MassMu and Massillon Chamber Sponsor Canstruction

MassMu and Massillon Chamber Sponsor Canstruction

Canstruction’s® first annual Massillon area design/build competition puts a visual spotlight on hunger while showcasing the Stark County design community’s best and brightest.

Design professionals who want to learn more about the competition are invited to attend a kickoff meeting at the Massillon Museum on Monday, January 12, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. The entry deadline will be January 30, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. Build Night will be April 1; the Judging and Awards Gala, April 2; the public exhibition, April 3 through 26; and Decanstruction, April 27.

The Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce and the Massillon Museum invite local architects, engineers, contractors, designers, and students mentored by those professionals to organize teams to design and build structures made entirely from full cans of food. Each team will be allotted a space (10' x10' x 8' h) in the lobby and second floor of the Massillon Museum to create and display its edible work of art. Among the most fantastic constructions by teams in other communities have been an oversized seashell, a huge hot dog with condiments, Snoopy on his doghouse, bowling pins and ball, “The Thinker,” a taxi, a yellow submarine, the Sphinx, tennis shoes, and a tornado.

Teams will pay a $50 entry fee and acquire their own canned goods; the public will be asked to contribute canned goods to view the exhibition. At the end of the display, the food will be contributed to Stark County food banks, which often run low during spring and summer months.
Canstruction® bills itself as “the most unique food charity in the world.” A foundation of the Society for Design Administration (SDA)—an affiliate of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Canstruction® is held in selected cities throughout North America. Since its inception, ten million pounds of food have been donated to aid in the fight against hunger. Initiated by the Denver, Seattle, and New York chapters of the SDA in 1992/93, Canstruction® now includes more than 100 individual competitions.

The local committee, co-chaired by Sanderson and Shearer, includes architect Jeff Day of Harris/Day; Museum staff members Jill Malusky Bacon, Chris Craft, Scot Philips, and Sandi Thouvenin; Captain Tawny Cowen-Zanders of The Salvation Army Massillon Headquarters; and Margy Vogt of Margy Vogt Visions.

For information about the competition, call Christine Shearer at 330-833-4061 or Bob Sanderson at 330-833-3146, or visit massillonmuseum.org or canstruction.org.

Media Contacts:
Bob Sanderson, Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce President - 330.833.3146 / cshearer@massillonmuseum.org
Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061 / bob@massillonohchamber.com
Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-844-1525 / vogt@sssnet.com

Massillon Museum Installs “The Greatest Generation” Exhibition

Massillon Museum Installs “The Greatest Generation” Exhibition

“The Greatest Generation” will be the focus of the Massillon Museum’s new second floor exhibition, which will open to the public on Sunday, December 21. With a tip of the hat to Tom Brokaw, who coined the expression, “The Greatest Generation,” the staff has assembled artifacts that represent Massillon during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.

Visitors will see nurses’ uniforms, Tiger Swing Band memorabilia, clothing, local business artifacts, and military items. “While we reference what was going on around the world, the focus will be on Massillon,” says Massillon Museum Curator Alexandra Nicholis. The World War II era is at the core of the exhibit, but the pre-war Depression years and the post-war 1950s were also central to the lives of “The Greatest Generation,” so they are included.

The photography gallery on the second floor will feature “Faces and Places” of Massillon during the highlighted era.

The art and imagery of the exhibition are intended to spark nostalgia and recollection for those who lived through the ‘30s, ‘40s, and ‘50s. The staff hopes to help younger generations relate to the overall feeling of the era and the area. The exhibition will reflect the political climate, industry, fashions, and lifestyle of Massillon area residents.

Local veterans have been recording their memories for preservation at the Museum in conjunction with the exhibition. Anyone who wishes to participate in the taping project should call Mandy Pond at the Museum: 330-833-4061.

Museum’s Educator Jill Malusky Bacon is developing online educational components to supplement and enhance “The Greatest Generation” exhibition. Visitors to the Museum’s website, www.massillonmuseum.org, will be able to see many additional images of Massillon’s “Greatest Generation.”

On Sunday, January 25, in conjunction with the exhibition, the Professor Leslie Heaphy of Kent State University and the Museum staff will present a free program, “Wartime Art and Propaganda,” which will include a tour of the exhibition, a lecture about the style and messages of wartime art, and an opportunity to create an image in the powerful and iconic style of the 1940s.

Massillon Museum members who attend the members’ holiday party on Saturday, December 20, will enjoy a sneak preview of the show, which opens to the public the following afternoon. The exhibition will continue through February 5, 2009.

Museum visitors can also see the annual Stark County Artists Exhibition solo exhibition through January 24 and the “Next” exhibition created by Michele Waalkes in Studio M through January 18. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays. The building will be closed on Christmas Day and New Years Day. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way, East (Ohio 172) in downtown Massillon. Call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org for more information.

Media Contacts:
Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061
Alexandra Nicholis, Massillon Museum Curator - 330-833-4061
Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

MassMu January Classes

MassMu January Classes

The Massillon Museum will offer Japanese Pottery classes for adults in January in the spirit of the “Kimono as Art” exhibition, which opens at the Canton Museum of Art in February. Laura Kolinski-Schultz will teach Japanese-inspired pottery making on Tuesday evenings (6:00 to 8:00) and on Thursday afternoons (2:30 to 4:30). Classes begin on January 20 and 22. The tuition for either of the six-week sessions is $99 ($89 for members of the Massillon Museum). Basic throwing and hand-building skills will be helpful, but are not required. Class sizes are small, to allow for personal attention.

Shannon M. West will teach Beginning Modern and Abstract Painting on Wednesday evenings beginning on January 21 (6:00 to 8:00). The fee for the six-week series is $99 ($89 for MassMu members). West’s studio is a popular stop for First Fridays in Canton. This innovative class will introduce students to color theory, pattern making, and incorporating a variety of designs including shapes, plant life, and calligraphic writing into their work.

Professor Leslie Heaphy will collaborate with the Massillon Museum staff to present Wartime Art and Propaganda on Sunday, January 25, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Participants will tour the Museum’s “Greatest Generation” exhibition, enjoy a lecture about the style and messages of wartime art, and create an image of their own in the same powerful and iconic style. The program is free, but pre-registration is required.

Massillon Museum classes are open to everyone. On January 3, families are invited to “Do the Mu” from noon to 2:00 pm. The free activity time will be offered on the first Saturday of each month. “Do the Mu” is a casual drop-in event with no reservations required. Additional structured classes will also be offered throughout the year.

Advance registration with payment (when applicable) must be made at least five days prior to the first class meeting. The Museum accepts cash, checks,Visa, and Mastercard.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East (Ohio Route 172) in downtown Massillon. For more information, call the Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org.

Media Contacts:
Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061
Jill Malusky Bacon, Educator - 330-833-4061
Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525