What do blue jeans, automobiles, brightly-colored dishes, and even dental bling all have in common? They’ve all been influenced by Western design. The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s newest exhibition, Western Wares, open through May 1, leads you through the history of Western design in American.
Starting with its roots on the range and ending with the influence of modern popular culture, visitors can explore an extensive and colorful display of everything from a chair made of antlers, to blue jeans to motorcycles.
Go beyond the exhibition and try your hand at creating some real life “Western Wares,” or find out how the West was worn through some of the Museum’s upcoming events.
Join us for a “Stitchin’ Good Time”
April 14 & 21 @ 6 p.m.
Want to try embroidery but don’t know where to start? Join Darci Lenker for a two-night workshop learning and experimenting with different stiches to create your own embroidered piece! Classes will be held within the Western Wares exhibition where you will be inspired by fanciful embroidered embellishments. Perfect for beginners or those that enjoy a good stitch-and-chat. All supplies included. $25; $20 for Museum members. Reservations required by April 8.
Elbow Basked Workshop
April 30 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
The elbow basket is beautiful with flower arrangements in each pocket. Led by BasketWeavers Guild of Oklahoma, participants will create their own by weaving a basket on an angle. Basket color will be denim blue, cardinal red and butternut. Dimensions: 18 inches top of handle to point at bottom; 15 inches at the widest point. All supplies included; lunch not provided. $40; $30 for Museum members. Register online by April 18.
Film Screening: Riveted: The History of Jeans
April 30 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
On the final weekend of Western Wares, enjoy a screening of “Riveted: The History of Jeans”, which reveals the fascinating and surprising story of this iconic American garment. At any given moment, half the people on the planet are wearing them. They have become a staple of clothing the world over, worn by everyone from presidents and supermodels to farmers and artists. More than just an item of apparel, America’s tangled past is woven into the indigo blue fabric. From its roots in slavery to its connection to the Wild West, youth culture, the civil rights movement, rock and roll, hippies, high fashion and hip-hop, jeans are the canvas on which the history of American ideology and politics is writ large. Enjoy a last look at Western Wares and watch Riveted: The History of Jeans; we’ll provide the popcorn! Free for members or with Museum admission.
