Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center
Newsletter Spring 2014
Museum Views
Music
History
Fun
Shop
Calendar
famcc.org
Upcoming Events May 10 Spring Tea. Sign up for tea and a flower arranging demonstration 12 - 3 pm with local designer Betsy Valentine. Tickets are $20/member, $25/ non-member. Purchase tickets in The Museum Store or online at www.famcc.org. May 13 9 am May 22 7 pm
Breakfast with the Curator. Lt. General Ron Christmas, former President and CEO of the Marine Corp Heritage Foundation, discusses the founding of the National Museum of the United States Marine Corp. A light breakfast will be served. RSVP Required. RSVP to apaquette@famcc.org. Free. Evening with an Expert. Historian Anne Miller of the Virginia Department of Transportation and Emily Taggard Schricker of HFFI’s Vintage Route 1 and Community Day will discuss the development of Fredericksburg travel and roadway history. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Member’s only reception following. Free
May 30 7 pm June 4 10 am - 6 pm
Sounds of Summer. Kick off the Sounds of Summer concert series with Elby Brass in Market Square! Members reception. Free. For additional dates and bands, see page 4.
June 10 9 am
Breakfast with the Curator. Textile conservator Claudia Walpole will discuss the conservation of historic dress. and other textiles. A light breakfast will be served. RSVP Required. RSVP to apaquette@ famcc.org.
Silhouette Artist Clay Rice in The Museum Store. Reserve your appointment with professional silhouette artist Clay Rice in the Museum Store. $42/person for two copies, $10/additional copies. Reserve your appointment today by calling 540.371.3037 x125
June 19 Evening with an Expert. National Park Service historians and 7 pm authors Philip Greenwalt and Daniel Davis discuss the Overland Campaign and their new book Hurricane of Heaven: Battle of Cold Harbor (Seavas Beatie, 2014). Book signing and members reception to follow. Free. Cover: Fredericksburg residents in Market Square after filming “FXBG Happy.” Visit www.fxbg.tv to see the video. Image by Khalfani King of FXBTV.
2
President’s Corner
famcc.org
President’s Corner For the past 25 years, it has been the privilege and the responsibility of the Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center (FAMCC) to be the steward of this defining parcel of American history. The FAMCC is uniquely positioned to provide this stewardship because it is the only historic museum in the region that presents 10,000 years of history in state-ofthe-art facilities. Who wouldn’t be excited for the opportunity to lead such an organization?!
Dr. Susan Glasser, Ph.D President & CEO Why am I so excited to join the team here at the Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center? In significant ways, the history of this community is the history of our nation. Home to six generals of the American Revolution. A key transportation hub including a colonial port for tobacco exportation and the importation of European goods, a staging area for westward expansion, an important rail link between North and South, and a major national highway corridor into the 21st century. The site where Thomas Jefferson drafted the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. One of the earliest American cities to be sacked, suffer urban warfare, and witness an amphibious assault during the American Civil War. The legacy of the Fredericksburg region is far larger than the area’s actual size.
I hope you’ll share my enthusiasm by attending one of the many events the Museum’s outstanding staff have planned for you this summer. Browse through this newsletter and mark your calendar for great concerts, information, lectures, and intriguing hands-on experiences. 2014 Season Sponsors City of Fredericksburg The Dan and Gloria Bohan Foundation Fredericksburg Economic Development Authority National Endowment for the Arts Davenport & Company Hilldrup Donald H. and Beverley C. Newlin Mary Jane O’Neill Silver Companies Stafford Printing Lewis Insurance Associates Merrill Lynch Pepsi Union First Market Bank Virginia Partners Bank Kinder Morgan Foundation A. Smith Bowman Distillery
3
Sounds of Summer
famcc.org
Sounds of Summer is Back!
The city’s most talked about concert series is back in Market Square beginning on Friday, May 30, 2014. This year the Museum’s enormously successful, Sounds of Summer concert series is comprised of fourteen concerts every Friday between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Sounds of Summer concerts and access to the museum galleries will be free and open to the public from 7 pm – 9 pm. Join us as we recognize and showcase our area’s talented performing artists and celebrate the diversity of our shared musical past in classical, bluegrass, jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock genres. Last year’s series brought over 4,500 people to Market Square and 125 new members to the Museum! Don’t miss out on a great time— enjoy great music, local food vendors, and a one-of-a-kind cultural experience. New Features at Sounds of Summer Are you a member yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Members of the Museum receive VIP treatment in the Member’s tent so be sure to join today!
Concert Lineup May 30 – Elby Brass June 6 – Andrew McKnight & Beyond Borders June 13 – Dark Hollow Bluegrass Band June 20 – The Lonely Hands June 27 – The Working Effective July 4 – Fredericksburg Community Concert Band, Scott Ramminger & The Crawstickers July 11 – Andy Vaughn and the Driveline July 18 – Joe Vex Band July 25 – The Believers August 1 – Steve Jarrell and the Sons of the Beach August 8 – Eric Brace & Peter Cooper August 15 – Tony Craddock, Jr. & Cold Front August 22 – Don Brown’s Soul Experience August 29 – The Green Boys
Get a great view of the performances by reserving a seat. Members can reserve seats at select concerts for $10/concert, nonmembers $20/concert. Price includes seating for two. Reserve your seat today by contacting events@famcc.org!
Drop by the Members’ Tent to see how you can join. 4
Via Colori
famcc.org
Join us as we recognize and showcase our area’s talented performing artists and celebrate the diversity of our shared musical past.
Above: Elby Brass performing at Sounds of Summer 2013
Dixie Power Trio at Sounds of Summer 2013.
5
Exhibitions
famcc.org
Woman Adorned Community Contribution This spring, visit Woman Adorned: Transcending Time, Transforming Culture for a look at the fresh “new” items on display selected from members of the community. One of the many challenges of hosting a garment-based exhibition is the sensitivity of textiles to light and other environmental factors. As a result, several garments on loan from the Virginia Historical Society and the Valentine Richmond History Center have been returned after their six months on display in Woman Adorned. Since the FAMCC wasn’t ready to close the exhibition, we invited Fredericksburg area residents to submit replacement pieces and share their stories of why the garments are important to them. We received many interesting submissions, including a Red Cross uniform (dress, jacket and pin) worn by former area resident Jean Jones, on loan to us from her daughter, Robin Coppock. The wife of a Marine, Ms. Jones volunteered for the Red Cross while she and her family were stationed in Hawaii in the 1970s. She received on-the-job training as a dental assistant. Ms. Jones was a stay-at-home mom who always volunteered out of her love of helping others, her daughter recalls.
Robin Coppock with her mother’s Red Cross uniform
Expanding on Woman Adorned’s exhibit of Fredericksburg-based blues trio Saffire—The Uppity Blues Women, are clothing and accessories that belonged to the late Ann Rabson (1945-2013). Ann played barrelhouse style piano on all of Saffire’s records, and also recorded several solo albums. She posthumously received a Blues Music Piano brooch worn on stage by Ann Rabson. 6
Collections
Award for her record, Not Alone, recorded with guitarist Bob Margolin. Beyond her acclaimed musical prowess, Ann was known for her colorful stage outfits. The pieces on display were loaned by her husband, George Newman. Does the Museum Want this? While we wish the FAMCC could accept everything, there are actually strict guidelines and best practices in place to make sure the collection is safe, relevant, and manageable. At the core of the acquisitions process is the Museum’s collections policy, which, among other things, details the scope of the collection. So how does the Museum decide what to accept? It’s not entirely up to the curator or Museum staff. The decision falls to the Collections Committee, a volunteer group of board and community members. The committee, evaluates the potential objects and votes on whether or not the FAMCC should accession the items into the collection. The committee’s decisions are not based solely on value or interestingness, but also relevance. Do you have something that might fit? If so, contact Director of Collections & Exhibitions, Christopher Uebelhor at cuebelhor@famcc.org
famcc.org
Most Recent Acquisitions: Re-election poster for Mayor Lawrence A. Davies Gift of Bill & Susan Beck Physical Geography of the Seas by Matthew Fontaine Maury, inscribed by the author Gift of James and Linda Salisbury Corporation of Fredericksburg $2 note, ca. 1861 Gift of James Stevenson Peck Fredericksburg tourist souvenirs, ca. 1940s Gift of R. Lee Wolf Farmers & Merchants Bank promotional map of Fredericksburg, ca. 1950s Gift of Jeremy and Adrienne Vaughn
Right: Mayoral re-election campaign poster for Lawrence Davies, ca. 1980. Courtesy of Bill and Susan Beck 7
Membership
famcc.org
Four Ways a Membership to the Museum Can Bring Your Family Closer Together
Family fun in Market Square with local artist Mirinda Reynolds. 1. Learning about the past can shape your future together. The Museum’s variety of exhibitions and programs that relate to our region’s history and culture speak to every 3. age—from grandparents to preschoolers. Learning together at a young age facilitates cohesion and encourages healthy academic development. Encourage your children, no matter their age, to explore the Museum with you and develop a shared sense of community and culture.
make an investment that provides benefits and support all year. Build a legacy of community involvement. Share the importance of community involvement by becoming a member of Fredericksburg’s most comprehensive Museum. Join the FAMCC family and help continue a legacy of support for local preservation, interpretation, and community engagement .
2. A family membership is an investment. 4. Have fun together. Enjoy fourteen concerts Teaching your children or grandchildren in the Sounds of Summer members’ tent, about money can be difficult, but it doesn’t take an art workshop together at a special have to be. For an annual membership, you rate, visit the Museum for free as often as receive 12-months worth of benefits you like or attend any of the 20+ programs including invitations to members-only that are offered throughout the year. There is events and programs, discounted rates on always something to do at the FAMCC! workshops and special events, and free admission to the Museum. Be fiscally fit and
8
Membership
famcc.org
New Members Through April, 2014
Russ Roberts and other FAMCC members at Sounds of Summer. Cooper Financial Group Dr. and Mrs. Jacques Riviere Dr. Susan Glasser Jannan Holmes Mary Washington Healthcare Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Ridderhof Mr. and Mrs. Randy Helfrich Mr. and Mrs. Richard Horner Mr. and Mrs. Roger Lawson Mr. and Mrs. Tim Ware Mr. and Mrs. William Stewart Mr. and Ms. Travis Mills Mr. Beverly Cameron Mr. David Ramirez Mr. Edward Rountree Mr. J. Wesley Hall, Jr. Mr. Stoney Chisolm Mrs. Barbara Doniel Ms. Anne Mary Charles Ms. Anne McGrath Ms. Ayonda Batts
Ms. Courtney Kuzemchak Ms. Elizabeth Ann Stevens Ms. Leandra Jacobson Ms. Marcia J. Acquaviva Ms. Ronda Worcester Preferred Maintenance Yanina Angelini-Young
Museum members cut loose at Sounds of Summer. 9
Education
famcc.org
Discover Downtown
This year the FAMCC is bursting into spring with walking tours, book signings, and even a music video. Dispel cabin fever once and for all and rediscover the beauty and timelessness of Fredericksburg by taking one of Hallowed Ground’s Bricks and Boards in the ‘Burg walking tours or a History of our Homes neighborhood tour. From April 5 – October 11, Bricks and Boards tours depart from Market Square every Saturday at 10 am while Neighborhood Tours begin at various locations around the City and start promptly at 11:30 a.m. Join local historians as they discuss the beautiful architecture of the city and some of Fredericksburg’s most interesting residents. Tours are $5/adult and $2/student and $2/child. For more information about these tours please contact Hallowed Ground Tours at 540.809.3918.
Evening with an Expert Want to rest after your walk? Then plan a visit to our next Evening with an Expert lecture on May 22 entitled Highways and Byways with historians Anne Miller of the Virginia Department of Transportation and Emily Taggart Schricker of the History Fredericksburg Foundation, Inc. Join us for a lively discussion about the beginnings of Route 1 and I-95 and how the expanding transportation industry transformed Fredericksburg from a rural town to a major tourist and industrial site during the early 20th century. We will conclude this season’s Evening with an Expert on June 19 with a book signing and lecture by National Park Service historians Philip Greenwalt and Daniel Davis. They will discuss their new book Hurricane of Heaven: The Battle of Cold Harbor (Seavas Beatie, 2014). Be sure to check out our Calendar of Events for more upcoming programs and lectures this spring.
Scott Walker giving a Bricks and Boards in the ‘Burg walking tour. 10
Education
famcc.org
Summer Camp: Wearable Art
Spring is in the air and parents’ thoughts are turning to summer activities to keep kids engaged and learning during the summer break. This year, the Museum is offering four summer camps throughout the month of July as part of our continuing slate of programming for our year-long exhibit Woman Adorned: Transcending Time, Transforming Culture. The theme of this year’s four camps is Wearable Art. During each camp, children will explore how the clothing we put on our bodies reflects and shapes who we are. Introductory Camps 1 & 2 Dates: July 7-9, Ages: 8-10 Dates: July 14-16, Ages: 11-12 Theme: Campers will work with local artists to explore a different art form and create wearable works of art. Farm to Fashion Camp Dates: July 21-23, Ages: 13-15 Theme: Campers will visit a local Alpaca farm and learn about raising animals for their wool. Back at the Museum, campers will work with local artist Miranda Reynolds to create a wearable art piece using the wool from their Alpaca farm trip. Creating Couture Camp Dates: July 28-30, Ages: 16-18 Theme: Camp teens will work closely with University of Mary Washington’s Theater and Costume Design Professor Kevin J. McCluskey to design and build scaled-model garments, inspired by the exhibit Woman Adorned: Transcending Time, Transforming Culture. Teens will also meet with the curator
Students doing chalk art at Summer Camp 2013.
of Woman Adorned and at the end of the camp will display their work as part of the exhibit. Register for a camp today.
Registration Information The cost per camp is $90/member and $115 / non-member. Includes supplies and snacks. Camps run from 10 am-2 pm daily. Participants may register online at www.famcc.org and in The Museum Store. For more information about the Summer Art Camps, please contact Anne Marie Paquette at apaquette@ famcc.org or 540.371.3037 x 141.
11
Volunteer
famcc.org
Volunteer of the Year The Volunteer of the Year has consistently shared his/her talents when scheduled, has stepped up in a pinch, and is an integral part of the Museum family. This year, the FAMCC Volunteer of the year is Diane Crabtree. Diane began volunteering with the Museum as a greeter in visitor services and was later selected for a summer internship with the education department. During her internship, Diane utilized her wonderful research and writing skills to complete a chapter of the Trail to Freedom Teacher Resource Toolkit. Diane is often the first person to step up and lend a hand with events as well. During the 2013 Sounds of Summer concert series, Diane spent nearly every Friday night helping prepare the reception, greet guests inside the Museum or work under the Member’s tent during the concerts. Her support of this event was a valued asset to Museum staff and members. Diane is currently a senior studying anthropology and museum studies at the University of Mary Washington. Volunteers at the Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center do more than give their time to help keep the doors open and events running smoothly. Our volunteers contribute their talent, their energy, and their spirits to our organization. Volunteers are valued members of the Museum family and their talents are vital to our community. If you’d like to discover your power to make a difference, contact Mary Garrett at mgarrett@famcc.org or at 540.371.3037 x136.
12
Diane Crabtree The University of Mary Washington Class of 2014
The Museum Store
famcc.org
Spring Events and Silhouettes at The Museum Store
Remember that FAMCC members enjoy 10% off all purchases in The Museum Store everyday and 20% off on First Fridays.
Silhouette Artist Clay Rice On June 4, nationally renowned silhouette artist Clay Rice will be in The Museum Store from 10 to 6 pm. Professional silhouette art is a family tradition for Rice, who is following in his grandfather’s footsteps by creating every masterpiece by hand. We are currently taking reservations for silhouette sittings. The cost is $42/person for two copies, and $10 per additional copy. Frames and copies of Rice’s books Mama, Let’s Make A Moon and The Lonely Shadow will be sold separately. For further information or to make an appointment, please call The Museum Store at 540.371.3037 x125.
Be sure to sign up for a Silhouette sitting with Clay Rice in The Museum Store. The Sketches of Hilda Glasgow Another form of classic silhouette, the exquisite sketches of fashion illustrator, Hilda Glasgow, are available for sale in The Museum Store on note cards, notepads, and placemats. Hilda, born in Brooklyn, New York in 1913 to Russian immigrants, studied drawing at the Pratt institute and began specializing in fashion illustration beginning in the 1940s. Her clients came to include many big name Fifth Avenue department stores and fashion magazines including Saks, Lane Bryant, Vogue, and Ladies Home Journal. After her death in 2004 at the age of 91, her daughter, Liz, discovered many of her original sketches in her Manhattan apartment and had them reproduced on paper products like the ones in The Museum Store. We are proud to have them as familiar and elegant tributes to twentieth century fashion.
Hilda Glasgow sketches available through The Museum Store. 13
About Town
famcc.org
Main Street Fredericksburg With summer just around the corner and downtown buzzing with excitement over the new Main Street Fredericksburg initiative, the FAMCC decided to catch up with Ann Glave, the new Executive Director of Main Street Fredericksburg and former downtown business owner to talk with her about the new project. So Ann, what is the Main Street program? The Fredericksburg Main Street Initiative, LLC, is an independent, non-profit, professional organization whose sole purposes is to promote, preserve and enhance Fredericksburg’s traditional commercial downtown in accordance with the practices of the National Trust’s Main Street Program. Our members are the property owners, merchants, and professionals who live or work within Fredericksburg’s Main Street district. As well as residents or nearby businesses who share our mission and vision. How will the Main Street program affect downtown Fredericksburg and how will it impact the residents of greater Fredericksburg? The Main Street program will enhance pride and quality of life in our downtown. This is accomplished by protecting and utilizing the historical assets, enhancing professional development, growing existing businesses, attracting new business, reinforcing other economic development activities, and public and private collaborations. Better shopping and eating, more social and cultural activities, historical awareness, increased economic and residential growth will benefit all the residents and the region as a whole.
14
Ann Glave Executive Director Main Street Fredericksburg
What’s next for Fredericksburg Main Street? The next few months are important for this organization. Vision, goals, and strategies are being determined by the community for downtown. Immediately we are in the data-collecting phase for businesses, relationship building with potential partners, and committees formation. You can get involved by joining one of our 4 committees: Design, Promotion, Organization, and Economic Restructuring. Want to learn more about Main Street Fredericksburg? Join their mailing list at www.fredericksburgmainstreet.org. Contact Ann Glave at info@fredericksburgmainstreet.org or 540.479.1595.
Museum Information
famcc.org
The galleries of the Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center are open Monday – Saturday from 10-5 pm and Sunday from 12-5 pm
Information: 540.371.3037 540.371.1001 fax info@famcc.org www.famcc.org
Board of Directors Mr. Thomas Wack, Chair Mr. Andre PiĂąeda, Vice-Chair Mr. Douglas Cooper, Treasurer Mrs. Liz King, Secretary Mr. Beverly Cameron Mr. Michael Colangelo Mr. Hap Connors Mrs. Christina Doherty Mrs. Mary Katherine Greenlaw Mr. Richard Harrison Mr. William Lynch
Ms. Peggy R. Marshall Mr. Charles G. McDaniel Ms. Nancy Moore Mr. John Moss Mr. Russell H. Roberts Mr. Nick Seay Mr. George Solley Mr. Nate Wood Mrs. Jeanette Woodcock Mr. William B. Young
Museum Staff Earl Baughman Facilities Manager 540.371.3037 x138 ebaughman@famcc.org
Tramia Jackson Director of Education & Public Programs 540.371.3037 x140 tjackson@famcc.org
Darlene Davis Accountant/Office Manager 540.371.3037 x132 ddavis@famcc.org
Melanie Johnson Director of Membership & Special Events 540.371.3037 x135 mjohnson@famcc.org
Ellen Fortunato Museum Store Manager 540.371.3037 x126 efortunato@famcc.org
Anne Marie Paquette Membership & Special Events Assistant 540.371.3037 x141 apaquette@famcc.org
Mary Garrett Visitor Services 540.371.3037 x136 mgarrett@famcc.org
Christopher Uebelhor Director of Collections & Exhibitions 540.371.3037 x129 cuebelhor@famcc.org
Susan Glasser, Ph.D President & CEO 540.371.3037 x134 sglasser@famcc.org
Address or name change? Misspelling? Remove from mailing list? Mail correction to: Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center 1001 Princess Anne Street Fredericksburg, Virginia 22404 or email info@famcc.org
Dan Goldstein Director of Development 540-371-3037 x127 dgoldstein@famcc.org
15
Fredericksburg Area Museum & Cultural Center
PO Box 922 Fredericksburg, Virginia 22404 famcc.org
This newsletter was distributed in part by:
Non-Profit Org. US Postage PAID Permit No 293 Fredericksburg Virginia
Pick up the magazine & visit FredericksburgParent.net for the best parenting info in town!