NCMC Events From Around the State… October 31, 2011

1). Airborne & Special Operations Museum To celebrate Heroes Homecoming, the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation will be hosting many different events beginning Saturday, November 5, and running through Friday, November 14. On November 6 at 8am The Vietnam Moving Wall will be escorted to the museum by the Fayetteville Police Department and NC Rolling Thunder Chapter 1. At 3pm a Salute to Veterans ceremony will officially open the Parade Field, featuring flags representing veterans from all services. The Vietnam Moving Wall will also be open to the public at this time.

2). N.C. Department of Cultural Resources Heroic tales and valiant feats are depicted in images that reflect North Carolina’s dedication to the war in the “Freedom, Sacrifice, Memory: Civil War Sesquicentennial Photography Exhibit” (www.nccivilwar150.com). The Onslow County Public Library in Jacksonville and the Transylvania County Public Library in Brevard will host the exhibit from Nov. 1-29, sharing images and stories that capture the history and people of the Civil War (1861-1865).

3). Maria V. Howard Arts Center On November 5, 2011, join artist Catherine Jordan in making an embroidered journal cover. This class introduces fabric painting, a few detail stitches and easy finishing techniques to create a journal for yourself or as a gift. Fabric painting adds depth and beauty as a landscape backdrop for surface embroidery, and a beautiful eyelet band adorns the top of the sampler. The project covers a diminutive journal 3” x 4”. The workshop will begin at 9:00 am on November 5th and end at 4:00pm. The workshop fee is $35 with a $40 material fee paid to the instructor.

4). President James K. Polk State Historic Site Join us Saturday November 5 for the “Polk Birthday Celebration”. This living history program will bring back to life the Polk family of Mecklenburg County in November 1795, when James K. Polk was born. Activities will include open hearth cooking, children’s toys and games, woodworking, and musket firing demonstrations. Visitors will have a chance to see some of the types of animals found on a 18th century farm. The site will also host the blue grass band the Flat Possum Hoppers who will be playing out on the grounds. Clay artist Rick Crowley will be on site giving demonstrations and selling hand crafted pieces. There will be a craft area for children, and of course birthday cake!

5). N.C. Museum of History The “Celebrate NC History Festival” on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. kicks off the largest exhibit ever at the N.C. Museum of History. “The Story of North Carolina” highlights more than 14,000 years of the state’s history. Part One of this permanent exhibit opened in April, and now the entire exhibit will be complete. Admission to the festival and the exhibit is free, and weekend parking is free. Award-winning musicians, storytellers, dance groups, authors, craftspeople, re-enactors and other presenters will capture the flavor and diversity of the Tar Heel State. There will be something for all ages.

6). Waterworks Visual Arts Center will host gallery guest speaker Dr. Sharon D. Raynor on Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 7 pm. Dr. Raynor’s oral history project “Breaking the Silence: The Unspoken Brotherhood of Vietnam Veterans” is a powerful addendum to the exhibition “Imprints”. Her oral history highlights the war experiences of Vietnam veterans of North Carolina. Funded by the NC Humanities Council, her program explores the concepts of trauma, silence, healing, and recovery.

7). Asheville Art Museum will host a symposium and panel discussion on the unique traditions, contemporary issues and future challenges of Southeastern basketry from Friday, November 4 – Sunday, November 6, 2011. Admission for events taking place at the Museum Friday through Saturday is $20 for Museum Members and students (including college students with valid school ID), and $30 for non-Members. Admission for a half-day trip to Cherokee, NC on Sunday, November 4, is $25 for Members and non-Members. Advanced registration for the day trip to Cherokee by Friday, October 28th, is requested.

8). Rockingham County Historical Society Wright Tavern’s “Restoration Celebration” is being held November 5th from 10 am to 3pm. Come join us to celebrate this achievement. Get a glimpse of the past. Activities include games, live animals, exhibitors, food, and history. Come trace your family’s history with the genealogy folks from “Family Search”. Learn to make candles with the Mayodan Moravian Church. Let Frank Bray show you how our ancestors smoked meat and sample some, win homemade desserts in the cake walk, watch quilting, pottery, and hearth cooking demonstrations, pan for gems with the Rockingham County Mineral Club, and much more.

9). SECCA is going to stretch your notions of fashion on Nov. 3. Imagine a dress wrapped around a canoe, models encased in beautifully-tailored pods, unraveled suits - seam by seam, and a wig made of fabric tentacles. SECCA is an affiliate of the N.C. Museum of Art, within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday Nov. 3, SECCA is celebrating the opening of three exhibitions which include these works and many others. Enjoy performance art, music, food and friends and mingle with exhibiting artists at this free event.

10). Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Connect through the Arts by stopping by our November First Friday! This month, we are celebrating two artists and one new exhibition. Visit our website or call 828-262-3017 to learn more about the times and featured artists!

11). NC Digital Heritage Center is pleased to announce a new digital collection at the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center: “North Carolina Samplers”, now open for contributions from museums and archives across the state. This new online collection will feature images of historic needlepoint samplers held by cultural heritage organizations in North Carolina. Museums and archival collections are invited to contribute images of samplers from their own collections. You can submit existing digital images, or talk with us about how we can help photograph samplers from your collection.

NCMC Events From Around the State… October 24, 2011

1). The Bascom Looking for an artful alternative to Halloween? Then come to The Bascom in Highlands after six pm on Monday, October 31st, for “Spooky Raku: A Halloween Pottery Firing.” This event is free to the whole community. Spooky Raku will feature glowing red pots against the black night sky, creating a magnificent mood and an unforgettable All Hallows Eve. Everyone is welcome to come by The Bascom's Studio Barn in costume for this fun way to celebrate Halloween in Highlands, before or after you enjoy the tradition of trick-or-treating on Main Street. Enjoy this great new Highlands' tradition. No reservations are required.

2). Weatherspoon Art Museum WAM Association Presents: "Masquerade" on Friday, Oct 28, 7-10pm. "Masquerade" is sponsored by the Membership Committee of the Weatherspoon Art Museum Association as the first in a series of new membership cultivation parties coming to the museum this year. Hair and make-up artists will be on-hand to help you transform your look, and the evening will include food and drink, music, digital and Polaroid photographers, and other festivities indoors and out. In conjunction with the exhibition "Personna: A Body in Parts” which will be open for view.

3). Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson Fall is in the air, and its arrival marks the return of “Colonial Day at Brunswick”. This free educational event will be held Saturday, Oct. 29, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Living historians, dressed in colonial attire, will demonstrate what life was once like in this 18th century port town. Interpretive stations with hands-on activities include stenciling, candle-dipping, militia drilling, and colonial toys and games. Other activities include foodways, lifestyles, colonial medicine, spinning and weaving, colonial medicine, and blacksmithing. Additionally, special tours of this summer’s Peace College Field School excavation area, led by archaeologists Tom Beaman, RPA, and Jennifer Gabriel, will be offered throughout the day.

4). Cameron Art Museum presents “David Dorfman Movement Workshop” on Thurs., Oct. 27, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm. Free and open to the public – dancers and non-dancers welcome! With the idea of dance as a form of activism, workshop participants will learn strategies for using movement as social and personal commentary. David Dorfman will guide participants to find compositional means for exploring areas about which they are passionate.

5). N.C. Maritime Museum at Beaufort presents “Fright Night” on Friday, Oct. 28 at 5:30 - 8 p.m. Don’t miss the spooky haunted exhibit hall, sweet treats, and a few tricks at this unique Museum event. Proceeds from this partnership help support the East Carteret High School Drama Club. $5 for adults, $2 for children (18 and under) – Museum members receive a discount.

6). Joel Lane Museum House will sponsor its annual “Tavern Party in the Gardens” on Thursday, October 27, 2011 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm with a rain date of Friday, October 28. Admission is $30 per person; $25 for members. The event will include a beer tasting of delicious brews from Boylan Bridge Brew Pub. Light hors d’oeuvres will be compliments of Mitch’s Tavern and NOFO at the Pig. Music on Thursday will be provided by Southern String Band. Volunteers will be on hand to lead guests through some of the activities colonial gentlemen engaged in at taverns, including table top games such as dice and quoits, and we will dance the Cumberland and Virginia Reels.

7). SECCA presents “Film @ SECCA: Journey Into Dyslexia” on Thursday, October 27, 7 pm. Triad Academy and the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) with special sponsorship from SECCA are showing the HBO2 documentary Journey Into Dyslexia on Thursday, October 27 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. A question and answer session will follow the film. This event is free and open to the public.

8). Museum of the Albemarle The Museum of the Albemarle and the Elizabeth City Fire Department will recognize “Fire Safety Month” on Tuesday, October 25 and Friday, October 28, at 10:00 am. Participants must be between the ages of 3 to 5 years old and must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-Schoolers will compare past and present fire trucks, clothing and equipment while participating in a hands-on activity. The Elizabeth City Fire Department will be present to take part in the activities. This is a free family event.

9). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher will host its popular pre-Halloween “Trick-or-Treat Under the Sea” on two evenings again this year. The aquatically-themed festival will be held at the Aquarium from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wed., Oct. 26, and Thurs., Oct. 27. Dress up in costume (no masks for adults, please) and check out what all the other goblins are wearing. Scoop up candy and prizes, play Halloween-themed games, and treat yourself to face-painting and fortune-telling. Two magic shows are offered each night by “No Sleeves Magic Camp”. There will be spooky divers in the big tank again this year, and two sets of haunted gardens – one for the very brave, and another for the more cautious.

10). Kings Mountain Historical Museum opened their latest exhibit “Honor Our Veterans: Remembering WWI” on September 6, 2011. The exhibit, which features artifacts and photographs from the First World War, will run until Saturday, November 12, 2011. “Honor Our Veterans: Remembering WWI”, offers visitors a chance to explore how the war affected American life both aboard and at home. Majority of the artifacts in the exhibit are from the Museum’s permanent collection, with a few items on loan from local Kings Mountain residents.

NCMC Events From Around the State… October 17, 2011

1). Museum of the Albemarle Thursday, October 20 at 2:00pm the Museum of the Albemarle continues its Thursday afternoon matinees. Each matinee will feature segments relating to the Albemarle Region from the weekly show on WTKR-TV 3 “Points West” hosted for 12 years by Bob West. Segments were filmed in 1987 and range from the Wright Brothers National Monument charging a fee to a birthday celebration of Murfreesboro. Gather in the Gaither Auditorium and take a step back in time with Bob West. This program is free to the public.

2). Reynolda House Museum of American Art presents “Modernism in the Piedmont” on October 20 at 5:30 p.m. Panel discussion on preserving modernist buildings in the Piedmont Triad, featuring leading area architects, architectural historians, and preservationists. Event is co-presented by Preserve Historic Forsyth and the Winston-Salem Section of the American Institute of Architects.

3). HandsOn! HandsOn!-A Child’s Gallery, the children’s museum in downtown Hendersonville, invites you to come listen to the continuing saga of kitty boy Skippy John Jones at Book n’ Craft on Wednesday October 19, 2011, all day. Cost to attend is included in $5 admission and is free for museum members. Book n’ Craft is sponsored by Fountainhead Bookstore, downtown Hendersonville.

4). N.C. Maritime Museum at Beaufort presents “Traditional Boatbuilding Carpentry” on Saturday, Oct. 22-23, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.Learn traditional boatbuilding techniques in this hands-on workshop. As a team, participants construct a traditional “rack of eye” flat-bottomed skiff. Reservations: $135 – Museum members receive a discount. Participants must be at least 16 years old, unless otherwise noted.

5). Fort Fisher State Historic Site Ready for some fun this fall? Join us Saturday, October 22, as Fort Fisher State Historic Site hosts the Fort Fisher Fall Festival from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Highlighting this event will be scenic hayrides, children’s activities, guided tours, and multiple firings of the site’s “big gun,” the 32-pound rifled and banded cannon. This free event will also mark the debut of a special new exhibit: the Freeman Medal of Honor and its associated artifacts. At 1:30 p.m. in the visitor’s center, Curator of History Ray Flowers will discuss the history of this fascinating exhibit, including the acquisition of these impressive Civil War artifacts and the brave soldier behind the medal.

6). Asheville Art Museum presents “Family Art pARTy! + Up for Discussion: A Day of Color” on Sunday, October 23 (2:00 - 4:00 p.m.) - free with Membership or Museum Admission. Join us for an afternoon of color as we hear from local artists featured in the current exhibition, “Color Study”, followed by hands-on color experiments in the WNC Art Resource Center. Light refreshments are included. Middle school-aged children to adults welcome. This is a wonderful opportunity for families and individuals to enjoy a day at the Museum.

7). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History Join the Mt. Airy Museum of Regional History for an exciting 90 minute lantern-lit walking tour through Mt. Airy's streets and its historic past. Hear about 13 of our "less-mortal" friends and some of their final resting places. Tours are held Friday October 21 and Saturday October 22 at 8pm. Tickets are $10 and pre-paid reservations are required.

8). High Point Museum presents exhibit “Hooray for Hats!” (October 8 until January 16) in our changing exhibit gallery upstairs. This playful exhibit explores hats as symbols of identity. It will feature a variety of hats from our collection, which tell us something about the people who wore them. The hats may be parts of a uniform for an occupation or a club. They may be ceremonial, but each tells a story about the person who wore it. Specifically, we will be featuring military hats, a William Penn marching band hat, crowns from two High Point beauty queens, bridal veils, and a freshman beanie from High Point College, among others.

9). Port Discover Discover all there is to know about slimy worms by taking scientific measurements and observations during “Gummy Worm Dissection,” Port Discover’s Toddler Time program, on Thursday, October 20 at 10:00 am. Children will observe live worms, model play dough and dissect gummy worms. Toddler Time is a special science program just for preschoolers, ages 3 – 5. Cost for the program is $5 per family and reservations are required. Parents or guardians must accompany the child.

10). N.C. Museum of History presents “Tar Heel Junior Historian Association”, new gallery opens Oct. 21. For over 50 years, the Tar Heel Junior Historian Association (THJHA) has helped students across North Carolina discover and appreciate the history surrounding them. The new THJHA gallery will help museum visitors recognize the history surrounding them, with lots of fresh technology and hands-on activities geared to primary sources. The gallery will continue to highlight award-winning junior historian work in new ways, letting the young people demonstrate what they have learned and how they have learned it.

NCMC Events From Around the State… October 10, 2011

1). Tryon Palace presents "A Kid's Life for Me" -Fall Family Day at Tryon Palace on Saturday, October 15 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. – regular admission. Time travel to the 18th and 19th centuries and experience the adventure of being a kid when North Carolina history was just beginning. All ages will enjoy interactive crafts and activities that make history come alive. Visit the past using the technology of the future at the new North Carolina History Center. And walk through our historic buildings and beautiful gardens throughout the day where you'll be joined by historic characters as you experience what it was like for a kid to live, work, and play in the North Carolina of centuries ago.

2). High Point Museum The High Point Historical Society invites the community to join them for “Myths and Legends of the Piedmont” around a campfire with gooey s’mores. Cynthia Moore Brown, a well-known folk teller around the Piedmont area, will be the reader for the night. These stories will tell the spooky tales of the Piedmont. The event will be at the High Point Museum, Saturday, October 15 from 6:30 pm to 8 pm.

3). Page-Walker Arts & History Center presents Watercolor Society of North Carolina's 66th Juried Exhibition 2011 which opened Oct 9 continues to Nov 26, 2011. See the best of the best in North Carolina watercolors with the debut of the WSNC's annual juried show. Award winning artist, Paul Jackson, AWS, NWS, will be the juror. Also on display Jody Jameson’s A Beaded Path, fine-art beaded jewelry.

4). Cameron Art Museum presents “Music: Duo Sureño”, classical voice and guitar on Thurs. Oct. 13, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm. CAM Members and students: $5.00, Non-members: $10.00. Duo Sureño presents the hidden masterpieces of the song repertoire with the unique combination of voice and guitar. Featured works by Britten, Rodrigo, Argento, Villa-Lobos and Handel create an intimate performance experience reminiscent of the 19th century musical gatherings in the salons of Vienna and Paris.

5). Asheville Art Museum invites visitors to join our monthly reading group, “Discussion Bound”, on Tuesday, October 11 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. The Museum’s Discussion Bound series is held on the second Tuesday of every month, and features stories that relate to works of art in our galleries and Permanent Collection. The October discussion will feature “Color: A Natural History of the Palette”, by Victoria Finlay. This program is free with Membership or Museum Admission.

6). Tobacco Farm Life Museum is announcing the start of a new event series called “Stepping Into the Past” Saturday Event Series. Every Saturday the Museum will feature a series of crafters or demonstrators that will be available to the public with the normal Museum admissions. These demonstrations will be interactive with the public and many will have items for sale. Activities include: homemade sweets & bee keeping, blue grass music and quilters & woodworkers. Other scheduled events include blacksmiths, auctioneers, artists of all kinds, and many more.

7). Reynolda House Museum of American Art presents “Modern Thursdays” on Thursdays, October 13–November 3, 4:30–8 p.m. One evening isn’t enough for “Modern Masters”, so we’re hosting four! Hang out with friends and find kindred spirits at these special Museum nights, offered for the first time at Reynolda House. The evenings will center on how the art forms of the post-war scene, such as avant-garde music, film, Beat poetry, architecture, and politically-engaged art criticism connect to contemporary artists and intellectuals.

8). HandsOn! Hands On! – A Child’s Gallery, the children’s museum located in downtown Hendersonville invites you to make an art bag with artist, Donna Ramsey. This awesome art project is designed for children ages 8 and above and will take place Friday, October 14th from 2-4 pm. Cost to participate is $10 non-members (includes admission fee) and $5 museum members. Limited spaces so please call to sign-up.

9). Cape Fear Museum presents “Changes, Compromises, Conflict, Secession, and War” on Thursday, October 13, 6:30 – 8:30 PM. Dr. Daniel Crofts, author and professor at The College of New Jersey, and Dr. Marc Kruman, author and Director of the Center for the Study of Citizenship, Wayne State University, Detroit discuss North Carolina’s antebellum political landscape, and the secession crisis of 1861. Discover the divisions among North Carolinians. Explore the range of ways people reacted to the series of unfolding events that ultimately led to the outbreak of the Civil War. Fees apply.

10). The Bascom is hosting “Tools in Motion: Works from the Hechinger Collection”, a traveling exhibition organized by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC, featuring 20th century art that celebrates repetition and motion in common, everyday tools and hardware. Tools in Motion will be on view in the Main Gallery at The Bascom through December 23. The exhibition features 50 witty and light-hearted works based on familiar forms ‑ hammers, saws and wrenches – transformed into art of great imaginative power using materials including wood, glass, metal, paper and stone.

NCMC Events From Around the State… October 3, 2011

1). High Point Museum presents “Ghost Stories Around the Campfire” on Saturday, October 15, 6:30 pm to 8 pm. Join the High Point Historical Society at the High Point Museum as Cynthia Moore Brown weaves her magic through local ghost stories and folk tales. Just in time for Halloween come hear stories appropriate for children of all ages. This event will be free for Historical Society members.

2). Cape Fear Museum presents “Down Home: Jewish Life in North Carolina”, exhibit opens October 7, 2011. Discover how Jews, through a process of struggle and negotiation, became integrated into Southern society and helped build a New South. Explore how North Carolina has shaped Jewish lives and how Jews have contributed to the state’s economic, social, cultural, and educational welfare. Down Home recounts the personal stories of hard work, dreams, and challenges of Jewish immigrants who became Southern, while struggling to maintain their cultural and religious lives.

3). Reynolda House Museum of American Art presents “Lecture and Concert” on Sunday, October 9, 2 p.m. Members/students free, non-members $8. The great American composer Morton Feldman was deeply influenced by the abstract expressionist painters of New York. Wake Forest University Professor of Music Louis Goldstein will explore these associations and perform Feldman’s piano compositions. Goldstein’s most recent recording was ranked in 2010’s top ten modern composition recordings by “Wire” magazine.

4). Asheville Art Museum is delighted to work in partnership with organizations and artists throughout Western North Carolina in celebration of American Craft Week (October 7 – 16, 2011). The Museum is also pleased to present keynote speaker, Carol Sauvion, creator of the critically-acclaimed PBS television series “Craft in America” at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 9, 2011 at the Fine Arts Theatre on Biltmore Avenue. Following the Keynote Address, audiences will preview the upcoming season of “Craft in America”, scheduled to premier nationwide this November.

5). Bennett Place State Historic Site presents “Road to Secession” on October 8-9. It is October 1861. Join living historians recreate the fervor and excitement of the beginning of the American Civil War. Mustering in and drills will be performed. Robert Szabo, well known 19th Century photographer will be on site taking photos and performing demonstrations. Wagon rides will be provided by Ronald Hudson and his mules for the new recruits and visitors to the enlistment camp and around the Bennett Farm. 19th century baseball game with the Greensboro Patriots vs Team To Be Determined. The Huckleberry Brothers will be on site playing throughout the weekend. Special Lectures by historians and authors on the beginnings of the War Between the States.

6). Joel Lane Museum House is proud to announce a lecture on "Germans Building in the Backcountry of North Carolina” by John Larson on Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 7 pm in the Visitors Center. Admission will be $15 for the general public and $10 for members of the Joel Lane Historical Society. Refreshments will be served. Seating is limited, and advanced payment is required. Tickets are non-refundable unless we must cancel the event.

7). The Bascom In preparation for the The Bascom’s popular “Spooky Raku” firing under the Halloween moon from 6-8 pm on Monday, October 31, Frank Vickery offers a course on Raku firing on Saturday, October 8, 15 and 22 from 10 am-12 noon. Students will be given a bag of clay to create pottery pieces for the Halloween Raku firing. Tuition for the course is $100 Bascom members/$125 non-members.

8). SciWorks presents “SciWorks: Great Imagination Exploration!” on October 8th from 11am – 2pm. This is our version of the Amazing Race® as seen on TV. Three age groups will be competing. The winner of each age group will receive a grand prize of a $5.00 gift certificate to the SciWorks Gift Shop and a free pass to SciWorks. Each participant will receive a gift for explorers. Race participation is FREE with paid admission. All explorers will meet in the Auditorium at 11:00 to go over the rules, get their first clues, passports and maps. Each group will begin in a different section of the museum or its grounds. There will be pit stops, road blocks and challenges to complete.

9). N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher’s newest installation in the Spadefish Gallery, entitled “Woodturning,” showcases works created by members of the Wilmington Area Woodturners Association (WAWA). The show features stunning craftsmanship of wooden vases, bowls, platters and even a cowboy hat. Artists showcased in the exhibit include: Dennis Belcher, Bob Doughtery, Russell E. Gray, Jack O’Connor, Byron Rosbrugh, Bob Post, Ward Holdridge and Jim Stoveken. “Woodturning” will be on exhibit through Dec. 1, 2011.

10). Maria V. Howard Arts Center at the Imperial Centre presents seven new exhibits: Embroiderer’s Guild of America: National Exhibition, “America the Beautiful the National Tapestry”, “Through the Needle’s Eye”; paintings by Amy Freeman: “Standing Still”; trompe l’oeil paintings by Robert Tynes: “”Cutouts”; Annie Hogan: “Double Vision”; and “Sculpture Salmagundi XV” juried exhibition. Opening Reception is Sunday, October 9 (2:00-5:00 pm) includes the official renaming and dedication ceremony for Maria V. Howard, a guided sculpture tour with juror Cliff Tresner, and a trompe l’oeil painting demo by Robert Tynes. Free admission.