ncmuseums

An occasional list of exhibits, programs, and events at North Carolina museums. Sponsored by the North Carolina Museums Council.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

1). "Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure" will premiere on Friday, October 5 at Discovery Place's The Charlotte Observer IMAX Dome Theatre.

2). Author Paul Clancy will discuss his book "Iron-Clad: The Epic Battle, Calamitous Loss, and Historic Recovery of the USS Monitor" at the Museum of the Albemarle at 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 4 -- free and open to the public.

3). Also participating in this week's "Take a Child Outside Week" through the 30th: The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh and SciWorks in Winston-Salem.

4). The Grand Opening of the yet-unnamed new Kids Museum for Wake County, created by the merger of Playspace and Exploris, will be held on Saturday, September 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the site of the former Exploris in downtown Raleigh. In addition to numerous events, the name of the new museum will also be announced (www.929.com).

5). Ava Gardner Fest is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 28 through Sunday, Sept. 30th in Smithfield, centered around the Ava Gardner Museum on East Market St. For all of the events and details, visit www.avagardner.org or e-mail avainfo@avagardnermuseum.org.

6). Winston-Salem Delta Fine Arts has extended its "Jewels: 50 Phenomenal Black Women Over 50" exhibit until October 13.

7). Kings Mountain Historical Museum has opened its annual "Honor Our Veterans" exhibit, focusing in 2007 on the Vietnam War -- the exhibit runs through November 14.

8). The Cape Fear Museum of History & Science, Wilmington has just opened a new exhibit, "Cape Fear Seashells," which will run for about one year as a prelude to a hands-on research exhibit, "OCEAN: explore, discover," slated for a February 2008 opening. The Learning Center topic for October 6, 13, 20 and 27 will be "Simple Machines," and Sunday, October 7 is a free day for New Hanover County residents.

9). At the Waterworks Visual Arts Center, Salisbury: "Discover Craft NC," "Sculptural Books" by Daniel Essig, "Carnival" by Gerit Grimm and "Wind Instruments," a year-round exhibist by Mike Roig. Artist lectures are set for October 11 and 18. Free admission.

10). The juried exhibition "Fiberart International 2007" continues at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, Charlotte, through February 24. A workshop will be held on Sat., Sept. 29 ("The Expressive Stitch: Markmaking on Fiber"; fee), and a Special Lecture will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 30 (free with museum admission).

11). The Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro will screen "The End of Suburbia" at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 27, and "Paradox" at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 4. The opening reception for "UNCG Department of Art Biennial" is at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 7 - the exhibit remains through December 9. On Thursday, Oct. 11, the lecture subject will be "What's 'Modern' About Modernism?" (fee -- call 336-334-5770 to register).

Friday, September 14, 2007

The N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher will celebrate "Take a Child Outside Week" (Sept. 24-30) with a variety of outdoor programs for adults and children, starting on Monday, Sept. 24 with the Fort Fisher Hermit Program from 4-7:30 p.m. For all the details on this and other programs during the week, visit the website.

The Museum of Coastal Carolina, Ocean Isle Beach, will also offer ideas and information as part of Take a Child Outside Week -- packets will be available for pickup at the Museum on September 20 and 21; also, the Museum parking lot will be the registration site for the Ocean Isle Annual Trash Bash on September 29 -- sign in between 9:30 and 10 a.m., and there are hot dogs and t-shirts after the Bash for registered participants.

The Arts Center at the Imperial Centre, Rocky Mount, is accepted registrations now for the Nov. 10-11 "Image Transfer Techniques and Alternative Firing" workshop by Paul Wandless (fee: $200). Call 252-972-1163 for details.

The Pastime in the Park demonstration at High Point Museum for September 29 and 30 will be Blacksmithing.

The Hickory Museum of Art will host its free "Art and the Animal: The Society of Animal Artists' 46th Annual Exhibition" Family Fun Day on Saturday, Sept. 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Port Discover, Elizabeth City, will participate in Take A Child Outside Week with an afterschool nature walk on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 4 p.m. Call the museum for a reservation (252-338-6117). Toddler Time at Port Discover for September 20th is "The Beauty of Rainbows."

The Museum of Anthropology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem will open its new permanent exhibit, "Face to Face: The Arts of Exchange in Mainland Papua New Guinea" today, Friday, September 14. The annual "Dias de los Muertos" exhibit will be up from Sept. 18-Dec. 14; Family Day is from 1-4 p.m. on October 20th; and lectures are scheduled for October 26 at 3 p.m. and November 8th at 7:30 p.m. (see website for details.)

The Ackland Art Museum, UNC, Chapel Hill, will have a public opening for "The Art of Looking: Submissions from the Collection of Charles Millard" from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 30, followed at 3 by a "debate among experts considering collecting." Meanwhile, opening on September 14th: "The Healing Arts: Sickness and Social Impact" and "Enlightened Patronage: Art in Service to Humanity." Art After Dark is also tonight from 5-8:30 p.m.

North Carolina's original copy of the Bill of Rights continues its tour of the state with stops in Charlotte (October); Asheville in November; and Greensboro in December.

The McColl Center for Visual Art and the Mint Museum of Craft + Design will team up on Saturday, October 20 from 10 to 5 to literally link the two museums with "Threads of the Community," a free event -- RSVPs are requested, and participants must bring certain items with them.

Some attendees of the spring NCMC Annual Conference will recall Hart Square and the personal tour of this intriguing collection of era buildings, located south of Hickory. Hart Square is preparing for its annual opening to the public on the fourth Saturday of October (October 27 in 2007). Tickets ($25) go on sale Monday, October 1, at the Catawba County Museum of History. They can be purchased in person, or over the phone with a credit card by calling 828-465-0383. Groups of 15 or more may call ahead at 828-322-2990. The event occurs rain or shine; walkin' shoes are recommended. For further information, including a photo gallery, visit http://www.catawbahistory.org/.

The Appalachian State University Department of Art will host "Print Dialogue Days" on October 5 and 6. Details on the schedule and various events can be found at http://www.art.appstate.edu/ or contact April Flanders (828-262-7270 or flandersav@appstate.edu).

The New Bern Historical Society will hold its 17th annual New Bern at Night Ghostwalk on October 25 and 26 -- advance tickets are available; check the website for details, times and related activities.

Greensboro Historical Museum will present a lecture by Dr. Bryant Simon, Temple University, on "Consuming Starbucks." The event, at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 30th, is free but seating is limited; call 336-373-2043 to make reservations.

"Fiberart INTERNATIONAL 2007" opens September 15 and remains through February 24, 2008 at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, Charlotte.

"Guest Talk: Wild Music, Great Ideas" is at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 20th at the Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, and the opening for "Janine Antoni: Falk Visiting Artist" will be Sunday, Sept. 23. The exhibit runs through December 23.

At the N.C. Museum of History, Raleigh, upcoming programs include "North Carolina and World War II" from 9-5 on Thursday, Sept. 20th, and Family Day, "Remembering World War II: North Carolinians at Home and Abroad" from 11-4 on Saturday, Sept. 29.

"Live! At the Arsenal" will be from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 23 at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, Fayetteville.

From 2-4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 27, Ralph Scott will present "The Wilmington Shipyard: Welding a Fleet for Victory in World War II" at the N.C. Maritime Museum, Beaufort.

The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh will present "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" as part of its First Friday program on Friday, October 5 (from 5-9 p.m., film at 7 p.m.) The Museum's free "Chemistry Day" is set for Saturday, Oct. 20 from 10-4. Also, the Museum's Science Cafe on "Privacy and Internet Security" is Tuesday, September 25 at 6:30 p.m., and "Burrowing Dinosaurs" is at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29th.

Bellamy Mansion, Wilmington, will host "African-American Life in Wilmington: From the Revolution to the End of the Nineteenth Century," taught by Greg Zugrave, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 over four classes, October 10 to 31. Fee is $49; registration is due by September 26th -- call 910-962-3195.

The Museum of the Albemarle, Elizabeth City will open "Ansel Adams in the East: Cruising the Inland Waterway" on September 15; the exhibit remains through December 2. Exhibit Curator Stephen B. Jareckie will give a gallery talk at 7 p.m. on October 11.

The Cameron Art Museum will host "Broadway: The American Musical," a film, at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 21, and "The Man Who Came to Dinner" at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 23. Both programs are admission by donation. An Architecture Lecture with Randy Brown starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 28th.

Friday, September 07, 2007

Museum reports missing artworks

A North Carolina museum that wishes to remain anonymous (please note that any comments or responses can be sent to the NCMC webmaster, webmaster@ncmuseums.org, and they will be passed back to the museum) has recently discovered that two pieces of art are missing from its display area. Please be aware that these items could appear on the market. The museum would greatly appreciate passing along the word to colleagues, collectors, dealers or anyone else.

Specifically, the missing objects are:
1). a Joan Miro black & white lithograph, titled, El Saltador (The Jumper), 1948, which was framed in a 1-inch round profile shiny gold frame measuring 16 x 20 inches. The abstract image depicts organic black shapes on a white background. The image area is 9 x 12.5 inches and the sheet size is 14 x 18". The print is glued or mounted to cardboard. It is signed and dated 1948, and numbered 6/50. The accession number is 1986.1.5.
2). an untitled ink drawing on paper by Yves Tanguy, which was framed in a 3/4-inch flat profile antique gold frame measuring approximately 8.75 x 16.5 inches. The sheet size is 4 x 11.75 inches. The drawing, which depicts a typical Tanguy mechanical fantasy construction, is initialled "Y.T" in the lower right of the image area. The accession number 1996.7.12.

If anyone wishes to pass a message back to the museum, as noted above, please e-mail webmaster@ncmuseums.org and the webmaster will forward the message.

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

The NCMC Board Is Looking For A Few Good Members! We need you ....

Per the NCMC By-Laws, the following NCMC Board positions are to be filled in even-numbered years (such as 2008): Annual Meetings Chair, Governmental Affairs Chair, Newsletter Chair, and Professional Development Chair. Terms of service for those positions are two years, although chairs may serve more than one term. If you, or any NCMC member you know, is interested in working on the NCMC Board, we strongly encourage you to let us know ASAP.

You need not have a specific Board position in mind, just a willingness to serve on the Board and act in the best interests of NCMC and North Carolina's museum community. Participation on the Board is a great learning and networking experience!

Nomination Due Date: November 2, 2007. Please send nominations to: Mr. Lindsey A. Lambert (NCMC Nominating Chair), Brock Historical Museum, Greensboro College, 815 W. Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27401; or by e-mail: nominating@ncmuseums.org.


Port Discover, Elizabeth City, has set "The Science of Salt Crystals" as its Make-It-Take-It subject for September.

Cinema SECCA (
www.secca.org) for September 6 and September 9 is "The Camden 28." $5 for members; $6 students and seniors, $7 general admission.
The Gallery Talk on September 25 at 6 p.m. is by Dr. Anthony S. Parent (fee).


"A Day Out with Thomas the Tank Engine" is coming to the N.C. Transportation Museum (
www.nctrans.org), and now's the time to buy tickets for September 28-30 and October 5-7 ($18 for everyone, ages 2 and up -- call 1-866-468-7630).

In addition to "Transformations: Cherokee Baskets in the 20th Century"
already on display (through March 16, 2008), the N.C. Museum of History, Raleigh,
will open "Liberty and Freedom: North Carolina's Tour of the Bill of Rights" (September 17-23) and "Everybody's War: North Carolina and World War II" (September 18, through March 17, 2008). A Bill of Rights Symposium is set for Monday, September 17, with sessions at 2:30 and 7 p.m. Also, the Museum has opened a permanent exhibit gallery devoted to decorative arts (Pleasing to the Eye: The Decorative Arts of North Carolina).

The Museum of the Albemarle, Elizabeth City, will kick off its Fall Albemarle Historical Roundtable program with a lecture by Dr. Rebecca Seaman at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 6 (free). Preschooler Time returns at 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 13th. The Museum will hold "Day on the River" from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 15th, featuring the Classic Moth Boat. On September 22, at the Museum, demonstrations of life in the 19th century will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The N.C. Maritime Museum, Beaufort, has "Masters of Realism" on display, now through October 28.

Saturday, September 8 from 2-4 p.m. is the Fire & Ice Cream Social at the Hickory Museum of Art, an opening reception for "BORN OF FIRE: Glass from the Museum's Luski Collection." RSVPs will be appreciated at 828-327-8576. The HMA Shop will also reopen, with a remodeled look, that day.

Tryon Palace, New Bern, will have a guest lecture, "Jane Austen and the British Landscape," by June Mays at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 8 (free; V.C. Auditorium); an African American Lecture, "The End of Race?" by Dr. Williams A. Darity, Jr. at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 20 (free; V.C. Auditorium); and the next African American Historic Downtown Walking Tours are set for September 16 and October 21 (fee; reservations, 252-514-4900).

Sunday, September 9 from 1-7 p.m. is Charlotte Film Festival: Kids Day at The Light Factory, Charlotte. Call 704-333-9755 or see website for information.

The Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art, Greensboro, will open "Max rada dada's Sideshow Banners, Polaroids & Objects" on Friday, September 14, running through November 2. His own sideshow piece will be preformed at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, September 28th.

"Noon at the 'Spoon" (Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro) for Tuesday, September 11 will be a public tour of "The Liberated Eye: American Modernisms," at noon. On October 9, the subject will be "LeWitt X 2," and on November 13, "Janine Antoni." The Artist Talk on Friday, September 14 at 4 p.m. will be by Stephen Vitiello.

(From August 27-28, 2007)

Reynolda House Museum of American Art will conclude its festive exhibition opening weekend for "Wings of Adventure: Smith Reynolds and the Flight of 898 Whiskey," with a lecture by Gary Underland, aviator and airplane restorer, on Sunday, Sept. 9 at 3:30 p.m. Underland is responsible for the restoration of the Savoia Marchetti S-56 on display as part of the exhibition.

On Saturday, September 15, 2007 the Davidson County Historical Museum, Lexington, will open a new exhibit, "Marking the Trail of Our Civil War History." In conjunction with the exhibition, re-enactors will present a one-day living history event in two locations occupied by the Union Army in 1865 (the Old Courthouse, 2 South Main, and The Homestead, 408 South Main Street) from 10 AM until 4 PM, as well as recognition services Saturday and Sunday. For more information call Catherine Hoffmann, 336-242-2035, or Jo Ellen Edwards, 336-249-7256 (or visit the website).

The Wake County Historical Society will host its annual Raleigh City Cemetery tour on Monday, Sept. 3 at 10 a.m., with a guided tour by a local historian of Raleigh's oldest cemetery. Meet at the East gate of the cemetery; refreshments following tour. Call 919-319-9510 for information.

Upcoming events at the Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro: Thursday, August 30, Film: "Who Killed the Electric Car?" (6:30 p.m.); Thursday, September 6, Artist Talk: Jane South (5:30 p.m., reception follows the lecture); and Sunday, September 9, Exhibition Opening + Reception: "LeWitt x 2" -- Guest Lecture, Dean Swanson (2 p.m., reception follows).

Upcoming events at the Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington: Theatre Talk, "From Idea to Stage," Sunday, Sept. 2 (3:00 p.m.); Plays on Film, "Crazy for You" (1999), Friday, Sept. 7 (7:00 p.m.); Music, "Small but Mighty: Meet the Ukulele," Sunday, Sept. 9 (3:00 p.m.); Music, Aqua Viva; Friday, Sept. 14 (7-8 p.m.); and Performance/Readings: Playwrights Producing Company, Sunday, Sept. 16 (3:00 p.m.). All events, admission by donation.

The Mint Museum of Craft + Design, Charlotte, is set for "Taste of Art Fridays" from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 7 (Amy Sanders) and Friday, October 5 (Jeff Pender). E-mail Allison Taylor (allison.taylor@themintmuseums.org) for more details.

The 16th Biennial Conference on Restoring Southern Gardens and Landscapes is upcoming at Old Salem Museums & Gardens, Winston-Salem, September 27-29. The discounted conference registration rate and hotel reservations must be arranged by September 1; higher rates will apply after that date. For full details, contact Martha Ashley (mashley@oldsalem.org or 336-721-7360). A photographic exhibit will be on view at the MESDA Auditorium from September 1-30, in conjunction with the conference. Called "Forever These Lands," the exhibit comes from the Piedmont Land Conservancy and features work by Virginia Weiler and Gary Carter. It is open free to the public during regular MESDA hours, except during scheduled meetings.

The Asheville Art Museum has scheduled "A Taste of Art + Wine" for Thursday, September 20, 6:30-9 p.m. Advance tickets are available for members and non-members, and tickets at the door will be $40 for all attendees. Proceeds support the museum's public programs.

The High Point Museum will feature Wool Carding and Spinning as the Pastime in the Park on Sat., Sept. 22 and Sunday, Sept. 23. The Museum's next exhibit opens September 28th -- "Back by Popular Demand," featuring favorite artifacts. If you have items you treasure and would like to have evaluated, be sure to check the website for details on the Friday and Saturday, September 7-8, evaluation events.

The Hickory Museum of Art is seeking folk artists to participate in its October 20th "Fall into Folk Art: Show, Sale and Supper." Questions and registration forms: Nikol Wuest or Ann Hinson, 828-327-8576; registration form also online.

BugFest 2007 is set for the indoors, plaza and Capitol grounds at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15th.

The first of the newly-renamed lecture series at the Museum of Coastal Carolina, Ocean Isle Beach -- the Bruce Porter Lecture Series -- will be Richard Olsen on Aurora Mine Fossils, on September 11 (museum opens at 6:30 p.m., lecture at 7 p.m.).

(From August 17, 2007)

The Gregg Museum at N.C. State University, Raleigh, will open the inaugural exhibition of "SPoT!2007-The Southeastern Photography Triennial Exhibition," along with "Juror's Work: Photographs by Joyce Tenneson," on August 23, continuing through October 7. The exhibit features work of 39 photographers chosen from over 170 who sent entries from Virginia to Florida. A reception is set for 6-8 p.m. on September 12, including a gallery talk by Ms. Tenneson at 7:30 p.m.

The Hickory Museum of Art will open "Signs & Symbols" by Peter Milne with a sneak preview reception from 6-8 p.m. on August 24. The exhibit will be in place from August 25 to November 18.

The Rosenzweig Gallery, Durham, will open Hunter Levinsohn's "Of Jacob, Joseph and Deborah" on August 23rd, running through October 18. The opening reception is from 3-5 p.m. on August 26.

At Bennett Place State Historic Site, Durham, Civil War Cinema Presents "The Last Confederate" at 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 25 - free admission.

A new art exhibit, "The Art Ladies Paint," will be on display from September 1-30 at the Orange County Historical Museum, Hillsborough. Also planned are the second annual Felicity Day (September 8) and the opening of a new permanent exhibit, "Now Showing: At the Movies in Hillsborough" from 6-9 p.m. on September 28.

On August 7, the Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley, NC hosted its 250,000th visitor since opening five years ago.

The McColl Center for Visual Art, Charlotte, has announced its schedule of workshops for fall 2007, including Visual Journaling, Sensational Silkscreening, Fish Prints, Chine Colle Printmaking, Beginning Abstract Watercolor, Soy Wax Batik on Silk, Shibori and Resist Dye Techniques and Solarplate Etching for adults, as well as children's programming. Registration is required for all classes - see the website.

Coming up at the Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington: Film "Broadway: The American Musical" (7 p.m. on 8/17, and 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 19); Musical Theatre Selections performance at 7:30 p.m., August 24; Sarus Festival dance at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 26; and a Theatre Talk, "From Idea to Stage" at 3 p.m. on Sunday, September 2. Admission for all of these programs is by donation.

The N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, will host a lecture by Duke Biology Professor Steve Nowicki on the subject of "Evolution of Birdsong" at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 21 - the event is free.

Tryon Palace, New Bern, will present performances of "Box & Cox: A One-Act British Farce" on September 1 and 15 at 11 a.m., and "A Historical Punch & Judy Show" on September 8, 22 and 29. Also, a reenactment of the Stanly-Spaight Duel will be conducted on Monday, September 3.

The Hot Topics subject at SECCA, Winston-Salem, on Tuesday, September 4 will be a DVD screening and discussion of "Negroes with Guns," at 6 p.m. in the Living Room ($3 members/$5 non-members).

Upcoming programs at the Greensboro Children's Museum include "Love for Llamas" from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, August 22.

(From August 4-13, 2007)

Upcoming seminar: The National Preservation Institute is holding workshops at Blandwood in Greensboro, NC during November for the care of historic properties. The workshops are divided into two sessions. The first is on "Historic Structure Reports: A Management Tool for Historic Properties" on November 13, 2007 and the second is on "Preservation Maintenance: Understanding and Preserving Historic Buildings" being held November 14-15, 2007.

Historic Structures Reports: A Management Tool for Historic Properties, seminar overview: The core of any historic property management program is accurate information about the building. This seminar will explore the historic structures report-the principal tool used to document a site's history, condition, and maintenance-and emerging technologies, such as computer-aided facilities management programs.


Preservation Maintenance: Understanding and Preserving Historic Buildings, seminar overview: Performing-or not performing-minor maintenance often can have unintended consequences. Learn how to read your building and understand the effects of daily, monthly, and annual maintenance activities between larger capital projects. Identifying, caring for, and maintaining historic materials is critical to this process. Discuss the nature of building materials, how they age, and how they fail. Learn when to bring in a specialist to help identify the problem or a contractor to handle a specific task.

These workshops will be valuable to anyone in charge of caring for historic buildings, whether an eighteenth century log house or a 1920s office building. For additional information and to reserve your seat, please go to
http://www.npi.org/ website to contact workshop organizers.

Artifacts seeking a home: I am a direct descendant of General James Porterfield Owen (December 6, 1784 - August 4, 1865) whose plantation, Owen Hill, was on the Cape Fear River in Biaden [sic] County and a collateral descendant of Gov. John Owen (August 21, 1787- October 9, 1841). I have in my possession numerous papers, artifacts and one or two pieces of furniture which relate to these ancestors. One of the most valuable is a Gait solid silver coffee service which was given as a wedding gift to Margaret Mumford Owen Dickson, the daughter of General James Owen, by her brother-in-law, Daniel Dickson, on the occasion of her marriage to Dr. James K. Dickson in 1845. Both Dr. and Mrs. Dickson are buried in Oakdale Cemetery in Wilmington as are many of my relatives. Some family papers are already in the Library of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, the Hanover County Public Library in Wilmington, and the Arabic Bible which James Owen had translated and printed by the American Bible Society for his slave, Omar ibn Said, is in the Library of Davidson College in Davidson. I have surprisingly reached eighty this year and have no relatives who show any interest in these things. I would like for them to be preserved and wish to leave them to any organization or entity which may be interested in having them. Should you have any suggestions, I would certainly appreciate them.
Newton Trammell, Jr., 7 Kings Walk, N. E., Atlanta, Georgia 30307-1205; 404-377-8091/404-310-2850 -- e-mail petetrammell@comcast.net


The exhibition "Born of Fire: Glass from the Museum's Luski Collection"
opens today at the Hickory Museum of Art and will remain through April 20, 2008. A free ice-cream reception is set for September 8 from 2-4 p.m. Also at the HMA: Rev. Eric Timm will paint live from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, August 11, discussing his non-traditional Christian art
.

Assad Meymandi, renowned psychiatrist, philanthropist and humanitarian, will speak on links of science and technology with music, the arts and the brain, in conjunction with the "Wild Music" exhibit at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh. The talk is at 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 12
.

Old Salem Museums & Gardens, Winston-Salem, has announced an amateur photography contest in several age brackets, with images due by Monday, September 10. Winners and others will be shown starting Sept. 15, in conjunction with Printers, Painters and Photographers Day, to be held in Old Salem that day. Visit the website
for photo contest applications and details.

Museum of Anthropology, Wake Forest Univ., Winston-Salem, will open "Face to Face: The Arts of Exchange in Mainland Papua New Guinea" on September 14, and "Dias de los Muertos," the annual Days of the Dead exhibit, opens September 18 and remains through December 14.

The Pastimes in the Park demonstration on August 18 and 19 at High Point Museum will be Blacksmithing.

"Norm Schulman: A Life in Clay" opens on August 24 and remains through October 6 at the Fine Art Museum of Western Carolina University, Cullowhee.
Also opening that day is "Tri-State Sculptors: MicroMonumentals."

The Greensboro Children's Museum will hold its free "Kick-Off to Kindergarten" event from 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, August 11.

The last Family $1 Friday of the season will be held on Friday, August 10 from 4-8 p.m. at SciWorks, Winston-Salem.

A cabaret performance of musical theatre selections, tied to the current exhibition, will be held at the Cameron Art Museum at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, August 24 (admission by donation).

A Historic Pottery Workshop is the Saturday Sampler on August 18 at Tryon Palace, New Bern. A fee is charged - call 252-514-4935 for details.

The Light Factory, Charlotte, will celebrate the work of Charles Burnett from August 24-26. Venues and screening times are on the website.

Newbold-White House, Hertford, will hold its Hearth & Harvest Festival
September 8 and 9; $4 individual admission, $12 family, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

(From July 19-25, 2007)

The organizers of the 2008 NCMC Annual Meeting & Conference, to be held in Fayetteville, March 4-7, 2008, would like to remind all interested parties that session proposals for the Conference are due on AUGUST 1, 2007. For all the details, visit www.ncmuseums.org. We encourage the participation of our members and their associates in each year's sessions, and 2008 is no exception!

POSSIBLE DONATION: Cory Saksenberg of Mint Hill, N.C. is the owner of two large dollhouses that Cory would like to donate to an institution where they can be enjoyed by many. Cory has already tried several local hospitals and museums and for various reasons, they cannot accept this type of donation. Cory can e-mail photos of either or both dollhouses to anyone who might like to take a look, as well as answer questions, via e-mail. To contact Cory, write to: csaksenberg@carolina.rr.com. The dollhouses are located in Mint Hill, North Carolina. Cory would prefer that whomever decides to accept these pick them up at Cory's home, but those arrangements can be discussed later if someone chooses to give the dollhouses a home.
Physical location/mailing address is: Corliss Saksenberg (Cory), 14918 Rothwell Drive, Mint Hill, NC 28227.

Looking to add more local history books to your reference collection? The Federation of N.C. Historical Societies has compiled its annual list of local history books available from its members. The list includes architecture and cemetery surveys; histories of towns, counties, and local institutions; biographies; memoirs; cultural studies; information from deeds, wills, and census records; and more. For more information, please visit www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/affiliates/fnchs/bulletin/publications.pdf.

The Mint Museums, Charlotte, will host an adult/child workshop from 10-11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, July 24-26, on the subject of "Where The Wild Things Are." For tuition and registration information, call (704) 337-2098. The third annual Potters Market Invitational is also set at the Mint Museum of Art for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 8 -- tickets will be available on the day of the sale only, starting at 9:30 a.m., for $8 apiece (includes museum admission for that day).

The Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington, has several upcoming activities: on July 27 at 7:30 p.m., the Literary Event is "Carolina Beach: Two Views with Images"; on Sunday, August 5 at 3 p.m., the Theatre Talk is with Debbie Scheu, costume designer; on Thursday, August 9 at 7:30 p.m., the Film is "The Devil Came on Horseback"; on Friday, August 10 from 7-8 p.m., the music offering is Pantastic Steel (steel drums); and on Sunday, August 12th at 3:30 p.m. is a Songwriter's Showcase

"Launched" is an exhibition that showcases talented students from the North Carolina university art departments. It will be on display at the McColl Center for Visual Art, Charlotte, from August 3 to September 1, with an opening reception on August 17 from 6-9 p.m. A retrospective exhibition, "Veronica's Veils: Herb Jackson, A Retrospective" is also set to open September 21 at the McColl Center and remain through November 3. The opening reception will be from 6-9 p.m. on September 28, with an Artist Talk at 6:30 p.m.

"Black Panther Rank and File" is the current exhibit at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem, and will remain on display through September 28. On August 9 (7 p.m.) and 12 (2 p.m.), Cinema SECCA will present "Crazy Love" -- $5 members, $6 students and seniors, $7 general admission.

Old Salem Museums & Gardens, Winston-Salem, will host the 16th Biennial Conference on Restoring Southern Gardens and Landscapes, September 27-29. Conference registration fee is discounted for registrations prior to September 1. For details, contact Martha Ashley -- mashley@oldsalem.org or (336) 721-7360.

Tryon Palace, New Bern, will offer "Box & Cox: A One-Act British Farce" at 11 a.m. on August 4 and 18 at the Visitor Center Auditorium, and "A Historical Punch & Judy Puppet Show" at 11 a.m. on August 11 and 25, Carriage Bay of the Stable Office.

In conjunction with their current exhibition, the Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, will present a Wild Music Festival from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 4, and a lecture, Wild Music and Bird Songs, at 7 p.m. on August 21. Several workshops and trips are also on tap -- see the website for more details.

The Orange County Historical Msueum, Hillsborough, will offer the "Seeing Red" art exhibit by artist Barbara Ziff from August 1-31, and also plans the "Back to School ... Way Back" event from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, August 31.

The North Carolina Aquariums have a number of August special events and activities scheduled -- check them out on the website.

The final Summer Breeze Concert for the season at Newbold-White House, Hertford, is set for 5:30-6:30 p.m. on the lawn on Sunday, August 19th.

Reynolda House Museum of American Art will combine its fall exhibition opening with its 40th anniversary celebration beginning on Friday night, September 7th. The opening reception for "Wings of Adventure: Smith Reynolds and the Flight of '898 Whiskey'" will be held that evening, followed on September 8th with a free visitation day for Reynolda House, including special events for adults and children during the day.

For the first time in its 40-year history, The Health Adventure plans to be open during Bele Chere, the last weekend of July -- offering the coolest and driest place during the festival with extended hours and a featured exhibit, "The Magic School Bus Kicks Up a Storm." Members are free and all activities are included in standard museum admission for others.

Discovery Place's exhibit "The Dinosaurs" is returning on Wednesday, July 25th, after time off for refurbishment.

Greensboro Children's Museum is planning Harry Potter Fun! from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 21st, and a free showing of the movie "Open Season" at 8 p.m. on July 27th.

July 19th is the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher's "Family Night," featuring Mojo Collins and Sea Pans, and the Shark Shindig will be held on July 29, kicking off Shark Week through August 4. Call (910) 458-8257 for more details, or visit the website.

The Delta Arts Center will premiere the exhibition "Jewels: 50 Phenomenal Black Women Over 50" by photographer Michael Cunningham, from the book with co-author Connie Briscoe, opening July 22 and running through September 11 in Winston-Salem.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, in conjunction with its "Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life," will offer three lectures -- the first is July 19th at 7 p.m. by biomusic researcher Patricia Gray, on "The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music." The second lecture, on Thursday, August 21 at 7 p.m., will have Steve Nowicki discussing the intricacies of birdsongs. Finally, Donald Hodges will present "A Layman's Guide to the Musical Brain" at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 4.

The exhibits "Message in a Bottle: Reconstructing Lives," "Artifacts of Remembrance" and "Artifacts of Remembrance Featuring Chris Sullivan" open on July 26th at The Light Factory, Charlotte.

(From July 12, 2007)

The Summer 2007 quarterly NCMC Newsletter is now available for viewing on the Museums Council website. You can click on "News" across the top banner to find a link to it, or go there from the item at the top of the right-hand column on the front page. Either way, it's chock-full of news, exhibits and other useful stuff. Check it out today!

POTENTIAL DONATION: Diana Zeltmann, curator at the Tobacco Farm Life Museum, has received an offer her museum cannot accept. A woman would like to donate a restored tobacco truck to a museum. She (the donor) really does not want to junk it, especially since it has been fully restored. The truck dates to the 1940s or 1950s; the frame of the truck is original as is everything else except the wheels, which match original appearance. It is located in Clayton, N.C. and would have to be picked up. If anyone is interested in the truck, please contact Diana at the Tobacco Farm Life Museum, (919) 284-3431, or e-mail diana.zeltmann@gmail.com.

The Arts Splash Concert with bluegrass musician Donna Hughes is set for 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 22 at the High Point Museum. Pastimes in the Park for July 28 and 29 will be Laundry and Ironing Demonstrations.

Family $1 Friday at SciWorks, Winston-Salem, is from 4-8 p.m. on Friday, July 13, and the final one for this summer will be on August 10th.

At the Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington: music with Grenoldo Frazier from 7-8 p.m. on Friday, July 13 ($5 members, $8 non-members); Panel discussion on Theater in Wilmington, 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 15 (admission by donation); the 1990 film version of Hamlet at 7 p.m. on July 20 (admission by donation) and Guerilla Theatre presents Hamlet at 3 p.m. on July 22 (admission by donation).

The Rocky Mount Arts Center will hold a public artist reception for its current exhibitions from 7-9 p.m. on Friday, July 13th. Current shows include: Brown's Pottery (through Sept. 9), Robbie Barber-Sculpture (through Sept. 9), John Morris-Painting and Graphics (through Sept. 16), Potters of the Roan (through Sept. 16), The Sculpture Salmagundi XI (through Sept. 26 indoors, through June 10, 2008 outdoors), and Lauren Camp-The Fabric of Jazz (through September 26).

The CMC Body Worlds Health Fair will be held at Discovery Place, Charlotte from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 14.

The Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, will hold its Library Book Sale from 3 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 17. Cash and check only, please. Free with admission on Sunday, July 29th is a concert by Chamber Music of Charlotte (Van Every Forum, 3 p.m.)

Wilmington is busy getting ready for this year's "Flavor of the Past: Entertaining Wilmington," which will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 25th. Tickets are $35 through August 10; $50 starting August 11th. Tickets can be found at the historic sites involved (Bellamy Mansion Museum of History and Design Arts, Latimer House, Cape Fear Museum of History & Science, Thalian Hall, Old Town Livery Stable) or online at thalianhall.com or etix.com. Call Bellamy at (910) 251-3700, ext. 104 for more information.

Art & Literature: Read with the Ackland will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 18 at the Ackland Art Museum. Also on tap: Lunch with One, July 19 at 1 p.m.; and Yoga in the Galleries, noon on July 31st.

The New Bern Literary Festival and Book Fair will be held at the Visitor Center Auditorium at Tryon Palace, New Bern from noon to 5 on Saturday, July 14 (free). The African American Historic Downtown Walking Tour (reservations required) starts at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 14. The African American Lecture with guest speaker Peter Sandbeck will be "Urban Slave Housing in North Carolina" on July 19 at 7 p.m. (free).

(From July 3-9, 2007)

CENTER FOR CURATORIAL LEADERSHIP WILL TRAIN CURATORS TO BECOME MUSEUM DIRECTORS - NEW ORGANIZATION TO BEGIN JANUARY 2008 - Co-Founded by Agnes Gund, President Emerita, the Museum of Modern Art, and Elizabeth Easton, Former Chair, Department of European Painting, Brooklyn Museum (New York, NY, June 29)
Is there an upcoming crisis brewing in cultural leadership at fine art museums across the country? A new organization, the Center for Curatorial Leadership, contends that the most successful new museum directors of the future should be chosen from the ranks of today's curators. Co-founded by Agnes Gund, President Emerita of the Museum of Modern Art, and Elizabeth Easton, the former chair of the Department of European Painting at the Brooklyn Museum, the Center for Curatorial Leadership will train curators to assume leadership positions in museums. The initiative is to be funded by Agnes Gund for three years through December 2009. Philippe de Montebello, Director, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and many other museum directors from across the United States have pledged their time, enthusiasm and support.


"The Center for Curatorial Leadership is the realization of my longstanding desire to empower and nurture the curatorial profession," says Gund. "By basing this program in New York, we can capitalize on the city's great cultural resources. The program will also provide unparalleled access to the country's diverse museum community, including its most gifted directors, trustees and administrators. We hope to prepare the next generation of leaders for the ever-evolving museums of the 21st century."

"There is clearly a need for curators to take initiatives toward educating themselves in business and management skills," notes Easton, who received countless emails from curators feeling a sense of frustration about professional advancement during her term as president of the Association of Art Museum Curators from 2003 to 2006.

The Center for Curatorial Leadership (CCL), located in New York City, will identify within the curatorial ranks individuals who have the potential to become leaders and will help them become curators who not only take charge of the art in their care, but who are also capable of assuming the leadership responsibilities essential to directing a museum. "CCL is premised on the conviction that there need be no contradictions between these two sets of obligations - indeed, that there must not be," notes Easton.

The Advisory Committee includes distinguished museum directors and trustees including Agnes Gund, President Emerita, The Museum of Modern Art, New York; Philippe de Montebello, Director, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Timothy Potts, Director, Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth; Susana Torruela-Leval, Director Emerita, El Museo del Barrio; and Axel Rüger, Director, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. Other cultural leaders on the Committee include the Rt. Hon. Lord Smith of Finsbury, former Secretary of Culture for the United Kingdom, now director of the Clore Leadership Programme, which helps train a new generation of leaders for the UK's cultural sector, and Darren Walker, Vice President, Foundation Initiatives, The Rockefeller Foundation.

At the founding of the Association of Art Museum Curators six years ago, Philippe de Montebello charged curators to consider as a high priority the crisis of the diminishing pool of future museum directors: "If we are to win the battle of the 'curator/director' over the 'administrator/director,' a profile with which increasingly boards of trustees are instinctively more comfortable, then it is essential to enlarge the pool of curators with the qualifications to be tomorrow's museum directors. It is essential, in order to reassure trustees that hiring curators as directors will not compromise the business-like running of a museum's affairs, in other words, their bottom line. Whether this is achieved through more exposure of curators to the functioning of the administration from within, or more schooling in business administration...it is absolutely critical that more should be done in broadening the professional development of curators."

CCL Program Overview
Ten fellows currently working in art museums at all levels of the curatorial profession will be chosen to participate in the program by a small committee of current and former museum directors. The selection of the fellows will be announced on October 1, 2007. Curators will learn management skills and benefit from mentoring by top-level administrators in the most important museums in America. Application forms will be due July 31, 2007. The costs of participation for the fellows will be fully funded.

Curriculum
Drawing upon the rich resources of museums and academic institutions in New York, the first class of fellows for the Center for Curatorial Leadership will begin on January 7, 2008, with a two-week intensive program combining mini academic courses in non-profit management, finance and budget analysis, fundraising, board development, cultural properties law, communications, conflict resolution and strategic long-range and short-term initiatives. The teachers will represent both the museum world and academia. This will be followed by a one-week residency at a major museum in the spring which will be different from each curator's home institution. The program will conclude with a final one-week of study in June 2008. A mentorship program will cover the overall six-month time span. However, the fellows will only need to take off a total of four weeks from their current positions.

Through the Center for Curatorial Leadership, curators will have direct contact and continuing exposure to the leadership of the major museums of the city and the rest of the country. In addition to the intensive study program, throughout the year CCL will hold executive leadership seminars where directors, trustees and curators will come together to share information about the most important issues facing the museum world.

Certificate
The Center for Curatorial Leadership will offer a certificate upon completion of the program. In addition, CCL will act as an unofficial clearinghouse and resource for directorial positions in the future.

The Center for Curatorial Leadership will be funded by Agnes Gund for three years though December, 2009. CCL will fund the cost of tuition, travel, room and board for the fellows. Additional information can be found on
www.curatorialleadership.org


Registration is available now for the 2007 AASLH Annual Meeting, to be held in Atlanta, GA from September 5-8, 2007. If you register online by July 20th, you can save up to $75 on the registration fee. For all of the details, visit www.aaslh.org or call Gina Sawyer at 615-320-3203.

Possible donation(s): A woman in Asheville recently contacted State Historic Sites with a list of artifacts she'd like to donate. Any museum that might be interested in accepting one or more items should please contact Martha Battle Jackson (Mailing Address: 4620 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-4620; Street; Address: 430 North Salisbury Street, Suite 1115, Raleigh, NC 27604; 919/733-3877; ext. 236; FAX: 919/733-9515; e-mail martha.jackson@ncmail.net)
for image(s) and further details. Here's the list:
Kettle; copper; hand-hammered (?); bought about 40 years ago in an antique shop by owner
School bell; hand-held; used by owner's grandfather in Boone area; has picture of his grandparents in front of a one-room schoolhouse; his mother (Ola Dotson) is also in picture; grandparents, Ennis Hagaman Dotson and Water Leroy Dotson, taught English and other topics. Mrs. Dotson lived to be 99. Mr. Dotson also used to make & repairs shoes; he used the shoe last.
Flat irons (2); strap handle; probably came from Maryland, but they're generic enough to use anywhere.
Desk; nice piece! Belonged to owner's father, Oliver Watson Godwin, Sr.
(1902-1971); helped put NC back on its feet during the Depression; FHA (Farm & Home Administration); worked with N&O Daniels; interesting construction; writing surface covered with Formica but I think that can be easily removed; desk appears to date to about 1875.
Blanket chest; bought circa 1967 at antique shop in Fayetteville; seems to have original lock; not sure about hinges but they could be original; some screws replaced; appears to have been hand-planed.
Coffee grinder; made by Enterprise Mfg. Co.; belonged to Dr. & Mrs. Richard Fulton Kieffer, Sr.; brought from MD when they moved to Asheville recently; no NC history but generic enough for display if needed; top broken
Candy dish (?); pressed glass; with lid; she also has a creamer & berry bowl if we're interested.
Bowl with gilded edge; mold marks evident
Relish dish, cut crystal, possibly early 19th century.
"Gone with the Wind" lamp; dates to about 1880-something.
Foot stool. Looks late Victorian
Shoe Last; iron; adult size & child size on one last.



Port Discover, Elizabeth City, has extended its hours for July and August (for the summer, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday). "Slime Time" is the Make-It-Take-It project for July, and the Second Saturday Science program, appropriate for children kindergarten through fifth grade ages, is "Aging of Fish" -- offered at 9:30 and 11 a.m. (call 252-338-6117 for registration).

The Young Affiliates of the Mint (Charlotte, www.themintmuseums.org) are organizing an Attitudes gallery crawl in the South End -- the group is meeting at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 6 for a pre-party at the Southend Brewery, with shuttles available later for gallery visits. The Museum itself will be closed on July Fourth. A Target Third Thursday: Live Jazz! is scheduled for July 19th.

The N.C. Transportation Museum will hold its first annual Mystery at Spencer Shops Summer Day Camp, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on July 26, 27 and 28. Visit the website or call 704-636-2889 for fee information and registration.

The Light Factory, Charlotte, will show the film "Road" at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 12 ($7 per person at the door).

The next Summer Breeze Concert at Newbold-White House, Hertford, is scheduled for Sunday, July 22 (5:30-6:30 p.m.) - bring chairs, snacks and drinks.

Numerous activities are planned at Tryon Palace, New Bern, for the July 4 celebration. The next performances of "Box & Cox: A One-Act British Farce" are set for July 7 and 21 at 11 a.m., Visitor Center Auditorium. "A Historical Punch & Judy Puppet Show" will be presented on July 14 and 28, 11 a.m., Carriage Bay of Stable Office. Free Friday Flicks for Kids are at 3 p.m., Visitor Center Auditorium, on July 6, 13, 20 and 27 (different films each date).

The Gregg Museum of Art & Design, N.C. State Univ., Raleigh, will open two new exhibitions on July 5; they will remain through August 3. One is an interpretation of five final projects from the last 12 years of the Master of Graphic Design program at NC State; the other is the Fourth Biennial BOOM Design Competition. A reception for the exhibitions will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 12th.

(From June 29, 2007)

The Greensboro Children's Museum is kicking off Fourth of July celebrations at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, July 2, with an inaugural Tricycle & Wagon Parade. The parade will occur inside the Museum, with decoration beginning at 9:30 and the parade at 10 a.m. (No bikes or training wheels permitted). And though the Museum is closed on the Fourth, they will participate at the Children's Village during Greensboro's Fun Fourth Festival.

The Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, will exhibit work by four students from the university's graduate program in fine arts, with an opening reception from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, July 13, and remaining through August 3.

High Point Museum is hosting "It's A-Maize-Ing!" on Thursday, July 12, 10 a.m.-noon, for ages 4-7, and Tuesday, July 17 from 9 to noon, for ages 8-12 (fee charged, advance registration required at 336-885-1859). The Pastimes in the Park program for July 14 and 15 is "Make Your Own Bed the Old-Fashioned Way!"

The McColl Center for Visual Art, Charlotte, has a series of workshops set for July 14 (Chine Colle'), July 23 (Two-Color Block Printing), July 28 (Jewelry) and August 11 (Watercolor Silkscreen). Fees vary; space is limited; and registration is required -- contact Christopher Lawing at (704) 332-5535 or visit the website
for details.

The Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington, has several public programs on tap, including a Gallery Talk with Mark Sorensen, Assistant Professor in Costume Design at UNCW, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 1 (admission by donation); and "Though the Stage Door" at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 6 ($15, cash bar available - tickets available at www.manystoriestotell.com).

The N.C. Museum of History, Raleigh, will present Pirates Ahoy! for children ages 5-8, with adult, from 10-11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 21 (fee charged; call 919-807-7992 by July 13 to register).

(From June 15-20, 2007)

It's time to submit your proposal for a session at the 2008 NCMC Annual Meeting, to be held Fayetteville, NC, from March 5-7, 2008. This year's theme is Challenges of the New Century. Every year NCMC provides some excellent professional development opportunities at our annual meeting, and it's all because of YOU, North Carolina's talented and generous museum professionals. Please consider sharing your experience, special knowledge, and tricks of the trade with your museum colleagues across the state in 2008. To submit a session proposal, contact Professional Development Chair Kathryn Beach at profdevelop@ncmuseums.org by August 1. Also, check the NCMC website at www.ncmuseums.org for an online proposal submission form.

The Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) is presenting its 2007 Annual Meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas, from October 2-6. The annual meeting will include 44 sessions and workshops, an annual business meeting and awards luncheon, an outstanding resource expo including over 60 exhibitors, three evening events, and post-annual meeting trips. The early registration deadline is September 10, 2007. For further information, go to: www.semcdirect.net.

Heritage Preservation has issued a call for information regarding outdoor murals from communities across the country -- to check out the details or file a report for the new project, take a look at Rescue Public Murals online at www.heritagepreservation.org/RPM/index.html.

"Haunted Evening: A Historical Drama in New Bern" will be presented every Saturday night from now through October 20 by the New Bern Historical Society, by candlelight at the Attmore-Oliver House. Details are available by calling the Society at 252-638-8558 or the Craven County Visitor Center at 252-637-9400.

"Point of View IV: Windgate Charitable Foundation" can be visited through December 2 at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, Charlotte.

Historic Stagville, Durham, will celebrate Juneteenth with a special event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 23.

The 25th Anniversary Great Race will make a stop at the Wheels Through Time Museum, Maggie Valley, making a lunch stop there on July 1 as part of its 4,000-mile journey across the U.S. This Sunday, June 24, the Museum will also host Speed Channel's "My Classic Car" series as part of its 8 a.m. showing that day.

Coming up at the Ackland Art Museum, Chapel Hill: Art After Dark from
5-9 p.m. on Friday, July 13, and Drawing in the Galleries from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 14
.

A discussion of Theater in Wilmington will be the Forum topic for Sunday, July 15 (2 p.m.) at the Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington (admission by donation).

The Asheville Art Museum will open its "Living by Design: Mid Century Modern" exhibit on Friday, July 13th, with an Opening Reception from 5-8 p.m. (free for members or with museum admission). The exhibit will remain through October 28. The Reception will also celebrate "Groovy Garb: Paper Clothing from Mars Manufacturing Company," which will open a week earlier (July 6) and remain through October 7.

The Health Adventure, Asheville, will hold its second annual Red Riot Party on Saturday, August 18th at the Diana Wortham Theatre. Tickets are available in advance for $12 - check website for performers and ticket details.

This Saturday, June 16, is the next African-American History Day at Bellamy Mansion, Wilmington, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Similar events are set for September 22 and December 6.

The Wayne County Museum, Goldsboro, is gathering material for future exhibits, and particularly is seeking historical documents, stories and photographs of Wayne County plantations. Anyone who can share material of this sort should contact Christopher Lawson at the Museum (website:
www.waynecountyhistoricalnc.org).

The summer season at Waterworks Visual Arts Center, Salisbury, includes "Emergence: Recent Paintings by Liisa Salosaari Jasinski," "Creatures from the Plastiquarium by David Edgar," and "WILD Life by Bryant Holsenbeck."
Exhibitions open June 16 and remain through August 25. A public reception will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, June 22 (free); Ms. Holsenbeck will given an artist lecture at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 26.

Pastimes in the Park at the High Point Museum on July 8 and 9 will be a blacksmithing demonstration.

Nine museum replicas of flags from United States history (1776 through
1814) are on display at the State Capitol, Raleigh, through July 4 on the first floor of the building.

The Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame will be located on the second floor of the Wilkes Heritage Museum, Wilkesboro. The Hall of Fame was announced on June 9. Nominations and voting will be held in late 2007 and early 2008, and the first inductees will be on June 13, 2008.

A variety of art camps for children and teenagers are scheduled for the Mint Museum of Art for the July 9-13 and July 16-20 time periods.

A program for youths age 5-8, with adult, is set for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 11 at the N.C. Museum of History -- subject, "Bluegrass Music." Call 910-807-7992 to register.

Greensboro Children's Museum's Creation Station has been completely made over and reopened recently. Not only does it encourage recycling among children, it has a long list of items that donors can recycle by bringing them to the Creation Station and the Museum.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

(From June 5-8, 2007)

The Ackland Art Museum, UNC-Chapel Hill, recently opened "Practicing Contemporaries," an exhibit featuring more than 40 works by 11 artists, all of them faculty of the University's studio art program. The show will remain through September 9, 2007.

Gabby Salazar, nature photographer, will give a free presentation at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences' Auditorium at noon on Friday, June 15th, as well as a free Youth Photography Workshop at Prairie Ridge (8-11 a.m., Saturday, June 16; to register, 919-733-7450 ext. 304; ages 12-18). The Museum
will also open its "Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life" interactive exhibit on Saturday, June 30, and run it through September 16. The opening will include performances by Brooks deWetter Smith at 11:30, 12:30 and 2 p.m. on June 30th; a Wild Music Festival on August 4; and a John Coltrane Tribute as part of First Friday on September 7th (6-9 p.m., free).

The History in the Summer (H.I.T.S.) program at the High Point Museum from 9 to noon on Tuesday, June 28th, will be Thyme for Herbs, focused especially for ages 8-12 ($8 members, $10 non-members).

The Carolina Chamber Symphony Players will present "It's De-Lovely:
Music from the Songbook of Cole Porter"
at the Old Salem Visitor Center, Gray Auditorium, starting with a reception at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 23. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for students with valid ID. (336) 721-7350 for advance tickets or information.

A Radical Craft Woodturning Demonstration will be given by Affiliate Artist Anatoly Tsiris at the McColl Center for Visual Art, Charlotte, from
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 30th
.

The Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, will host an Adult/Child Workshop, "Salute to Eric Carle," June 26-28, 10-11:30 a.m. each day, for children ages 3-5 with an adult (visit website
or call 704-337-2098 for registration, fees and information). The Mint Museums will also offer free admission all weekend on Saturday, June 30 and Sunday, July 1, featuring the exhibition, "An American Vision: Henry Francis duPont's Winterthur Museum." A free lecture at the Mint Museum of Art, "Winterthur: Henry Francis duPont's Adventures in Collecting American Antiques," is at 3 p.m. on July 1.

The N.C. State Capitol, Raleigh, will celebrate Independence Day on July
4
with an Old Fashioned Fourth (11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Capitol grounds, free).


Museum Education Roundtable (MER) to Organize Chapter in Raleigh Area!
B.J. Davis, the new Education Chief at the North Carolina Museum of History, is interested in starting a local/regional chapter of the Museum Education Roundtable (MER) for the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area (although representatives from any museum in North Carolina are invited to participate). The idea is provide a forum for collaboration and the exchange of ideas, information and best practices. Museums interested in joining should contact B.J. Davis at bj.davis@ncmail.net. [(919) 807-7996, fax (919) 733-8655].


The Asheville Art Museum proudly announces the 6th year of its More Than Math curriculum program. Teachers are cordially invited to attend a More than Math Workshop on: Wednesday, August 8 for 3rd-4th Grades; Thursday, August 9 for 5th Grade; or Friday, August 10 for 6th-8th Grades. Each workshop will be held from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM in the Asheville Art Museum's Western North Carolina Art Resource Center Studio, located at 2 South Pack Square, a part of the Pack Place Arts and Science Center in downtown Asheville. Fee: $75. To register contact Erin Shope, Manager of School & Family Programs, Asheville Art Museum, (828) 253-3227 ext.121 or eshope@ashevilleart.org.

Events at the Cameron Art Museum
include the film "Hairspray" on Friday, June 15 at 7 p.m.

The N.C. Museum of Forestry unveiled seven 7' by 4' panels, each with a different North Carolina tree, on Thursday, May 31 -- part of an Eagle Scout project by Robert Bannerman. The tree panels have been added to the outdoor Tree Trail at the Whiteville museum.

The N.C. Maritime Museum, Beaufort, is celebrating the life and times of Blackbeard the Pirate with a free Blackbeard Festival from June 10-15. For more details, call (252) 728-7317.

(From May 23-31, 2007)

John Campbell with the N.C. Museum of History would like to know if any NON-PROFIT museum would have an interest in the following de-accessioned item, free of charge, though transportation from Raleigh must be arranged by the accepting museum: Road Grader, ca. 1900-1920 - Horse-Drawn or possibly pulled by a tractor, brown metal frame with extensive support structure; 2 gears at top in rear. A plate on the grader reads: The Russell Standard, The Russell Grader Mfg. Company, Minneapolis, Minn. Used to build and maintain roads. ~18' L x 6 1/2' W x 5' H, is in need of conservation. 1994.57.1. If you have an interest, please e-mail John (john.campbell@ncmail.net) or call him at (919) 807-7864.

The N.C. Division of Tourism, Film & Sports Development's NewsLink e-newsletter mentioned the following media lead that might be of interest to some of you: New or Improved Museums: "Small Market Meetings" is seeking information about new or expanded/ renovated museums that welcome meetings and events for an August feature. Please send general information about the museum and its meeting and event facilities via e-mail to Vickie Mitchell at vmitchell@smallmarketmeetings.com. Deadline: June 21.

In an earlier news-bits e-mail, we mentioned that Diane Howard will give a Gallery Talk at the NCSU Gregg Museum of Art & Design relative to her "It's Not Your Mother's Yarn" exhibit. However, the original release had an error. Ms. Howard's talk will be given on June 14th, a Thursday, at 7 p.m. (NOT June 4 as originally announced).

Western Carolina University, Cullowhee -- the Master of Fine Arts Program will offer a free series of lectures, each beginning at 10:30 a.m. in Room 223 of the Fine & Performing Arts Center, starting on June 14 with Caitlin Perkins, lecturing on printmaking. June 27 - Jason Pierson, visual artist; June 29, Ro Lohin, NYC gallery owner; July 9, Avantika Bawa, Atlanta-based visual artist and curator; July 17, Bob Trotman, figurative sculptor; and July 25, Luke Allsbrook, painter. A Conference organized by the School of Art and Design is also set for Friday, July 13 -- contact Richard Tichich at rtichich@wcu.edu or 828-227-7210.

The Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington, will feature Broadway music on Friday, June 1 at 7 p.m. (fee, reservation required, call 910-395-5999 x. 1000 for details), the Tallis Chamber Orchestra on Friday, June 8 at 7 p.m. (admission by donation), and will have a theater discussion on Costume Design at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 3.

The Pastimes in the Park topic for June 23 (10-4) and June 24 (1-4 p.m.) at the High Point Museum is Historic Herbal Remedies.

The Orange County Historical Museum's exhibit for July 1-19 wil be "The Natural and Non-So-Natural" by Brydie Palmore, who chiefly works in watercolors.

Free "Friday Flicks for Kids" are being offered on June 8, 15, 22 and 29 starting at 3 p.m. at the Visitor Center Auditorium, Tryon Palace. The Saturday Sampler on June 9 is "The Making of A State."

The next Summer Breeze Concert is set for Sunday, June 17th on the lawn of historic Newbold-White House (free, donations welcomed, 5:30 p.m.).

"A Change Is Gonna Come: North Carolina and the Civil Rights Movement" is the lecture topic for History a La Carte on Wednesday, June 13 at 12:10 p.m. (N.C. Museum of History, Raleigh, www.ncmuseumofhistory.org).

A host of activities are planned for the North Carolina Aquariums during the summer months -- check them out online at www.ncaquariums.com.

Winston-Salem Delta Fine Arts will exhibit "Carolyn Maitland in Retrospect: Works on Paper-Etchings, Watercolors, Prints" from June 1 through July 14.

In conjunction with a current exhibit, Asheville Art Museum will present "A Tale of Two Cities: Music of Paris and New York," by Asheville's own John Cobb. The concert will be at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 24 ($5 members, $10 non-members, available in advance at 828-253-3227).

Workshop announcements from the AASLH: The Basics of Archives Online Workshop, Date: June 4 - July 6, 2007
Proceed at your own pace through this online workshop covering the basics of archives management and practices including acquiring collections, processing, housing and preservation, and providing access. Cost: $85 members and $95 nonmembers. Registration deadline: June 1.


Collections Management and Practices, Date: June 28-29, 2007. Host: Utah's Office of Museum Services and Utah State Historical Society, Salt Lake City, UT.
Learn how to be better stewards of your historical resources in this two-day workshop that includes discussion of your institution's responsibility to its collection, policies and procedures, and best practices in collections care.
https://www.aaslhnet.org/collwork.htm Cost: $250 members and $300 nonmembers. SAVE $20! Early Bird Deadline: May 31, 2007.
Questions: Please contact Bethany Hawkins, Program Associate at or 615-320-3203 if you have any questions about these or other upcoming workshops.

Other museum-related news from across North Carolina:

The Rosenzweig Gallery's current exhibition in Durham is "Jewish/Polish Cultural Posters, Polish School of Posters, 1950s-present," now through August 18. The opening reception will be from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday, June 24.

A number of special summertime programs have been set at the N.C. Maritime Museum, Beaufort (for more info, e-mail jeannie.kraus@ncmail.net), including youth and adult classes, Night at the Museum programs (July 13 and August 10), and Cinema by the Sea at Olde Beaufort Seaport, including "Night at the Museum" on June 2 and "Eragon" on June 16.

"PassAges of Time," an exhibition of the works of artist Jim Brown, opens June 1 at the Tobacco Farm Life Museum, Kenly, and continues on display through August 12. The opening reception for the exhibit will be from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, May 31.

NCSU Gregg Museum of Art & Design will host "It's Not Your Mother's Yarn: Knitted Works by Diane Howard" from June 4-29, with a gallery talk by the artist at 7 p.m. on June 4.

"Point Of View IV" opens to the public Saturday, June 2 at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, Charlotte. The additions to the museum's permanent collection, made possible by the Windgate Charitable Foundation, include innovative European jewelry forms, Japanese bamboo sculptures, a Judith Schaecter wall-mounted stained glass light box and an Eva Hild ceramic sculpture.

"Wild Music: Sounds & Songs of Life" is set to open on June 30 at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, and run through September 16. A series of musical events are also planned.

Duke Homestead, Durham, will hold its Herb, Garden & Craft Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 2.

ATLANTA, GA - The Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) announces the availability of scholarships for their 2007 Annual Meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas (October 2-6.) The amount is $500 which includes a $250 registration fee and a $250 allowance for travel and accommodations. They are available in the following categories: Students, Minority Museum Professionals, Entry Level Professionals, and Small Museum Professionals who are current Individual or Institutional Members of SEMC at time of application and would otherwise be unable to attend SEMC 2006 Annual Meeting.
The following factors may be considered by the committee while judging applications: 1) Financial need (not necessarily based on institutional need); 2) Evidence that the annual meeting program specifically answers needs and concerns of the applicant; 3) History of involvement in museums; 4) Dedication to the museum profession in the southeast; 4) Professional references; and 5) Clarity of the application.
Applications must be postmarked or faxed to the SEMC Central office by Friday, July 6, 2007. Applications will be reviewed by members of the Scholarship Committee and all applicants will receive notification in the mail by Friday, August 17. The application can be accessed on the SEMC website at:
http://www.semcdirect.net/education_and_programs/2007_annual_meeting/PDF/semcScholarship2007.pdf
For further information, contact Elise V. LeCompte, Coordinator, SEMC Scholarship, Mentor, Student Committee, 352/392-1721x236 or lecompte@flmnh.ufl.edu. The Southeastern Museums Conference, begun in 1951, is a nonprofit membership organization that serves 12 states throughout the Southeast - Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia - and Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Country Doctor Museum, Bailey, N.C., will celebrate the many contributions of eastern North Carolina's African American physicians with a new event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday, May 26th (free).

The Hickory Museum of Art will open "American Light: From the Hudson River to the Blue Ridge" this weekend, running through October 14. A joint reception for this show and "Hickory Selects: From the Permanent Collection of the Hickory Museum of Art," opening June 23, will be held Friday, June 22 from 6-8 p.m. (free for members, $5 for non-members).

In an earlier edition, we noted that Dr. Deborah Brosnan will speak at the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher on Friday, June 1 -- however, her talk -- which is free with museum admission -- has been moved up to 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon (www.ncaquariums.com). She will also speak at Pine Knoll Shores at 12:30 p.m. on June 2, and at Roanoke Island at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 3.

During June, Old Salem Museums & Gardens, Winston-Salem, will have a Hidden Treasures talk on Moravian-Cherokee Cultural Exchange (12:30 p.m., MESDA Auditorium, June 6); celebrate Flag Day with historic flags on display throughout the district (June 14); celebrate the Families of Salem on June 16; and host The Carolina Chamber Symphony Players with "It's De-Lovely" at 7:30 p.m. on June 23 (see website for ticket info).

Advance tickets are now on sale for the N.C. Transportation Museum's 30th Anniversary Family Rail Days, to be held in Spencer from 9-5 on June 9. Also in Spencer: Big Boat Show, July 14 from 10-3, and Antique Wireless Show, 8 to noon on the same day.

The Diggs Gallery, at Winston-Salem State University, will open "Continuity and Change: Three Generations of Ethiopian Artists" at 3 p.m. on May 26th (www.wssu.edu for more information). The exhibit remains through December 8.

The Asheville Art Museum's Make it New artist take features HaSahai Prouty at 12:15 p.m. on Friday, June 8; a panel discussion with photographers Ralph Burns, Robin Dreyer and Alice Sebrell is set for 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 10 (www.ashevilleart.org).

Upcoming weekend demonstrations at High Point Museum include Blacksmithing (June 2, 10-4 and June 3, 1-4) and Cooking with Herbs (June 9, 10-4).

The McColl Center for Visual Art, Charlotte will open its "Eight: Work by Summer and 11-Month Affiliate Artists" exhibition with an opening reception from 6-9 p.m. on June 1. The exhibit will remain through September 1.

The Museum of Anthropology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem will exhibit "Rosebud Sioux: A Lakota People in Transition" from June 17 to August 18, with an opening at 7:30 p.m. on June 18th. July 21st will be a free Native American Family Day (1-4 p.m.) and Dr. Peter Wood will lecture on Native American Cultural Continuity at 7:30 p.m. on July 26 (336-758-5282).

The Health Adventure, Asheville, will open Scholastic's The Magic School Bus Kicks Up a Storm traveling exhibit on May 26th -- the hands-on exhibit runs through September 23.

The N.C. Museum of History, Raleigh, will have a talk by M. Ruth Little on "The Town and Gown Architecture of Chapel Hill, N.C., 1795-1975" at 3 p.m. on June 3. Music of the Carolinas will feature Nixon, Blevins and Gage at 3 p.m. on June 10.

The N.C. Maritime Museum, Beaufort, is showing the "Ship Models by Frank Gaskill" exhibit through August 26.

Tryon Palace, New Bern, has a lecture on "Contested Commemoration: The Birth of the American National Cemetery System, 1865-1870" at the Visitor Center Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 24 (free). Upcoming performances of "Box & Cox: A One-Act British Farce" are set for 11 a.m. at the Visitor Center Auditorium on June 2 and 16; and "A Historical Punch & Judy Puppet Show" will be given on June 9, 23 and 30, also at 11 a.m., in the Carriage Bay of the Stable Office. On Tuesday, June 5, the South Lawn Concert Series features the North Carolina Symphony (gates open for free seating at 5 p.m., concert begins at 7 p.m.

Coming up at the Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, is a three-day Adult/Child Workshop, "A Little Blue," for children ages 3-5 with an adult. The dates are June 12-14, from 10-11:30 a.m. each day; a fee is charged -- call 704-337-2098 or visit www.themintmuseums.org. The next Adult/Child Workshop theme is "Figure This;" dates are June 19-21.