Year: 2010

Brooklyn Museum Offers Adult Programs

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During May and June the Brooklyn Museum will present a variety of public programs for adults including a panel discussion about pioneering female classical musicians, a fashion showcase featuring Brooklyn designers, a performance by the Brooklyn Philharmonic, and a symposium about the historic collaboration that has resulted in the Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

PERFORMING ARTS

Music Off The Walls: The Brooklyn Philharmonic
Sunday, May 16, 1-4 p.m.
Members of the Brooklyn Philharmonic perform compositions highlighting the long-term installation Extended Family: Contemporary Connections. A related gallery talk precedes the program at 1 p.m. Tickets are $15- $10 for Members, students, and seniors. To purchase tickets, visit www.brooklynphilharmonic.org or call .

Fashion Showcase: Brooklyn Designers
Saturday, June 12, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Brooklyn designers present fashions inspired by the special exhibition American High Style. A panel discussion and gallery talk precede the show.

Music: Jazz
Sunday, June 27, 3-5 p.m.
Heart of Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Museum present a jazz showcase in the Museum’s Sculpture Garden. A gallery talk on art and jazz precedes the performance.

TALKS & TOURS

Symposium: &#8220Costume Collections: A Collaborative Model for Museums&#8221
Friday, May 21, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at the Brooklyn Museum- Saturday, May 22, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
A two-day examination of the historic collaboration that has resulted in the Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Co-hosted by the Brooklyn Museum and the Met’s Costume Institute.

Forum: &#8220Making Ourselves Visible&#8221
Saturday, May 22, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
This interactive program, organized by artist Liz Linden and writer Jen Kennedy, explores the question &#8220What does feminism look like today?&#8221 and encourages visitors to take part in a variety of ways, from posting their own feminist works on a public billboard to participating in teach-ins on subjects such as &#8220Feminist Utopias&#8221 and &#8220Feminist Pedagogy.&#8221

Panel Discussion: &#8220Groundbreakers and Music Makers: The First Generation of Orchestral Women&#8221
Sunday, June 13, 2-4 p.m.
Three pioneering female classical musicians&#8211Jacqui Danilow, Metropolitan Opera bassist since 1980- Laura Flax, New York City Opera principal clarinetist since 1984- and Orin O’Brien, New York Philharmonic member since 1966&#8211tell their story. Moderated by Deborah Siegel, author of Sisterhood, Interrupted: From Radical Women to Grrls Gone Wild.

Gallery Tours
Gallery tours with a volunteer Museum Guide or Student Guide occur Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 1:30 p.m. and weekends at 1, 2, and 3 p.m. Check www.brooklynmuseum.org or the What’s Happening This Week guide at the Visitor Center for current topics.

Guided Tours for Groups
Guided tours of the Museum’s permanent collection and special exhibitions are available for adult groups. For information, e-mail [email protected] or call (718) 501-6234.

Tours for College Students
The Museum offers student groups guided tours of the permanent collection and special exhibitions designed to complement their curriculum. For information, e-mail [email protected] or call (718) 501-6214.

Tours for Persons Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
Special touch tours can be arranged by calling (718) 501-6229 or e-mailing [email protected]. Tours are limited to groups of six and are available on Tuesdays between 1 and 3 p.m.

Tours for Persons Who Are Deaf or Hearing Impaired
Sign Language-interpreted gallery tours are offered every Target First Saturday and on the second Saturday of each month at 3 p.m. See the What’s Happening This Week guide at the Visitor Center for current topics.

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

Creative Art Making: Brooklyn Chic Men’s and Women’s Accessories
Saturday, May 15, 2-4 p.m.
Kae Burke of Make Fun Studio leads this workshop in how to design and create your own Brooklyn chic accessories, including vintage-inspired cocktail hats and ties. There is a $15 materials fee, and registration is required. Register in person at the Museum’s Visitor Center. A limited number of free tickets are reserved for Museum Members on a first-come, first-served basis. Members should call (718) 501-6326 for tickets.

Young Interpreters Sought at The Farmers’ Museum

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The Farmers’ Museum is seeking applicants for its Young Interpreter Program. By pairing young people with museum staff, this popular summer program teaches students about America’s past, helps them develop new skills, and allows them to share their newfound knowledge with museum visitors. Boys and girls between the ages of 12 to 14 as of May 1, 2010, are invited to apply. A limited number of students will be accepted for the program.

The Young Interpreter Program began in 1993. The program takes place at The Farmers’ Museum, a premier rural history museum established in 1943. The museum presents the trades and crafts common to ordinary people of rural 19th-century New York State in its historic village and farmstead. Young interpreters will have the opportunity to work in various selected sites throughout the museum including: Peleg Field Blacksmith Shop, Bump Tavern, Lippitt Farmhouse, Dr. Thrall’s Pharmacy, The Middlefield Printing Office, Todd’s General Store, the Children’s Barnyard, or developing spinning and weaving skills.

Young interpreters are expected to work one day a week for a period of eight weeks, beginning the last week in June and ending the last week in August. Students who would like to participate should submit a one or two-page letter expressing their interest and reasons for wanting to be a Young Interpreter, as well as an explanation of where they would like to work and why, to: Young Interpreter Program, The Farmers’ Museum, P.O. Box 30, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Letters of application must be received by May 15, 2010. Letters of reference are not necessary. A committee of museum staff will review the applications. Candidates may be asked for an interview. Applicants will be chosen based on their commitment and interest, maturity, willingness to learn, and ease with the public. Students applying for the Young Interpreter Program must have parental permission and transportation to the museum during the course of the program.

For more information, please contact Deborah Brundage at 607-547-1484.

Mapping New York: Illustrated Urban, Social History Survey

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I love maps, so when I heard about Mapping New York, the follow-up of Mapping London from Black Dog Publishing, I had to get a copy to review &#8211 I was not disappointed. Mapping New York is a richly illustrated survey of the urban and social history of New York City. From early woodblock engravings to the latest satellite images available of Manhattan, these maps show the intricate story of the development of one of the world’s most populous cities. One of my favorites is an early topographical map from the Report on the Social Statistics of Cities, compiled by George E. Waring Jr., in 1886.

The distinctive maps in this volume date back to the 16th Century, when New York was a commercial trading post scattered with farms, right up to the present day. This book shows the complexity of early land transfers (like Henry Tyler’s 1897 map of the original grants of village lots from the Dutch West India Company) up to its current role as one of the most built up urban areas in the world.

Although there are plenty of early maps here, Mapping New York does not neglect maps from the 20th and 21st century. These are arranged thematically and featuring maps on population, military, water, transport, commerce, crime as well as planning and developing maps and boundaries of the five boroughs. Well known maps such as the New York City subway map are tracked through their history and in artist representations. Additional map as art pieces include Claes Oldenburg’s Soft Manhattan #1: Postal Codes from 1966 and the poem, Manhattan, in the shape of the city by Howard Horowitz. This book is an amazing look at typography and design in the history of mapping as told through one location.

The latest satellite images are included along with a fantastic projection on the growth of the city &#8220Manhattan 2409&#8243- by Heidi Neilson showing her vision of what the city will look like in the future based on current satellite imagery (greener than you might expect).

Illustration: Sanitary and Topographical Map of the City and Island of New York, 1865 from Mapping New York.

NYCs Trinity Wall Church Offers New Blog, Online Resources

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Trinity Wall Street, the Episcopal Church in Lower Manhattan founded in 1697, has started a new blog. The Archivist’s Mailbag is an effort to publicize the archives and attract scholarly researchers interested in the church’s long and complex history. Multimedia Producer Leah Reddy says that &#8220We like to say that the archives are &#8216-the history of New York that nobody knows’, as they only recently became fully accessible and they stretch back to the earliest days of New York City history.&#8221

Trinity Wall Street’s archives go back to 1695, making them an excellent resource for students of history&#8211as well as those who want to shape the future. Trinity’s Archive was made fully accessible for the first time in 2003. In addition to its own history and the history of the city, Trinity’s records shed light on the development of the Episcopal Church and the Dioceses of New York. As landowner since 1705, its archives detail the stories of the New York neighborhoods now known as Tribeca and the West Village. Trinity’s congregants have included Alexander Hamilton and John Jay- among its tenants were Aaron Burr and John Jacob Astor.

Information about the scope of the archives can be found online as well as a guide to the holdings.

There is also an interactive timeline and an interactive search-the-churchyard feature.

Advocates: Parks, Historic Sites, to Remain Closed

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Parks & Trails New York, the statewide advocacy organization that works to expand, protect and promote a network of parks, trails and open spaces throughout New York State has issued the following press release regarding the closing of 55 state parks and historic sites:

At a meeting of the Senate Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation today, Parks Commissioner Carol Ash told Committee members her agency is going ahead with plans to close 55 parks and historic sites, and curtail programming and services at an additional 22, unless sufficient funding is restored to the budget of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in the final state budget.

Commissioner Ash said, “Given that there is no final state budget at this time, our agency has neither funding nor authorization to open the 55 State Parks and Historic Sites that were identified for closing.”

State Parks needs $6.3 million to keep open the 55 parks. The fate of an additional 52 parks and historic sites, 34 tagged for closing and 18 for service reductions, is tied to a $5 million Environmental Protection Fund appropriation in the executive budget.

In total, State Parks needs $11.3 million to prevent any park or historic site from closing. In their budget proposals, the Senate and Assembly have committed to keeping all NYS parks and historic sites open this season.

“We’re deeply grateful to the Senate and Assembly for their commitment to restore $11.3 million in park operating funds, which will allow all state parks and historic sites to remain open,” said Robin Dropkin, Parks & Trails New York Executive Director. “Legislators, and hopefully now the Governor, understand how critically important parks are to New Yorkers and how cutting parks makes no sense in terms of the economy, quality of life or citizen morale.”

“We’re alarmed that the late budget is putting parks in limbo. Will the 55 parks and historic sites slated to close ever be able to open this year? By the time the budget is passed will there be enough time for the parks agency to get the facilities ready for the season? What if the budget doesn’t pass until June?” questioned Dropkin.

“Should agreement on the final state budget continue to be delayed, the Governor and Legislature need to come up with an immediate solution to keep state parks open and accessible to the public,” said Dropkin.

Every dollar invested in state parks and historic sites generates $5 in economic activity for the surrounding communities. In 2008, state parks and historic sites generated $1.9 billion in annual economic activity, including supporting 20,000 long-term sustainable non-parks jobs that generate tax revenues far above the amount of the proposed cuts.

The system’s 178 state parks and 35 historic sites, encompassing 325,000 acres of land and water from Montauk to the Thousand Islands and Niagara Falls, collectively draw more than 56 million visitors a year, 40 percent of whom come from outside the immediate area.

In the 125 years since Niagara Falls State Park became the first state park in the nation, New York State has never closed a park, not even in the depths of the Great Depression. Parks and historic sites on the governor’s hit list for closure affect every region of the state, from Orient Beach State Park at the tip of Long Island’s North Fork to Wilson-Tuscarora State Park in Niagara County.

Patronage of parks and historic sites has been increasing each year, especially as the current recession leads financially strapped New Yorkers to seek recreational opportunities closer to home.

“It is incumbent upon legislators and the Governor during budget negotiations to restore $11.3 million, a mere four-thousandths of one percent of the state budget, to the parks budget to keep our unparalleled system of parks and historic sites open and accessible to the people of New York,” said Dropkin.

Ed. &#8211 New York History reported on the potential for these closings in February.

This Weeks New York History Web Highlights

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NYS Archives Student Research Award Contest

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The State Archives has announced its twentieth annual Student Research Award contest which encourages grade 4-12 students to explore the wealth of historical records found in archives, libraries, and other historical community organizations throughout New York State. A total of three awards will be given, one each for students in grades 4-5, grades 6-8, and grades 9-12. Each award consists of a certificate and cash prize. Certificates of Merit will be awarded to those entries, other than the winners, that show a heavy reliance on historical records to support their research.

Recipients will be selected by September 15, and winners will be announced during Archives Month in October, 2010. Entries submitted for competition must be researched and developed during the July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010 school year. Entries are due July 1, 2010- details can be found at the NYS Archives website.

Photo: October 7, 1921 &#8211 School in Session, Sunset School, Marey, WV, Lewis Hine

Hyde Collection Promotes Erin Coe to Deputy Director

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The Hyde Collection Executive Director David F. Setford has announced that Erin B. Coe has been promoted to deputy director, curatorial affairs and programming, which went into effect January 1, 2010.

Coe, who has served The Hyde as chief curator since 1999, was also appointed deputy director in 2007. In her new capacity, she will continue to serve as the Museum’s chief curator and take on additional responsibilities including overseeing the education department. In her expanded role, she works closely with The Hyde’s director of education on developing and growing the Museum’s offerings of adult programs and outreach initiatives.

“Erin is one of The Hyde’s true assets,” said Setford. “Her knowledge of art and Text Box: Erin B. Coe, deputy director, curatorial affairs and programming, The Hyde Collectionthe museum world, along with her strong connection to the community, make her the perfect person to oversee both the curatorial and programming activities of the Museum.”

Coe served as in-house curator for last year’s highly successful Degas & Music exhibition and has curated more than twenty-five exhibitions at The Hyde Collection. She is responsible for the current exhibition, An Enduring Legacy: American Impressionist Landscape Paintings from the Thomas Clark Collection, on view in the Charles R. Wood Gallery through March 28, 2010. She recently authored an article for the prestigious American Art Review and has written for several other national periodicals, including The Magazine Antiques and the Catalogue of Antiques and Fine Art.

During her tenure at The Hyde, she oversaw the interior restoration of Hyde House, the Museum’s historic building and has been the recipient of several honors including The Business Review’s “40 Under Forty”and the Brunshwig & Fils Scholarship to attend the prestigious Attingham Summer School for the Study of Architecture, Fine, and Decorative Arts in the U.K.

Coe has served on several area boards, including the Marcella Sembrich Memorial Association, and the Lake George Arts Project. She currently serves on the board of the de Blasiis Chamber Music Series.

Bennington Battle Monument Opens for 2010

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Vermont’s tallest building is opening for business again, as the Bennington Battle Monument begins its season on Saturday, April 17. Built to commemorate the August 16th, 1777 Battle of Bennington – which actually took place in nearby Walloomsac, New York – this Vermont State Historic Site opened to the public in 1891, some four years after construction began in 1887, at a cost of $112,000.

The monument, a 306-foot stone obelisk, was constructed on the site of a Continental military storehouse that was the objective of the British attack. With his army short of ammunition, food and arms, British General John Burgoyne decided to attack the town of Bennington and capture the storehouse and its supplies, sending about 800 men into battle against what he thought was a militia force about half that size.

Instead, they ran into about 1,500 New Hampshire militiamen under General John Stark, who attacked after reportedly telling his troops, “There are the Redcoats- they will be ours or tonight Molly Stark sleeps a widow.”

After defeating the main British force, which also included Loyalist troops, Native Americans, and Hessian mercenaries, Stark found himself under attack by a force of roughly 500 British reinforcements sent to aid the original raiders.

But he rallied his men, and the timely arrival of Colonel Seth Warner and his 500 Green Mountain Boys turned the tide as the combined American force counterattacked and drove the British from the field.

Events for the season includes the Climb of Your Life fundraising stair-climbing race sponsored by the American Lung Association on June 5th- the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July- and Bennington Battle Day on August 14 and 15, which will feature an encampment, cannons, ceremonies and re-enactors on site.

On September 24th British Actor Howard Burnham will perform Banastre Tarleton: A dramatic encounter with the Revolutionary War’s ultimate villain.

The monument and gift shop, located in Old Bennington, will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. daily through October 31 and are fully accessible. Admission to the Monument is $2.00 for adults, $1.00 for children (ages 6 thru 14), and children 5 and under are free as are scheduled school groups. Tickets can be purchased in the gift shop, where a fine selection of quality merchandise relating to the battle and the monument, along with gifts, maple products, books and more is offered.

Further information is available online at www.historicvermont.org or by calling (802) 447-0550.