This Sunday, May 14, Mother’s Day is celebrated in the United States and other parts of the world, and New York City is brimming with activities to mark the date. Motherhood doesn’t exist in a box, so we decided to think outside of one and pull together a list of events and workshops that are perfect for showing appreciation for and spending quality time with our moms and mom-figures this coming weekend. Whether you’re looking for a drag brunch, a fun workshop, or a unique museum scavenger hunt, check out our handy list below!
Art Workshops
For any art-loving or open-minded maternal figure, an art workshop is a wonderful way to explore new modes of making together without the pressure of committing to a weekly class or investing in materials. The best part is having a beautiful, handmade keepsake to take home with you that same day and archive a new memory with. This weekend will bring some exciting workshops across different mediums with almost all materials and supplies included.
Starting off with something classic, the Happy Medium art café in Lower Manhattan (Two Bridges to be specific) is hosting a watercolor workshop for early risers. Painter and teacher Claire Williams will be leading a still life painting session on Mother’s Day, May 14, from 9am to 11am. Beginners and hobbyists are most encouraged to partake and Williams will be demonstrating different techniques and providing her assistance throughout. The best part about this is that there’s plenty of time for brunch right afterwards! Tickets are going for $80 per person and include all materials, a live demonstration, and 90 minutes of instruction.
For our more experimental groups, the All-Day Monotype Party at Salmagundi Club in Greenwich Village will take you on a printmaking adventure. Monotypes are unique prints made by applying ink in a painterly fashion on a panel or “plate,” laying a sheet of printmaking paper over the design, and running it through the printing press for a singular image transfer that can’t be replicated exactly. The All-Day Monotype Party is this Saturday, May 13, from 10am to 4pm. Tickets are $60 for non-members and $40 for members, and include all printmaking supplies and instruction, but guests are encouraged to bring tools like Q-tips, cardboard scraps, and cheesecloth for more versatile mark-making.
For the most adventurous parties who want to dive in headfirst, the Sculpture Without Sight workshops will provide equal amounts of challenge, comedy, and sensitivity through a blindfolded clay portrait expedition. Running throughout this weekend until the end of June at Unarthodox in Hudson Yards, Sculpture Without Sight makes patrons unplug from the world and create a portrait bust from memory alone, tapping into the spiritual essence of touch and memory while relying only on the mind’s eye in lieu of actual vision. The one caveat is that the sculpture can’t be brought home since the clay crumbles as it dries, but it’s all about the experience and there will be dozens of photos to enjoy. Tickets are $65 per person for a 90-minute experience.
Maternal Art Scavenger Hunt at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Did you know there are almost 1,000 works of art pertaining to the word “mother” currently on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art? A lovely, cost-effective option for museum lovers is to try and spot as many maternal-themed artworks on view at The Met as you can!
As a sweet little challenge, we’ve selected three related artworks for your party to track down in celebration of Mother’s Day: Vincent van Gogh’s “Madame Roulin and Her Baby” (1888); Mary Cassatt’s “Young Mother Sewing” (1900); and the Middle Kingdom-era limestone sculpture “Group of Two Women and a Child” (c. 1981–1500 BCE).
Drag Brunches
What could be better than celebrating motherhood in all forms through a drag performance? You ought to respect your mom and the mothers who will perform this coming Sunday across NYC. The Haus of Exquisite Corpse will be hosting a Mother’s Day drag extravaganza at Cantina in Brooklyn on Sunday, May 14, at 2pm with performances by queens Nebula Nova, Anne J Tifah, Vampy Von Thickums Galore, and Tragedy Ann. Tickets are $10 per person but come ready with cash for tips!
The Manhattan-based Indian restaurant Sona also has a special Mother’s Day family-friendly drag brunch hosted by queen Malai on Sunday from 11am to 2pm as well for those of you who want to enjoy some butter chicken with your death drops!
Flower Power
I know we talked about thinking outside of the box, but there’s a reason flowers are the go-to gift for most moms and maternal figures — they’re gorgeous. So if you want to go with Ol’ Reliable here, you’re valid for that and there are plenty of options. For a more personal touch, we’d recommend the Mother’s Day Flower Design Workshop on Saturday, May 13, at the Queens Botanical Garden in Flushing. Designing a handmade bouquet is the perfect thing to do with and for moms if you want to work together or keep it a surprise for the next day! Tickets are $55 for non-members and $45 for members and the workshop is from 11am to 1pm.
Otherwise, we’d recommend taking advantage of the last chance to attend the Weekend in Bloom at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, free with standard garden admission. The Spring Flowers Walk at Snug Harbor in Staten Island (~$10 per person) is also this Saturday, May 13, from 1pm to 2:30pm, as well as the daily Garden Tour at the Met Cloisters (free with museum admission) from 1pm to 2pm. The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is celebrating Mother’s Day all weekend from 11am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday. That covers every borough! :~)
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