MoMA offers free online art courses, Portland Garment Factory dedicated to making PPE, Civilization launches a virtual art walk.
Still from Artist Story film with Sheila Hicks. © 2019 The Museum of Modern Art
MoMA Opens Online Art Courses to the Public In Light of COVID-19 Outbreak In light of recent museum closures, New York’s Museum of Modern Art unlocked a series of virtual portals to the contemporary art world that are easily accessible from the comfort of our own homes. Available now for free via Coursera, the MoMA-offered courses (nearly a dozen) cover a range of subjects from contemporary art and photography to fashion and more. Each curriculum includes original videos, texts, and audio interviews with artists, educators, and curators. What’s more, MoMA Magazine is providing everything from downloadable tracings adapted from iconic paintings, to playlists inspired by famous artworks. Looks like I’ve found my weekend plans! —Claire Butwinick, Assistant Editor
Photo by Chris Cearnal
Portland Garment Factory Starts Making Personal Protection Equipment Last week Portland Garment Factory announced that it was getting ready to start producing masks and hospital gowns for healthcare workers as the coronavirus outbreak continues to grow. The garment manufacturing company, which makes items for Nike and other retailers, first crossed my radar a handful of years ago when I wrote about founder Britt Howard for GRAY, and I was not surprised to hear that she and her team are throwing themselves into helping others during this incredibly challenging time. She estimates that PGF can make around 1,000 gowns and masks a week. Bravo to Britt and the rest of the team for stepping up when it is needed the most. —Rachel Gallaher, Deputy Editor
Design Firm Civilization Launches Virtual Art Walk In a moment when public gatherings have all but evaporated, the organizations and businesses that depend on in-person interactions are getting hit the hardest. Arts and non-profit organizations are especially feeling the pressure, as most operate on a shoestring budget to begin with. In an effort to support Seattle’s local galleries, design firmCivilization announced this week it is launching a virtual art walk on April 2 that will be co-hosted by yours truly! Called By The Hour, the program is a 60-minute, free live broadcast featuring art from our local galleries as well as interviews with gallerists, artists, and curators. I’m thrilled to be supporting Civilization’s efforts to bring our art and design community together during this time of isolation—I hope you’ll join me by tuning in and showing up for the arts! —Lauren Gallow, Executive Editor
Seattle’s Canlis Pivots From Fine-Dining to Food Delivery A big kudos to Seattle’s Canlis for thinking big and bold during this COVID-19 health crisis. In early March, the storied fine-dining restaurant closed its doors—a feat only done on two other occasions—and pivoted to a zero-contact, family meal delivery option (with wine!). The award-winning kitchen is humming along, creating dinners of vegetarian pot pie or dry-aged duck cassoulet, which its servers now deliver. For a nice added bonus, the restaurant has launched a livestream, Monday through Friday, from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring musician Jason Lux tickling the ivories in its mid-century dining room, with those classic city views in the background. It’s almost as if we’re there. —Lauren Mang, Digital Editor
The Best Things We Saw is a monthly roundup of places, spaces, and things that stopped GRAY staffers in their tracks. This month, we’re changing things up to focus on how the design and art communities are creating innovative solutions and experiences to help during this global health crisis. Herewith, our picks for the best of the best in March. #DesignMustGoOn