Exhibit research

Yesterday Joyce and I spent FOUR HOURS on a conference call with Barb Sommer, an exhibition writer for Split Rock Studios. They are completing their final design package for us for the Stark County Story exhibit that will open in September 2009. It will be located where the current Industrial Hall and Historical Hall are now.

Well, we were both exhausted when we hung up! (We did take a break for lunch and returned in the afternoon to finish the call) We went through their design book page by page -- and it is over 100 pages long!

There are lots of details to work out as we start the home stretch of this project. I have a pretty long list of things to do, but I was able to knock off a lot of it today. I also made a list for Karl in the library. I wanted to get a jump start on things because I will be on vacation for awhile and didn't want to hold them up.

I had quite a few images scanned already from past projects -- books, exhibits, and programs. Those created a HUGE file that took over 2 HOURS to send, even as a Zip file!

I found some great images in the library this morning that I am excited about. We have a postcard of men paving Lincoln Highway in Massillon, and another of loggers working in Alliance. (It is very important to us that this project include as much of the county as possible, not just Canton.)

So, while there is some more work to do, I like looking at all the check marks already on my list!

Getting things done

I was able to CHECK THINGS OFF THE TO-DO LIST!

• I sent the Save the Date postcard for the Inaugural Ball to Jakprints.
• The Outreach Program is finally finished!! (That has been on the list for MONTHS)
• Not only is the Canton History program now converted to PowerPoint, BUT all my binders have nice new labels on their spines!
• All posters have been updated in the lobby.

Of course there is more to do, but I am making progress!

My next major challenge will be getting the research for the doll exhibit checked off the list. That is a biggie.

My volunteers continue to plug away. Don is cataloging ladies gloves. It is always fun when he is out of his element! His questions are so funny! Coincidentally, Sally is photographing the existing glove collection at the moment. I don't think the two of them have ever overlapped in their projects before.

I have quite a bit of collections work to do. But I will get to it. Someday...

McKinley Monument steps

Whenever it rains really hard, the Monument steps turn into a waterfall!

It happens about once or twice a year.



This isn't perfectly in focus because the camera wanted to focus on the glass window!

New programs!

We just had our marketing meeting and came up with some new programming ideas for the fall!

As you know, A Doll's World opens in the Keller Gallery on Friday October 24. I am going to do the following programs related to that:

• Tea with the Curator: "Mother's Little Helper: Shaping Gender Roles Through Toys" on Monday November 17 at 10:00 AM
• Tea with the Curator: "Bring Your Doll to Tea!" on Tuesday December 30 at 10:00 AM

For that second one, we would like to invite children 5 and older to bring their dolls to tea! Cindy and I will do a program on "tea etiquette" and play a game with them. Then I'll take them on a tour of A Doll's World and point out some of my favorite dolls!

We've scheduled that Tea during the week between Christmas and New Year's, when the kids are home from school.

The only other thing I'm currently planning is a Tea with the Curator in March for Women's History Month where I will give my program "Women's Suffrage: A Celebration of Persistence!"

We're throwing around a few other ideas too, so stay tuned!!

Back to the grind

With movie camp and the tea over with, I've got a lengthy "to do" list on my desk!

I thought I'd share a few of the projects I am working on:

• Convert my original Canton history program into PowerPoint, because someone has booked it this fall (I create all new programs in PowerPoint, but I only re-do old programs when someone books them -- they are almost all converted now!)
• Re-design the Outreach Program Brochure to include new programs and anything other staff members might want to add to it
• Create a "save the date" card for the Inaugural Ball
• Continue researching the doll collection, write exhibit text and object labels, etc.
• Create a program on "Celebrating and Noting Historical Anniversaries" for the OAHSM conference in Columbus in October, using our 100 Hours Celebration as a case study
• Create a program based on a toy exhibit I did several years ago called "Mother's Little Helper: Shaping Gender Roles Through Toys"
• Continue working with Steve to create a house facade for the doll exhibit that people will walk through when they enter the Keller Gallery
• Complete paperwork for new donations that have come in since last time I did paperwork!
  

Plus lots of "little things"!!

So, as you can see, I'm as busy as ever...

Tea with the Curator - Funerals of the Rich & Famous

What fun!

I always have a great time at Tea with the Curator, but this one was extra enjoyable! (That must be why I talked so long! Even with shortening the program... Oh well! No one complained, which was good!)

Here are some photos of the Tea, along with two video clips:


Volunteers pour tea at the tea table.


The tea was SOLD OUT! Look at the crowd!


Coffee is always available for those who don't like tea.


I sat with some of the ladies who call themselves my "groupies."


Me at the podium.


A shot during the program.

AND, some videos!


Here I am talking about the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt, and her local connection to Canton.


This is what I said about Marilyn Monroe.

It's a wrap!

Movie Camp is OVER!!!

The kids did a great job! I think everyone involved is exhausted -- kids AND adults!

Here are some photos and short film clips I took of our activities today. Stay tuned for more information about the WORLD PREMIERE in October!!

New museum hours

Just to let you know...

Effective September 2, 2008, the museum will begin closing at 4:00 PM.

So our new hours are:

Monday - Saturday
9:00 to 4:00

Sunday
Noon to 4:00

OK, that didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped

And I have bloody scratches on my arms to prove it!

Brandy is apparently NOT a "people cat." She was not thrilled to be in a big room with so many people and bolted behind the 24 foot long blue screen, which is leaning up against the wall with less than one foot of space for me to slide into. I had to squeeze back there to get her, getting little wood slivers stuck in my shirt. And needless to say, I was COVERED in cat hair.

So, in essence, she blew her first big movie roll!

I'm not sure if Jim got the footage he wanted, or if he will have to seek out other cat talent sometime after the camp is over.

But we tried!

I brought her home immediately following her shoot, and she wouldn't speak to me the entire way home. Then, they were doing paving work on our street, so I sat in traffic extra time before I was able to get her home.

Once she was there, she told her sister all about where she had been, got some treats, and dove into her food bowl. When I left to come back to work, she was laying on her side in the middle of the living room rug, sort of glaring at me.

I hope she is over it by the time we get home tonight!!

Bring your cat to work day

Brandy is getting her "big break" in the movie industry today!!

Jim's script calls for a few live animals this year. Chris turned Steve into a bunny, which we have in Discover World. We also have a frog for a later scene.

What we don't have here is a dog and a cat.

Enter Brandy Kenney!

We brought her in this morning because she has landed her first film roll. And she is such a prima donna, she has requested that she be brought home IMMEDIATELY after her shoot.

So, hopefully all will go well, and the kids and the FOG MACHINE (she is afraid of smoke!) won't freak her out. And I'm hoping Jim's dog will NEVER be in the same room as her!

I'll keep you posted.

Doll preview

Movie Camp is still consuming most of my life, but I had to get some photos of the dolls to go with my newsletter article for the next issue.

So I thought I might as well post a couple here, since I already took them!

Movie Camp begins!

Filming has begun for The McKinley Monument and the Orb of Power!

That's right! Jim Gerren and his team from Nightwine Productions are at it again -- this time, with a Harry Potter theme!!

These guys are great. They actually take a week's vacation so they can come here to the Museum to do Lights! Camera! Action! Movie Camp with the kids who sign up for it. Every year it is sold out, because it is so much fun!

I have a bigger part in this year's film than I expected. And I will warn you in advance -- I am NOT an actor! But it has been fun so far.

Jim writes the script, brings all the materials for sets and props, and edits the final copy for a "World Premier" at Great Escapes Theater in Massillon in October. The kids get to walk the red carpet, and view their movie on the big screen! What could be cooler?

Here are some photos from the work we did today.


Unloading the "blue screen" for superimposed shots.


The kids helping to bring in the blue screen -- they will be "flying" in front of it!


The kids wait to film the first classroom scene at "wizard school."


Jeff Heimel, special effects guy, and Jim Gerren go over the script.


Chris prepares to instruct the kids in magic!


Steve waiting to be magically turned into a rabbit!


Filming in the Historical Hall. (The wheelchair serves as Jim's "Poor Man's Dolly")


Maria prepares for her big role as the evil Zion.


Here I am teaching the students about a great battle between good and evil. But this is just a representation of Zion, conjured up through magic -- not the real thing...yet!

Three days left of filming! Hope we get it all done...

I'm back!!

Chris and I were on vacation last week. Without the internet! So that's why I haven't posted in awhile.

Back to work today.

AND Movie Camp is this week, so I am writing quick on our lunch break. There won't be much time to write, I think, because this week is busy with that! But I will try to take a few photos of the filming and get those posted sometime soon.