Blue Star Voices

September 2, 2011

Museum Mania for the McCaffery Clan

By Nell McCaffery


The McCaffery boys at the New York Transit Museum. Photo by Nell McCaffery

First of all, I would like to thank everyone who made the Blue Star Museum Program possible. It is truly an amazing gift to military families. By Labor Day, our family will have visited more than 20 of the country’s finest museums for FREE! This was a huge bonus for our family being that my husband’s new assignment for the USAF landed us in Manhattan.

This summer, we left the United States Air Force Academy in June and arrived in Gotham in July for my husband’s new assignment. Prior to heading to the Big Apple, we decided to visit “Honey and Grandpa Dave,” who live in the Phoenix area. One day, we visited the Arizona Science Center. Not only did our two boys learn Morse Code, how to work a two-way radio, and other aspects of physics and engineering, but they also were able to participate in a Star Wars Lego Competition that was being held at the Arizona Science Center that day! A very fun day for two nine-year-olds indeed!

So far, we absolutely love living in NYC. It is an amazing place and we feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to live in this amazing city. That being said, it is still very expensive, so we are VERY thankful to all of the museums throughout the five boroughs who are willing to give military families the opportunity to visit some of the country’s finest museums for gratis.

So far this summer we’ve visited: the American Folk Art Museum, which had amazing quilts with stories “hidden within them,” like those quilts used along the “Freedom Trail”; the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, where our boys could work as a team, be artists, and become part of Homer’s Iliad, all in the same afternoon; and El Museo del Barrio, which housed local Latino art that spoke to its viewers about tough social issues regarding the pros and cons of living in a big city. Visiting the museum in Spanish Harlem was a treat in itself, as the sounds, murals, and aromas of fantastic mom-and-pop restaurants landed the three of us a fantastic lunch!

At the Museum of Arts and Design, we met local artists in the midst of creating their art, while witnessing first-hand that the mind’s eye can play tricks on us while viewing art through different forms of media. At the Chelsea Art Museum, we found some interesting illustrations that portrayed many meanings, sometimes with juxtaposing points of view! The Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is simply one of my favorite museums of the world, definitely gives the Louvre and the Uffizi a run for their money. It is so large that it took us three days to see everything, and we were all in awe of this place the entire time we visited. The Museum of the City of New York gave us great insight into the formation of our wonderful new home, a glimpse into various apartments of long ago, and what creative New Yorkers are doing to improve this amazing city.

We visited the New York Hall of Science, located in Queens, where our boys had a blast with various hands-on science experiments, presentations, and even partook in a cow’s eye dissection! Then there was the New York Transit Museum, located in a non-functioning, original subway station in Brooklyn. We were able to sit in subway cars from the early 1900s and walk through turnstiles from the 1880s. We were amazed by how horrible and dangerous the working conditions were for all the workers, yet amazed at the same time by the engineering of the subway system. Talk about a work ethic! Those folks worked hard, long hours for little pay and there was no room for whining or complaining. The work simply needed to get done, not only for the city, but for their own existence. At the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, even the building is a piece of art, let alone the classics that are held within it! Finally, there was the Whitney Museum, where I had a day to myself to simply “ooh and aah” at various “classic art pieces and ponder some of the modern art pieces on the Upper East Side.

We still have about five to ten more museums we’d love to hit prior to Labor Day, but if not, there’s always next year!

Cheers,

The McCafferys of NYC

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What’s on View at MoMA

August 31, 2011
New York, New York

By Ann Waller Curtis

Summer—and the Blue Star Museums program—may be winding down, but you still have a few days to savor the treasures of some of the finest museums in America. Heading to New York for the long holiday weekend? Be sure to visit The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and experience some of the best that contemporary art has to offer.

Founded in 1929 as an educational institution, MoMA benefited from growing support for a museum dedicated exclusively to modern art, moving and expanding several times before landing in its current location. The first gift to the museum was modest—eight prints and one drawing—but the museum’s collection has quickly become into one of the premier modern art collections in the world. MoMA seeks to honor its origins by offering an array of educational programs and events to accompany its exhibitions.

With extended summer hours and a jam-packed exhibition schedule, MoMA offers something for everyone: film, design, performance art, or the more traditional museum mediums of painting and sculpture.

Tweenbot at MoMA

Kacie Kinzer. Interactive Telecommunications Program, Tisch School of the Arts, New York University. Tweenbot. 2009. Cardboard, paper, ink, batteries, motor, and wheels. 36 x 8 1/2 x 14″ (91.4 x 21.6 x 35.6 cm). Installation view at The Museum of Modern Art, 2011. Photo © Scott Rudd.

Talk to Me: Design and Communication Between People and Objects (July 24, 2011 – November 7, 2011)

Looking to grow a few inches before the end of the summer? MoMA can help. Step into a pair of robotic shoes and use the accompanying iPhone app to become taller—or shorter. MoMA’s much-buzzed about exhibition Talk to Me creates a unique, remarkably relevant dialogue between visitors and objects, machine and man. The highly interactive exhibit is appropriate in today’s technology and information-driven world, where we seem to converse as much with our iPhones, laptops, and iPads as we do with each other. These devices and others are outlined in the clever “Hierarchy of Digital Distractions,” a food pyramid-inspired chart that ranks the distractability levels of what have now become routine intrusions. This poster is one of the 194 objects included in the exhibit, each of which has its own hashtag and QR code so the viewer can learn more either on the spot or once they get home. React, interact, and interface your way through this challenging and timely exhibit!

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Five Questions with the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia

August 29, 2011
Virginia Beach, Virginia

A Wind Toward Off Dreams by Jean-Pierre Roy
Jean-Pierre Roy, A Wind Toward Off Dreams, 2010. Courtesy of RARE Gallery, New York and Jean-Pierre Roy

Mention contemporary art, and some people’s eyes will immediately glaze over. Other people will huff that they “just don’t get it.” But at the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia (CACV), modern art is made accessible for even the most skeptical of visitors. As the CACV’s Director of Exhibitions and Education Ragan McManus points out, “It’s funny that people find the term ‘contemporary’ intimidating because it’s most closely connected to the world they are currently living in.” We talked with McManus about how the museum makes art approachable, this summer’s exhibitions, and the ways which art can change our understanding of the world.

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Blue Star Voices

August 26, 2011

Merci, Madame

By Patti Reitz

Patti Reitz’s daughter at the Zach Houston: Poem Store exhibit. Photo by Patti Reitz

From the moment I knew Monet’s Water Lilies was on exhibit, I knew I must go to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. And it’s all because of Mme. Bettis.

You see, I took French all through junior and senior high school, and one of the major units of French 5 was the unit on the French Impressionists. We learned art terminology in French, how to discuss brush strokes and lighting, and nuances in shading and color. Our field trip was to the St. Louis Art Museum, where we saw just one panel of Claude Monet’s masterpiece. It was so moving to see, it became a part of me in a way art never had before.

So you can imagine my delight when I learned that the panel I’d seen in 1987 was going to be reunited with its sibling panels at the Nelson-Atkins this summer. The Water Lilies exhibit was given to us for being a Blue Star family, since the Nelson-Atkins Museum is always free and open to the public. The museum clerk thanked me for my husband’s service, which was a lovely thing to hear, and we were on our way through the museum.

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What’s On View at the Museum of Glass

August 24, 2011
Tacoma, Washington

Today in Tacoma, Blue Star Museums is hosting an event for military families at the Museum of Glass. In honor of the occasion, we’re taking you inside one of the country’s most innovative centers for glass arts!

By Susan Newsom, Communications Manager at the Museum of Glass

The Museum of Glass’s Hot Shop. Photo by Ken Emly

Opened in July, 2002, the Museum of Glass immediately became an icon for the Tacoma. Noted for its distinctive architecture, the massive, 90-foot-tall stainless steel cone structure houses the world’s largest Hot Shop Amphitheater. Feel the heat of 2,000 degree furnaces and watch the resident glassblowing team—or visiting artists from around the world—in action. There are no staged demos, just the authentic artistic process. See a chalk sketch transformed into a beautiful sculpture or, as the artists push the limits, a pile of broken glass on the floor. Expert commentary and a state-of-the-art audiovisual system provide insight into the glassblowing process as well as the scientific, cultural, and historical aspects of glass.

The museum’s 11,000-square-foot gallery space showcases extraordinary 20th and 21st century glass art, with changing exhibitions and an extensive permanent collection. Below are a few of the exhibits on view this summer.

Glimmering Gone: Ingalena Klenell and Beth Lipman. Landscape (detail), 2010. Kiln-formed glass, 156 x 443 x 252 inches. Photo by Russell Johnson and Jeff Curtis

Glimmering Gone: Ingalena Klenell and Beth Lipman
Through March 2012

Glimmering Gone is an exhibition conceived and created by American artist Beth Lipman and Swedish artist Ingalena Klenell. It comprises three large-scale installations of colorless and white glass: Landscape, Mementos, and Artifacts. Experiential and interrelated, the artwork was produced by the artists individually in their home studios and collaboratively during a two-week Hot Shop residency at the Museum of Glass in January, 2010. The installations present a metaphor for material culture, landscape, and life.

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Blue Star Voices

August 22, 2011

By Regina Galvin, Blue Star Museum program manager at Blue Star Families

National Guard families with former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. Photo courtesy of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum

One of the best parts of visiting a museum is the surprise element each trip brings. For the military children and families at the recent Atlanta Blue Star Museum Joining Forces Initiative event hosted by the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, the day revealed a few surprises of its own. Here are a few of the unexpected facts and events that the day held for kids from the Georgia Army National Guard:

Although it’s called The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, there are no books to take home with you—except for the ones you can buy at the bookstore. You can however look at biographies, genealogical information, presidential chronology, Medal of Freedom Awards, Jimmy Carter’s Nobel Peace Prize, and more than 500,000 still photographs. You can also watch a really cool video of the President’s Daily Diary from 1977-1981 and download oral histories.

Although the collections were impressive and the hands-on activities were fun, the best surprise of the day wasn’t something in the museum: it was someone. Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter treated all the guests at the Blue Star Museums event with her presence and her encouragement. In her opening remarks, she reminisced about being a Navy wife in Norfolk. She said she had a little one at home while her husband pulled duty and left her to “do everything.” It was a sentiment with which many military spouses can identify. Through her common experiences, she showed the crowd she was one of them.

“I know what it’s like to be a part of a military family… thank you for all you do and my heart goes out to you,” Mrs. Carter said.

She also took time to tour part of the museum with the families and have her picture taken with them. During one of the photos, Joshua Eaton, age two-and-a-half, son of Georgia Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Phillip and Danielle Eaton, charmed the former First Lady.

“After the photo, Mrs. Carter said to me, ‘It was so sweet how he laid his head on me. I hope somebody got that picture,’” said Joshua’s mother, Danielle Eaton.

Even Mrs. Carter got a nice surprise at the museum that day, and yes, someone got the picture.

Please visit the Blue Star Museums website for more information about the program and to find participating museums.

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Five Questions with The Merry-Go-Round Museum

August 19, 2011
Sandusky, Ohio

A carousel animal. Photo courtesy of The Merry-Go-Round Museum

There are few things which better embody the joy of childhood than a merry-go-round. Colorful, whimsical, and whirring with Wurlitzer organ music, carousels are happiness personified. So it stands to reason that The Merry-Go-Round Museum in Sandusky, Ohio, is an exceptionally happy place. Visitors can learn about the different types of carousel animals, watch a demonstration of carousel figure woodcarving, or simply look through the merry-go-round creatures that now call the museum home. At the center of the museum is an historic 1939 Allan Herschell carousel, which has been restored and continues to operates. We spoke with the The Merry-Go-Round Museum’s Executive Director, Veronica Vanden Bout, who told us why her museum is worth a spin.

NEA: In your opinion, what makes The Merry-Go-Round Museum unique?

VERONICA VANDEN BOUT: Housed in one of only two round-front post offices in the U.S., The Merry-Go-Round Museum’s exhibits create intriguing and entertaining looks at the history of carousels and the wonder of woodcarving. How many museums have a working carousel in the heart of the gallery? Most visitors are surprised and pleased to discover their visit will include a merry-go-round ride, as well as a chance to watch carousel animals come to life as our woodcarvers create the horses.

NEA: What are you personal favorite pieces in the collection?

VANDEN BOUT: Ask me to pick my favorite child, it would be easier! There is Gwen, a delightful palomino pony on the carousel, who is very special to me for the family that supported her restoration and return to glory. But one of our newest carvings, a frog, is so much fun to share with our visitors. Frogs are the only carousel animals that wear clothes, and Frodrick the Frog has a vest and pants, along with a polka dot bowtie!

NEA: Why do you think people find merry-go-rounds so endearing?

VANDEN BOUT: Most of us have the memory of a beloved adult holding us on a merry-go-round when we were too small to ride alone. And no matter what age we are, there is always the carousel! Doesn’t matter if we are seniors taking a ride back in time or a little one experiencing the joy for the first time, carousels are timeless!

NEA: What will people learn about the history or craftsmanship of merry-go-rounds at the museum?

VANDEN BOUT: Volunteer tour guides share details on the art of carousels, sharing information on the styles and types of merry-go-rounds, discussing both menagerie animals and horses. A visit with a woodcarver creating new animals is a real treat, as we share the news that carousels are not dying but have come full circle.

NEA: What exhibits or programs will visitors find at the museum this summer?

VANDEN BOUT: The exhibit for 2011 is WILD! More than 30 menagerie figures take their place in the history of carousels and provide an opportunity to enjoy rare and unusual carousel animals from private collections throughout the country.

The Merry-Go-Round Museum
301 Jackson Street
Sandusky, Ohio 44870

Please visit the Blue Star Museums website for more information about the program and to find participating museums.

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What’s on View at the South Dakota Art Museum

August 17, 2011
Brookings, South Dakota

As part of the South Dakota State University, the South Dakota Art Museum takes pride in enriching lives through the arts. The museum has seven spacious galleries and an extensive permanent collection, much of which highlights Native-American and South Dakota artists. Exhibits range from the traditional to the contemporary, and includes works by children’s illustrator Paul Goble, Yankatonai artist Oscar Howe, as well as the world’s largest collection of Marghab linens. After touring the museum, Blue Star families can enjoy free ice-cream cones at the SDSU Dairy Bar. It’s the sweetest way we can think of to end a day of art and culture! Below are a few of our favorite exhibits currently on view at the South Dakota Art Museum.

Klickitat basket

Klickitat basket by Elsie Thomas. From the collection of the South Dakota Art Museum, 1992. Photo courtesy of the museum

The Art of the Basket (through September 18, 2011)

The Art of the Basket explores how many Native-American nations used baskets not just as useful tools, but as works of art. The basket shown above is from the Klickitat Nation, and is one of the many examples on display from the museum’s permanent collection. Made of cedar root and bear grass, the basket was woven by Elsie Thomas, whose masterful work inspired her daughter-in-law, Nettie Jackson, to pursue a similar path of traditional basketweaving. Jackson went on to become an NEA Heritage Fellow in 2000.

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Great Gardens

August 15, 2011

Springtime comes to the Malott Japanese Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Photo by Robin Carlson

Let’s face it: there are some summer days too beautiful to stay indoors. Luckily, there are a number of gorgeous gardens and outdoor parks participating in Blue Star Museums, allowing you to enjoy the weather while making the most of the Blue Star program. Below are a few of our favorite options from around the country, so head outside and get ready to go green!

Chicago Botanic Gardens
1000 Lake Cook Road
Glencoe, Illinois 60022

Roughly 25 miles north of downtown Chicago, the Botanic Gardens are a 385-acre oasis of beautiful blooms and waterways. There are 24 different formal gardens to explore, including the forested oaks of McDonald Woods, the water lilies and lotuses of the Aquatic Garden, and the vibrant colors, textures, and fragrances of the Sensory Garden. The Botanic Gardens also have events and exhibitions throughout the year: Ruth Duckworth: Shaping Chicago will display the artist’s modernist sculptures through September 25, 2011.

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Blue Star Voices

August 12, 2011

By Brittany Barry

Looking at the military memorabilia at the Georgetown County Museum. Photo by Brittany Barry

In the midst of a deployment, spending time with family and getting away from the everyday stresses of being on my own help the days disappear on my countdown calendar.

My in-laws live in the small community of Pawley’s Island, South Carolina, around 2.5 hours away from Camp Lejeune. The community rests on the water and is a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of a military base. When looking for ways to get out of the house, much to my surprise, I discovered that the little Georgetown County Museum was on the list of Blue Star Museums. We piled into the car and drove to Georgetown, only about 20 minutes down the road from Pawley’s Island.

Arriving at the museum, my in-laws were instantly attracted to the room filled with military memorabilia. Several uniforms from a variety of services were hanging on the wall and vividly drew in any patriotic soul. “Hey! That’s the uniform Michael wears!” was one of the first statements made by my father-in-law. Instantly the room was transformed into our own time machine, allowing us to connect the past with our present situation, experiencing a deployment for the second time. My father-in-law studied the guns and weapons, while my mother-in-law viewed the pictures of a handful of local veterans from the area. It was amazing to view these men holding photographs of themselves taken decades ago with flags and weapons. Each photograph told a story and allowed us to connect our area with the patriotism and bravery that makes up the United States Armed Forces today.

I looked at each photo carefully, thinking of my Marine who was millions of miles away, and suddenly beginning to feel proud of my husband. He belonged to an elite group of men and women, and only the people on these walls knew what my husband and countless others had endured during wartime. We continued to look through photo albums and archaic artifacts taken from the battlefield. My mother-in-law was examining a helmet and told me that her “grandfather had one just like that!” It was amazing to know that dedication to our country reached far back into generations of our family and the area. Oftentimes veterans go unnoticed, yet here they were able to tell their stories, and we gladly listened.

One day in the future, my husband will tell the same stories and recount the men he lost and the ones who changed his life. The men on the walls served as a mirror to our future, and I could not have been more proud to be a United States Marine Corps wife. The small Georgetown County Museum offered my family a glimpse into the past and reminded us of what was truly important.

This post originally appeared in a slightly different version on the Blue Star Families blog. Please visit the Blue Star Museums website for more information about the program and to find participating museums.

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