The first bus trip of the year takes us to the Art Institute of Chicago to see an engaging exhibit: Frida Kahlo’s Month in Paris: A Friendship with Mary Reynolds.

Unveiling Frida Kahlo’s work for the first time in the Art Institute galleries, this exhibition focuses on the celebrated Mexican artist’s first and only trip to Europe and her brief yet pivotal encounter with Mary Reynolds, an American avantgarde bookbinder who stood at the center of a rich Parisian artistic community.

The exhibit sheds light on this little-known chapter of 20th-century art history, recounting the legacies of Kahlo and Reynolds—both artists themselves and partners of artists—as they navigated Surrealism, identity, and cross-cultural exchange on the eve of World War II.

$95 Members / $115 Non-Members

Includes continental breakfast, museum admission and a return wine & cheese snack. Depart MMAA at 10:00 AM; return at 7:15 PM. Lunch on your own. Fees are due upon registration.

Limited seating. Call (574) 293-6660 or email r.roberts@midwestmuseum.us

Take a little inspiration from the Gestural Gyrations of Sheri Smith by exploring the complexity of line drawing at the Midwest Museum of American Art this Summer!

Workshop Highlights

5:00 – 6:00 PM on June 17, 18, 24, 26

Dynamic Linework, is a four-day drawing workshop that will loosen your hand, sharpen your eye, and bring your sketches to life! In this energetic and exploratory class, we’ll break away from stiff, overworked lines and dive into gesture drawing, blind contour, and expressive mark-making. From capturing movement like a dancer to building the bones of a figure with confident strokes, you’ll discover how line can express motion, structure, and depth. Along the way, we’ll take inspiration from artists like Sheri Smith, whose ‘gestural gyrations of Jazz’ will be on display!

$60. FOR MMAA MEMBERS

$75. FOR NON-MEMBERS

All supplies included.

Register by calling 574-293-6660 or email r.roberts@midwestmuseum.us

About the Instructor

Emma Marsh is the Assistant Curator of Education, Programming, and Exhibits at the Midwest Museum of American Art. She is a practicing artist, but before joining the museum, she began her career as an educator.

Emma has had experience teaching art in the public school setting and has led drawing classes at the South Bend Museum of Art.

She currently teaches drawing and continues developing her personal art practice at Lang Lab in South Bend.

Emma is passionate about fostering creativity and community engagement by bringing a strong commitment to connecting people with the arts through her work at the Midwest Museum of American Art.

Exploring the fantastic world of 2-D sketching with Emma Marsh.

Beginning Location: Midwest Museum of American Art

About the Club:

Welcome to The Midwest American Sketchbook Club, a creative community rooted in exploration and expression.

Meeting at the Midwest Museum of American Art, this class invites artists of all levels to draw inspiration from the museum’s collection and the surrounding landscape. We’ll sketch en plein air, study masterworks up close, dive into American art history, and experiment with various mediums and styles.

With group critiques, open discussions, and plenty of sketchbook time, this is a space to grow your practice, connect with fellow creatives, and celebrate the rich artistic heritage of our region. The Midwest American Sketchbook Club is a creative opportunity to be a part of a community of people who like to draw rooted in exploration, expression, and the rich artistic heritage of our region.

This club invites artists of all levels to draw inspiration from the museum’s collection and the surrounding landscape. At times, we’ll sketch en plein air or study masterworks up close. We will dive into American art history, and experiment with various mediums and styles. With group critiques, open discussions, and plenty of sketchbook time, this is a space to grow your practice, connect with fellow creatives, and celebrate the Midwest through art, one page at a time.

WEDNESDAYS, beginning on June 4th through September 3. Each meeting will be on Wednesday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Sessions will be guided by Emma Marsh, Assistant Curator of Education, Programming, and Exhibits.

Cost: $10 members/ $15 non-members – For each class.

You don’t have to take consecutive sessions but drop in when you can. It’s flexible to your schedule!

Materials Needed: graphite pencils, charcoal, a drawing pen, and a sketchbook. These items are available for purchase at the museum if participants don’t have them.

Call 574-293-6660 for registration or email r.roberts@midwestmuseum.us

About the Instructor:

Emma Marsh is the Assistant Curator of Education, Programming, and Exhibits at the Midwest Museum of American Art. She is a practicing artist, but before joining the museum, she began her career as an educator.

Emma has had experience teaching art in the public school setting and has led drawing classes at the South Bend Museum of Art.

She currently teaches drawing and continues developing her personal art practice at Lang Lab in South Bend.

Emma is passionate about fostering creativity and community engagement by bringing a strong commitment to connecting people with the arts through her work at the Midwest Museum of American Art.

Take a little inspiration from the Gestural Gyrations of Sheri Smith by exploring the complexity of line drawing at the Midwest Museum of American Art this Summer!

Workshop Highlights

5:00 – 6:00 PM on June 17, 18, 24, 26

Dynamic Linework, is a four-day drawing workshop that will loosen your hand, sharpen your eye, and bring your sketches to life! In this energetic and exploratory class, we’ll break away from stiff, overworked lines and dive into gesture drawing, blind contour, and expressive mark-making. From capturing movement like a dancer to building the bones of a figure with confident strokes, you’ll discover how line can express motion, structure, and depth. Along the way, we’ll take inspiration from artists like Sheri Smith, whose ‘gestural gyrations of Jazz’ will be on display!

$60. FOR MMAA MEMBERS

$75. FOR NON-MEMBERS

All supplies included.

Register by calling 574-293-6660 or email r.roberts@midwestmuseum.us

About the Instructor

Emma Marsh is the Assistant Curator of Education, Programming, and Exhibits at the Midwest Museum of American Art. She is a practicing artist, but before joining the museum, she began her career as an educator.

Emma has had experience teaching art in the public school setting and has led drawing classes at the South Bend Museum of Art.

She currently teaches drawing and continues developing her personal art practice at Lang Lab in South Bend.

Emma is passionate about fostering creativity and community engagement by bringing a strong commitment to connecting people with the arts through her work at the Midwest Museum of American Art.

Elkhart’s 37th Jazz Festival is back summer 2025.

Whether you’ve been to all 36 Elkhart Jazz Festivals, or if this summer will mark your first, we promise to deliver only one thing: A memorable weekend at a great price.

Please join us for our Noon Time Talk on Thursday, June 19 with Randy Horst & Ben Davis who will give a musical performance and narrative.

Regular Admission Fee Applies. Free for MMAA Members & Donors.

Gallery Talks or Noon Time Talks each Thursday will be limited to 50 people on a first-come-first-serve basis. Doors will be locked at 12:15. No admittance to the museum by the public will be allowed until the talk has concluded.

Elkhart’s 37th Jazz Festival is back summer 2025.

Whether you’ve been to all 36 Elkhart Jazz Festivals, or if this summer will mark your first, we promise to deliver only one thing: A memorable weekend at a great price.

Elkhart’s 37th Jazz Festival is back summer 2025.

Whether you’ve been to all 36 Elkhart Jazz Festivals, or if this summer will mark your first, we promise to deliver only one thing: A memorable weekend at a great price.

Meet our soon-to-be exhibiting artist Sheri Smith a.k.a. Creme Sheri on Saturday, June 21 during the Elkhart Jazz Festival.

Sheri will present an immersive gallery talk blending her unique, larger-than-life personality with her drawing technique and process. Sheri will also lead a hands-on drawing demonstration for the audience to participate in while giving sage advice along the way.

Free to MMAA Members. $10. Admission Fee applies for Non-Members.

This Chicago native is a long-time attendee of the Elkhart Jazz Festival and has previously exhibited her expressive drawings of famous jazz performers at the Midwest Museum of American Art. The exhibit Gyrations and Jazz: The Gestural Drawings of Sheri Smith will be on view from June 14 through July 13.

Don’t miss this opportunity to meet and experience the fabulous Sheri Smith on Saturday, June 21 at 2PM!

Elkhart’s 37th Jazz Festival is back summer 2025.

Whether you’ve been to all 36 Elkhart Jazz Festivals, or if this summer will mark your first, we promise to deliver only one thing: A memorable weekend at a great price.

Take a little inspiration from the Gestural Gyrations of Sheri Smith by exploring the complexity of line drawing at the Midwest Museum of American Art this Summer!

Workshop Highlights

5:00 – 6:00 PM on June 17, 18, 24, 26

Dynamic Linework, is a four-day drawing workshop that will loosen your hand, sharpen your eye, and bring your sketches to life! In this energetic and exploratory class, we’ll break away from stiff, overworked lines and dive into gesture drawing, blind contour, and expressive mark-making. From capturing movement like a dancer to building the bones of a figure with confident strokes, you’ll discover how line can express motion, structure, and depth. Along the way, we’ll take inspiration from artists like Sheri Smith, whose ‘gestural gyrations of Jazz’ will be on display!

$60. FOR MMAA MEMBERS

$75. FOR NON-MEMBERS

All supplies included.

Register by calling 574-293-6660 or email r.roberts@midwestmuseum.us

About the Instructor

Emma Marsh is the Assistant Curator of Education, Programming, and Exhibits at the Midwest Museum of American Art. She is a practicing artist, but before joining the museum, she began her career as an educator.

Emma has had experience teaching art in the public school setting and has led drawing classes at the South Bend Museum of Art.

She currently teaches drawing and continues developing her personal art practice at Lang Lab in South Bend.

Emma is passionate about fostering creativity and community engagement by bringing a strong commitment to connecting people with the arts through her work at the Midwest Museum of American Art.

Exploring the fantastic world of 2-D sketching with Emma Marsh.

Beginning Location: Midwest Museum of American Art

About the Club:

Welcome to The Midwest American Sketchbook Club, a creative community rooted in exploration and expression.

Meeting at the Midwest Museum of American Art, this class invites artists of all levels to draw inspiration from the museum’s collection and the surrounding landscape. We’ll sketch en plein air, study masterworks up close, dive into American art history, and experiment with various mediums and styles.

With group critiques, open discussions, and plenty of sketchbook time, this is a space to grow your practice, connect with fellow creatives, and celebrate the rich artistic heritage of our region. The Midwest American Sketchbook Club is a creative opportunity to be a part of a community of people who like to draw rooted in exploration, expression, and the rich artistic heritage of our region.

This club invites artists of all levels to draw inspiration from the museum’s collection and the surrounding landscape. At times, we’ll sketch en plein air or study masterworks up close. We will dive into American art history, and experiment with various mediums and styles. With group critiques, open discussions, and plenty of sketchbook time, this is a space to grow your practice, connect with fellow creatives, and celebrate the Midwest through art, one page at a time.

WEDNESDAYS, beginning on June 4th through September 3. Each meeting will be on Wednesday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Sessions will be guided by Emma Marsh, Assistant Curator of Education, Programming, and Exhibits.

Cost: $10 members/ $15 non-members – For each class.

You don’t have to take consecutive sessions but drop in when you can. It’s flexible to your schedule!

Materials Needed: graphite pencils, charcoal, a drawing pen, and a sketchbook. These items are available for purchase at the museum if participants don’t have them.

Call 574-293-6660 for registration or email r.roberts@midwestmuseum.us

About the Instructor:

Emma Marsh is the Assistant Curator of Education, Programming, and Exhibits at the Midwest Museum of American Art. She is a practicing artist, but before joining the museum, she began her career as an educator.

Emma has had experience teaching art in the public school setting and has led drawing classes at the South Bend Museum of Art.

She currently teaches drawing and continues developing her personal art practice at Lang Lab in South Bend.

Emma is passionate about fostering creativity and community engagement by bringing a strong commitment to connecting people with the arts through her work at the Midwest Museum of American Art.

Featuring guest artist Sunday Mahaja for the first Art Walk of 2025, the Midwest Museum of American Art will be open from 5-8 pm On Wednesday, June 25 with a discounted admission rate of $7.

 Art Walk Wednesdays Are Back! 
Presented by Ruthmere

Join us in Downtown Elkhart on the last Wednesday of the month—June through September—for a free celebration of creativity, connection, and community!

2025 Dates:
 June 25 | July 30 | August 27 | September 24
 5–8 PM
 Downtown Elkhart

Each Art Walk features local artists displaying their work in storefronts and along Main Street, live music, family-friendly activities, and delicious food from your favorite downtown spots. Whether you’re an art lover, music fan, or just looking for something fun to do, Art Walk has something for everyone!

 Artist and musician applications are now open at ElkhartArtWalk.com

 Presented by Elkhart Parks & Recreation in partnership with the Downtown Elkhart Merchants Alliance.

 Come for the art—stay for the vibes.

Take a little inspiration from the Gestural Gyrations of Sheri Smith by exploring the complexity of line drawing at the Midwest Museum of American Art this Summer!

Workshop Highlights

5:00 – 6:00 PM on June 17, 18, 24, 26

Dynamic Linework, is a four-day drawing workshop that will loosen your hand, sharpen your eye, and bring your sketches to life! In this energetic and exploratory class, we’ll break away from stiff, overworked lines and dive into gesture drawing, blind contour, and expressive mark-making. From capturing movement like a dancer to building the bones of a figure with confident strokes, you’ll discover how line can express motion, structure, and depth. Along the way, we’ll take inspiration from artists like Sheri Smith, whose ‘gestural gyrations of Jazz’ will be on display!

$60. FOR MMAA MEMBERS

$75. FOR NON-MEMBERS

All supplies included.

Register by calling 574-293-6660 or email r.roberts@midwestmuseum.us

About the Instructor

Emma Marsh is the Assistant Curator of Education, Programming, and Exhibits at the Midwest Museum of American Art. She is a practicing artist, but before joining the museum, she began her career as an educator.

Emma has had experience teaching art in the public school setting and has led drawing classes at the South Bend Museum of Art.

She currently teaches drawing and continues developing her personal art practice at Lang Lab in South Bend.

Emma is passionate about fostering creativity and community engagement by bringing a strong commitment to connecting people with the arts through her work at the Midwest Museum of American Art.

Starting April 18
Friday mornings, 9:15 – 10:15 a.m.

Bring your own mat and get ready to explore movement as art, honoring the present moment and the beauty that is present all around us. All levels are welcome.

Class Fee: $7 Museum Members | $10 Non-Members

Taught By: Jenny Nolan

Jenny is a 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) and is a Yoga Alliance Certified Education Provider (YACEP). She completed each of her trainings at Nexus Yoga Institute in Nosara, Costa Rica. In 2018 she established Pura Vida Popup Yoga and has over 1800 teaching hours completed in group, private, high school, athletic team, and retreat settings.