The NIC heads into 2023 with a new executive director and an exciting lineup of creative happenings throughout the year.

Allison Maluchnik begins her role as executive director later this month. Next month’s blog will be all about the new executive director and her goals so far for the NIC.

In the meantime, come meet Maluchnik during a free reception 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20th to celebrate her first day as the executive director and brand-new exhibitions in every museum gallery.  

The evening is a perfect kick-off to an inspiring year of gallery shows, education for all ages and community events, like NIC Fest.

This blog post gives a peek into what the Nicolaysen Art Museum has in store for 2023. Follow our social media and check out thenic.org for more about the following highlights and many more happenings you won’t want to miss. You can even sign up at thenic.org to receive our free monthly newsletter in your email.

New exhibitions throughout the museum

The entire museum will be filled with new exhibitions this month, and the community is invited to two celebrations.  First, we open six new shows with the Jan. 20 reception.  Then, we celebrate the touring exhibition “Grounded” opening at the Nic with a free program and reception at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21.  

NIC Associate Curator and Collections Manager Michaela Whitlow described “Grounded” as one of the NIC’s biggest exhibitions of the year. The exhibition is organized by Caravan Arts and Art Spirit and “features 15 exceptional Indigenous American artists from in and around the Great Plains region,” according to a NIC Facebook post.

The NIC will host ”Grounded” through mid-March, and dates will be announced soon for a poetry reading event and a dance program in conjunction with the exhibition, Whitlow said.

One of the new exhibitions this month brings University of Guadalajara professor of painting and sculpture María Cristina Mercado back to the Nic.  Last summer, she painted a mural on the building and taught a workshop called “Color & Form in Mexican Popular Art.”  Her exhibition, “Exercises To Live,” includes an indoor mural on the gallery wall. 

A neon art show featuring artists from across the county with massive 3-D neon installations will open in September and close out the year. Local neon artist Connie Morgan is helping curate and coordinate the exhibition, Whitlow said. 

Those are just a fraction of the many exhibitions you won’t want to miss, so stop in at least every season and remember to check out our website, newsletter and social media.

 A year of education and events

The NIC’s array of classes and workshops will continue this year. Weekly Preschool Picassos for ages 2-5 and classes for homeschooled kids start up again on Jan. 18 and 19. As space allows, you can drop in for one class or sign up for a whole 6-week session.

The monthly Art Play for ages 2-5 and Art Studio for 6th– 10th-graders continue on the first Saturdays of the month starting Jan. 7, while Art Club for 1st- 5th-graders continues on second Saturdays.  You can find out more about classes and prices on our website and register at the front desk or by phone.

Where Art Meets Grief also returns, but now will take place at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming and be split into two age groups, Nic Curator of Education Michelle Miller said. These free classes designed to help young people process grief take place on the third Tuesday monthly for ages 6-10 and every third Thursday for ages 11-18. You can register for that class through Central Wyoming Hospice at 577-4832 or email Toddv@cwhp.org.

The Corner Studio, our monthly class for women, will continue the second Thursday monthly. The class is for all skill levels and includes childcare. Besides the regular classes, the museum also frequently hosts workshops with various artists. 

The Nic continues to offer a creative play space for families in the Doran & Nancy Boston Discovery Center, which was remodeled last year. Miller hopes to be able to add even more to the Discovery Center in 2023.

Nic Fest will return to pack another summer weekend with art, music and food. The dates have changed from the second to the third weekend in June, so head to this much-anticipated arts festival June 16-18. Details will be announced later this spring, but our event coordinator, Trinity Attaway, hinted at plans to ramp up even more family fun. Our annual fundraising gala auction and dinner will return as well, and details will be announced after NIC Fest, Attaway said.

As always, the NIC will continue exhibition openings along with various other events and educational activities to be announced through the coming months. The new year is a great time to sign up for a membership to receive free admission to the museum and Discovery Center and discounts on classes and workshops. 

We wish everyone a Happy New Year as we look forward to an exciting and creative 2023.