|
Riders
by Robert Frost
The surest thing there is is we are riders,
And though none too successful at it, guiders,
Through everything presented, land and tide
And now the very air, of what we ride.
What is this talked of mystery of birth
But being mounted bareback on the earth?
We can just see the infant up astride,
His small fist buried in the bushy hide.
There is our wildest mount, a headless horse.
But though it runs unbridled off its course,
And all our blandishments would seem defied,
We have ideas yet that we haven’t tried.
“Riders” by Robert Frost. Public Domain.
| |
Set the tone for a great New Year by catching up on local history and art exhibitions while reflecting on last year. | |
|
The Danville Museum is a great place to bid goodbye to the Old Year and ring in the New Year. Whether you prefer a quiet self- guided tour of the Sutherlin Mansion museum with its wealth of Dan River Region Collections that tell our local histories, or a visit to the Carson Davenport Retrospective Exhibition which is on view at the 24 Reid Street location in Chatham right next to Tred Hunt’s delicious Hunt & Company Barbeque Restaurant. You can make our DMFAH campus and off campus galleries a family affair, an occasion to visit with friends or a solitary place to relax and also attend a workshop or class at the Swanson Studio behind the museum (but still on the museum campus).
The winter month of January is a great time to walk the historic grounds of the museum with your best companion, to check in on the Perkinson Rose garden, easy to enjoy in full bloom in the summer with a dizzying fragrance, but also lovely in the bleak mid-winter.
The New Year is all about fresh starts – set the tone for a great year by catching up on local history and art exhibitions, and reflecting on our many accomplishments, despite the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. Please see our financials in the Annual Report, which can be accessed online as a downloadable PDF: https://www.danvillemuseum.org/content/uploads/v2_annual_report_dmfah_2020-2021.pdf
| | |
|
2020-2021 Museum Highlights | |
The DMFAH has cleaned up & digitized its collections, forged new meaningful partnerships on campus, in the city, as well as in the counties.
The DMFAH has renewed its connection with museum best-practice-support organizations, and we have worked closely with the VDOE, the Carter G. Woodson Commission, and Averett University to update and standardize our education units.
The museum reached out with new innovative gallery programming in the Danville River District, launched a Community Engagement Citywide Art project, and hosted a Smithsonian Program in Pittsylvania County.
| | |
Camilla Williams Exhibition opened in January of 2020 and offers a meaningful narrative of what it was like to live in Danville during the segregation years of the mid-twentieth century. | |  |
THE MOVEMENT: Danville's Civil Rights opened in the fall of 2019 and offers the only Civil Rights Timeline available to the public and to schools. | | |
Charlotte Garrett is one of many volunteers who manned the exhibition helpdesk for the Carson Davenport Retrospective in 2021 | | |
"Summerstack" Art and Theater Exploration camp this past summer offered theater explorations in the morning and art studio in the afternoon. | | |
Through a collaboration with the Virginia Association of Museums, The Smithsonian and the Virginia Humanities, the DMFAH brought Cossroads: Change in Rural America to Chatham in Pittsylvania County. | | |
Danville'e first large community art engagement - a yarn bombing was installed along a two-mile stretch on the Danville River Trail. We thank our many community partners for their participation and tremendous efforts. This project served 6007 people during the pandemic year of 2021, and built a bridge to exciting new programming. | | |
The tending of the Perkinson Rose garden by the Garden Club of Danville. Thank you to Nan Freed for organizing the pruning and care of this beautiful feature on the DMFAH lawn. | | |
|
Kristen Barker, Artist Tim Duffy, Musician Jeffrey Scott and Rick Barker gather for a photo during the Blue Muse exhibition at 536 Craghead Street in the River District.
| | |
This past year Swanson Studio offered classes in ceramics, printing, paper-making and bookbinding. | | |
Through a great partnership with the Abingdon Square Painters of NYC, the DMFAH collaborated on a Harriet Fitzgerald & Friends Storefront installation on Main Street in the old Woolworth building. | | |
Collections Manager Annie Chappell addresses a Public School Forum hosted in December 2021 at the DMFAH. | | |
Pittsylvania NAACP President and WKBY radio host Anita Royston attends the Presidents Reception in December 2021 | | |
Rick Barker and artist Veronica Jackson enjoy a moment during "de-install" at the 536 Craghead Gallery in the River District | | |
| |
|
Anne Sylves and Judy Strauser contemplate the many difficult tasks of setting up for the annual Attic Sale!
The Attic sale is something all can participate in throughout the year. If you are doing "Spring Cleaning" of any sort. Contact info@danvillemuseum.org
| | |
The DMFAH could not have made it through the pandemic without our Health and Wellness partners, FIREFLY YOGA and PARKS & REC. | | |
Executive Director Elsabé Dixon and Board President Jeff Gignac welcome donors, sponsors and 975 members to the Presidets reception in December of 2021. | | |
Sam and Faye Kushner attend the President's Reception. As members of the 975 Program they advocate for giving to the museum on a monthly basis. | | |
PLEASE REMEMBER TO SHARE YOUR GREAT DMFAH EXPERIENCES WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA #Danvillemuseum @Danvillemuseum | |
|
|
CALL FOR ENTRY: MAKING HISTORY EVERY DAY
Celebrate Danville’s Black History & Heritage through two new community exhibitions in February at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History. This exhibition is made possible through the Danville Phoenix Foundation to showcase local talent and community art initiatives.
Calling all artists living in Caswell County, Pittsylvania County, and the City of Danville to create works of art that is either a slice of African American history from the past or an imagined history of the future.
Exhibition Dates: February 7 - February 26 (13-17 years: in See and Do Room; Adults, 18 and up, in Auditorium.
Call for Entry: January 5- February 5
Exhibition Awards & Reception: Saturday, February 19 from 2-5pm
| | | |
Remembering Othella Robinson | | |
|
|
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Othella Robinson. Othella Stamps Robinson, 86, of 230 Prospect Street, Danville, VA departed this world on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC. She was born on July 9, 1935, in Ringgold, VA, and she was the daughter of the late Lorenzo and Arabella Ferrell Stamps. She was married to the late Sherman Robinson Sr.
Othella was a quiet, strong and positive force at the museum for many, many years. No one, not even Othella herself, could pinpoint the day she first became involved with the museum, but we all knew that we could count on her to keep the museum spotless and our events well managed and our supplies ordered. A friend to many, her smile could light up a room. In 2020, when the museum was shut down from April to July on account of the pandemic, Othella retired from her museum duties. The museum will always miss her and remember her.
A Graveside service was held for immediate family on Saturday, January 15, 2022, at 12 PM at Highland Burial Park with Rev. Maurice Ferrell, Eulogist. If you would like to send a note, or flowers to the family please address cards to her two sons: Sherman Robinson Jr. or Tony Robinson both from Danville. Notes and flowers can be sent to: 230 Prospect Street, Danville, VA 24541
| | | | | |
