5 Art Events for Your Weekend

Art Skool: Humor
Umbrella Gallery
2803 Taylor St.
7 p.m. Thursday

Good art can give you a good laugh. You’re more likely to learn a lesson when you’re laughing than when you’re crying at the lack of humanity in the world. Learn all about the history and contribution of humor in art during an open conversation at the Umbrella Gallery, 2803 Taylor St. The gallery’s regular Art Skool series will include classes and discussions like “Intro to Contemporary Art” and “The Artist’s Joke.” The series starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, and will repeat every week for 10 total sessions. Admission is free. Visit lifeindeepellum.com/umbrella-gallery for more information. — Danny Gallagher

Ben Willis: Candy Man
Fort Works Art
2100 Montgomery St., Fort Worth
6 to 9 p.m. Saturday

After being introduced in 1949, Candy Land was marketed on the box as “a child’s first game,” which explains why King Kandy, Queen Frostine, the Candy Cane Forest and Gum Drop Mountain captured many of our imaginations. Inspired by the timeless, perennial best-selling board game, Candy Land, Candy Man & Candy Castle will showcase highly acclaimed national and local artists to transform Fort Works Art, 2100 Montgomery St. in Fort Worth, into a family-friendly, experiential gallery. Phoenix-based artist Ben Willis curated the colorful, interactive exhibition based on the game. Ben Willis: Candy Man, the curator’s solo show, explores a Technicolor palette and geometric abstractions that will lead gallery attendees of all ages into Candy Castle, a feast-for-the-eyes exhibition displaying a vibrant and stimulating variety of work by nearly a dozen artists, including Dan Lam, Brennen Bechtol and Will Heron. The opening reception is from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5. Admission is free. The show runs through Sept. 9. For a full list of featured artists and gallery hours, visit fortworksart.com. — Daniel Rodrigue

Picasso/Rivera: Still Life and the Precedence of Form (pictured at top)
Meadows Museum
5900 Bishop Ave.
Through Nov. 5
Within any form of art, there is some rivalry between artists. From Saturday, Aug. 6, through Nov. 5, Southern  Methodist University’s Meadows Museum, 5900 Bishop Ave., presents Picasso/Rivera: Still Life and the Precedence of Form, an exhibition of works that compares and contrasts the styles, techniques and possible  competition of Pablo Picasso and Diego Rivera. Admission to the Meadows Museum is $4 to $12 for the public and free to SMU faculty, staff and students. It is also free Thursdays after 5 p.m. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays. Visit meadowsmuseumdallas.org. — Merritt Martin

The Polaroid Project
Amon Carter Museum
3501 Camp Bowie Blvd.
Through Sept. 3
Since Edwin Land’s invention debuted in 1947, many people have used Polaroid cameras and instant film to capture holidays and celebrations. Other skilled photographers and artists pushed the boundaries and capabilities of the technology and chemistry to create pieces of one-of-a-kind art. The Polaroid Project: At the Intersection of Art and Technology at the Amon Carter Museum, 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd. in Fort Worth, explores how a wide-ranging group of artists such as Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg and David Hockney used instant film for their  creative ends. The exhibition, which makes its U.S. debut at the museum, features 136 remarkable images of various formats and sizes by more than 100 photographer-artists. Admission is free, and free tours of the exhibition take place at 3 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. The exhibition runs through Sept. 3. For more information, visit cartermuseum.org. — Daniel Rodrigue

Styled with Poise: Figures in Japanese Paintings and Prints
Crow Collection of Asian Art
2010 Flora St.
Through Sept. 14
There was a time when art was exclusive to the very wealthy. Japan was a pioneer in bringing art to the average commoner. During the Edo period between 1603 and 1868, developments in woodblock printmaking made visual art accessible to many in Japan. The woodblock printmaking process originated from packing materials for tea from China and Japan, and the finished product required a publisher, artist, woodcutter and printer. Average travelers could take home pieces to remember their trips. The Crow Collection of Asian Art, 2010 Flora St., opens Styled with Poise: Figures in Japanese Paintings and Prints at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 8, for a chance to see some of these groundbreaking paintings and prints. Admission is free, and a members' reception takes place at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14. The exhibit runs through Sunday, Jan. 7. For more information, visit crowcollection.org. — Diamond Victoria