Events Calendar

FREE but capacity is limited so registration is required. Register online or by phone at 414-446-8794.

Join moderators Nicole Plalasz of UWM’s Institute of World Affairs (IWA) and Kim Khaira of HOME for a global café-style conversation series featuring guests from around the globe. Each program is organized as an open dialogue, with an opportunity to learn from one another and to create cross-cultural conversations around topics relevant to both the global community and those who reside in Milwaukee. Attendees are encouraged to shape the conversation alongside the moderators and guest speakers.

The Community Café Conversations began informally in 2023 as a way to connect UWM-IWA global visitors with members of the HOME Refugee Steering Committee. These speakers included journalists, artists, poets, writers, children’s book authors, and UN youth advocates. We are now able to extend this opportunity to the public.

Bring a brown bag lunch. We will provide dessert and beverages.

About Elana Haviv
Elana Haviv is the founder and executive director of Generation Human Rights. She is a human rights education specialist who develops best practices and programs for education experts and policymakers to recognize and confront human rights abuses, and other forms of discrimination that trickle down into educational settings. She designs and delivers innovative human rights-based curriculum projects for children, youth and teachers in schools, refugee settings and humanitarian emergencies worldwide. The programs she creates enable youth to develop the skills they need to live informed and engaged lives as they navigate the circumstances of the world around them. Her independent consulting work has included writing four guides for UNESCO aimed at providing practical advice for teachers on launching and managing constructive classroom discussions on violent extremism. Elana is an Oral History Fellow at Columbia University and a George Eckert Institute of International Textbook Research fellow. She holds a Ph.D. from Antioch University in Leadership and Change.

About IWA
The Institute of World Affairs is the outreach arm of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Center for International Education. Through a growing network of community partnerships, they provide programming for students, educators, and other members of the public.

About HOME
HOME is the theme of Lynden’s work with refugee community leaders, community members, our Call & Response artists, and allies. HOME, guided by the Refugee Steering Committee at the Lynden Sculpture Garden, is building a space of leading, coming together, and celebrating refugees.

From February to April, we will be offering free, monthly, drop-in workshops for families. Stop by for engaging, hands-on activities that bring art and nature to life. Whether you make a quick visit or stay the entire two hours, count on spending some quality creative time with family and friends.

Fee: Free (all materials included). All ages are welcome; children younger than 12 should attend with an adult.
Registration: Register online or by phone at 414-446-8794.

Sunday, February 11, 2024, 12:30-2:30 pm
Clay Magnets
Registration is closed.
Drop into the art studio to create a sculptural magnet to hang on your refrigerator. Get creative with shapes, patterns, and colors to make your magnet truly unique. Let your imagination fly as you work with air dry clay and a variety of materials and methods.

Sunday, March 10, 2024, 12:30-2:30 pm
Upcycled Wind Chimes
This session is full. Complete registration to be added to the waitlist.
Repurpose and assemble found objects and studio materials to create a wind chime that will give your outdoor space its own voice. Families are encouraged to bring objects from home to add to their piece.

Sunday, April 14, 2024, 12:30-2:30 pm
Sun Printing
Use the sun to make detailed prints from virtually any object that casts a shadow.
Cyanotype is a sun-printing process and one of the earliest photographic techniques. Discovered in 1842, it produces Prussian blue monochromatic prints. The cyanotype process is simple, flexible, magical, and fun. Stop by the studio to make your own cyanotype to take home.

Virtual
Registration: Click here to register. You will receive a Zoom link via email prior to the event.

Are you interested in modeling at this year’s HOME Fashion Day, Threads of Power: A Fashion Showcase Celebrating Diversity and Uplifting Cultural Communities? We are offering a virtual information session on March 15, prior to the model call on March 24. We encourage all community members aged 18 or older who are interested in attending the model call to attend the information session. We will cover how to apply for the model call, what to expect at a model call, as well as professionalism, confidence, and preparedness so potential applicants will be well informed and positioned for success when applying to any modeling opportunity. Time will be allotted for Q&A. All cultures, orientations, and bodies welcome.

2024 Summer Session (June 4-August 27): Tuesdays, 10:30 am-11:30 am
2024 Fall/Winter Session (September 3-December 17): Select Tuesdays, 10:30 am-11:30 am

Tuesdays in the Garden, designed for children aged 1-3, provides a nurturing environment where children’s curiosity and wonder are extended through play and exploration, and children and their caregivers learn and discover side-by-side. Join art educators Claudia Orjuela and Denice Niebuhr for hands-on art making and all-senses-engaged exploration of the outdoor world at Lynden. We’ll consider different themes, each designed to connect Lynden’s environment with children’s interests. We will encourage experimentation and the manipulation of art and natural materials to tell stories, solve problems, and develop relationships.

Fee: $16/$12 members for one adult and one child.
Registration: Group size is limited; advance registration is required. Register online now. In the event of inclement weather, sessions move indoors.

To view a list of the session themes, click here.

January-April: No Friend but the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison by Behrouz Boochani.
May-September: Radiance of Tomorrow by Ismael Beah.
October-January: My American Dream: A Journey from Fascism to Freedom by Barbara Sommer Feigin.

Fee: Free.
Registration: This discussion takes place via Zoom; advance registration required. Click here to register.

The Lynden/HOME Refugee Steering Committee book discussion group, moderated by Lynden’s Kim Khaira, is for those interested in firsthand accounts of displacement. We consider works of non-fiction and fiction, including autobiographical and semi-autobiographical works, by writers who have faced or are facing forced displacement as refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants. Where stories of persecution, historical trauma, and loss of livelihood are effortlessly conveyed by storytellers, journalists, and humanitarians who search out or stumble upon the lives of refugees, we seek out the words of those to whom these stories belong: the narrators who are the closest to their own stories, and the stories of their people, friends, family and, of course, refugees. Newcomers always welcome!

The Time Has Come, John W. Balsley

Exhibition on view March 9-June 8, 2024

Technically, Lynden is not an artist-run organization, but we operate a lot like one, placing artists at the center of all we do. Moreover, almost everyone who works here is an artist, musician, or dancer--and those that aren't actively practicing are makers. They paint, they carve (wood and mushrooms), they make ceramics and costumes and batik and empanadas, they write songs and take photographs and build puppets, they draw.

With the participation and support (material, practical, moral, and otherwise) of Kellen (Klassik) Abston, John W. Balsley, Willy Dintenfass, Anna Grosch, Emmanuel Guerra, Robert Kaleta, Patrick Kernan, Kim Khaira, Polly Morris, Open Kitchen (Rudy Medina & Alyx Christensen), Claudia Orjuela, Esther Portnoy, Sergio Salinas, and Jeremy Stepien.

We're planning some staff-led programming around the exhibition, including a wood carving gathering on International Sculpture Day (April 27) perhaps a bombazo, and so on.

Fee: Early bird fee $55. After March 10, $60/$55 members.
Registration: Registration is closed. To be added to the waitlist, call 414-446-8794.

HOME at Lynden invites you to join us for the first in an occasional series of hands-on workshops exploring traditional crafts.

Immerse yourself in the captivating world of Pysanky, traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs, revered globally as symbols of peace and prosperity. Legend has it that the creation of Pysanky holds the power to ward off evil, making each meticulously decorated egg a beacon of hope.

At this Pysanka Workshop, hosted by Wisconsin Ukrainians, Inc., we will celebrate and preserve this cherished tradition while making a tangible difference in the lives of others. By educating participants about the rich heritage of Ukrainian egg decorating, we hope to foster a deeper appreciation for Ukrainian culture and heritage. Your support is integral to the success of this meaningful endeavor, ensuring positive outcomes for our community. All proceeds from this workshop series will directly benefit victims of war in Ukraine, providing essential medical supplies to those in need.

Guided by experienced instructors, you will learn to use a kistka—a time-honored tool filled with beeswax warmed over a candle flame—to adorn real, hollowed eggs with intricate designs before immersing them in vibrant dyes. Alongside the hands-on experience, we will delve into the history, symbolism, and significance of Pysanky art, enriching your understanding of this ancient craft.

All necessary tools and supplies will be provided; dress appropriately as dyes may stain clothing. Due to safety considerations, participation is limited to ages 12 and up; those under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Don't miss this opportunity to explore a cherished Ukrainian tradition while supporting a noble cause. Join us as we come together to make a difference through the beauty of Pysanky.

2024 Summer Session (June 4-August 27): Tuesdays, 10:30 am-11:30 am
2024 Fall/Winter Session (September 3-December 17): Select Tuesdays, 10:30 am-11:30 am

Tuesdays in the Garden, designed for children aged 1-3, provides a nurturing environment where children’s curiosity and wonder are extended through play and exploration, and children and their caregivers learn and discover side-by-side. Join art educators Claudia Orjuela and Denice Niebuhr for hands-on art making and all-senses-engaged exploration of the outdoor world at Lynden. We’ll consider different themes, each designed to connect Lynden’s environment with children’s interests. We will encourage experimentation and the manipulation of art and natural materials to tell stories, solve problems, and develop relationships.

Fee: $16/$12 members for one adult and one child.
Registration: Group size is limited; advance registration is required. Register online now. In the event of inclement weather, sessions move indoors.

To view a list of the session themes, click here.