Old-Fashioned Toys to be Displayed at the Wichita Art Museum
(WICHITA, KS) The Wichita Art Museum is pleased to host this year’s Toy Project November 21 to December 18. All 75 toys on display were hand-built and hand-painted by 60 individuals from the local Woodworkers’ Guild and the Society of Decorative Painters. After being displayed at the Wichita art Museum, toys will be donated to the Salvation Army to distribute to families in need.
Cheryl Warne, Director of Emergency Services, Salvation Army, “The Salvation Army distributes thousands of toys each year at the "Christmas Center," primarily new toys that have been donated by numerous organizations and individuals. The wooden toys are among the most coveted of the toys ( along with bicycles ) and are the first to be chosen.”
This is the fourth year the Woodworkers’ Guild and Society of Decorative Painters have collaborated on this project. It is both organizations major community service activity each year.
John Belt with the Sunflower Woodworkers’ Guild explains, “Both organizations are committed to producing heirloom quality toys that will be cherished by the young recipients and will become a treasured part of their youth. For many of the youngsters who receive these toys, this will be the only toy they receive for Christmas. Therefore, we do everything we can to make them special and memorable.”
Local cabinet shops and mills donate the wood for the toys, but the individual artists and woodworkers supply all the materials and paint.
To help celebrate this exciting project, the Wichita Art Museum will host a free lecture on Saturday, November 25 from 1 to 2 p.m. featuring John Belt of the Sunflower Woodworkers' Guild and Mary Cobble of the Society of Decorative Painters. The two will speak on the skills and history of their organizations and how they collaborated to bring together the Toy Project.
In addition, a Family Artventure is planned on Saturday, December 3. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. families are invited to stop by the Welcome Desk, view the toys, and then create their own holiday toy. Family Artventure is free, requires no reservation and lasts about an hour. Bring your camera, as our special guest, Santa Claus, will be on hand for plenty of photo opportunities.
Again, you can see the toys displayed in the Museum’s core galleries located in the original 1935 building from November 20 to December 18.
Please note – the Wichita Art Museum will be closed Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Regular hours resume on Saturday, November 25.
The Wichita Art Museum opened in 1935. It is home to The Roland P. Murdock Collection, one of the premier collections of American Art in the country. The Museum is proud to be supported through public and private funds, owned by the City of Wichita and managed by a private entity, Wichita Art Museum, Inc. Located at 1400 West Museum Boulevard, the Museum and Museum store are open Sunday noon – 5 p.m., and Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults; $4 for seniors ( 55+ ) and students with I.D.; $2 for children 5 - 17. Admission is free every Saturday and scheduled school groups are always free. The Spartan Café is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. –2 p.m. and from 2 – 3 p.m. for desserts and drinks. Brunch is available on Sundays from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. with drinks and desserts available until 3 p.m. There is no admission charge for visiting the Museum Store or Café.
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This story was released on 2006-11-22. Please make sure to visit the official company or organization web site to learn more about the original release date. See our disclaimer for additional information.