MILLVILLE, NJ (March 12, 2024) – Celebrate the start of Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center’s creative season with the free kick-off event Wheaton Springs 2024 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 6! The Wheaton Springs 2024 event offers visitors of all ages the chance to explore, experience, create, and celebrate across WheatonArts’ 45-acre campus that inspires creativity. Admission to all exhibitions and artist studio demonstrations are free and open to the public, part of WheatonArts Family Days, presented by PNC Arts Alive!

Explore new exhibits in the Museum of American Glass and the Down Jersey Folklife Center. The new Ceremonies in Circles exhibition in the Folklife Center features traditional masks, garments, and objects related to special rituals and community celebrations of West African cultures. Exhibited master mask makers Ira L. Bond and Richard Robinson Jr. will give an artist talk from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on African Masks and Masquerades. The new Centuries of Tomfoolery: Trick Glasses, Pipes, and Whimsical Delights exhibition in the Museum highlights both intricately designed and deceptively simple glass objects used for communal entertainment. Explore a fascinating group of objects through the lens of working artists compelled to recreate clever glassblowing feats from the past and push the boundaries of contemporary functional art.

Experience a collection of artist demonstrations throughout the campus! See resident artist Terry Plasket demonstrating various clay techniques to create ceramic teapots and take a kiln tour with potter Phyllis Seidner. Watch as mural artist and glass painter J. Kenneth Leap demonstrates large-scale painting at the front gate. Discover how 3D printed objects are created with Aritimi Design Studio and watch creative wood carving skills from local artists Hop Edwards, Ray Yoast, and Domenick Maggio. Visit with glass artist Bill Futer as he designs glass marbles using glass rods, a torch, and gravity. Engage with Alex Rosenberg and the Glass Studio Team who will be demonstrating their diverse and growing abilities with molten glass. Additional artist and crafting demonstrations include bead weaving, broom making, Pysanky egg designs, feather painting, and more. 

Create with a series of hands-on projects for all ages and skill levels! Everyone is invited to unleash their artistic talents and contribute to a colorful set of feathered wings symbolizing unity, diversity, and the collective spirit that will later serve as a vibrant backdrop for photos for the community. Kids can join Rutgers Master Gardeners to create a bird feeder to take home while learning interesting facts about native bird species, their characteristics, and bird calls. Design your own faux stained glass suncatchers and paper plate flowers at no cost. Create a fused glass magnet, pendant, or suncatcher in the Education Studio using small pre-cut pieces of glass to be fired for you and ready to pick up or shipped for a fee a week later. 

Celebrate by enjoying a bite to eat from a selection of food vendors and picnicking on the scenic grounds. Throughout the day, listen and dance to the melodic sounds that transport you to the islands with positive vibrations that speak to the upliftment of the human condition by The Tabernacle Reggae Band.

The Wheaton Springs opening season event is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, 2024. For more information about WheatonArts’ programs, call 856-825-6800 or 800-998-4552, or visit wheatonarts.org. WheatonArts is open April through December from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Special event hours may vary. Admission tickets can be purchased online or at the gate. Closed Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

WheatonArts strives to ensure the accessibility of its exhibitions, events, and programs to all persons with disabilities. Please provide two weeks’ notice of additional needs. Patrons with hearing and speech disabilities may contact WheatonArts through the New Jersey Relay Service (TRS) 800-852-7899 or by dialing 711.

Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New Jersey Cultural Trust. WheatonArts receives general operating support from the New Jersey Historical Commission, Division of Cultural Affairs in the New Jersey Department of State, and is supported in part by the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism. 

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About WheatonArts: With a history spanning over five decades, WheatonArts is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to engage artists and audiences in an evolving exploration of creativity. It has earned regional, national, and international recognition for its unique collections and programs. The Museum of American Glass (accredited by the American Alliance of Museums) houses one of the most comprehensive collections of American glass in the country – from the first glass bottles made in America to celebrated works by Dale Chihuly, Paul Stankard, and other contemporary glass artists. From April through December, visitors experience the art of glassmaking, pottery, and flameworking in the Artists Studios. The Museum of American Glass and Down Jersey Folklife Center presents special exhibitions bridging historical and cultural traditions through modern times. WheatonArts also offers multicultural programs, classes, workshops, performances, and popular weekend festivals. The award-winning Museum Stores offer traditional and contemporary art and craft in all mediums, and its one-mile looping Nature Trail showcases the serenity of the region.

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