The Sheldon Art Galleries presents the 6th annual Golf the Galleries interactive exhibition, June 9 – August 6, 2023, sponsored by UMB Bank. The playable, artist-designed, nine-hole mini golf installation will again be situated in the beautiful Sheldon Art Galleries space, and is designed to be inclusive, family-friendly and accessible.
The nine unique mini golf holes are designed by St. Louis area artists, architects, organizations and other creatives, and have been curated this season by artists Philip and Kelsey Jordan, whose popular golf holes were featured in 2021 and 2022. Tickets are $12 adults / $10 children 12 and under. Golf the Galleries is open Tuesday – Thursday, 12 – 5 p.m.; Friday, 12 – 8 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. No advanced reservations will be offered this season. Sales will be accepted at the door only for maximum flexibility. Visit TheSheldon.org for more information.
The Sheldon is proud to announce the Golf the Galleries 2023 hole designs:
Take the Factory Tour by Dave Kish finds players putting their balls through the stages of product life: factory, fairway and dump! Creator Dave Kish presents a collection of recycled cardboard wall sculptures to compliment a zany industrial- themed miniature golf hole where players can take the “factory tour.”
Kish is a St. Louis-based designer and builder. Twice a graduate of Lehigh University, he also studied at the design think-tank SCI-Arc and has compiled extensive and overlapping portfolios in the fields of architecture, fine art, illustration and education.
MuseumCeption by City Museum and artists True Mead & Angelina Brown incorporates several exhibits displayed within the confines of City Museum that many who visit are not familiar with. Most know City Museum as a metalworks playground, focused on reuse, where structures and components of other once-upon-a-time buildings become the play place for children and adults of all ages. This new mini golf hole highlights collections and items being shown for the very first time! City Museum is a Maker Sponsor.
Sound Moves by the World Chess Hall of Fame is the first golf hole dedicated to the intersection of chess and music! It will include artifacts and media representing a wide range of musical genres, both traditional and contemporary, featuring a selection of the greatest and most influential musicians and chess players the world has seen. A full exhibition on this subject is currently on display at the World Chess Hall of Fame in the Central West End at 4652 Maryland Avenue. World Chess Hall of Fame is a Maker Sponsor.
Candyman by LitShop is based on the beloved Roald Dahl children’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the trio of films that followed. The immersive mini golf hole mimics the experiences of the movie characters when they first enter Wonka’s factory. Golfers can take selfies with a life-size cutout of the candyman himself, Willy Wonka. LitShop is a non-profit organization that pairs literacy with hands-on making and building for girls and gender-expansive youth ages 10-16. Founded in 2019, LitShop offers workshops in reading, writing, building and making through modalities such as design, woodworking, carpentry, printmaking and fiber arts.
Putt your way upstream on Wally and Jacob Hauck’s Fly Fishing. Inspired by their love for fly fishing in Missouri’s beautiful streams, the golf hole’s centerpiece features a large sculpture of a native trout. Over the last 15 years, the Hauck’s have been working with a variety of agricultural companies to design and create large-scale sculptures depicting the properties of plants and scientific innovations for display at national trade shows. The Hauck’s are known for turning imaginative ideas into stunning realities, and their talent will be on full display in this unique hole!
In If you hit it, it’s a Drum, artists Kelsey and Phillip Jordan encourage users to explore the act of creating sound and rhythm out of known musical and found instruments. The artists, one a pianist and one a bassist, believe that music is important in child development and exploration, and is beneficial to all ages. Players “make some music” by taking one of the boomwhackers (tuned percussion tubes) around the column to play a little tune – just what they need to make that hole in one!
In A Trip to the Moon by Paul Casey and Sarah Frost, players can choose one of two methods of travel to our favorite celestial body. Starting at adjacent points, one route follows Jules Verne’s 19th century cannon, while the other tracks the 1969 moon landing.
Paul Casey was props master for over 25 years for Opera Theatre of St. Louis and at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and has freelanced for local TV stations, small theaters and trade show companies. Sarah Frost has created sculptures and installation art for 15 years. Originally trained as a painter, she also enjoys working as a set painter at The Muny and other local theaters and returns to Golf the Galleries for a second season after last year’s audience- favorite installation, Hole at the Pole.
The Anatomy of a House by Silas Coggeshall takes inspiration from literature and explores the age-old notion of a haunted house. What happens when the function of architecture and furniture becomes obtuse or even antagonistic to the human experience? What does the history of an object look like when made visible? What sort of presence does a home have when given the attributes of a living organism that has become malignant? Golfers must maneuver through an uncanny, haunting and macabre depiction of the home in this delightfully chilling hole.
Kelsey and Philip Jordan have made the final hole a walk in the park: the dog park! Day at the Dog Park creates a sense of fun and play in one of the most genuinely joyful places for its users. Furry companions remind us to let our stresses go and find excitement in little things like TREATS! BALL! WALKS! There is always something new to explore and a story that’s being created – who was there before them and what were they doing? Together, Phil and Kelsey Jordan are experienced architectural, furniture, construction and graphic designers. They return to Golf the Galleries for a 2nd year.
Hole sponsorships for Golf the Galleries are still available. Call The Sheldon’s Development Department at 314-533-9900 or e-mail sdo@thesheldon.org. For more information about Golf the Galleries call The Sheldon at 314-533-9900 or visit TheSheldon.org.
The Sheldon’s Exhibition series is sponsored by The Bellwether Foundation, Arts and Education Council, Regional Arts Commission, and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency Golf the Galleries is sponsored by UMB Bank
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
