Mixing Traditions – Old and New
Posted on December 13, 2017
As the holidays approach, many of us likely are busy with traditional activities. Over the years, I’ve found that some of those once-exciting tasks, including Christmas shopping and decorating the house and a tree, have become less important. There remains one holiday custom – cookie baking – that I still hold dear.
Tradition
Posted on December 06, 2017
December 6th. It arrives each and every year immediately following December 5th and exactly before December 7th. For the twentieth consecutive year, a snowman-adorned stocking is filled with trinkets and treats – on this day. For the sixteenth consecutive year, a Santa-adorned stocking (filled with similar goodies) hangs beside it on the mantel. And for the nineteenth year, my two kids will forget that the sixth day of December is Saint Nicholas’ Day and will be pleasantly surprised (2014 was a momentous year as my daughter did remember and added chocolate-covered curried cashews to my stocking.)
Wrap Holiday Gifts & Travel Around the Museum
Posted on November 29, 2017
With Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror, planning shifts into overdrive for upcoming holiday gift giving and travel; consider “Quilty Pleasures” getaways focused on upcoming Quilts & Wood exhibitions at the Woodson Art Museum, December 2 through February 25, 2018.
Are quilt enthusiasts and fiber artists on your gift-giving list? Consider purchasing a spot in upcoming quilting workshops at the Museum on Saturday, January 20, led by television quilt-show host Mary Fons. Get Quilty Pleasures quilt workshop details and explore other Museum giving opportunities as gift-idea options, for the upcoming holiday season and beyond.
Luck of the Calendar
Posted on November 22, 2017
I am grateful to work at the Woodson Art Museum . . . an institution that I deeply love and believe in. My Thanksgiving – and every day – gratitude extends to Museum volunteers, members, and all those who visit. The liveliness of our programs and the energy within our galleries are thanks to the shared enthusiasm of those who pass through our doors. You make our work worthwhile. The Museum is the perfect destination for visiting family and friends, and the weekend is the final opportunity to view the 2017 Birds in Art exhibition. Although the Museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day, the Museum hours on Friday, November 24, are 9 am to 4 pm; Saturday and Sunday, November 25 and 26, Noon to 5:00 pm.
Finding the Flock
Posted on November 15, 2017
This challenge is right up my alley. A seek and find of small metal sculptures in different Wausau city parks, not too easy to find, but not impossible. I'd be all over that.
Unexpected Treasures
Posted on November 08, 2017
On temporary loan in my office is a treasure trove. Catalogues, notes, and letters are evidence of a legacy of extraordinary engagement with the artwork and between two people – a father and daughter-in-law – who developed and maintained an annual Birds in Art tradition throughout nearly two decades.
Permanently Placed
Posted on November 01, 2017
As promised, this week I’m continuing a two-part blog focused on the Woodson Art Museum’s permanent collection. Gifts from artists and donors account for the majority of the artworks; the Museum also purchases artworks thanks to specific grants. All potential acquisitions are carefully reviewed by a Collections Committee – eight members representing the Board of Directors, staff, and community – and a Collections Management Policy along with a Collecting Plan guide decision making. Each work is diligently researched and the findings shared with the committee.
Counting Collections
Posted on October 25, 2017
Recently, I had a conversation with a longtime volunteer who asked how many objects comprise the Woodson Art Museum collection. His question was prompted by the number of artworks in Birds in Art that are accompanied by additional labels designating them as recent acquisitions. I smiled and replied how difficult that question is to answer.
Like a Kid in A Candy Store
Posted on October 18, 2017
As a child growing up on Wausau’s west side, I remember hot summer days when my friends and I would walk or bike nearly two miles to go swimming at McDonald Pool. On our way to the pool, we would stop at Kemp’s corner store to buy penny candy. Decisions, Decisions. Last winter, I had a similar experience.
A Winning Combination
Posted on October 11, 2017
When Woodson Art Museum staff and its travel logistics partner, Academic Travel Abroad, embark on planning for a members trip, many factors come into play once the destination is determined. Pittsburgh had been on my radar since the Museum’s successful, eye-opening visit to Detroit in spring 2014. Like the Motor City, Pittsburgh’s recent renaissance has been due, in part, to the strength and vitality of its arts and cultural scene.
