Family matters

The Oklahoma City Museum of Art is expecting approximately 5,000 people to attend its spring Free Family Day to celebrate art and community from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at the museum, 415 Couch Drive.

The free afternoon event is organized around New York sculptor Lisa Hoke’s exhibit Come on Down, a vibrant wall frieze that measures 15 feet high and 150 feet wide.

“Color is the thing that makes my heart pound,” Hoke said on the museum’s website. “It’s not the printing; it’s the thrill of color, and I can’t really explain that. It’s a love mixed with overstimulation.”

The piece was constructed from recycled paper and product packing, and Sunday is the last day to experience it. To tie into the exhibit, arts and craft projects for all ages — like recycled pinwheels and art wristbands — will be led by Museum School teaching artists during Family Day.

Along with free museum admission, the museum will offer activities such as face painting, storytimes by the Metropolitan Library System, guided museum tours and an interactive photo booth for families throughout its classrooms, galleries and even on the roof, weather permitting, said Amanda Harmer, the museum’s education and community outreach coordinator.

The event will also feature performances from magician Michael King at 12:30 p.m., indie kids band Spaghetti Eddie! at 2:30 p.m. and the funky organ/drum duo Sugar Free All Stars at 3:30 p.m.

Michael King’s One-Man Circus performs juggling acts, unicycling and magic acts that are full of familyfriendly comedy, according to his website. His talents were developed during a year of touring the U.S. and Canada with a circus.

“Written with the intention to entertain children and not drive parents crazy,” the music of Spaghetti Eddie! is known for being silly story-songs that teach kids about colors, days of the week, opposites and manners, among other fun themes like dinosaurs, space and the zoo, according to the band’s Facebook page and website. Brendan Parker provides vocals and plays guitar and electric kazoo, and Todd Parsons plays drums and cowbell.

Brought to you by organist, lead vocalist and saxophonist Chris “Boom!” Wiser and drummer and vocalist Rob “Dr. Rock” Martin, Oklahoma City’s Sugar Free All Stars get right to the heart of music with their blend of New Orleans funk, Memphis soul and Hammond’s organ-saturated gospel.

Other craft projects include making black-and-white landscapes and sun prints, where objects like feathers and flowers are placed on top of paper that is sensitive to ultraviolet light to make a print of the shape.

Museum School also offers classes to kids and adults who are just beginning to discover their artistic abilities as well as to those who have previous experience.

Registration is open to all ages for summer classes like sketching, painting, photography, printmaking, glassblowing and even yoga. Along with the aforementioned classes, workshops for kids include craft projects like theater masks and clay monsters.

The next Free Family Day will be held in the fall. For more information, visit okcmoa.com or call 236-3100, ext. 221 or ext. 231.