The Columbus Museum Quarterly Magazine
Summer 2022
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See page 6 for a preview of what is coming for The Columbus Museum!
Letter from the Director
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his summer, we are thrilled to bring Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful to Columbus, Alma Thomas’s hometown. The largest and most comprehensive exhibition organized to date about Thomas, Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful is the first major exhibition about the artist that the Museum has organized. Key objects in the exhibition are the paintings, drawings, watercolors, marionettes, and historical material that Thomas’s younger sister, John Maurice Thomas, generously donated to the Museum in 1994, and the 1966 painting, Air View of a Spring Nursery, which the Museum acquired in 1979 through a combined gift of the National Association of Negro Business Women, the artist, and a Museum purchase. Air View of a Spring Nursery was the first painting that Thomas created in her iconic abstract style, and it was displayed in 1972 at the Whitney Museum of American Art in the artist’s groundbreaking, one-person exhibition. As the title of the exhibition implies, Alma Thomas sought and created beauty in the world around her and in the work
she made, the latter encompassing far more than her paintings, drawings, and sculpture. As the exhibition has traveled to its other venues (the Chrysler Museum of Art, The Phillips Collection, and the Frist Art Museum), visitors have been very positive about this important aspect of the artist’s practice, commenting that they have found her work and life to be uplifting and inspirational. As Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful has its homecoming in Columbus, I hope that you, too, will find beauty in Thomas’s life and work and like her, will be inspired to seek it in the world around you. For an endeavor of this scope, we could not have asked for a better partner in organizing the exhibition than the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia. Co-curators Jonathan Frederick Walz and Seth Feman spent the better part of four years organizing the exhibition and its complementary catalogue. We are grateful to have received generous corporate support from Aflac, the exhibition’s presenting sponsor, and major grants from the Henry Luce Foundation, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts,
the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Wyeth Foundation for American Art. We are anxious to celebrate the opening of Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful with you! Please join us for the special members’ preview of the exhibition on June 30. Summer is a wonderful time to visit the Museum, not only Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful and the concurrent complementary exhibition, Sand Unshaken: The Origin Story of Alma Thomas, but to revisit our permanent collection and enjoy our family-friendly programs, including summer camps. I hope to see you many times at the Museum this summer!
The Columbus Museum brings
The Columbus Museum: 1251 Wynnton Road Columbus, GA 31906 | 706.748.2562 | columbusmuseum.com
life for the communities of
Museum Hours: Tues., Wed., Fri., Sat. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Thurs. 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. | Sun. 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
American art and history to the Chattahoochee Valley.
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Museum Shop Hours: Tues., Wed., Fri., Sat. 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Thurs. 10 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. | Sun. 1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
In this issue, I am delighted to share with you some very special news about The Columbus Museum’ s next chapter. Please turn to page 6 to see what lies ahead!
On the Cover:
Alma Woodsey Thomas, Air View Of A Spring Nursery (detail), 1966, Museum purchase and gift of the National Association of Negro Business Women and the artist, The Columbus Museum G.1979.53
Homecoming: Artist-Educator Alma W. Thomas Returns to Columbus in Style
“Alma would look out of the window at the trains going south and how fast they were moving. We were on a slow train to Washington. It was a local. It seemed to stop at every little cowshed on the way. Alma would say,‘Oh, when I go back, I’ m going to ride on one of those fast trains, not one like this.’ ” – John Maurice Thomas, 1986
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olumbus-born Alma W. Thomas (1891–1978) lived in Washington, DC, for much of her life, but she did return to the Lower Chattahoochee River Valley on occasion. From her experience of growing up on the Georgia-Alabama border, she retained fond memories that eventually “found expression” in her later acrylic paintings (fig. 1). More than 100 years after the Cantey-Thomas family’s move northward, the artist-educator returns in style to Columbus with the exhibition Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful. In late 2016, Director Marianne Richter observed that, while The Columbus Museum had previously hosted other Alma Thomas retrospectives (in 1982 and in 1999–2000), the institution itself had never organized a multi-venue traveling show about her. The artist-educator’s hometown museum, with its unique perspective based in American art and regional history, had never told a national audience its own version of this appealing and important story. This prompting, especially within the context of the deep but little-known hold-
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ings of Thomas-related materials at the Museum, caused a burst of investigatory research. The Museum’s increasing desire to share with a wider public the legacy preserved by the artist’s sister John Maurice Thomas and great-nephew Charles Thomas Lewis added further incentive. Indeed, these materials confirmed for co-curators Jonathan Frederick Walz, Director of Curatorial Affairs & Curator of American Art at The Columbus Museum, and Seth Feman, former Deputy Director for Art & Interpretation and Curator of Photography at the Chrysler Museum of Art, that Thomas’s pursuit of beauty extended from her youth in Columbus and matriculation at Howard University to her successes in New York and twilight years in the nation’s capital. Everything Is Beautiful presents five archetypal spaces of creativity for Thomas. The Studio traces the artist’s development from realistic still lifes to more geometricized objects and figures to a coherent group of abstract expressionist compositions. It also illustrates how Thomas arrived at her final compositions on canvas through an iterative strategy of multiple preliminary sketches on paper (fig. 2). The Garden speaks to the importance of “cultivation” for Thomas: literally, in the parks and gardens throughout Washington and how they inspired her, but also metaphorically, in the many students, friends, and ideas she nurtured over decades, often in
her own backyard. Surveying Thomas’s lifelong passion for the theater, The Stage spotlights her little-known dramatic productions (fig. 3), and her self-conscious “staging” of her public persona, as a woman, an African American, and an artist. Two dresses, recreated from historical photographs by Howard University professor Elka Stevens, amplify Thomas’s fashion
sense and how it permeated her painting practices. The Public Sphere encompasses Thomas’s work in the wider world, including the innovative thinking and indefatigable energy she brought to formal classroom teaching at Shaw Junior High School. In addition, the section explores Thomas’s religious practice and community service centered in St. Luke’s Episco-
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Images: Fig. 1: Alma W. Thomas, Babbling Brook and Whistling Poplar Trees Symphony, 1976, acrylic on canvas, 72 × 52 in., Michael Rosenfeld Gallery LLC, New York Fig. 2: Ida Jervis, Alma Thomas in her studio (detail), 1968 , gelatin silver print, The Columbus Museum, Gift of Miss John Maurice Thomas in memory of her parents John H. and Amelia W. Cantey Thomas and her sister Alma Woodsey Thomas, The Columbus Museum G.1994.20.172.9 Fig. 3: Unknown photographer, Alma Thomas’s students performing Alice in Wonderland, c. 1934, black and white photograph in paper mount, Alma W. Thomas Papers, The Columbus Museum Fig. 4 : Alma W. Thomas, Red Azaleas Singing and Dancing Rock and Roll Music, 1976, acrylic on three canvases, Smithsonian American Art Museum, bequest of the artist (1980.36.2.A–C) Fig. 5: Alma W. Thomas, Untitled (mobile), c. 1963, painted metal and wire, Collection of Charles Thomas Lewis
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pal Church and the impact she had on students who successfully followed their own creative interests. The Whitney reprises Thomas’s groundbreaking 1972 exhibition in Manhattan, which catapulted her to fame; it also uncovers the tumultuous social context that brought the artist-educator to the attention of the wider world. In The Field, Thomas appears at the nexus of several overlapping social spheres: Howard University, The Phillips Collection, the Barnett Aden Gallery, and the American University. Several of Thomas’s post-retirement canvases alongside paintings by peers demonstrate how Thomas was not a passive observer or mindless follower but an active participant in the aesthetic debates that engaged the art scene in the nation’s capital, including the Washington Color School, during the 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s. Triumphantly, the exhibition ends on a high note: the monumental triptych Red Azaleas Singing and Dancing Rock and Roll Music (fig. 4), Thomas’s enduring masterpiece joyously touches upon so many themes of the artist’s life and career,
themes that also thread throughout the exhibition: aesthetics, gardening, music, performance, community, nature, and self-actualization. “Everything Is Beautiful,” co-curator Feman notes, “blends Thomas’s bold abstract canvases from the 1960s and ‘70s with ephemera, photographs, sculpture, and works by other artists to evoke a sense of the world in which Thomas developed and pursued her belief that focusing on beauty can change the world.” In assembling the exhibition, the curators especially
sought to uncover little known and rarely exhibited works, ensuring new discoveries for even those familiar with Thomas’s creativity (fig. 5). Everything Is Beautiful and the companion show Sand Unshaken: The Origin Story of Alma Thomas, organized by Curator of History Rebecca Bush, will clearly convey to visitors that, while Alma Thomas may have left Columbus as a teenager, the Lower Chattahoochee River Valley nevertheless held a longlasting and influential hold over her later life and work.
Purchase the Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful exhibition catalog from the Museum’ s gift shop today!
This extraordinary 336-page publication offers a sweeping reassessment of the artist/educator that transforms our understanding of her diverse forms of creativity while also revealing how a persistent search for beauty can address pressing social concerns. The catalogue includes varied artworks and archival materials that span the artist’ s long life, over 150 full-color plates and 100 additional color images, newly commissioned research on newly available materials by diverse scholars, a poem by National Book Critics Circle Award-winning writer Ross Gay, and much more! It has been featured in“best art book”lists by publications such as ARTnews, Art in America, My Modern Net, Third Coast Review, and the Los Angeles Times.
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Announcing the Reimagining The Columbus Museum Campaign!
The first major renovation of the Museum since 1989, Reimagining The Columbus Museum is a renewed dedication to ensuring that our collections, exhibitions, and gardens are engaging and relevant to people of all ages. The reimagined Museum will be the bridge between the people who call the Chattahoochee Valley home and their cultural heritage, regional creativity, and the rich world of American art. Museum Director Marianne Richter said, “We are excited to share the wonderful news of our renovation plans with our members. These plans will transform both the building and the grounds, including restoration of original features of the historic Bradley Olmsted Garden. The ‘reimagined’ Columbus Museum will be more welcoming and interactive, a true cultural gathering place. We are very grateful to the incredible campaign committee for creating a
remarkably successful capital campaign to achieve this renovation. We are also grateful to the Muscogee County School District for including the Museum in its ESPLOST.” The reimagined Columbus Museum will feature: A new and expansive Children’s Gallery with an adjoining Children’s Garden, adjacent to the Museum’s main entrance, to encourage creative play and discovery A welcoming public courtyard and interactive orientation spaces to engage visitors immediately as they enter the Museum Redesigned History Galleries that tell the stories of all the people of the Chattahoochee Valley Improved connectivity - unifying the experience between our Art, History, and Children’s Galleries Expanded ways to integrate the historic Bradley Olmsted Garden and the Museum building with the surrounding community greenways and bike trails, such as the Dragonfly Trail Network “The Columbus Museum has been a refuge of solace and respite for me for over a quarter of a century,” said Museum Board President Steve Sharp. “My hope is that the reimagination of the Museum will transform how our communities utilize this space. My vision is that the Museum will be a source of energy and a spark for young people as well as being a source of calm, inspiration, and
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introspection for all who cross our threshold.” Renovations to the Museum will make the building more open, inside and out, with abundant natural light, open sightlines, and clear connections between interior spaces and exterior gardens. The Museum will become more visible from Wynnton Road, inviting visitors into the courtyard. A newly designed entrance will lead into the spacious lobby, which will feature a café, shop, new orientation space, and entry into the Children’s Gallery. In the Atrium, a new overlook and terrace to the historic Garden will provide a fresh perspective on the Museum’s beautiful natural setting. The Museum selected three nationally acclaimed firms for the renovation. Perkins & Will is an architecture firm with experience in designing museums with an emphasis on visitor experience in all aspects of design. The exhibition design firm Local Projects has created plans for new orientation spaces in the Museum’s lobby and the new Children’s Gallery, located just off the lobby. We selected The Design Minds, an exhibition design firm specializing in history museums, for the redesign of the History Galleries. Campaign Committee Co-Chair and Board Trustee Kathelen Amos said, “Hope and beauty and creativity are not just luxuries, but necessities for a well-lived life, and our museum offers that to our community and our region. This project creates a visual welcome mat that will broaden our reach to all audiences and continue the Museum’s role as the cornerstone of cultural arts in Columbus. The renovation will result in a building and physical campus that will allow The Columbus Museum to better fulfill its mission and meet the goals of our strategic plan. By welcoming and engaging younger visitors in a prominent Children’s Gallery and Garden, as well as enhanced History Galleries, the entire Museum becomes more accessible to all. Visually, opening up the Galleria and lightening up this space removes the physical barriers between art, history, and children’s galleries, as well as the garden, and expands the
visitor experience to include the totality of the Museum, not just a single area.” In Reimagining The Columbus Museum, we have listened to community groups, educators, members, and Museum friends. Community members, including K-12 educators, have provided input on how to tell inclusive and inspiring stories in the new History Galleries. Our goal is to share the story of the people who have contributed to the rich history of the Chattahoochee Valley. “Over the years, the Museum has brought me a great deal of personal pleasure,” said Honorary Co-Chair Thornton Jordan. “Because the Museum has given so much to me, I was thrilled to participate in the capital campaign to give back and to make it even better for the next generations. For our visitors, both the inside and outside will be more welcoming and adaptable. I have loved the History Gallery over the years, but this new design will allow new galleries to be much more flexible with interpretation, especially of contemporary history and culture. Throughout the building we will have increased space for our rotating collections and special exhibitions. We will bring the Children’s Gallery into a lighter, brighter space and in a more prominent place in the building.” The new Children’s Gallery and Garden is the result of Museum family visitors, members, and elementary school and special education teachers helping the Museum better understand the needs of our youngest visitors. Through a series of visioning workshops, the Children’s Gallery has been intentionally designed to encourage creative thinking and problem solving, to utilize open-ended activities that appeal to families, and to connect directly to the Museum’s collection. An example of this is the Sensory Pool activity stations that encourage visitors to engage their senses—sight, hearing, smell and touch—in exploring collection objects. The adjacent enclosed Children’s Garden will give families a protected space to rest and enjoy the outdoors as part of their Museum visit. “I am so thrilled to be a part of this ‘reimagining’ of The Columbus Museum,” Campaign Committee Co-Chair and Board Trustee Elizabeth Ogie said. “For years, I have wanted to get the Children’s area front and center where it belongs. This, like all of the changes, will create a warm, inviting, and welcoming space for every visitor. Our beautiful Bradley Olmsted Garden, designed by the Olmsted firm, will also get some long-needed attention, bringing it back to its former glory. Our members’ and donors’ responses to all of these plans have been overwhelming and humbling! They love what this ‘reimagining’ will mean for everyone. The Museum is the heart of our arts community, and this transformation will make everyone 2022 SUMMER THE MUSE | 7
The Reimagining of The Columbus Museum is made possible through the leadership of the Campaign Committee and the generosity of our visionary donors. Gifts to the Campaign have topped $20 million as of May 2022, more than 90 percent of the Campaign’ s leadership phase goal. Through our partnership with the Muscogee County School District, the Museum also has received $3 million in ESPLOST funds for improved and expanded collections storage and collections care and needed infrastructure upgrades.
proud to claim this place as their favorite gathering and learning spot. I am honored to be a part of these wonderful plans for the Museum’s future. “My earliest memories of the Museum are going there with my mom, Betty Corn. She loved taking me there as a child, and telling stories about her childhood playing in the garden. She also took me to take art lessons from her dear friend, Barbara Pound, who taught art classes in the basement of the Museum. My Mom’s love and enthusiasm for the Museum has certainly been contagious, and she has stayed involved most of her adult life, serving on the Board for decades. I have loved serving on the Board and feel like I am following in her mighty footsteps in some small way.” The upcoming Museum renovation will begin in November 2022. While renovations are taking place, The Columbus Museum’s collection will be on tour throughout the Chattahoochee Valley. An exciting line-up of art and history exhibitions, educational programming, and member events will continue at partnering locations around Columbus such as The Bo Bartlett Center, Illges Gallery, The Do Good Fund, and others. The Museum Shop and additional scheduled programming will relocate next door at 1327 Wynnton Road (the Scarbrough House) during the renovation. More information regarding The Columbus Museum On Tour and upcoming operations is soon to come. Please join us for the critically acclaimed exhibition Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful, open July 1–September 25, prior to the kickoff of our renovation. We offer our dearest and sincerest thanks and gratitude for all of those who have contributed thus far to this capital campaign and for investing in the cultural vitality of our region.
“We are deeply appreciative of the hard work of Campaign Co-Chairs Kathelen Amos and Elizabeth Ogie, Honorary Co-Chairs Thornton Jordan and Elizabeth T. Corn, and our dedicated Campaign Committee for leading a remarkably successful capital campaign to make this long-awaited transformation possible,”said Marianne Richter.
The Campaign Committee for Reimagining The Columbus Museum Kathelen Amos, Co-Chair Elizabeth Ogie, Co-Chair Steve Butler
Mint Flowers
Chris Henson
Mary Lu Lampton Mason Lampton Sallie Martin Steve Sharp
Chip Tillman
Thornton Jordan, Honorary Co-Chair Elizabeth Corn, Honorary Co-Chair
“We are profoundly grateful to the Museum’ s longstanding friends and supporters who share this vision for the future, and who have been enthusiastic investors in this project,”said Kathelen Amos.“We are equally thrilled and excited about the support we have received from newer friends and supporters, who value our mission and want to be a part of this tremendous cultural asset as it is positioned to serve future generations.” With the help of you, our members, and the Columbus community, we seek to raise an additional $2 million to fully fund the vision for the reimagined Museum.
To make your gift to the Reimagining The Columbus Museum campaign, please contact the Campaign office at 706.748.2562 ext. 5440 or visit columbusmuseum.com/join-give.
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The Museum is excited to announce the recent gift of a treasure trove of artifacts spanning more than 200 years and six generations of the Hall, Bradley, Turner, and Corn families. The collection sheds light on the social and cultural history of the Chattahoochee Valley throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as three leading businesses with Columbus roots: the W.C. Bradley Company, Coca-Cola, and Total Systems/ TSYS (now part of Global Payments). Highlights include a pair of late 18th-century eyeglasses belonging to Sarah Hall Bradley’s grandmother; letters from Henry T. Hall, in Columbus, to his sister Matilda Hall Buck, in Boston, during the Civil War; monogrammed pins and jewelry belonging to Hall and Bradley women; receipts from late 19th-century Columbus businesses; a Columbus High School cheerleading sweater from the 1940s; commemorative W.C. Bradley Company and Coca-Cola programs; and several family photographs.
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The Museum is deeply grateful to the Corn Family for this significant gift. Image: 1. W.C. Bradley Company 60th Anniversary dinner program, 1945, Gift of the Corn Family, The Columbus Museum G.2021.82.62 2. Monogrammed thimble belonging to Sarah Matilda Hall, ca. 1870, Gift of the Corn Family, The Columbus Museum G.2021.82.19 3. Bradley and Hall families at Warm Springs cottage (detail), 1897, Gift of the Corn Family, The Columbus Museum G.2021.82.34
Kenneth Moore, The Night Before Sacred Truth
The Museum’s Alma Thomas Society recently voted to purchase Los Angeles-based artist Kenneth Moore’s The Night Before Sacred Truth (2019). Moore was born in Chicago in 1949. As a young man, he studied briefly at the Art Institute of Chicago, but went on to pursue career choices outside of the visual arts. Retirement afforded Moore the opportunity to concentrate full time on painting, though he worked more or less independently of the art world—until his first gallery show in 2019. Moore’s style combines aspects of cubism, surrealism, and expressionism, all while addressing cultural topics like jazz and African myths, or social issues, such as racism in the U.S. This new acquisition highlights an emerging African American artist and provides an inspiring example of one who has successfully pursued an artistic career later in life. Image: Kenneth Moore, The Night Before Sacred Truth, 2019, acrylic on canvas, The Fund for African American Art, The Columbus Museum G.2022.6
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SUMMER 2022 HISTORY & ART ACQUISITIONS
Two Centuries of Local History in One Gift
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Public Family Tour of AWT: Everything Is Beautiful & Sand Unshaken
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Summer Camp: Alma’ s Art Club 9 A.M. – 5 P.M.
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Pull this page out and keep our calendar with you!
Summer Camp: Art Sampler 9 A.M. – 5 P.M.
Summer Camp: Art Sampler 9 A.M. – 5 P.M.
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Volunteer Garden Workdays 9 A.M. - Noon
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Public Family Tour of AWT: Everything Is Beautiful & Sand Unshaken 2 P.M.
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Summer Camp: Art Sampler 9 A.M. – Noon
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Summer Season
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Summer Camp: Alma’ s Art Club 9 A.M. – 5 P.M.
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Exclusive Member Tours of Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful 5:30 P.M.
Member’ s Exhibition Preview Night Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful 5:30 P.M
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The Cantey-Thomas Family in the New South 6 P.M.
Summer Camp: Art Sampler 9 A.M. – 5 P.M.
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Museum Shop One Day Sale 10 A.M.-7:30 P.M.
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Summer Camp: Alma’ s Art Club 9 A.M. – 5 P.M.
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Summer Festival 10 A.M. – 2 P.M.
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Open Studio 10:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
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Yoga at the Museum 10:30 A.M. – Noon
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A Closer Look: Goggans Quilts Part 2 with Cathy Fussell Noon
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Teen Summer Kick-Off 10 A.M. – 2 P.M.
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Member Tours of Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful 1 P.M.
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June-July: Children at Columbus Museum Summer Camp | August: Alma Thomas, Sketch for March on Washington (detail), acrylic on canvasboard, Gift of Miss John Maurice Thomas in memory of her parents, John H. and Amelia W. Cantey Thomas and her sister Alma Woodsey Thomas, The Columbus Museum G.1994.20.29
Do You Follow? Artists Working in Series and Suites on view through October 16, 2022
Journey Toward Justice: The Civil Rights Movement in the Chattahoochee Valley on view through Oct. 16, 2022
The Meaning of Home on view through Oct. 16, 2022
Sand Unshaken: The Origin Story of Alma Thomas on view through Oct. 2, 2022
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Quilts from the Collection of Paul M. Goggans, Part 2 on view through Oct. 16, 2022
Everything Is Beautiful Member Program 5:30 P.M.
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Adult Puppet Workshop 6 P.M.
SUMMER 2022 EDUCATION
The Columbus Museum Helps South Columbus Elementary’ s Eagles Go Green
This spring, The Columbus Museum was invited to participate in South Columbus Elementary’s agricultural education initiative, Eagles Go Green! Over the course of two days, Academic Programs Manager Rachel Vogt and Gallery Teacher Kristin Andris met with K-5th grade students in Alexandra Countryman’s art room to create connections between art and agriculture through a hands-on learning activity. The Museum’s lesson was inspired by Alma Thomas’s 1966 painting, Air View of a Spring Nursey, which is Thomas’s interpretation of what the colorful rows of plants in a nursery would look like from an airplane. During each session, students offered observations and interpretations about the collection object, learned what a nursey was and discussed
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ways in which their school garden was similar to and different from large scale farming operations, and completed an art activity. Like Thomas in Air View of a Spring Nursery, students in kindergarten through 2nd grades were asked to imagine their school garden from above. Using brightly colored construction paper and glue, each student designed one row of a class garden. These rows were then connected to create a collaborative garden artwork. Third through 5th graders zoomed in on the garden, taking on the perspective of a pollinator. From bees to bats, students imagined and then drew how objects in their school garden would look through the eyes of these helpful friends. Throughout the lesson, students were encouraged to communicate their thinking by generating ideas about the collection object and to engage creatively with the materials provided. In total, the Museum served 241 K-5th grade students and 21 educators. South Columbus Elementary (SCE) School was one of two schools in Muscogee County to participate in an agricultural education initiative in partnership with Georgia Organics. According to Dawn Grantham with Georgia Organics and SCE’s assistant principal Victoria Griffin, the school “was selected not only because of its location (in a food desert), its community partnerships, and strong school leadership, but because of its active interest and on-going involvement in growing food on its campus.” The food, which includes lettuce, carrots, and kale grown at SCE, will be harvested and sold at a garden-market fundraiser with the proceeds going to purchase the resources needed to sustain their school garden.
Teen Summer Kick-Off
June 4 | 10 A.M. – 2 P.M. | Ages 14-18
Explore the galleries while completing a variety of interactive challenges, then drop by our art-making stations to experiment and create your own work!
No registration required. Free
Garden Volunteer Workdays
June 13, July 11, August 8 | 9 A.M. – Noon
The Columbus Museum will be hosting volunteer workdays in our beautiful and historic Bradley Olmsted Garden. Bring your own tools or use those provided by the Museum. We will have water and snacks available.
For any questions, please contact Kimberly Beck at kbeck@columbusmuseum.com
Yoga at the Museum
June 18, July 23, & August 20 | 10:30 A.M. – Noon
De-stress with a yoga class! Start with a short mindfulness-focused gallery experience then relax with a gentle, all levels yoga session led by Sue Tomkiewicz. Some yoga mats are available on a first come, first served basis.
Public Family Tours of Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful and Sand Unshaken: The Origin Story of Alma Thomas Saturdays and Sundays from July 2 - August 28 | 2 P.M.
Come see our new exhibitions about acclaimed Columbus-born artist, Alma Thomas, on a public tour with Museum docents and staff! These tours will visit the exhibitions Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful and Sand Unshaken: The Origin Story of Alma Thomas to learn about her family’ s history in the Chattahoochee Valley and how it shaped the artist and person she became. Saturday tours are recommended for youth ages 2-12 and their caregivers. Sunday tours are recommended for ages 12+.
No registration required. Free
Summer Festival
July 8 | 10 A.M. – 2 P.M.
Create, explore, and more during this celebration of Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful. Drop by the art-making stations to participate in a variety of projects inspired by the work of Alma Thomas, collaborate with other festival attendees on a community project, and more!
No registration required. Free
Registration required. Free for Members/$5 for Future Members
Open Studio
The Cantey-Thomas Family in the New South Panel Discussion
Drop into the Studio and participate in a project inspired by Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful! After your Studio visit, pick up one of our family guides and explore the exhibition.
June 23 | 6 P.M.
The Cantey-Thomas family, ancestors of artist Alma Thomas, sought to establish a Black upper class in Columbus in the late 19th century. This panel will situate the family within the context of African American life in the New South, as progress clashed with segregation and racial violence. La-Kisha Emmanuel of New York University, Gregory Mixon of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Kathryn Tucker of Troy University will discuss connections between the exhibition Sand Unshaken: The Origin Story of Alma Thomas and their research on clubwomen, racial unrest, and interracial relationships. Moderated by Rebecca Bush, Curator of History/Exhibitions Manager, The Columbus Museum.
Registration recommended. Free
July 9 & July 23 | 10:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Registration required. Free
Adult Puppet Workshop July 14 | 6 P.M. | Ages 16+
Join puppet artist Paulette Richardson to learn about Alma Thomas’interest in puppetry and try your hand at making your own! Participants will design and build an animatronic Alma Thomas puppet then make up a collaborative story to act out with other participants. Ages 16+ Registration required.
Registration required. $15 for Members/$25 for Future Members
2022 SUMMER THE MUSE | 13
SUMMER 2022 EDUCATION
Upcoming Programs
SUMMER 2022 EDUCATION
Alma Thomas 131st Birthday Celebration
Gallery Scenes
Celebrate Alma Thomas’ s 131st birthday with The Columbus Museum! All ages are invited to enjoy tours and curator talks of the exhibitions Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful and Sand Unshaken: The Origin Story of Alma Thomas to learn more about the Columbus-born artist and her family. There will also be art-making, music, birthday cake, and more throughout the evening. Don’ t miss out on your chance to see these historic shows before they close!
Join us in the galleries as we bring stories from the Museum to life through entertaining performances full of opportunities for audience participation. Attendees will see a brandnew show exploring the life and work of Alma Thomas. Select a date, drop by the galleries, and join us as we journey into Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful.
September 22 | 5 P.M.
Stay tuned for dates and times!
Registration required. Free
To register for our events, visit columbusmuseum.com/programs-events
Summer Camps
Summer camps give your child the opportunity to learn about art through lessons in the studio, hands-on art projects, and gallery walks. Each camp culminates with an exhibition of campers’artwork. Campers must meet the minimum age requirement on or before the first day of the camp for which they have registered. Campers should bring a lunch and a snack each day. Pre-K campers only need to bring a snack. Member benefits and discounts are available at the Family Membership level ($75) and above. Each camp is subject to cancellation if a minimum of 10 students are not enrolled.
Ages 4-5: Art Sampler
Ages 8-10: Art Sampler
During this exploratory camp, participants will learn about the many ways that we can create art. Sculptures, paintings, collages, and self-portraits will be just a few of the many projects your camper will experience throughout the week.
During this exploratory camp, participants will learn about the many ways that we can create art. Sculptures, paintings, collages, and self-portraits will be just a few of the many projects your camper will experience throughout the week.
June 13 – 17 | 9 A.M. – Noon
June 20– 24 | 9 A.M. – 5 P.M.
Registration required. $60 for Members/$90 for Future Members
Registration required. $145 for Members/$175 for Future Members
Ages 5-7: Alma’ s Art Adventurers
Ages 11-13: Alma’ s Art Club
Become an art adventurer and dive into the world of artist Alma Thomas. Each day, campers will explore Alma W. Thomas: Everything is Beautiful and use their discoveries to create their own work throughout the week including paintings, marionettes, and more!
Join Alma’ s Art Club and discover the work of artist Alma Thomas! During this two-week experience, campers will explore the Museum as they gather inspiration from Alma W. Thomas: Everything is Beautiful and create their own work, including paintings, marionettes, and more!
July 25 – 29 | 9 A.M. – 5 P.M.
Registration required. $145 for Members/$175 for Future Members
14 | THE MUSE SUMMER 2022
July 11 – 22 | 9 A.M. – 5 P.M.
Registration required. $290 for Members/$340 for Future Members
A Closer Look: Goggans Quilts Part 2 with Cathy Fussell June 11 | Noon
Join us at The Columbus Museum as Cathy Fussell, local professional quilter, and Rebecca Bush, Curator of History, take us on a deeper dive into the Quilts from the Collection of Paul M. Goggans, Part 2 exhibition currently on view at the Museum. Rebecca will provide key background and history behind the family and the quilts, then Fussell will share her insights and observations about the practice of quilting in this thought-provoking program. Light refreshments will be provided.
Member’ s Exhibition Preview Night for Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful June 30 | 5:30 P.M.
At long last, Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful will be on view starting July 1st, but our members get a sneak peek before we open to the public! Join us at The Columbus Museum as we hold a reception for this much-anticipated exhibition, during which the curators of the show will share some unique insights and background information on what it took to bring this exhibition to life. Heavy hors d’ oeuvres and libations will be provided.
Exclusive Member Tours of Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful
July 7 - 5:30 P.M. | July 30 - 1 P.M. | Aug. 11 - 5:30 P.M. Aug. 14 - 1 P.M. | Sept. 8 - 5:30 P.M. | Sept. 24 - 1 P.M.
Our Director of Curatorial Affairs, Jonathan F. Walz, Ph.D., will lead tours of the Alma W. Thomas: Everything Is Beautiful exhibition for members of The Columbus Museum. Join us on the dates listed above to learn more about the exhibition and to hear from one of the exhibition co-curators! All tours will start promptly, so please be sure to arrive on time.
Alma and Gardening July 21 | 5:30-6:15 P.M.
MEMBERS MAKE MUSEUMS
Upcoming Member Programs
Join exhibition co-curator Jonathan F. Walz, Ph.D. as he shares with us how gardening influenced Alma Thomas’life and artwork, and how the environments in Columbus and Washington D.C. impacted her artistic production. Light refreshments will be provided. Spaces are limited so please be sure to register online!
To register for member events, contact Shiv Desai, sdesai@columbusmuseum.com, 706.748.2562 ext. 5400 Please visit our website, e-mail, or call to become a member or renew your membership today!
TRUSTEE SPOTLIGHT TRICIA LLEWELLYN KONAN
I am happy to be beginning my second term as a Trustee of The Columbus Museum. I was born in Jamaica and grew up in NY. I have lived in Germany, Detroit, Portland and Eugene, OR, Seattle, and Chicago, either studying or working. I now work in the non-profit workforce and received my BA in Communication from Lehman College and my MBA from Michigan State University in Development. I am married to my husband March Konan and have a daughter, Victoria. I have lived in Columbus for the last 8 years and I love to travel, fish, and spend time with family. I have had the opportunity to visit many museums and artist studios around the world. Although I am not gifted with artistic ability, I respect and admire the drive, vision, inspiration, thought provocation, hard work and beauty that artists bring to the world. My favorite work in The Columbus Museum is Alma Thomas’ Air View of A Spring Nursery. Her watercolors from the 1960s-1970s are so vivid with color and bring me joy. I often say that the museum is one of the area’s best assets! Not only does the collection preserve local history, but visiting exhibitions bring new works, ideas, and artists to the area. I have had the privilege to meet Amy Sherald, Najee Dorsey, quilters, NY artists, and others in an environment that allows you to get up close and personal. As a parent, I appreciate the family events and engagement with our local school district. Being a supporter allows me to contribute to the Museum’s effort to make art accessible to all. Additionally, being a member of the Alma Thomas Society is an honor that allows me to not only contribute to the Fund for African American Art, but to participate in the decision-making process for pieces acquired in the Museum’s permanent collection. 2022 SUMMER THE MUSE | 15
MEMBERS & CONTRIBUTIONS JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31, 2022
The Columbus Museum is grateful to recognize our President, Director, Collector, Master Circle, & Patron members. Those who joined or renewed within the last quarter are in bold print. **Continuous member for 20+ years *Continuous member for 10+ years
President Circle
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel P. Amos** Mr. & Mrs. Robert G. Hecht** Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth M. Henson, Jr.** Mr. & Mrs. John C. Martin II** Mr. & Mrs. W. Michael Ogie** Mr. & Mrs. Alan C. Ramsay, Jr.** D. Steven Sharp**
Director Circle
Mrs. Lovick P. Corn** Mr. & Mrs. Raymond E. Crowley** Mr. & Mrs. A. Comer Hobbs, Sr.** Dr. & Mrs. Thornton F. Jordan** Mr. & Mrs. Mason Houghland Lampton** Dr. & Mrs. Richard S. Robbins** Maxine R. Schiffman** Mr. & Mrs. Wright B. Waddell** Mr. & Mrs. Ronald L. Wilson**
Collector Circle
Mrs. Donald F. Broda, Jr.** Mr. & Mrs. Stephen T. Butler** Mr. & Mrs. Otis J. Scarborough** Dr. & Mrs. Otis E. Tillman, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Wade H. Tomlinson III** Dr. & Mrs. John Waldrop** Mrs. Davis Ronald Watson** Ms. E. Worth Williams Dr. & Mrs. Sidney H. Yarbrough III**
Master Circle
Dr. & Mrs. A. C. Alvarez** Fred & Catalina Aranas Family Foundation Dr. & Mrs. Champ Baker** Bo Bartlett & Betsy Eby* Catherine & Rennie Bickerstaff** Mrs. James J. W. Biggers** Zack & Amanda Bishop Mr. Wilson W. Blackmon** Mr. & Mrs. James H. Blanchard** Mrs. Minnie R. Bradley** Mr. & Mrs. Richard Y. Bradley** Mr. & Mrs. Jeremy Brewer* Dr. & Mrs. Philip L. Brewer** Mr. & Mrs. Lance Brooks Ed & Suzanne Burdeshaw** Mrs. Ann P. Burr**
16 | THE MUSE SUMMER 2022
Patricia A. Butts Sara & Keith Chambless Mrs. Forrest L. Champion, Jr.** Craig & Traci Courville** David Durant Mr. & Mrs. J. Robert Elliott, Jr.** Mr. & Mrs. John F. Flournoy, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Robert W. Flowers** Mellie Fountain** Cindy & Spencer Garrard Mr. & Mrs. Gardiner W. Garrard, Jr.** Mr. & Mrs. James E. Gates** Mr. & Mrs. Jack C. Goldfrank** Mrs. Ben M. Greenblatt** James E. & Kelli Hall Mrs. Richard Hallock Mr. & Mrs. Kerry W. Hand** Mr. Christopher R. Harman** Judye S. Harris** Dr. & Mrs. Ed P. Helton James G. & Kathryn A. Hillenbrand Darren & Becky Horne Mrs. Lula Huff** Mr. & Mrs. Randolph B. Jones III Dr. William P. Kendall** Mrs. Erwin D. Key** Mr. & Mrs. Jack B. Key III** Dr. & Mrs. Edward B. Kinner** Mrs. Donald M. Leebern, Jr.** Mr. & Mrs. W. Fray McCormick** Mr. & Mrs. Roy E. Martin III** Mr. & Mrs. L. Pierce Miller Mr. & Mrs. Jerry B. Newman** Dr. & Mrs. Eddie Obleton* Ms. Marleen De Bode Olivié & Mr. Marc Olivié* Mr. & Mrs. John Hunter Peak Mr. & Mrs. William Roland Peek** Thom Pegg, Black Art Auction Mr. & Mrs. Ben B. Philips** Dr. & Mrs. Andrew W. Pippas* Mr. & Mrs. Robert S. Poydasheff, Jr. Ms. Marianne Richter Mr. & Mrs. Chandler Riley* Mrs. Kathy J. Riley** Mrs. Benno G. Rothschild** The Honorable & Mrs. William C. Rumer** Ms. Charlotte Alexander Saunders** Mr. & Mrs. James Kimbrough Sheek IV Ms. Melanie Slaton & Mr. Ben Holden Dr. & Mrs. J. Lacey Smith Melissa Murray Smith Dr. Eva Sperk Ms. Rose H. Steiner* Bobsie Swift** Ms. Jeanne R. Swift** Patty Kimbrough Taylor** Jim & Melissa Thomas Townsend Wealth Management Mr. & Mrs. James Trotter, Jr.**
Dr. Amandah S. & Mr. John T. Turner* Mr. & Mrs. Jack G. Turner* Mr. & Mrs. William B. Turner, Jr.** Dr. Thomas A. & Sherry F. Wade** Mr. & Mrs. John W. Walden, Jr.** Whitni & Mulford Waldrop Chris Weaver** Susan Smith Wiggins Pat & Jack Wilensky** Mrs. Brevard House Windsor** Kay & Billy Winn** Mr. & Mrs. Joel O. Wooten*
Patron
Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey G. Adams Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Adams, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. W. Mizell Alexander** Ms. Betty L. Auten* Drs. Karin & Champ Baker III* Mrs. Marjorie B. Bickerstaff** Mr. & Mrs. Robert B. Bickerstaff Mr. & Mrs. Gary O. Bruce** Mrs. Otis B. Burnham** Ms. Jan Carter** Lacrecia Cade Dr. & Mrs. Hunter Champion Drs. Kathryn & Benjamin Cheek** Mr. & Mrs. Robert W. Culpepper** Mr. William J. Cunningham, Jr.** Mrs. Frank S. Etheridge III** Mr. Robert T. Flournoy** Mr. & Mrs. Frank D. Foley III** Mr. & Mrs. Pace Halter Mr. & Mrs. Seth L. Knight III** Mr. & Mrs. R. J. Krieg* Ashok & Mary Kumar Drs. Kevin T. & Amanda McPherson* Mr. Patrick Martin Dr. & Mrs. Michael Metry Mr. & Mrs. Richard Olson** Dr. & Mrs. Douglas Pahl Mr. & Mrs. J. Donald Peek** Ms. Gwendolyn H. Ruff Dr. & Mrs. Lloyd Sampson** Mr. & Mrs. Claude G. Scarbrough III** Kenneth A. Shaw** Mr. & Mrs. Sam Singer Celia & Murray Solomon* Mr. & Mrs. Matthews D. Swift Mr. & Mrs. Thomas P. Swift** Ms. Elizabeth A. Taylor** Mr. & Mrs. John P. Thayer Mr. & Mrs. Philip Tomlinson** Mr. & Mrs. William Clark Turner* Mr. T. Stacy Welch** Mr. & Mrs. James D. Yancey**
The Columbus Museum is grateful to recognize our Reciprocal, Family, Supporting, & Civic members who joined or renewed within the last quarter. **Continuous member for 20+ years *Continuous member for 10+ years
Reciprocal
Mr. & Mrs. John O. Barwick III Mr. & Mrs. Ronald V. Beck II* Scott & Alice Bryan* Susan Buck** Mr. & Mrs. William Burgin Mr. & Mrs. Larry Cardin** Maj. (RET) Randall & Sandra Craven** Mr. & Mrs. Donald W. Dakin* Mrs. John H. Deaton** Mrs. Tamlin Fortner** Fred & Cathy Fussell Mr. & Mrs. Madden Hatcher, Jr.** Reverend & Mrs. James R. Herring Sr.* Mr. & Mrs. J. Lee Jackson** Mr. & Mrs. P. Elliott Kirven** Mrs. Tricia Llewellyn Konan Drs. Francye & Joseph Largeman Mr. Harry L. Lindsey Dr. & Mrs. James Lopez** George & Anne Peagler Mr. & Mrs. Lowry Reid** Ashley & Blake Reinhart Mr. & Mrs. Lance Tankersley* Mr. Kenneth H. Thomas Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Billy G. Turner** Dr. Joan & LTC (Ret) Darryl Verrett Dr. & Mrs. George Voltz, Jr.** Mrs. Jessie G. Wright** Kloris & Christian Youngs Mr. & Mrs. Bruno Zupan**
Family
Pete & Claire Berry Mr. David Fivecoat Ms. Elaine L. Greene Dr. Susan Hrach Mr. & Mrs. J. Thomas King, Jr.** Annie Kirkland Ms. Nancy Martin* Dr. & Mrs. Harold W. McRae** Anne & James Messner* Stephanie & Virgil Miller Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Russell** William & Karla Turbyfield Mr. & Dr. Wilcox Lacey & David Yeend
Supporting
Ms. Alia Azhar Wayne & Jane Bond Ms. Judy Bryson Ms. Rebecca Covington Mrs. Addie Cunningham** Susan R. Dolan** Mrs. Richard C. Edge** Ms. Jan Ellis Kim Flournoy Ms. Lavonda W. Forbes** Ms. Ann Howard** Ms. Connie Jones Miss Meredith L. King Mrs. James B. Knight** Frank & Lorraine Kolar Hariot R. Lippmann** Gwendolyn McIntosh Ms. Gail T. Newman** Mr. & Mrs. Jack M. Passailaigue, Jr.** Col. (Ret.) & Mrs. Ralph Puckett** Mr. & Mrs. Marvin L. Smith, Sr.** Ms. Margaret Spencer John & Gail Stafford** Mr. & Mrs. Mathews D. Swift** Edweena McIntosh Thomas Mrs. Betty D. Thompson* Mrs. Jack H. Tinkler* Rita B. Turner** Mr. & Mrs. Ronald H. Ward Mrs. Martha Ruth Whatley
Civic
Mr. Bruce Armstrong** Carole Barham* Bucky Bowles** Mr. & Mrs. Jay Jacobs Mr. A. Stephen Johnson** Mrs. Nancy Morrison Mr. & Mrs. Robert A. Newton** Mr. & Mrs. Raimondo Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin S. Richardson Jeanne P. Robinson** Merlina E. Salamanca, LLB, Ed. S.* Blanche Scott Dr. Kimberly Scott Mrs. Elaine Tarpley**
The Columbus Museum gratefully acknowledges the following friends for their contributions. Donation of artifacts in memory of Virginia Thompson Williams Gift of Ginger W. Smith & Stephen Smith Donation of artifacts in memory of Elaine Hammond Gift of Ginger W. Smith & Stephen Smith Donation of bicycle and lantern, mid-20th century Gift of Colonel (Ret.) John M. House Donation of The Seminarian, Columbus Seminary yearbook, 1913 Gift of Kathelen Amos, granddaughter of Kathrin Trammel Martin, Columbus Seminary Class of 1913 Donation of COVID-19 objects Gift of West Central Health District, Georgia Department of Health Donation to the African American Art Fund in honor of the Maebell Taylor Family Mrs. Jo Ellen Lapides Donation to the African American Art Fund in honor of Jonathan Walz, Lucy Kacir, Jessamy South and Rachel Vogt Ms. Robbie Keith Holt Donation to the African American Art Fund Mr. & Mrs. Cleophus Thomas, Jr. Donation for general operations The Cliboca Foundation Community Spouses Club of Fort Benning The Howard School Donation to the Bradley Olmsted Garden The Lemon Tree Garden Club Sponsorship of 2022 February Family Fun Festival Publix Super Markets Charities Sponsorship of Young Art Patrons Anne & James Messner Sponsorship of back page of The Muse Communicorp, Inc.
2022 Year End Gifts Dr. & Mrs. Philip T. Schley Synovus Trust Company, N.A. Mr. & Mrs. Harrison Wallace 2022 Museum Alive! Corporate Sponsors Aflac Brasfield & Gorrie Columbus State University Georgia Crown Distributors Standard Concrete Products, Inc. 2022 Museum Alive! Patron Sponsors Daniel & Kathelen Amos Catherine & Rennie Bickerstaff Sis & Jim Blanchard Mr. & Mrs. Richard Y. Bradley Mrs. Donald F. Broda, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. J. Robert Elliott, Jr. Nora & Gardiner Garrard Mrs. Ben M. Greenblatt Mr. & Mrs. Kerry W. Hand Judye Harris Mr. & Mrs. Robert G. Hecht Mr. & Mrs. Ken Henson, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. A. Comer Hobbs, Sr. Dr. & Mrs. Thornton F. Jordan Mrs. Erwin D. Key Mr. & Mrs. Mason Houghland Lampton Mr. & Mrs. John C. Martin II Margaret & Fray McCormick Mike & Elizabeth Ogie Mr. & Mrs. Alan C. Ramsay, Jr. Joan S. Redmond Claude & Molly Scarbrough D. Steven Sharp Dr. & Mrs. J. Lacey Smith Amandah & John Turner Mr. & Mrs. William B. Turner, Jr. Mrs. Davis R. Watson Susan Smith Wiggins Mr. & Mrs. Ronald L. Wilson Kay & Billy Winn Dr. & Mrs. Sidney H. Yarbrough III 2022 Museum Alive! Donations Mr. & Mrs. W. Mizell Alexander Mrs. Minnie R. Bradley Kinetic Credit Union Mr. & Mrs. Mathews D. Swift
The Columbus Museum gratefully acknowledges the following contributions in honor or in memory of special friends. In honor of Chris Henson’s birthday Mr. & Mrs. George G. Flowers In memory of Geri Davis to Friends of Art at The Columbus Museum Ms. Barbara J. Turner In memory of Clifford Swift Ms. Rebecca Bush Ken & Chris Henson In memory of General Robert L. “Sam” Wetzel Mrs. Ben H. Hudson II
The Columbus Museum thanks our active Affiliate Group Members who joined or renewed within the last quarter. Alma Thomas Society
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel P. Amos Ms. Judy Bryson Mr. John F. Greenman & Ms. Alice Budge James E. & Kelli Hall Ms. Robbie Keith Holt Mrs. Tricia Llewellyn Konan Mr. & Mrs. John C. Martin II Stephanie & Virgil Miller Mr. & Mrs. W. Michael Ogie Ms. Marianne Richter Dr. Kimberly Scott Ms. Margaret Spencer Dr. Thomas A. & Sherry F. Wade
Young Art Patrons Ms. Alia Azhar Anne & James Messner Ms. Margaret Spencer Lacey & David Yeend
2022 SUMMER THE MUSE | 17
MUSEUM SHOP NEWS
Museum Shop
The Gift Shop successfully hosted the Spring Market with local vendors, and a One Day Sale! The Glass Maker’ s Workshop in March, highlighting spring flowers, was very successful. Registration was sold out for the weekend, the Museum saw increased visitor numbers, and the gift shop increased sales. We are looking forward to having Kelly Robertson and his crew from Calvary Glass back at The Columbus Museum for a Glass Maker’ s Workshop in the fall.
New Employee
Lia Guerrero, Shop Attendant
Events
In celebration of National Volunteer Month, the Museum hosted a Volunteer/Docent Luncheon and Glass Maker’ s Experience. At the luncheon, the volunteers and docents were given a pen handcrafted by local artisan Bill Pope made out of the live oak that stood on the front lawn of the Museum.
The Georgia Association of Museums Honors Keith Smith
The Columbus Museum’s Lead Preparator and Art and Artifacts Handler, Keith Smith, was recently awarded the 2022 Emerging Museum Professional Award at the Georgia Association of Museums Conference. Only two recipients were selected from the entire state. Keith’s nomination packet stated, “Since joining TCM in April 2018 as an assistant preparator, Keith has installed and de-installed more than 30 temporary exhibitions, as well as numerous rotations and updates to permanent collection galleries. As one of only two preparators, and at times working alone, he consistently handles this demanding schedule with grace and good humor. Keith is respected by colleagues of all ages for his ingenuity and can-do attitude. Beyond his exhibition duties, he assists every department with tasks such as hanging artwork for fundraisers, building stations for the children’s interactive gallery, and outfitting tablet kiosks. When Keith is asked if some- 2022 Emerging Museum Professional Award winner Keith Smith (m) with GAM Awards Committee Co-Chair Melissa Swindell (l) and GAM President Ephraim Rotter (r). thing is possible, he always says, ‘I bet we can figure something out,’ and he always delivers. TCM’s award-winning exhibitions enthusiasm, and commitment. In a too-often anonymous role, would simply not be possible without Keith’s craftsmanship, Keith Smith is a quiet superstar.” Congratulations to Keith! 18 | THE MUSE SUMMER 2022
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2021 –22 D. Steven Sharp, President Chris Henson, Vice President Thomas A. Wade, Jr., Corresponding Secretary Marianne Richter, Museum Director/Recording Secretary Tyler A. Townsend, Treasurer Carolynn Obleton, Immediate Past President
Daniel P. Amos, Kathelen V. Amos, Zack Bishop, Kay Broda, Lance Brooks, Lark Champion, J. Robert Elliott, Jr., Gail B. Greenblatt, James E. Hall, Pace Halter, Robert Hecht, Helen Hobbs, Dori Jones, Thornton F. Jordan, Tricia Llewellyn Konan, Mary Lu Lampton, Sallie Martin, W. Fray McCormick, Becky Miller, Elizabeth C. Ogie, Deani Pahl, Dionne Rosser-Mims, Gwendolyn H. Ruff, Otis J. Scarborough, Jack Schley, Melanie Slaton, Melissa Murray Smith, Javonne Stewart, Otis E. Tillman, E. Worth Williams
MUSEUM STAFF Marianne Richter, Director Lacey Yeend, Assistant to the Director
COLLECTIONS & EXHIBITIONS
Jonathan Frederick Walz, Director of Curatorial Affairs & Curator of American Art Rebecca Bush, Curator of History/Exhibitions Manager Aimee Brooks, Collections Manager Miles Kirkpatrick, Assistant Collections Manager Cameron Faucette, Exhibition Coordinator & Designer
EDUCATION
Lucy Kacir, Director of Education & Engagement Jessamy South, Youth & Family Programs Manager Rachel Vogt, Academic Programs Manager Imani Jones-Pugh, Community Outreach Coordinator
DEVELOPMENT
LIFE TRUSTEES:
Philip L. Brewer, Elizabeth T. Corn, Evelyn T. Crowley, Judye S. Harris, F. Clason Kyle, Betsy T. Leebern, Jerry B. Newman, Rebecca K. Yarbrough
HONORARY TRUSTEES:
James H. Blanchard, The Honorable Calvin Smyre, J. Barrington Vaught
MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS
Kristen Hudson, Director of Marketing & Public Relations
Larry Hunter, Security Deputy
Cesar Colon Torres, Marketing & PR Coordinator
Al Johnson, Security Deputy
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
Dana Nix, Maintenance Technician
Kelly Cargill, Event Sales Manager Morgan Wilson, Campaign Coordinator
Paula Evans, Accounting Specialist
Shivkumar Desai, Membership & Grants Coordinator
Brooke King, Gift Shop Manager/Volunteer Coordinator
Perry Valentine, Associate Artifacts Handler and Exhibit Preparator
NEW EMPLOYEES SPOTLIGHT
Rick McGowan, Security Chief
Marcolm Tatum, Graphic Designer
Kimberly Beck, Deputy Director for Operations
Keith Smith, Lead Preparator/Art & Artifacts Handler
Rosaline Anderson, Visitor Services Representative
Edward Diamond, Maintenance Engineer Custodians: Alice Holmes, Dorothy James Tracy Leopard, Gardener
Lia Guerrero, Shop Attendant Samantha Wooden, Visitor Services Representative
DANA NIX
SAMANTHA WOODEN
Dana Nix joins The Columbus Museum as the new Maintenance Technician. He thinks it is an honor to be a part of the Museum’s history. He enjoys working with his fellow staff members and loves that they feel like a big family. Dana has previously worked as a Chief Engineer in Building Maintenance and as an Avionics Technician for Delta Air Lines.
What Sam loves most about the Museum is the Chattahoochee Legacy Gallery. The Chihuly boat and Oscar the Alligator have been her favorite pieces in the collection since childhood, and she now has the opportunity to pass that excitement on to visitors. It is especially fun when families with young children come for their first visit, as they always find Oscar fascinating. Sam holds a B.A. in Spanish Literature and Culture from Columbus State University, and walking through the galleries reminds her of the amazing places she visited while studying abroad in Mexico.
2022 SUMMER THE MUSE | 19
THE
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MUSEUM
1251 Wynnton Rd. | Columbus, GA 31906 706.748.2562 | columbusmuseum.com
The Columbus Museum is supported in part by Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency - the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Home delivery of The Muse is a special benefit of membership. Columbus Museum mailings are not forwarded by the U.S. Postal Service. If your address changes, please notify the Museum at 706.748.2562, ext. 5440.