ncmuseums

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

Monday, August 31, 2009

NCMC Events From Around the State… August 31, 2009

1). Reynolda House Museum of American Art Reynolda House Museum of American Art reprises Portals of Discovery, the museum’s continuing education program, in September, beginning with a course titled “Reynolda Meditations”. Held in conjunction with the exhibition on view at Reynolda House through September 27, “Heroes of Horticulture,” this course explores different approaches to discovering meaning and inspiration in a landscape.

2). Transylvania Heritage Museum presents 1st Annual Founders Day Festival on Jordan Street, Brevard NC on Saturday, Sept. 5, 10 am – 6 pm. A special event featuring exhibits on the Founding Families of Transylvania County. Street festival with crafts and demonstrations, food, music, old-fashioned contests for the children, and more.

3). Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson Spanish privateers once held this corner of Carolina in the colonial days of King George’s War. Capt. William Dry III commanded local militia that retook the port of Brunswick in September 1748. A wayside exhibit panel Capt. William Dry and the Spanish Attack will be unveiled at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 2 p.m.

4). Fort Dobbs State Historic Site Keeping the soldiers fed was a most important task for 18th-century commanders at Fort Dobbs, now a state historic site. On Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 5-6, you can see how the provincial soldiers at Fort Dobbs ate. Demonstrations of field cooking techniques will be presented at 11:30 a.m. each day of the weekend encampment.

5). Asheville Art Museum On Saturday, September 26, 2009, the Asheville Art Museum will participate in the fifth annual Museum Day presented by “Smithsonian” magazine. Museum Day is a day when museums and cultural institutions nationwide open their doors free of charge to “Smithsonian” magazine readers and Smithsonian.com visitors.

6). N.C. Museum of History Has America moved into a “post-racial” era? In his new book “The South’s New Racial Politics: Inside the Race Game of Southern History”, author and scholar Glen Browder says race is “the most useful, single factor of both analysis and power in the South.” The former Democrat representative from Alabama will discuss his book during a free program at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh on Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 2 p.m.

7). Cameron Art Museum presents Architects in the Galleries on Sat. Sept. 12, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm, Hughes Wing. Free with museum admission. Members of the American Institute of Architects, Wilmington Chapter will offer monthly informal gallery talks in the exhibit “Gwathmey Siegel: Inspiration and Transformation” and on CAM’s building gives visitors an opportunity to see through an architect’s eyes.

8). The Bascom An exhibition by critically acclaimed fiber artist Cat Chow, who has been touted by The New Yorker as "a compelling young artist," will be on display at The Bascom beginning this weekend. Cat Chow: Beyond Fiber Art opens with a free reception from 5 to 7 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 5, then continues through Oct. 10.

9). Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens presents Stanly-Spaight Duel Reenactment on Monday, September 7, 4:00pm, on the New Bern Academy Green. Enjoy a concert by the Tryon Palace Fife & Drum Corps, and step back in time to an era where a man’s personal honor was his most cherished quality. Any incursion on this sacred value could result in fiery and violent retribution. Watch the spectacle of the September 5, 1802 Stanly-Spaight duel unfold before your eyes. In this historical reenactment of a duel between Nineteenth-century New Bern political rivals, costumed characters battle to protect their reputation.

Monday, August 24, 2009

NCMC Events From Around the State… August 24, 2009

1). Reynolda House Museum of American Art will begin American Arts Discovery on September 1, 2009. The course is a general introduction to American art through the close study of Reynolda House’s fine art collection. The six-week course serves as the foundation of the Museum’s nationally recognized volunteer program, which numbers more than 200 local residents. “American Arts Discovery” will be taught on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., concluding October 8, 2009.

2). Core Sound Waterfowl Museum & Heritage Center hosts Cape Lookout Lighthouse 150th Anniversary Juried Art Exhibition. Artwork registration is due on or before Monday, October 5, 2009. All entries must include Cape Lookout Lighthouse and the exhibition will run October 10 – November 1, 2009. Check website for more details.

3). Orange County Historical Museum On August 28 from 6-9pm, the Museum will be hosting Ears to You. Come satisfy your hunger at the Museum with grilled corn on the cob, drinks, and hot dogs. All proceeds benefit the Historical Foundation of Hillsborough and Orange County, which operates the Orange County Historical Museum.

4). N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences presents Of Chocolate and Kings: The Origins and History of Chocolate in Ancient Mexico on Tuesday, September 1 at 7 p.m. Join Dorie Reents-Budet, Curator of the Art of the Ancient Americas collection at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, for a discussion of the origins of chocolate, its social and economic roles, and its myriad recipes among the Olmecs, the Maya and the Aztecs, spanning more than 2,500 years of culinary history and enjoyment.

5). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher Curious about the Fort Fisher hermit? Take a walk in the footsteps of the Hermit at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Join Aquarium staff for the Fort Fisher Hermit’s School of Common Sense program which takes you on a journey through the life of a real “survivorman”. After viewing the award winning documentary, The Fort Fisher Hermit: The Life & Death of Robert E. Harrill, participants walk through the salt marsh to the bunker where he lived for countless years. The next opportunity for this program is August 26 at 8:00 am.

6). Bellamy Mansion Museum presents a member event presentation Why We’re Called Tar Heels by Harry Warren, director of the Museum of Forestry on August 25th at 7:00. Seating for this presentation is limited to the formal parlors so reserve your spot. A light reception will follow the presentation.

7). Weatherspoon Art Museum The Weatherspoon Art Museum at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro is pleased to present Dike Blair: Now and Again, a major solo exhibition of the artist’s work that focuses on the years from 2001-2009, including fifty of his trademark gouache paintings and fourteen sculptures. The exhibition opens to the public on September 13, and continues through December 6, 2009.

8). President James K. Polk State Historic Site Legend says Andrew Jackson called her “wealthy, pretty, ambitious, and intelligent,” and urged James K. Polk to marry Sarah Childress, which he did. The President James K. Polk Historic Site will have a birthday celebration for that active first lady on Saturday, Sept. 5, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., commemorating her birth on Sept. 4, 1803. Salem College graduate Christina Walsh will examine Sarah Polk’s time at Salem Academy at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The Catawba Valley Cooking Guild will host a period tea at this free public program.

Monday, August 17, 2009

NCMC Events From Around the State… August 17, 2009

1). Asheville Art Museum The Asheville Art Museum, celebrating its 60th anniversary, is proud to present Looking Forward: New Works and New Directions for the Permanent Collection from Saturday, September 12, 2009 to Sunday, February 14, 2010. This exhibition highlights 60 works drawn from the permanent collection of the Asheville Art Museum. The exhibition provides an overview of the collection which focuses on American art of the 20th and 21st centuries with an interest in art of the Southeast and Western North Carolina.

2). Bennett Place State Historic Site On August 22-23, park staff and costumed living historians will lead presentations and talks to explain how the Confederate soldiers of North Carolina came to be known as “Tarheels”. Confederate soldiers of North Carolina will also be encamped around the Bennett Farm portraying the daily life of the soldier during the War Between the States. Demonstrations will include marching drills, musket firings, camp life, cooking, and every day life of the soldiers.

3). Reynolda House Museum of American Art Reynolda House Museum of American Art will host a concert titled American Landscapes on Sunday, August 23, at 3 p.m. The concert is part of this year’s Carolina Summer Music Festival, and it takes its inspiration from the landscapes, trees and plantings featured in the current exhibition on view at Reynolda House, “Heroes of Horticulture.”

4). Hickory Museum of Art The Hickory Museum of Art is excited to announce the opening of Treacherous Beauty: The Art of the Dagger on display through February 7, 2010 in the Objects Gallery. The exhibition consists of a variety of 68 knives, daggers and swords crafted by local and international artists.

5). Mint Museum of Art The Mint Museum of Art will present Faces & Flowers: Painting on Lenox China from August 22, 2009 through January 30, 2010. Lenox china is often referred to as America’s greatest porcelain. The exhibition will feature more than 70 objects, including plates, vases and decorative wares with exquisite paintings of orchids, figures, idealized women and landscapes.

6). Fort Fisher State Historic Site Hear the cannons boom at Fort Fisher as part of the program, Cannoneers: “Load, Ready, Fire!" On Saturday, August 22, 2009, costumed staff and volunteers will fire the 12 lb bronze Napoleon cannon and teach the public about Civil War artillery. Cannon firings will be at 11:45am and 3:45pm. As a special treat, Fort Fisher also invites kids of all ages to experience the life of a Civil War soldier as you learn period field artillery drill following the demonstrations.

7). Museum of the Cape Fear Experience North Carolina’s Colonial Heritage at the 2009 Festival of Yesteryear. In these tough economic times, the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex offers a day of free family fun. Consider the upcoming Festival of Yesteryear a cultural stimulus package! This event on Sat., Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. will be an amazing historical experience for all ages. This year’s festival will highlight the state’s colonial history.

8). The Bascom Evocative paintings in oil, pastel and watercolor will be showcased in The Bascom's next exhibition, Southern Landscapes by Lamar Dodd and Will Henry Stevens. The exhibition, co-curated by Carol Carr and Dr. William Eiland, opens this Saturday, Aug. 22, with a free public opening reception from 5-7 p.m. The exhibition continues through Oct. 17.

9). Weatherspoon Art Museum presents a new exhibit Dike Blair: Now and Again - Falk Visiting Artist opening on Sunday, September 13. This major solo exhibition of the work of New York-based artist Dike Blair includes his trademark gouache paintings and post-minimalist light sculptures. After working and exhibiting internationally for more than three decades, Blair’s exhibition at the Weatherspoon will be his first solo museum show and the catalogue will be the first devoted to his work. We are grateful to the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and the Rhode Island School of Design for their support of the catalogue.

Monday, August 10, 2009

NCMC Events From Around the State… August 10, 2009

1). Wrightsville Beach Museum Lumina Daze, returns on Sunday, August 30 from 5:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Blockade Runner Beach Resort, 275 Waynick Boulevard, Wrightsville Beach, NC. This evening of fun for all ages will benefits Wrightsville Beach Museum and will feature Buddy Skipper and the Jetty Jumpers. Fun and games for the young at heart will include face painting, a cakewalk, bean bag toss, and limbo contest. A Silent Auction and Raffle will include a wide assortment of fine art, services, and specialties from local businesses.

2). N.C. Maritime Museum “Tie the Knot,” “Gorgon’s Knot,” “Sailor’s Knot” – from catch phrases to mythology to work and leisure, knots and ropes have been part of human culture for centuries. The North Carolina Maritime Museum will hold a Knotting & Splicing Class in the Watercraft Center across from the museum on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 29-30, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., both days.

3). High Point Museum presents Bartering in the Carolina Backcountry on Saturday, August 22, 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday, August 23, 1 pm to 4 pm. Hard cash was hard to come by in this area during the early American period. Local community members relied on a barter system to acquire necessary goods. Experience this form of commercial exchange through an interactive activity. Free. All ages welcome.

4). MESDA Beginning in September, the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) at Old Salem Museums & Gardens will present its Saturday Seminar series, three one-day seminars designed for those interested in the study and collection of Southern decorative arts. Each seminar in the series will focus on a particular area of interest and will include speaker presentations, object examination and collection study, in addition to time for participant interaction and discussion.

5). Museum of the Albemarle The Museum of the Albemarle will be All About Pirates on Thursday, August 13, 2009 from 1:00 pm until 5:00 pm. Pirate themed activities will be available throughout the Museum with a focus on Blackbeard’s cannon recovered from what is believed to be the “Queen Ann’s Revenge”. Enjoy children’s author Suzanne Tate from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm as she presents her newest DVD “The Fun Run”, which is second in the Crab Cove Series, and reads to visitors. Mr. Bill Darrow will be performing traditional maritime music from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm.

6). President James K. Polk State Historic Site presents Sarah Childress Polk Day on September 5. Join us as we celebrate the birthday of First Lady Sarah Childress Polk. Christina Walsh a graduate of Salem College will talk about Sarah Polk’s time at Salem Academy as well as the history of the school. Presentations will be offered at 11:00am and 1:00pm. The historic outbuildings will feature the Catawba Valley Cooking Guild. Guild members will host a period tea. Join us in celebrating the life of a truly remarkable woman who outlived her husband by 42 years!

7). Crossnore Weavers Museum & Fine Arts Gallery On exhibit the month of August from the Charleston Renaissance Gallery work of Elliott Daingerfield(1859-1932) and Elizabeth O'neill Verner (1883-1979). With Debbie Buxton's American Chestnut natural sculpture wall sconces and containers. Hand weavers are always at work in our Weaving Museum with Whigrose overshot coverlet (1936-1970).

8). Reynolda House Museum of American Art Indulge yourself with art for lunch; take in a noon gallery talk at Reynolda House Museum of American Art. Museum staff will lead gallery talks on Thursday, August 13 and Thursday, August 20 in the West Bedroom gallery, host to an exhibition titled Figures in Bronze: Sculpture at Reynolda.

9). Ackland Art Museum The Ackland Art Museum presents the special exhibition Almost Now: Cuban Art, Cinema, and Politics in the 1960s and 1970s (August 29 – December 6, 2009), offered in conjunction with The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Institute for the Study of the Americas’ presentation “The Cuban Revolution at 50: Art and Cinema.”

Monday, August 03, 2009

NCMC Events From Around the State… August 3, 2009

1). Mint Museum of Art The Mint Museum has acquired an early 19th century portrait by John Singleton Copley, one of the greatest and most influential painters in colonial America. St. Cecilia, a Portrait (Mrs. Richard Crowninshield Derby)(1803) is the first painting by Copley to enter the Mint’s collection. The painting and its original period frame were donated by longtime Museum supporters Dr. and Mrs. Henry C. Landon III of Wilmington, N.C.

2). CSS Neuse/Caswell Memorial The sound of colonial cannons firing, the sight of patriot troops drilling and the smell of an old-fashioned summer picnic will fill the eyes and ears at the CSS Neuse State Historic Site-Governor Richard Caswell Memorial on Saturday, Aug. 15, during a celebration of America’s independence. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., families can enjoy a free living history program recalling life in the 18th-century British army and how Continental soldiers, sailors and their families lived, fought and died during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783).

3). Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site Recent archaeological excavations at Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site have uncovered evidence that man lived at the site as far back as 13,000 years ago, some 3,000 years earlier than previously thought. Digs conducted June 22-26 uncovered a spear point thought to be the oldest artifact ever found at Town Creek, once the home of what archaeologists now call the Pee Dee people.

4). Hickory Museum of Art The Hickory Art Museum announces the opening of Please Do Not Re-Shelve the Mushrooms, a “printstallation” by Erin Tapley as a part of the Local Artist Series exhibitions. Tapley’s “printstallation” has transformed the Gifford Gallery while her prints are donned in the Regal Gallery through September 20, 2009. The Whittier, North Carolina artist coined the term “printstallation” in 1996 to describe her innovative method of creating “an atmosphere as the artwork” using printmaking techniques.

5). Museum of the Albemarle Explore the architecture of Elizabeth City with this hands-on photography workshop at the Museum of the Albemarle, August 5 and 6 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. During this two day photography workshop, 6th-12th grade students will learn about historic architecture and how it has been preserved on many buildings and homes in Elizabeth City. Participants will be supplied with a camera and will explore the downtown area in order to document different architectural features. Student photography will be put on display in the museum.

6). Fort Fisher State Historic Site Travel back in time as you listen to local musician John Golden tell the tales of running the blockade. Mr. Golden will perform throughout the day on Saturday August 8th at 10:30am, 12:30pm, and 2:30pm in the Fort Fisher visitor center. Experience life on the Cape Fear River from a Civil War perspective as you listen to one of Wilmington’s favorite performers.

7). Gregg Museum of Art & Design The Gregg Museum of Art & Design at North Carolina State University is pleased to host Inspired Design: Jacquard and Entrepreneurial Textiles from August 20 – October 4, 2009. The exhibit consists of both national and international leading artists of innovative textile design, including a variety of computer designed textile applications. A reception will be held Thursday, August 20, 2009 from 6-8 pm.

8). Port Discover Parts of a Plant is set for Port Discover’s Second Saturday Science, Saturday, August 8 at 9:30 and 11 a.m. Dr. Jeffrey Rousch, chair and assistant professor of Biology at Elizabeth City State University, will guide the young scientists through a plant identification program including collecting plant samples, discovering plant characteristics using binomial keys and magnifying glasses, and learning how to make a herbarium press at home.

9). N.C. Transportation Museum The N.C. Transportation Museum and the N.C. Humanities Council will showcase the history of one of the most traveled roads in North Carolina Saturday, Aug. 8 at 1 p.m. This program, entitled Super Scenic Motorway: The Blue Ridge Parkway Nobody Knows, features author Anne Mitchell Whisnant. The writer’s presentation will detail how the 469 mile parkway was planned and built.