DIY Valentines: A Maker Event

Feb 10, 2024, 10:00am–12:30pm. At the Newberry – Ruggles Hall

Calligraphy evolved into a fine art practice in the mid-20th century, and it continues to be reimagined by artists today. To keep the art of beautiful lettering alive, it must be practiced.

Join us and the Chicago Calligraphy Collective for an interactive and family-friendly event focused on expressions of love and care. Enjoy demonstrations of different forms of lettering and related arts – origami, paper embossing, gilding, and more – and try your hand at making your own Valentine projects. This event is open to writers and makers of all ages. Enjoy free hot chocolate, coffee, and treats as you circulate.

Advance registration required.

Tea and Happiness

PAGODA RED has partnered with THE ROOF CROP & VOLITION TEA to create PAGODA RED Tea. With hand-picked single origin Zhenghe red tea leaves, freshly grown eau de cologne mint and healing hyssop flowers, the blend has subtle anise and orange undernotes.

A $98 limited edition, they've paired the tea with their favorite infuser and a hand-painted porcelain double happiness tea leaf jar to convey warmth, joy & love.

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At the MCA Shop, Create or Dine in the Name of Love

From keychains to mirrors to candles and pins you never knew you (or a loved one) needed, the MCA Store has an abundance of red, pink and anatomically-correct hearts for sale this season. They're also having member discount days in leading up to Valentine's Day, so shop for now, or save for later. Visit the MCA Store

And you can attend the Family Day | Love is Love on February 10, 11am-3pm. KIDO Chicago is back this Family Day with a full museum takeover featuring quilt-inspired activities from Faith Ringgold’s book Tar Beach and story quilts as well as music, art-making, and storytelling.

And you can dine at Marisol at the MCA  on Valentine’s Day for $100 per person for a 4-course experience.

A Love Supreme at Elmhurst Art Museuem

EAM's love-themed exhibition just opened, so here's your chance to go see the exhibition with a loved one. 

A solo exhibition by Norman Teague, A Love Supreme is inspired by legendary jazz musician John Coltrane, with an adjoining intervention in Mies van der Rohe’s McCormick House by Chicago-based BIPOC designers. Teague uses Coltrane’s album “A Love Supreme” as a personal, cultural, and spiritual touchstone to consider design influences from his life-long home in Chicago, exploring how the power of bold improvisational jazz and unapologetic Black aesthetics have expanded the minds and inspired creative communities of color.

You can even attend a love-themed family day, where visitors are invited to create Valentine’s Day cards inspired by the sights and sounds found in EAM's current exhibition. With drawing and painting, visitors are asked, “Which of your muses will you send your Valentine to?”

Pistachio's Valentine's Day Event

On Saturday, Feb 10, from 12 – 5pm you're invited to go downtown and visit Pistachio's to celebrate love. Pistachio's is offering $10 off permanent jewelry's. You can enjoy a complimentary glass of wine and get a custom fit bracelet to match your partner or friends. Permanent jewelry is sterling silver, gold fill, and 14k solid gold chains that are custom fit to your wrist size and then welded together – so they never come off (unless you want them to, of course). 

Details

For Your Eyes Only — Driehaus Museum Vintage Valentines with a Secret!

Wednesday, February 7

6:00-7:30 PM BUY TICKETS 

$50 General Audience || $45 Members || $40 Students which includes materials and tools

In this workshop, you’ll learn how to create a very special homemade valentine (or galentine—or palentine!). Inspired by a 19th century craft adapted from much older Japanese paper arts, these valentines are card and envelope in one, and contain secret compartments that may be used to hide additional messages. After first creating a model or sample, you will construct a Valentine that conceals its contents and reveals them when opened like a magical flower.

Materials and basic tools will be provided, and we will be using scissors, ruler and/or right angle, and bone folder (or other folding tool like a letter opener, wooden spoon, tongue depressor). If you have favorite tools, feel free to bring your own.

Note: The entrance for this program is 50 E. Erie, the Driehaus Museum’s security entrance.