RANCHO MIRAGE, CA – The public is invited to a Family Day at Sunnylands that celebrates its current exhibition, Variations to a Theme: William Haines at Sunnylands, with a variety of activities that explore fabric and fiber arts, from the use of inks and dyes to sewing and embroidery.
Art Exhibition Family Day: Fabricating Fun takes place Sunday, Feb. 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sunnylands Center & Gardens, 37977 Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage. Admission, parking, and all Family Day activities are free.
Guests will be able to try their hands at numerous activities under the guidance of local textile artists and other community art partners. Learn about Sashiko, a centuries-old embroidery style from Japan. Create your own tapestry. Explore sustainable sewing and the art of embossing.
Inspiration for the day’s activities was drawn from the design techniques employed by Sunnylands’ late decorator, William Haines. His signature Hollywood Regency style is rife with intricate textile work, from trapunto (or raised embroidery) quilting and biscuit tufting on chairs and stools to leather-bound tables with gold tooling embellishments.
Haines designed and installed more than 450 pieces – cabinets, tables, sofas, desks, and chairs – that were specifically made for Sunnylands, the 25,000-square-foot winter home of philanthropists Walter and Leonore Annenberg. An exhibition of those furnishings and other decorative items is currently on display at the Center & Gardens, which is open to the public free of charge, Wednesday through Sunday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information on Art Exhibition Family Day: Fabricating Fun, go to www.sunnylands.org/events.
