Friday, June 26, 2009

OSU 4H Volunteers Spruce up the Grounds at the Museum

About 50 volunteers from Oregon State University's
4H Youth Development Older Youth Program arrived in a motor coach at the Museum this afternoon about 3:30 pm to give an hour of help to Bob Holton, our maintenance man, on landscape projects. The 4H-ers hauled and spread bark mulch and chips to garden beds around the Museum. Thanks to these energetic young people for helping to spruce up our grounds!

Friday, June 19, 2009

New Exhibition: Home Is Where The Art Is



"Home Is Where The Art Is" is open to the public through August 22. Some of the artifacts may also be seen online http://www.bentoncountymuseum.org/exhibitions/Decorative_Arts.

Many volunteer hands made this exhibition possible. Martha Fraundorf saw this project through from planning, selecting objects for display, retrieving them from storage, detailed historical research, and installation of the final exhibition. Conservators J. Claire Dean and Tom Fuller advised us about how to best care for the sterling silver. Kate Mathews and Marcia Cutler cleaned some of the tarnished silver. Joyce Nesson dusted the furniture and wood items. Conservator Ingrid Seyb prepared the glass and ceramics.

The oldest piece in the exhibition is the sampler made by Sarah Lewis in 1796.

The most recent piece in the show is Richard Powell’s sequoia bowl, which he carved in 2007 using wood from giant Sequoia tree that formerly served as Philomath's public Christmas tree. The 105 ft. tree was felled in March 2007 to make way for the Hwy. 20/34 couplet.

Local contemporary pieces include Dale Donovan’s vase, Dick Powell’s sequoia bowl, a glass spaceship candle holder by Skip Horton (Gazelle Glass) and the frame of Don Wilson’s leather-backed chair.

Objects from thirteen countries are on display. Countries represented include Azerbaijan, Thailand, China, Denmark, England, France, Germany, India, Iran (Persia), Italy, Japan, Syria and the United States.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Preparing for Upcoming Exhibition


"Home Is Where the Art Is", an exhibition of decorative arts from the collections, will open on Friday, June 19, 2009 in the Moreland Gallery at the Benton County Historical Museum.

Joyce Nesson, at left, is our Tuesday front desk volunteer. She also helps Mark Tolonen, exhibitions curator, prepare objects for exhibition like this wood chair with inlay from Damascus, Syria from the Horner Collection. The chair dates from the early 20th century. Other objects in the exhibition include a Persian-influenced spoon and brass bowl. Come and see these beautiful objects when they go on display! The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. Admission is free!

Saturday, June 6, 2009

First Friday Farmers' Market Huge Success!




The first Farmers' Market was held in front of the Museum on Friday, June 5, 2009 from 4:30 to 7:00 pm.

The market was a success! Vendors reported brisk sales.

The Museum remained open until 7:00 pm, and many shoppers took the opportunity to view the exhibitions.

Thanks to Ron Thiesen, Development Director, for organizing a great event!

The next market is scheduled for Friday, July 3, 2009.