Williamstown, MA— The Education Department at the Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) will present a workshop for teachers on Friday, March 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The workshop, "Tibetan Treasures," is designed for teachers K-12 who are interested in learning more about WCMA's new exhibition Tibet: Mountains and Valleys, Castles and Tents from the Newark Museum Collection. The workshop will explore methods of incorporating the study of Tibetan art and culture into school curricula and activities.

The daylong workshop will feature a gallery talk and discussion led by Natasha Judson, M.Ed., a local teacher and frequent visitor to India and Tibet. Also, teachers will view a screening of the insightful video "Home to Tibet," participate in a hands-on Tibetan art workshop, review curriculum materials, and discuss classroom applications. Teachers who would like their classes to take part in the upcoming guided visits of Tibet: Mountains and Valleys, Castles and Tents are particularly encouraged to attend, but all are welcome.

A fee of $20 is required with pre-registration for the workshop, which covers workshop activities, curriculum materials, coffee, and lunch. To register, or for more information about this workshop and other programs offered by the Education Department, please call 413.597.2038. Registration is limited, so teachers should call soon.

Tibetan Art, Monks in Residency Highlight WCMA's Calendar

Tibet: Mountains and Valleys, Castles and Tents (March 1-August 3, 2003) presents selections from the Newark Museum's acclaimed collection of Tibetan art, including extraordinary examples of official regalia, noble jewelry, castle furnishings, horse gear, and weapons that reflect the legacy of the country's proud warrior elite. These objects are shown in conjunction with rare photographs taken by some of the earliest Western visitors to Tibet, documenting the country's rugged terrain and traditional lifestyles in the early twentieth century.

Two monks from the Namgyal Monastery, in residency during Sacred Art of Tibet: Making a Mandala (April 15-May 3, 2003), will painstakingly lay millions of grains of sand into place on a flat platform over a period of three weeks in WCMA's rotunda. Formed from traditional icons of geometric shapes and ancient spiritual symbols, the exquisite sand mandala is used as a tool for re-consecrating the earth and its inhabitants.

The Williams College Museum of Art is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free and the museum is wheelchair accessible.

Contact: Jonathan Cannon, Public Relations Coordinator
413.597.3178; WCMA@williams.edu