For their second Slow Art Day, The Shipping Brow Gallery in Maryport, Cumbria, UK invited participants to explore artworks by renowned Cumbrian artist Percy Kelly. The gallery hosts the largest permanent collection of Kelly’s work in the United Kingdom.
Featured Works: A selection of 35 paintings by Percy Kelly, prominently featuring local scenes, including the gallery itself.
A display of Percy Kelly’s works at the Shipping Brow Gallery. Photo courtesy of Shipping Brow Gallery.
The museum also introduced a prize drawing. Attendees submitted guesses identifying how many paintings depicted the Shipping Brow Gallery building for a chance to win a copy of the art book, The Man Who Couldn’t Stop Drawing, by Chris Wadsworth.
The Shipping Brow Gallery exterior. Photo courtesy of Shipping Brow Gallery.Books on display, including the prize book The Man Who Couldn’t Stop Drawing, by Chris Wadsworth. Photo courtesy of Shipping Brow Gallery.
The event attracted a diverse group of attendees, ranging in age from 8 to 65 years, demonstrating broad community interest and engagement.
We thank Dolly Daniel and the entire Shipping Brow Gallery team for their organization and dedication to Slow Art Day 2025. We look forward to their participation in Slow Art Day 2026.
– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl
P.S. Stay connected with Shipping Brow Gallery on Instagram.
The Sawdust Art Festival in Laguna Beach, California, celebrated Slow Art Day on April 5, 2025, as part of their three-day Spring Fling pop-up show. The event was organized by host and artist Hedy Buzan, a founding host of Slow Art Day – and a longtime artist-presenter at the Sawdust.
Featured Works:
Sager-fired ceramic vessel
Stoneware cylinder
Two photographs
Bronze and enameled dragonfly sculpture
Watercolor painting of a neon sign and building
Two acrylic paintings
Two blown glass artworks
Participants gathered around the counter in Studio One, enjoying coffee during the morning session and wine during the afternoon gathering. Each session began with Hedy Buzan introducing five artworks by different artist, briefly discussing how each was made. Participants chose objects to closely observe in silence for five minutes, guided by the below prompts encouraging reflection on elements such as line, shape, texture, and personal emotional responses.
After individual reflection, attendees exchanged their objects, shifting between two-dimensional and three-dimensional works, allowing everyone to engage with a diverse range of artistic forms. This exchange was followed by a lively group discussion, facilitated by Hedy, who guided conversations by offering positive feedback and insights.
Participants engaging in lively discussion at Studio One. Photo courtesy of Hedy Buzan.
We express heartfelt thanks to Hedy Buzan and the entire Sawdust Art Festival team for their thoughtful planning and enthusiastic facilitation of Slow Art Day 2025. We look forward to what Hedy comes up with for Slow Art Day 2026.
Two cARTie kids look closely at two works of art inside cARTie with different tools and from different angles, with a cARTIe educator. Screenshot from cARTie’s Instagram.Two cARTie kids look closely at two works of art inside cARTie with different tools and from different angles, with a cARTIe educator. Screenshot from cARTie’s Instagram.
Both artworks, featured on cARTie’s traveling exhibit throughout 2024-2025, were created by secondary school student-artists from Connecticut. Participants watched a thoughtfully produced video highlighting children’s responses and insights, providing practical strategies for slow-looking.
Each work was featured for a recommended 5-10 minutes of focused viewing, encouraging deeper emotional and reflective engagement.
cARTie’s virtual approach captured the perspectives of children, underscoring the importance of accessibility and representation in museum spaces.
We extend our thanks to Clare, Co-Founder and Executive Director of cARTie, and the entire cARTie team for their innovative approach and dedication to Slow Art Day. We look forward to their participation in Slow Art Day 2026.
– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl
P.S. Stay connected with cARTie Art Museum Bus on Instagram.
For its second Slow Art Day, the Denver Art Museum in Denver, Colorado, offered both self-guided viewing and structured, docent-led discussions, inviting guests to explore three artworks.
Elaine de Kooning, Bullfight, 1959. Oil paint on canvas; 77 5/8 x 130 1/4 in. El Anatsui, Ghanaian, Rain Has No Father?, 2008. Installation. Found bottle tops and copper wire.Artist Unknown, Garden Party on the Terrace of a Country Home, about 1720-1730, Mexico. Folding screen, painted oil paint on canvas with gold.
Visitors were encouraged to spend 5–10 minutes individually observing each featured artwork, immersing themselves in a thoughtful, quiet exploration. Throughout the day, docents led engaging discussions every half hour, helping participants articulate their observations and uncover deeper meanings within the art.
The expressionism of Elaine de Kooning’s “Bullfight,” the textures of El Anatsui’s “Rain Has No Father,” and the narrative depicted in the 18th-century piece “Garden Party” sparked conversations and personal reflections among attendees. We recommend you check out the additional videos on the museum’s website showcasing El Anatsui’s installation and process.
You may view or download the handout for the event below:
Volunteers Ashley Christensen, Erinn Kruser and Forrest Corbett organized a group of 25+ job seekers to spend an evening together looking at art slowly at the Seattle Art Museum, Thursday, June 5, 2025. This is part of a growing partnership between Never Search Alone and Slow Art Day.
Below is Christensen’s write-up. And the team at Slow Art Day HQ agree – we couldn’t have described the impact of slow looking at art better.
— Slow Art Day at Seattle Art Museum – Recap
1. We all saw something different. Despite looking at the same painting for 10 minutes, my group came away with wildly different takeaways. From metaphors and feelings to objective facts (sometimes one of us missed whole sections of the art pieces). I was honestly surprised. I thought the longer we looked, the more we’d converge. But the opposite happened, we diverged. The art unfolded differently for each of us.
It was such a clear reminder that our lived experiences shape what we notice, how we interpret, and what moves us.
2. People wanted to connect, with the art and each other. More than 20 of the 26 attendees stayed after the art viewing, gathering at the MARKET to talk, laugh, and share takeaways. That blew me away. We moved up to Seattle two years ago and I’m still getting to know my new home but this felt deeply communal in a beautifully unexpected way. I assumed folks would drift off after the art-viewing but instead, the shared experience created something worth lingering for. People wanted to stay.
3. The vibe was genuinely kind. Networking events are awkward but this was different. I could tell some folks felt anxious or uncertain but people showed up with open minds.
There was something disarming about the format. No pitches. No small talk. Just attention, presence, and an invitation to be curious. It didn’t feel like a networking event. It felt human.
4. Slow looking really changed our state. One person mentioned at the end that she couldn’t focus at first. Her mind was racing. She wanted to move on after a minute. But then she started to settle and by the end of the first painting, she was present.
Another person noticed that someone in our group was fidgety and tense at the start but was visibly relaxed by the end. I felt that too. Like my body had slowed to meet my gaze. The longer we looked, the more the art gave us back.
5. Our attention had ripple effects. As our small groups paused in front of pieces of artwork, something unexpected happened: strangers began to gather near us. They looked from the painting to us and back again, curious about what had captured our attention for so long.
Our stillness seemed to signal that these pieces were worth an extra-long look. That quiet attention drew people in. It was a beautiful reminder that focus is contagious and that how we engage with the world can invite others to do the same.
Thanks again for the inspiration and for building such a powerful global movement. It was an honor to be part of it.
Florence County Museum in Florence, South Carolina, held its third Slow Art Day on April 5, 2025, continuing its tradition of encouraging thoughtful art engagement. Facilitated by Uschi Jeffcoat, Curator of Education & Community Engagement, the museum offered structured, guided slow-looking at artworks by William H. Johnson, featured in the exhibit Fighters for Freedom: William H. Johnson Picturing Justice, which was organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum and supported by Art Bridges.
Guests thoughtfully engage in slow-looking during the event. Photo courtesy of Florence County Museum.
Participants visited the Focus Gallery on the second floor, where they engaged in a silent observation exercise for 5-10 minutes, thoughtfully guided by reflection prompts provided by the museum (view the file below). These prompts encouraged visitors to deeply consider elements such as their initial visual impressions, color observations, medium and techniques, and personal connections to the artworks. Questions posed included, “Where did your eye go first and why?” and “What would you ask the artist about this painting?”
Guests thoughtfully engage in slow-looking during the event. Photo courtesy of Florence County Museum.
The calm and supportive environment facilitated by these reflective strategies allowed attendees to comfortably share insights and discuss the deeper meanings discovered in William H. Johnson’s vivid portrayals of African American life from the 1930s and 1940s. Visitors noted that this structured approach significantly improved their confidence in independently engaging with art, positively enhancing their overall museum experience.
Florence County Museum’s ongoing commitment to Slow Art Day continues to inspire visitors, and we look forward to their participation in Slow Art Day 2026!
– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl
P.S. Stay connected with Florence County Museum on Instagram and Facebook.
Köping Museum, a local art and history museum in the small central Swedish town of Köping, celebrated their third Slow Art Day by offering visitors a rich experience slow-looking at “Kedjad val” by P.G. Thelander and an exhibit featuring work by Tanja Ahola Rothmaier.
The event started with a guided session within Tanja Ahola Rothmaier’s exhibits, encouraging visitors to immerse themselves deeply in the viewing process. Following this guided experience, attendees participated in an art analysis exercise focusing specifically on the artwork “Kedjad val” by P.G. Thelander.
Thelander is known for his conceptual and often surrealistic art, frequently exploring themes of constraint, decision-making, and the interplay between freedom and limitation. The title, “Kedjad val” (translated as “Chained Choice”), suggests a commentary on the nature of choice.
Tanja Ahola Rothmaier’s exhibit. Photo provided by Köping Museum. Slow looking setup for “Kedjad val” by P.G. Thelander. Photo provided by Köping Museum.
The session concluded with a relaxed group discussion over coffee, allowing participants to share insights and reflections on the artworks.
Coffee and art. Photo provided by Köping Museum.
Continuing their collaboration from the previous year, Köping’s local library also borrowed an artwork and provided instructional slow-looking cards, allowing library visitors to independently practice slow-looking.
You can download the instruction cards (in Swedish) below:
We love the collaboration between the museum and the library, and thank Celly Paillet and the entire Köping Museum team for their thoughtful event. We eagerly look forward to what they come up with for Slow Art Day 2026.
– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl
P.S. Stay connected with Köping Museum via their Facebook and Instagram @visitkoping.
For their fifth Slow Art Day, Galleria l’arte di seta in Ljubljana, Slovenia, hosted a weeklong series of slow-looking experiences titled Beyond Visible, held April 5–14, 2025. Facilitated by executive coach and gallery founder Lidija Drobež, the event invited small groups to engage in quiet reflection and guided discussion while viewing works of abstract art. This marked the gallery’s first time featuring abstract art for Slow Art Day, expanding from a prior focus on figurative works.
Juraj Dobrović, second abstract painting.(Photo courtesy of Galleria l’arte di seta)Juraj Dobrović, abstract geometric work.(Photo courtesy of Galleria l’arte di seta)
The exhibition featured two works by Croatian artist Juraj Dobrović (b. 1928), a key figure in Geometric Abstraction and Neo-Constructivism. Dobrović’s art explores structured geometries across painting, sculpture, and graphic media. He has exhibited at major international venues including the Venice Biennale (1972) and São Paulo Biennale (1973). Though the gallery also included figurative works, guests naturally gravitated toward Dobrović’s abstract pieces for their slow-looking sessions.
Each session began with 15 minutes of silent viewing, followed by a guided group discussion. Participants were encouraged to remain in quiet reflection even after completing their own viewing. The works inspired rich personal interpretations:
“I noticed how I hang on lines, these lines here, not to be pulled through… I slowly moved with my eyes along the white line. This was a safety line.”
“I am used to geometrical forms. They are beautiful,” shared one guest, an architect.
Others reported joyful transformations: seeing toys dance or birds singing in a garden.
One called the experience “a pure harmony. A mathematical solution, the highest form of mathematics.”
Visitors slow looking at Juraj Dobrović’s work.(Photo courtesy of Galleria l’arte di seta)Participant observing a single piece.(Photo courtesy of Galleria l’arte di seta)
Beyond this annual event, Galleria l’arte di seta has expanded its commitment to slowness through a year-round series called Meetings with Art, now part of the Slow Art Club Galleria l’arte di seta. These sessions are built on a shared structure:
30 minutes of gathering and small talk
60 minutes of slow engagement (art, poetry, embodiment)
30 minutes of group reflection and farewell
The themes range from slow poetry readings to embodied responses to artwork, yet all share the values of facilitated dialogue, mindful presence, and deep connection.
Galleria l’arte di seta’s thoughtful curation of abstract art and their expanding year-round programming reflect a deep and evolving commitment to slow looking. We are grateful for their creative leadership and look forward to seeing what they design for Slow Art Day 2026.
For their third Slow Art Day, Concordia in Enschede, Netherlands, created an experience that embraced independent reflection and cinematic viewing.
While the originally scheduled artist talk had to be canceled due to personal reasons of the artist, the team thoughtfully adapted the event. They provided seating within the gallery space so visitors could independently spend time quietly viewing the works on display. Concordia also published tips online about how to look slowly at art, which many guests reviewed ahead of their visit. Additional prompts at the venue helped guide individual reflection and deepen the viewing experience.
Promotional graphic for Concordia’s Slow Art Day. (Courtesy of Concordia)
To conclude the day, visitors were invited to a screening of The Mirror by filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky — a contemplative cinematic work that echoes the principles of Slow Art Day.
Photos from the exhibition:
Alexandra Leykauf – All together now, video.(Photo courtesy of Concordia)Alexandra Leykauf – Drie Stenen II. (Photo courtesy of Concordia)Sara Rajaei – Veronica and Chantur.(Photo courtesy of Concordia)
We at Slow Art Day HQ applaud Concordia for turning unexpected changes into an opportunity to highlight the power of self-guided reflection and film. We look forward to seeing what they do for Slow Art Day 2026.
A new kind of partnership is taking shape — one that connects art and the job search in a powerful way.
Slow Art Day and Never Search Alone are working together to support both museums and job seekers.
Why this partnership matters:
For museums: It brings in new and more diverse visitors — something many are working hard to do.
For job seekers: It creates a space to pause, reflect, and feel connected during what can be a very isolating time.
On Monday, May 19, 2025, Never Search Alone members Stuart Ridgway and Caitlin Thistle hosted one of these special events at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Forty job seekers took part.
They started outside the museum (see photos below), then split into groups of four. Each group moved through the galleries together. One person at a time picked a piece of art. Everyone looked at it slowly — for ten minutes — then they talked about what they saw.
Afterward, everyone met back in the courtyard. They kept talking for hours — forming new friendships and reconnecting with something often lost in the job search: the simple, human experience of looking at art and being with others.
Caitlin, pictured in the left foreground of the group photo above, and Stuart both reported that the group left feeling energized and connected — lifted by the simple yet profound act of looking at art together.
Because the participants meet outside the museums, and break up into groups of four, and buy their own tickets, this is a scalable program that also doesn’t involve complicated group tour arrangements with museums. 50 or 100 job seekers just meet up, get divided into groups of 4, and go slow looking.
I hosted recent events as well at the Brooklyn Museum, with 50 participants, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art where more than 120 Never Search Alone members came together.
Below are photos from the Metropolitan Museum of Art outing.
Already, Never Search Alone members around the country are beginning to plan more events including one coming up at the Seattle Art Museum (more on that in a separate post).
Stay tuned. This is only the beginning.
– Phyl, Ashley, Johanna, and Jessica Jane
P.S. More information about Never Search Alone can be found at Phyl.org.
