A pair of events for adults at the Albany Museum of Art will be inspired by the exhibition Steve Hinton & Friends … From the Beginning.
“Our Corks & Canvases Painting Party on May 25 will re-create Steve’s painting Pecan Tree,” AMA Director of Education and Public Programming Annie Vanoteghem said. “On May 16, the AMA Art Lovers Book Club will discuss Love in the Time of Cholera, which was one of Steve’s favorite books.

“At a time in life when we crave meaningful and light-hearted social interaction, both of these gatherings are perfect for enjoying the company of friends, old and new, in a stimulating and fun environment.”
The Book Club meets at 6 pm on Tuesday, May 16 in the Willson Auditorium of the AMA. The meeting is free and open to the public, and there is no formal membership. Participants enjoy wine and snacks while they talk about the book up for discussion.

“Love in the Time of Cholera is as timeless as it is unforgettable,” Vanoteghem said.” It has been highly recommended and requested among our art lovers and I am very excited to see where our conversation takes us.”

Colombian Nobel Prize-winner Gabriel García Márquez published his novel El amor en los tiempos del cólera in 1985. Love in the Time of Cholera, the English translation by Edith Grossman, was published three years later.

Set between 1880 and the 1930s primarily in an unnamed Caribbean port city, Márquez’s novel tells the story of young lovers Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza, whose budding relationship is thwarted by Ariza’s father. Forced by her father to relocate to another city, the two stay in touch through telegrams. When she returns home, Ariza feels she and Daza are now strangers, and she breaks their engagement and returns his letters. Ariza is persuaded by her father to marry a heroic doctor, Juvenal Urbino, who works to eradicate cholera from the town. Daza swears to stay faithful and wait for her, but then indulges in promiscuity with hundreds of women. The question becomes whether vows of love made in youth are enduring enough to be honored late in life.

Those who would like to attend are asked to register online at www.albanymuseum.com/programs/book-club or by calling Vanoteghem at 229.439.8400 so that adequate seating can be prepared.

THE FOLLOWING WEEK on Thursday, May 25, the Corks & Canvases Painting Party will be inspired by Hinton’s painting Pecan Tree. Participants, who must be 21 or older, enjoy a glass of wine and snacks while they receive step-by-step instructions as they paint their interpretations of the painting on 16 x 20 canvases. Brushes, paint, and canvases, as well as wine and snacks, are provided by the AMA.

Corks & Canvases Painting Parties are for all skill levels. No painting experience is required, Vanoteghem said.

"Corks & Canvases has proven time and time again that we all have hidden talent and are better artists than we think,” she said. “It allows us to learn new techniques and create something we are proud of. This month, we are delighted to take inspiration from the beloved Steve Hinton and his South Georgia landscape."

The class is $25 for AMA members or $30 for future members. Online registration is open for the May 25 event, and the registration link may be found at www.albanymuseum.com/programs/corks-and-canvases.

“Our previous Corks & Canvases Painting Parties have sold out available space well ahead of the event,” she said. “These nights away from the TV, smartphone, and tablets are a lot of fun, and you get to go home with your own unique artwork that you will be proud to show.”

Steve Hinton & Friends … From the Beginning is on view at the AMA through Aug 12, 2023.