July 18 1:30–3:30 p.m. Make a grand entrance! West African artists have a long tradition of producing beautiful doors and locks for granaries, shrines, homes, and royal palaces. Of equal interest are the beautiful doors and door frames that adorn homes and buildings along East Africa’s Indian Ocean coast, typical of Swahili architecture. Join us to discover the beauty and symbolism this rare form of art and architecture. Then, create your own personal version using cardboard and other materials for…

August 1 1:30–3:30 p.m. Learn about the art of the ancient kingdom of Benin, and how its artists used a stylized African eye motif throughout their sculpture. Then, break the down the shapes of this traditional design element to create your own contemporary abstract work of art! This workshop is presented as part of the museum’s series of Workshop Wednesdays. Every first Wednesday of the month, stop by the museum for drop-in classes from trained teachers. Stay for as little…

Asante artistGhanaWrapper (adinkra)Mid- to late 19th centuryImported cotton cloth, black pigment194.5 x 285.6 cm (76 9/16 x 112 7/16 in.)Museum purchase, 83-3-8August 15 1:30–3:30 p.m. Join us for an afternoon of design fun with local graphic artist and designer Sharmila Karamchandani! Developed and used by many different cultures in western Africa, adinkra symbols are visual representations of concepts and proverbs that originated from the Ashanti peoples of Ghana. Historically, they were used on funerary cloth by royalty and the wealthy…