic landscape painting on canvas board.

Home on the Range

print sample from a studio activity

Tour Theme - Discover why the myth of the cowboy is still celebrated today, exploring the proud and diverse heritage of the American Cowboy. Tours may incorporate discussion about cowboy clothing/equipment, work and leisure.

Studio Activity - How do cowboys use brands?

Can you make a bandana design with a personal brand?

Designing a Bandana - Students will create a bandana with a personally designed brand.

Music at the Museum*

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Tour Theme - Learn about the kinds of music and instruments that Native Americans and/or cowboys enjoyed.

Tours may include singing and/or a demonstration of instruments.

*Available only on Mondays.

Studio Activity - What kinds of music and instruments did Native Americans make and play?

Rattle Making - Students will create a rattle based on Native American instruments.