Book Signing at The Massillon Club

Margy Vogt Signs Local History Book at The Massillon Club

Local historian and author Margy Vogt will be at The Massillon Club on Wednesday, December 16, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. to sign her new book, Massillon: Reflections of a Community. The event is open to the public with no reservations.

The new pictorial history of Massillon, Ohio, includes 700 local history images from more than 100 public and private collections in a 240-page hardbound volume spanning the community’s history. Photographs and identifications are arranged on horizontal 12-inch by 9-inch pages in a general chronological order, representing Massillon from the early 1800s to the present. Photographs include downtown views, businesses, fires and floods, carnivals, bridges, people, sports, houses, schools, churches, and more.

The Massillon Club, one of the few remaining city clubs in the nation, is located in a historic downtown Massillon building at 170 Lincoln Way East, next to the historic Lions Lincoln Theatre. Free parking is available on Lincoln Way or in the parking lot behind the building accessed from Federal Avenue Northeast. The book signing will offer an opportunity to see The Massillon Club, itself a historic building, beautifully decorated for Christmas. Dates remain available for private, organizational, and business holiday party bookings; call 330-833-3986.

Reflections is available ($39.90) at the Massillon Museum (121 Lincoln Way East), the Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce office (137 Lincoln Way East), the Village Bookshelf (746 Amherst Road Northeast), and Ernie’s Bike Shop and The Blue Heron at the Lake Avenue Trailhead, all in Massillon. The book can also be obtained from the author: 330-832-8469 or vogt@sssnet.com.

For more information contact Vogt at 330-832-8469 or vogt@sssnet.com or visit http://www.margyvogt.com.

Media Contact: Margy Vogt (330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525)

MassMu Renews AAM Accreditation

Massillon Museum Renews Highest National Recognition—AAM Accreditation

The Massillon Museum has achieved accreditation from the American Association of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition for a museum. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public.

AAM Accreditation is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation, and public accountability, and earns national recognition for a museum for its commitment to excellence in all that it does: governance, collections stewardship, public programs, financial stability, high professional standards, and continued institutional improvement. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for 35 years, AAM’s Museum Accreditation program strengthens the profession by promoting practices that enable leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely, and to provide the best possible service to the public.

“The Massillon Museum has maintained its accreditation since shortly after the AAM instituted the process,” said Massillon Museum Executive Director Christine Shearer. “Mary Merwin, who was director during the early 1970s, set the precedent for our small staff to maintain high standards and reach for lofty goals. Our three decades of accreditation indicate that we continue on that path.”

Of the nation’s estimated 17,500 museums, 775 are currently accredited. The Massillon Museum is one of only 25 museums accredited in Ohio, two in Stark County (along with the Canton Museum of Art).

"Accreditation is significant for many reasons," said AAM president Ford W. Bell. "First, it is bestowed by a museum's peers in the field. Second, it is entirely self-motivated, and speaks volumes about a museum's commitment to excellence, in all that it does. And finally, it means the MassillonMuseum is one of the finest in the country, something in which the people of the community can take great pride."

Accreditation is a rigorous process that examines all aspects of a museum’s operations. To earn accreditation, a museum first must conduct a year of self-study, then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. AAM’s Accreditation Commission, an independent and autonomous body of museum professionals, review and evaluate the self-study and visiting committee report to determine whether a museum should receive accreditation. While the time to complete the process varies by museum, it generally takes three years, which was the case with the Massillon Museum, even with a brief hiatus during the institution’s 75th anniversary celebration.

The Massillon Museum, founded in 1933, preserves and exhibits art and artifacts to enrich its community through education and experience. The staff cares for more than 100,000 objects while annually presenting about 20 rotating exhibitions in the main gallery, Studio M, and the permanent collections galleries; offering dozens of educational and outreach programs; inviting the public to about 50 events; and assisting patrons with research. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free.

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

The American Association of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. With more than 15,000 individual, 3,000 institutional, and 300 corporate members, AAM is dedicated to ensuring that museums remain a vital part of the American landscape, connecting people with the greatest achievements of the human experience, past, present and future. For more information, visit www.aam-us.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061 / cshearer@massillonmuseum.org

Alexandra Nicholis, Massillon Museum Curator - 330-833-4061 / anicholis@massillonmuseum.org

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-844-1525 / vogt@sssnet.com

To schedule a phone interview with AAM president Ford W. Bell:

Dewey Blanton, AAM Media Relations - 202-218-7704 / dblanton@aam-us.org

Art Explorers Collaborate for Studio M Exhibition

Art Explorers Collaborate for Studio M Exhibition

Members of the Akron Art Explorers and the Massillon Museum Explorers will collaborate to present a Studio M exhibition at the Massillon Museum from December 11, 2009 through January 3, 2010.

Although there will be no official exhibition opening reception, the public is invited to view the exhibit in the Fred F. Silk Community Room of the Massillon Museum during regular Museum hours—Tuesday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.—except when the Silk Room has been reserved for private functions. A call to the Museum office can confirm that the exhibit is available for viewing—330-833-4061. The Museum will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day. The Chit Chat Coffee Shoppe and the Museum shop, OhRegionalities, are located in the lobby of the Massillon Museum.

The Akron Art Explorers group is hosted and organized by the Massillon Museum and facilitated through the Boy Scouts of America. Student members of the group are in high school and hail from all over Summit County. Their contribution to this Studio M exhibit are selections from a previous project, “Common Ground,” featuring work from a collaborative photography project with students of Standing Rock Gallery in Kent, Ohio. Supervising the Akron Art Explorers are Alexandra Nicholis, MassMu curator, and artists Jody Hawk, Bernadette Glorioso, and Todd V.

The Massillon Museum Explorers have been a club since April 2009. Members come from greater Massillon, Jackson Township, Perry Township, and Doylestown. They created the artwork for Studio M while working with artists Scot Phillips and Emily Vigil during “Do the Mu” art workshops. Work influenced by Phillips uses found materials, collage, screenprinting, spray paint and stencils. Artwork created with Vigil are monoprints.

Studio M enhances the collaboration between the Museum and the community by showcasing the artistic talents of local, regional, and national artists. The series of five-week shows will continue throughout the year, selected by jurors from proposals submitted by artists. Brochures containing guidelines and an application are available by contacting the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or www.massillonmuseum.org.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East (Ohio Route 172) in the heart of downtown Massillon. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Director - 330-833-4061

Alexandra Nicholis, Massillon Museum Curator and Akron Art Explorers Supervisor - 330-833-4061

Jill Malusky Bacon, Massillon Museum Educator and Massillon Museum Explorers Supervisor - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-844-1525

Massillon Museum Renovates Collections Storage Area

Massillon Museum Renovates Collections Storage Area

The Massillon Museum is in the midst of renovating its main storage facility—the third floor of its building at 121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon, a project that will assure the continued safe storage of more than 100,000 works of art and historical artifacts that have been entrusted to it by the community.

The Museum’s 1931 building was home to department stores and small businesses until 1996, when the Museum moved from its previous location in the James Duncan home, now a wing of Massillon Public Library. At that time, public spaces were completed and opened to the public, but funding did not allow for the third floor to be equipped as a Museum-quality storage facility.

Through project-specific state appropriations, grant funding, and foundation support, the project is now possible. The State of Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Hoover Foundation, and the Timken Foundation have generously provided for the costs of the renovation. “This project could not have moved forward without the generous support of the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Timken Foundation and the Hoover Foundation,” said Massillon Museum Executive Director Christine Shearer. “We appreciate their belief in the importance of maintaining a secure, safe environment for the collections so that generations to come will be able to continue enjoying them.”

The Museum continues to raise funds for its share of the expenses by hosting the summer art show, Gallery on the Greens at Glenmoor Country Club; by accepting earmarked contributions from the community; and by offering specific gift opportunities: “adopt an archival box,” “adopt an archival drawer,” and the “preservation honor roll.” Curator Alexandra Nicholis, who is overseeing the collections storage renovation project, welcomes contributions of any amount.

Sol–Harris/Day Architects will manage the project, under the leadership of architect Bill Griffith. Harris/Day, a familiar firm in Stark County for 40 years, was recently presented with the Arts in Stark small business award. The construction phase of the project is slated to be completed by spring.

“Upon the completion of this project,” says Nicholis, “all of the collections will be stored in a safe, clean, temperature- and humidity-controlled, and organized environment. The incredible artifacts of this community deserve this level of care and commitment.”

The project will include creating a room-within-a-room in the existing space. It will be temperature and humidity controlled. New lighting will be installed that will not exceed 30 footcandles. (One footcandle represents the amount of light given off by one candle at a distance of one foot.) “The controlled lighting will minimize the collections’ exposure to light, which can be extremely damaging to textiles and photographs in particular,” explains Nicholis.

The concrete floors will be resurfaced. New heating, ventilating and air conditioning units will be installed to ensure the stability and longevity of collections.

The renovated space will include a research area where staff can examine, process, and photograph collections, as well as facilitate research requests for scholars, students, and members of the community. Naming opportunities for the new research room are also available.

Once the construction is completed and the space is monitored for a few months to ensure that the environment is safe and stable for collections, museum-quality cabinets and shelving will be installed, and the process of slowly moving the collections back into the renovated space will commence. It is estimated that this process will take from one year to one-and-a-half years. Every object will be easily accessible in a proper and safe home, free from overcrowding.

"We appreciate the patience of the community and our visitors with regard to Museum visits, donations, and research requests during this process," says Nicholis. The collections have been temporarily housed in part of the Museum's second floor, where space limitations make them nearly inaccessible. Using that space as storage limits the exhibition space on that level, but visitors can still enjoy The Immel Circus, the Photography Gallery, and the lobby display area.

To contribute to the Museum’s storage facility renovation project, contact Nicholis at 330-833-4061. To learn more about the Massillon Museum, visit www.massillonmuseum.org.

Media Contacts:

Bill Griffith, Vice President Sol–Harris/Day, Project Manager - 330-493-3722

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061 / cshearer@massillonmuseum.org

Alexandra Nicholis, Massillon Museum Curator - 330-833-4061 / anicholis@massillonmuseum.org

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-844-1525 / vogt@sssnet.com

"Stark Naked Salon" Exhibition Opening—Expect the Unexpected

"Stark Naked Salon" Exhibition Opening—Expect the Unexpected

Will you attend the art party of the summer? Come to the opening of the Massillon Museum’s “Stark Naked Salon” exhibition on Saturday, August 22. It’s a free public party on the lawn in the heart of downtown Massillon, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. No reservations are necessary.

Hooked on Tonics, a versatile group, will rock the downtown with love, peace, and music, playing funk that makes listeners dance and party from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. Dan Monea, Adam Orin, and Nate Monea will perform their matchless original tunes interspersed with intriguing covers of popular songs by 311, Warren G, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Since the band started in early 2005, they’ve criss-crossed the American South, playing universities, pubs, and clubs in Georgia, Florida, the Carolinas, and Louisiana. Closer to their Canton home they’ve crowded McCarthy’s in the Cleveland Flats as well as the Blind Pig in the heart of the city, the Harbor Inn at Turkeyfoot Lake in Akron, and the Olde Jaol in Wooster. They make it a point to connect with their roots and their hometown fans often.

XainGO!, a local collective of artists and dancers, will perform at the "Stark Naked Salon" opening on August 22, at 7:00 p.m. “Water,” a performance art piece, will be showcased for this occasion. The result of their dancing and painting performance will be a large scale canvas, to be raffled at the event. Recently, the Plain Dealer listed XainGO! performances among the "Top 10 Art Events" of the Cleveland area.

“Stark Naked Salon, an eye-popping exhibition, showcases the multimedia work of 11 soon-to-be-well-known Stark County artists who were chosen for their fresh, non-traditional and inspired artistic styles: Bili Kribbs, Scot Phillips, and Derek Zimmerman of Massillon; Marti Jones Dixon, Nick Brewer, Joseph Close, and Dylan Atkinson of Canton; Thomas R. Wentling of Brewster; Steve Ehret of Perry; Erin Mulligan from Minerva, and Ron Copeland of Pittsburgh (formerly of Massillon). “Stark Naked Salon” is co-curated by Alexandra Nicholis (Massillon Museum Curator) and Dan Kane (Canton Repository Arts and Entertainment Writer).

About magazine, opening sponsor, will provide complimentary popsicles; the Chit Chat Coffee Shoppe will offer summer food, and the Stark Naked Saloon will sell beer and wine as well as soft drinks and water. Guests will be able to watch a “Stark Naked Salon” film and pose for their own photos in Nick Brewer’s photo studio.

Additional events will add to the excitement of the exhibition throughout its run: a free showing of “Rock-afire Explosion” at the Lions Lincoln Theatre on September 10, 7:00 p.m.; six-week Oil Painting Class with Dylan Atkinson, beginning on August 29 (advance registration required); “Do the Mu!” Ephemeral Art with Scot Phillips on September 5, a free family activity; free showing of “Beautiful Losers” on September 17, 7:00 p.m., at the Lions Lincoln Theatre; three-week Figure Drawing class with Marti Jones Dixon beginning on September 12 (advance registration required); and the free “Stark Naked Salon” Gallery Party on October 1 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Visit starknakedsalon.com for details.

Also on Saturday, August 22, the Canton Artists League’s exhibition, “A Splash of Color,” will open in Studio M in the Fred F. Silk Community Room of the Massillon Museum, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. That opening reception is also free and open to the public.

In addition to the About magazine event sponsorship, the Massillon Museum receives funding from the Ohio Arts Council and Arts in Stark.

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

The "Stark Naked Salon" exhibition will continue through October 4. The Massillon Museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. The Chit Chat Coffee Shoppe is open in the Museum lobby from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday; and 10:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. Free parking is available on adjacent streets and in nearby city lots. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free.

Media Contacts:

Christine Fowler Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director: 330-833-4061 or cshearer@massillonmuseum.org

Alexandra Nicholis, Massillon Museum Curator: 330-833-4061 or anicholis@massillonmuseum.org

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator: 330-844-1525 or vogt@sssnet.com

Photographs:

Hooked on Tonics

XainGO!

Fun Fest to Fill Downtown Massillon

Massillon Cable TV, the Massillon Museum, and the Downtown Massillon Association invite all area families to participate in this year’s Fun Fest, which will be held on Saturday, August 8, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Fun Fest, a Massillon Alive event, has entertained thousands of families in downtown Massillon for fifteen years.

Admission to the family-focused event is free. There is no cost for most activities; some have a minimal charge.

Children will enjoy games, story times, prizes, face painting, contests, art projects, dancing, crafts, health and safety activities, athletic events, and music. The Stump Hill Farm Petting Zoo, a rock climbing wall from the Ohio Army National Guard, and the Massillon Museum’s shirt tie-dyeing will be among the favorite activities. The Tuslaw Lions train ride; costumed characters; and the Massillon Public Library Bookmobile will be on hand.

Among the familiar organizations offering activities, demonstrations, and information will be Girl Scouts, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, churches, Massillon Parks and Recreation Department, the Salvation Army, Massillon Family YMCA, YWCA of Massillon, Massillon cheerleaders, Lighthouse Visions, Canton Ballet, Spring Hill Historic Home, and the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum. Dozens more will join them.

The Lions Lincoln Theatre will show "Night at the Museum." A schedule of events and times will be available on the Museum corner of Lincoln Way and First Street on the day of the event.

The Health Plan will sponsor a giant slide. Bonnie’s Engravers Gallery will back the inflatable bounce house, and Rotary Club of Massillon will sponsor the rock climb slide. Massillon Cable TV will present the inflatable obstacle course and bungee run, while The Independent will sponsor the New England Garden Club’s popular flower arranging station. The Sons of Herman will sponsor the clowns, Philbee and Bertha. The Health Foundation of Greater Massillon will sponsor a hand-washing station.

Organizations, human services agencies, and businesses will distribute free items such as coloring books, pencils, balloons, banks, bookmarks, and puzzles. Emergency crews and vehicles—including Massillon Fire Department, art organizations, magicians, musical groups, and others who offer programs of interest to young people will help make Fun Fest a lively, safe, educational, and enriching experience.

Organizers Liz Gessner McAllister of Massillon Cable TV and Jill Malusky Bacon of the Massillon Museum, tout the event as “a great day for kids ages four to ninety-four and their families.” Fun Fest is intended to provide all the fun of a carnival with a focus on meaningful activities. Many of the organizations and businesses that offer activities provide valuable health, safety, and educational information to parents while entertaining the children.

Fun Fest is sponsored by Massillon Cable TV, the Massillon Museum, and the Downtown Massillon Association. Each year more than five dozen organizations and businesses make the event possible through their exhibits, performances, sponsorships, donations, and participation.

Fun Fest is centered on First Street and Lincoln Way East and on the lawn of the Massillon Museum. Free parking is available in city lots, the parking deck, and on adjacent streets. For more information, contact the Massillon Museum, 330-833-4061 or visit massillonmuseum.org.

Media Contacts:
Liz Gessner, Massillon Cable TV - 330-833-6655
Jill Malusky Bacon, Massillon Museum - 330-833-4061
Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum - 330-844-1525

“Do the Mu!”—Mega Murals with Bili Kribbs

On Saturday, August 1, the Massillon Museum will host its monthly “Do the Mu” program, a free family drop-in activity time. The theme “Mega Murals with Bili Kribbs” will accent the upcoming exhibition, “Stark Naked Salon.” Kribbs will be one of eleven emerging artists who will be featured in the eye-popping show, which will open in the Museum’s main gallery on August 22.

The artist will help visitors create several murals on a large scale to decorate the Museum in preparation for the upcoming exhibit. He will encourage experimentation with big shapes, bold colors, and creativity.

“See your work celebrated and displayed for the whole city to see for months to come!" says the Massillon Museum’s Educator, Jill Malusky Bacon, who instituted the “Do the Mu” program.

“Do the Mu!” is free and open to all. Participants may drop in any time between noon and 2:00 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month for a tour, an arts activity, and a snack. No pre-registration is required. “Do the Mu!” receives funding from ArtsinStark.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East (Ohio Route 172) in downtown Massillon. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free. 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

15th Annual Island Party- FREE!

The Massillon Museum’s Island Party on Friday, July 17, will be free family fun. The evening will be free and open to everyone; no reservations are necessary. Guests will be admitted at 5:30; food and beverage service begins about 6:00; and Carlos Jones and the P.L.U.S. Band will entertain from 7:00 until 11:00 p.m.

The Museum's annual event on the Museum lawn includes a pig roast by volunteers Joe Herrick and Rudy Turkal. Sidewalk supervisors are encouraged throughout the day.

A Caribbean supper of pork sandwiches, jerk chicken, pineapple salsa (the Massillon Museum’s secret recipe), fruit skewers, and grilled bananas with ice cream will be offered for sale. The cash bar will offer beer, wine, water, and soft drinks.

Carlos Jones and the Peace, Love, and Unity Syndicate deliver soulful roots reggae with lyrics that concentrate on a message of peace and harmony within the human race and the environment. The group creates a festival-like atmosphere everywhere they play, drawing crowds spanning all ages and backgrounds. The music is uplifting, incuding many original songs and an array of Bob Marley, Culture, and other recognizable covers. Voted "the Best Reggae/Ska Band" in Northeast Ohio by the Scene Magazine readers' poll, Carlos Jones and the P.L.U.S. Band have appeared onstage with The Wailers and Ziggy Marley.

Admission will be free and open to everyone. The food and beverages will be offered a la carte. T-shirts and light sticks will also be available. Try hula hoops and limbo challenges for all ages. Plan to come for the fun, rain or shine.

Guests will enter from First Street Southeast. Picnic tables will be scattered about the lawn, but guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets. Free parking will be available in the municipal parking lots, the parking deck on South Erie Street, and on adjacent streets.

For more information and volunteer opportunities, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

The Unsinkable Molly Brown Visits the Massillon Museum Brown Bag Lunch

Bring a sack lunch or purchase lunch from the Chit Chat Coffee Shoppe for the Massillon Museum’s next Brown Bag Lunch on Tuesday, June 23. Sally Whiston of Massillon will arrive at the lunch dressed as Margaret Tobin Brown might have looked a century ago—a Victorian lady ahead of her time.

Assuming Brown’s character, Whiston will regale guests with stories about her life from rags to riches in Leadville, Colorado; her fight for women’s and workers’ rights; her quest for an education; her campaign for a U.S. Senate seat; and her world travels. A leader in life, Brown is best remembered as a survivor of the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic, after which the media gave her the nickname, “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.”

Sally Whiston, an enthusiast of reading and history and a regular member of the audience at the Massillon Museum’s Brown Bag lunches, enjoys portraying significant women from the nation’s past, among them First Lady Julia Grant; Teddy Roosevelt’s First Lady, Edith; and Bella Abzug. Her costume, humor, and knowledge will create a memorable image of “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” at the Massillon Museum.

The Brown Bag program will begin at 12:10 p.m. and conclude by 12:50 p.m. to accommodate those who wish to attend during the lunch hour.

The event, which is held in the Museum lobby, is free and open to the public; no reservations are required, but seats fill early. Bates Printing sponsors the Brown Bag Lunch series, which is in its seventh year.

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

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Director - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum PR Coordinator & Lunch Series Chair - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

Photograph:

Sally Whiston as The Unsinkable Molly Brown

Deco Tour Calls for 1920s and 1930s Vehicle Entries

Art Deco meets couture on Saturday, June 27. The Massillon Museum and the Kent State University Museum are collaborating to create a full day of Art Deco style—automobiles, architecture, fashion, graphic design, and dance.

The day will begin with a 1930s car show on the lawn at the Massillon Museum from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. At 11:00, the Museum’s curator, Alexandra Nicholis, will present a gallery talk in the midst of fifty black and white silver gelatin prints recording the 1930-31 construction of New York City’s iconic architecture—“The Rise of a Landmark: Lewis Hine and the Empire State Building.” ("The Rise of a Landmark: Lewis Hine and the Empire State Building" was organized by George Eastman House, Rochester, New York, with support of Bausch and Lomb.)

From 3:00 to 6:00. the Kent State University Museum will host a 1920s car show. At 4:00, the Museum will offer free gallery tours of three Art Deco exhibitions: “Great American Glass: The Roaring Twenties and Depression Era,” “The Kokoon Arts Club: Cleveland Revels,” and “Gazette du Bon Ton.” The grand finale of the Deco Tour is “Tangomania,” a masked ball at the Kent State University Museum at 8:00 p.m.

The museums are now accepting car registrations. A $10 fee secures a space at the appropriate venue as well as admission to the Kent State University Museum. (Admission to the Massillon Museum is always free.) Contact the Massillon Museum for 1930s vehicles: 121 Lincoln Way East, Massillon 44646-6633, 330-833-4061, www.massillonmuseum.org. To register a 1920s vehicle, contact the Kent State University Museum, P.O. Box 5190, Kent 44242-0001, 330-672.3450, www.dept.kent.edu/Museum.

Spectator admission will be free for both segments of the Deco Tour. (Tickets for Tangomania will be $25 each.)

For more information, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061.

Media Contacts:

Alexandra Nichois, Massillon Museum Curator - 330-833-4061 / anicholis@massillonmuseum.org

Jean Druesedow, Kent State University Museum Director - 330-672-0303 / jdruesed@kent.edu

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-844-1525 / vogt@sssnet.com

Do the Mu!—Architecture

On Saturday, June 6, the Massillon Museum will host its monthly “Do the Mu” program, a free family drop-in activity time. The theme “Architecture,” will be based on the current exhibition, “The Rise of a Landmark: Lewis Hine and the Empire State Building.”

Families and individuals are invited to tour the exhibition, then join architect Don Allcorn to discuss details of the construction of the Empire State Building, learn more about architecture, and build their own structures. Don Allcorn is an Akron-based architect who has worked professionally for 22 years in northeast Ohio. He established his architectural office seven years ago. He has traveled extensively to New York and has studied its rich architectural, cultural, and geologic history.

The “Do the Mu” program, instituted by the Massillon Museum’s Educator, Jill Malusky Bacon, is free and open to all. Participants may drop in any time between noon and 2:00 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month for a tour, an arts activity, and a snack. No pre-registration is required. “Do the Mu!” receives funding from ArtsinStark.

“The Rise of a Landmark: Lewis Hine and the Empire State Building” was organized by and is traveling under the auspices of George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film. It includes fifty classic black and white images of the 1930-1931 construction of America’s iconic Empire State Building—which includes stainless steel fabricated in the Massillon Republic Steel plant. A supporting exhibition in the second-floor photography gallery features architectural images from the Massillon Museum’s permanent collection.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East (Ohio Route 172) in downtown Massillon. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free. 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

Canstruction® Opening Night Is Open to All

Canstruction’s® first annual Massillon area design/build competition spotlights hunger and showcases Stark County’s best designers. The gala opening will be held on Thursday, June 4, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The casual after-work event will be the first opportunity to see six incredible oversized sculptures created completely from canned goods. The public is invited to attend; no reservations are required. The party is free, but guests are encouraged to bring cans of food for donation to help feed the area’s hungry. Refreshments will, of course, be served.

Six teams of five members guided by architects, designers, and engineers will unveil sculptures they have built from thousands of cans of food. Size and shape of the cans as well as label colors will determine what products will be used to build works of art.

Winners will be announced at Thursday’s opening. The Canstruction® sculptures will remain on exhibition through Sunday, June 28.

Fishers Foods is the major sponsor for Massillon’s Canstruction® project. Organized by the Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce and the Massillon Museum, Canstruction® is expected to gather thousands of cans of food for the Akron/ Canton Food Bank and the Massillon Salvation Army. Competing teams will provide their own canned goods for building materials. They challenge exhibit visitors to fill food barrels at the Museum to add to the hunger relief effort. Collection barrels will also be located at the Massillon Public Library and Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce.

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.

The local committee, co-chaired by Sanderson and Shearer, includes architect Jeff Day and designer Yvette Otterman of Harris/Day; Museum staff members Jill Malusky Bacon, Chris Craft, Scot Philips, and Sandi Thouvenin; Captain Tawny Cowen-Zanders of the Salvation Army’s 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

Please consider sending a photographer during build-out on Wednesday, June 3, 3:00 to 8:00 p.m.

There should be some great visuals once the sculpture starts to take shape.

MassMu Brown Bag Features Popular Music Expert

Michael Lasser—music historian, author, and broadcaster—will speak about the popular music of a century ago on Tuesday, April 28, at Kent State University Stark Campus Main Hall Auditorium (6000 Frank Road Northwest, Canton) at 7:00 p.m. The lecture free and open to the public.

Lasser’s program, “The Hip-Hooray and Bally-Hoo: Popular Music’s Take on New York City,” will emphasize the romantic image of New York that appeared in thousands of popular songs in the early 1900s. He will illustrate how Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, George Gershwin, and other songwriters gave voice to America’s image of itself—symbolized by New York City— in tight, jazzy songs that spoke for the nation’s heart.

“[Life in New York] was a strange cacophonous dream never before imagined in all of human history, as pulsating and noisy as it was romantic,” Lasser said. “It was a dream about a place where people came to seek life at its most exciting and make a fortune in the bargain. They lived in a city that chose to believe anything was possible, and then acted as if it believed the dream.”

Massillon Museum Curator Alexandra Nicholis invited Lasser to Stark County to accentuate the Massillon Museum’s main gallery exhibition of 50 black-and-white photographs of 1930s New York—“The Rise of a Landmark: Lewis Hine and the Empire State Building.”

Lasser and Philip Furia co-authored the recent book, America’s Songs: The Stories Behind the Songs of Broadway, Hollywood and Tin Pan Alley. After his program, books will be available for sale, and the author will sign copies for guests.

Since 1980, Lasser has hosted the nationally-syndicated public radio show, “Fascinatin’ Rhythm,” winner of a 1994 Peabody Award for letting “our treasury of popular tunes speak (and sing) for itself with sparkling commentary, tracing the contributions of the composers and performers to American society.”

A graduate of Dartmouth College, Lasser is the former theater critic for The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. For nearly 25 years has spoken at museums and universities across the nation, among them the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian National Museum of American Art. He is working on a new book, That Pleasant Ache: How Love Songs Sang About Us, 1900–1950.

Lasser will also speak at the Massillon Museum’s Brown Bag lunch at noon on Tuesday, April 28. The event, which will be held in the Museum lobby, is free and open to the public. No reservations are required, but seats fill early. Brown Bag guests may bring a sack lunch or purchase lunch from the Chit Chat Coffee Shoppe in the lobby of the Museum. The Museum will serve free cookies and coffee.

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

Lasser’s programs are funded by a grant from the Ohio Humanities Council. “The Rise of a Landmark: Lewis Hine and the Empire State Building” was organized by and is traveling under the auspices of George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Director - 330-833-4061

Alexandra Nicholis, Massillon Museum Curator - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Museum Public Relations & Lunch Series Chair - 330-844-1525

Do the Mu!—Local Allegories, Stories of Massillon

On Saturday, May 2, the Massillon Museum will host its monthly “Do the Mu” program, a free family drop-in activity time. The theme “Local Allegories, Stories of Massillon” will be based on the current exhibition of the same name by artist Jody Hawk.

Families and individuals are invited to join Hawk, a visiting assistant professor at the University of Akron, for a tour of the second-floor exhibition of three-dimensional collages based on the oral histories of local women. Afterwards, participants will create their own art inspired by Hawk’s story boxes.

The “Do the Mu” program, instituted by the Massillon Museum’s Educator, Jill Malusky Bacon, is free and open to all. Participants may drop in any time between noon and 2:00 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month for a tour, an arts activity, and a snack. No pre-registration is required. “Do the Mu!” receives funding from ArtsinStark.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East (Ohio Route 172) in downtown Massillon. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free. 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

MassMu Garners Top State Awards

The Massillon Museum received three prestigious awards at the annual conference of the Ohio Museums Association (OMA): the Award of Achievement and two Visual Communications Awards.

The Museum earned “The Best Exhibition of 2008,” one of only two Awards of Achievement presented, for its 75th anniversary exhibition, “Eclectic.Everyday.Elegant,” which filled the Museum last summer, June 7 through September 14.

The Massillon-manufactured steam engine was on the lawn; the locally-made Jewel automobile sat in the lobby. The main first-floor gallery spotlighted permanent collection objects deemed by the staff and exhibition committee to be the best 75 pieces in the collection, which numbers more than 100,000 items. The second floor galleries were divided into spaces for a curiosity cabinet, a sports area, a timeline paralleling the history of the town and the evolution of the Massillon Museum, a Native American display, costumes, and photographs. Two of the vignettes reminded visitors of the Victorian parlor and the pioneer kitchen that were popular in the “old” building, when the Massillon Museum shared quarters with the Massillon Public Library.

Massillon Museum Executive Director Christine Shearer led the exhibition planning effort, working closely with the Museum’s curator, Alexandra Nicholis; staff members Mandy Pond and Chris Craft; Margy Vogt; and volunteer John Sparks. Andy and Keith Rock installed the exhibit.

“This is a real honor,” said Shearer. “We were selected among Museums of all sizes throughout the state in every budget category. The award reflects the quality of our collection and the expertise of the staff and volunteers who helped plan and install the exhibits.”

The 120-page soft-cover catalog that accompanied the exhibition included essays and color photographs of the Massillon Museum’s 75 most important permanent collection objects. It took the gold award (first place) in the level three ($250,000-$499,999) 2008 visual communication competition.

In addition to the leadership and written contributions of Shearer and Nicholis, sections of the book were written by Negussie Ayele, Christine Bracken, Christopher Craft, Tirzah Julius, Scot Phillips, Mandy Altimus Pond, David W. Schultz, Elaine Snively, Leora Traynor, Margy Vogt, and Kathleen Walker. Edited by Ann and Hugh Brown and designed by Margy Vogt, “Eclectic.Everyday.Elegant.” remains available in the Museum shop.

The 28-page catalog, also a full-color soft-cover publication, for the Massillon Museum’s “In the Garden” exhibition earned the level three silver visual communication award (second place). Christine Shearer was the exhibition curator and catalog author; Margy Vogt designed the catalog.

“The energetic young staff at the Massillon Museum stands out in the state of Ohio,” said Terry Potenzini, Executive Director of the Ohio Museums Association, from her Columbus office. “It’s no wonder the Massillon Museum set the standard for exhibitions and activities. They surely must be the sparkle in their community’s crown.” She praised Shearer for her enthusiasm and effectiveness as president of the OMA for the past two years.

The Ohio Museums Association Annual Awards Program honors outstanding achievement and visual communication. The 2008 Ohio Museums Association Outstanding Achievement Award winners were recognized at the Ohio Museums Association’s Annual Conference at the Sheraton Suites Akron/Cuyahoga Falls, April 5 and 6, 2009. Nominations and entries from the field are considered by a distinguished panel of five judges, selected to represent the diversity of the museum community.

Media Contacts:

Christine Fowler Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director: 330-833-4061

Terry Potenzini, Ohio Museums Association Executive Director: 614.297.2375

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator: 330-844-1525

Brown Bag Features Nationally Recognized Music Historian Michael Lasser

Music historian Michael Lasser—a lecturer, writer, broadcaster, critic, and teacher—will speak on Tuesday, April 28, at the Massillon Museum’s monthly Brown Bag Lunch.

The program will begin at noon and conclude at approximately 1:00 p.m. The event, which is held in the Museum lobby, is free and open to the public. No reservations are required, but seats fill early.

Lasser’s program, “The Hip-Hooray and Bally-Hoo: Popular Music’s Take on New York City,” will focus on the romantic image of “The Big Apple” that appeared in thousands of popular songs between 1890 and 1940. The program will accentuate the Museum’s main gallery exhibition of 50 black-and-white photographs of 1930s New York—“The Rise of a Landmark: Lewis Hine and the Empire State Building.”

“Popular music became distinctively American in the hands of Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, and George Gershwin, among others,” Lasser wrote of the early decades of the twentieth century. “It looked out over the nation from a vantage point on the east side of the Hudson River. For a while, New York stood for America, and our songwriters gave it voice. What we said, believed, and dreamed they gave expression in tight, jazzy songs that spoke for a nation’s heart.”

Lasser and Philip Furia co-authored the recent book, America’s Songs: The Stories Behind the Songs of Broadway, Hollywood and Tin Pan Alley. After his program, books will be available for sale in the Museum shop, and the author will sign copies for guests.

Since 1980, Lasser has hosted the nationally-syndicated public radio show, “Fascinatin’ Rhythm,” winner of a 1994 Peabody Award for letting “our treasury of popular tunes speak (and sing) for itself with sparkling commentary, tracing the contributions of the composers and performers to American society.”

A graduate of Dartmouth College, Lasser is the former theater critic for The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. For nearly 25 years has spoken at museums and universities across the nation, among them the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian National Museum of American Art. He is working on a new book, That Pleasant Ache: How Love Songs Sang About Us, 1900–1950.

Brown Bag guests may bring a sack lunch or purchase lunch from the Chit Chat Coffee Shoppe in the lobby of the Museum. The Museum will serve free cookies and coffee.

“We usually begin the program at 12:10, but this month we’ll start early,” said Margy Vogt, volunteer chair of the Brown Bag series. “We’re very fortunate to be able to present a nationally recognized expert, and we want to enjoy as many of his entertaining stories as we can during the lunch hour.”

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

Bates Printing sponsors the Brown Bag Lunch series, which is in its seventh year.

Massillon Museum Curator Alexandra Nicholis, who has organized the Massillon Museum’s Lewis Hine photography exhibition, has also scheduled a lecture by Michael Lasser for the evening of April 28. He will speak at Kent State University Stark Campus Main Hall Auditorium (6000 Frank Road Northwest, Canton) at 7:00 p.m. That presentation is also free and open to the public. Lasser’s book will be available for purchase and signing following the program.

Lasser’s programs are funded by a grant from the Ohio Humanities Council. “The Rise of a Landmark: Lewis Hine and the Empire State Building” was organized by and is traveling under the auspices of George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Director - 330-833-4061

Alexandra Nicholis, Massillon Museum Curator - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Museum Public Relations & Lunch Series Chair - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

MassMu and Glenmoor CC Last Call for Artists

The Massillon Museum will present, in collaboration with Glenmoor Country Club, the inaugural edition of an outdoor art fair, “Gallery on the Greens,” on Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12, on the grounds of Glenmoor. White tents filled with original art will line the boulevard that leads to the clubhouse.

Admission for spectators to the show on Saturday and Sunday will be just $5 (free for members of the Massillon Museum) to encourage artists’ sales. A VIP patron reception will be held on Friday evening. Each artist will be responsible for his own space and sales.

The entry deadline for artists who wish to be considered for the show is April 15. Any Ohio artist is eligible to submit a proposal. Tents (10x10 feet), tables, chairs, and overnight security will be provided as part of the $250 entry fee. Additional space, tents, tables, and chairs can be provided for an additional fee. The entry fee will not be due until the time of acceptance.

All media will be eligible. Artists will submit digital images of their work for consideration by the jurors. Cash awards totalling $600 will be awarded.

Artists may obtain entry forms with complete application information by contacting Sandi Thouvenin at the Massillon Museum, 330-833-4061 or sthouvenin@massillonmuseum.org.

Glenmoor Country Club is located at 4191 Glenmoor Road Northwest in Canton. The Gallery on the Greens will include a patron reception and silent auction on Friday, July 10, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.; the two-day public outdoor show on July 11 and 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; and a golf outing at Glenmoor Country Club on Monday, July 13. Proceeds from the preview night, the art show, and the golf outing will benefit the Massillon Museum.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Sandi Thouvenin - Massillon Museum Volunteer & Special Events Coordinator - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt - Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-832-8469

MassMu “Mommy or Daddy and Me” Classes

The Massillon Museum will offer an art class for children ages three to six, “Mommy or Daddy and Me,” beginning on May 2. The class will meet with instructor Sandi Thouvenin weekly on four Saturdays (through May 30) from 11:00 a.m. to noon.

The $49 fee ($39 for Massillon Museum members) includes all instruction and materials for a variety of hands-on art and fun for parents and children inspired by the Museum’s exhibitions and collections. Each session will include a new project to take home and a snack.

“During previous sessions, we’ve also enjoyed having grandparents attend with the children,” said Thouvenin. “Our class is a happy, creative time to spend together.”

Massillon Museum classes are open to everyone. Advance registration with payment must be made for this class by April 27—in person, by phone (330-833-4061), or online (www.massillonmuseum.org). 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 Museum Educator Jill Malusky Bacon 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

Artist Jody Hawk to Exhibit Storyboxes at MassMu

The exhibition, “Jody Hawk: Local Allegories / Stories of Massillon,” will open in the second floor gallery at the Massillon Museum on Saturday, April 18, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., with a reception for the artist. The event is free and open to the public. The exhibition will continue through August 2.

The artist interviewed six Massillon women to assimilate their stories and create a storybox reflecting each subject. Each storybox is deconstructed as a digital composite and displayed as a photographic print above the real box. Some of the boxes were borrowed from the Massillon Museum.

Viewers hear each woman's voice—as she shares her interior strength, while viewing within each box reproductions from the Massillon Museum's photography collection as well as items from the women whose stories are represented. Hawk’s installations assemble each voice into a visual allegory. The boxes pull together different fragments of the women’s lives and interpret the wisdom and experience revealed through their stories.

“My artwork investigates the vernacular,” Hawk said. “Before 2006, my images primarily investigated the cultural landscape. I was fascinated by ornamentation to a piece of property and how a person might create a personal landscape.” When her grandmother died, she inherited a musical jewelry box full of mementos from trips; gifts of jewelry from relatives and friends; and scribbled directions, addresses, pictures, and notes. Her new work evolved from the jewelry box and its contents into an installation of objects with an oral history component.

A visiting assistant professor at the University of Akron, Hawk works with a group of local artists, Raw Umber, to organize art shows and was selected to present work at last year’s First Night in downtown Akron. For First Night, she collaborated with musician Gustave Aguilar, constructing a musical instrument made from found objects. The two were part of the Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology in Cleveland. Hawk helps lead the Massillon Museum’s Art Explorers group of young people who have an interest in art as a career. She has shown her work nationally and her photographs grace public and private collections.

“Jody has interviewed a lovely array of local ladies with interesting stories to tell,” said Massillon Museum Curator Alexandra Nicholis, who is working with Hawk to install the exhibition. “It will be a joy to see the final exhibition, having watched it grow.”

The stories of seven women will be included in the exhibition: Amelia Sparks, Gloria Pope, Polly Cochran, Pat Beane, Isabel McFadden, Ann Arnold, and Mary Gibson (a tribute; she passed away before the interview).

The Museum’s Education Department of the Museum will base the May 2nd “Do the Mu!” free family activity time on the “Local Allegories” exhibition. After a tour of the exhibition, the artist will help participants create a project based on her concept.

On Saturday, April 18, visitors can enjoy two additional exhibitions, which will open concurrently with the “Jody Hawk: Local Allegories, Stories of Massillon” exhibition. “The Rise of a Landmark: Lewis Hine and the Empire State Building” will open in the main first-floor gallery. In the Fred F. Silk Community Room in the lower level, the Studio M exhibition, “Image to Image,” photographs by Walsh University digital photojournalism students will also open.

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

The Jody Hawk exhibition may be seen during regular Massillon Museum hours from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. The Chit Chat Coffee Shop is open in the Museum lobby from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday, and 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday. Free parking is available on adjacent streets and in nearby city lots. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free.

Media Contacts:

Christine Fowler Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director: 330-833-4061 or cshearer@massillonmuseum.org

Alexandra Nicholis, Massillon Museum Curator: 330-833-4061 or anicholis@massillonmuseum.org

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator: 330-844-1525 or vogt@sssnet.com

MassMu Exhibits Photos of Empire State Building Construction

MassMu Exhibits Photos of Empire State Building Construction

The George Eastman House exhibition, “The Rise of a Landmark: Lewis Hine and the Empire State Building,” will be displayed in the Massillon Museum’s main gallery from April 18 through August 2, 2009. The exhibition will open with a free public reception on Saturday, April 18, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. No reservations are necessary.

The exhibition of more than 50 black and white images by photographer Lewis Wickes Hine chronicles the entire construction of the Empire State Building in New York City. The project, which included a total of more than 1,000 photographs taken by Hine during the year-long construction (1930–1931), were meant to remind viewers that buildings and the cities that they shape are built only with the direction and innovation of humankind.

This exhibition is drawn entirely from the Eastman House’s photographic collection in Rochester, New York, which contains nearly 10,000 of Hine’s original photographs, negatives, and artifacts. The Hine collection, which was given to the Eastman House in 1955 by the Photo League of New York, is the world’s largest holding of his work. The images in the exhibition are modern gelatin silver prints made from copy negatives.

Born in 1874 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Hine was a sociologist whose photographs captured his abiding concern for immigrants and working-class people. Early in his career, he documented the newly arrived immigrants at Ellis Island and worked for the National Child Labor Committee as an investigator and photographer studying children working in sweatshops, canneries, coal mines, and cotton mills. After World War I, as America became infatuated with modern machinery, Hine began to photograph men and women at work in the newly mechanized environment, thus emphasizing the human side of modern technology.

“We are particularly pleased to present this exhibition because it emphasizes the Massillon Museum’s own very strong photography collection as well as the legacy of Massillon’s legendary steel industry,” said Massillon Museum Curator Alexandra Nicholis, who is organizing the traveling collection’s exhibition in Massillon. “In fact,” she said, “stainless steel from the Massillon plant of Republic Steel was used in the construction of the Empire State Building.”

A number of events between April and July will augment the exhibition itself. On April 28, author Michael Lasser will present a free lecture, “The Hip-Hooray and Bally-Hoo: Popular Music’s Take on New York City,” at the Massillon Museum’s Brown Bag Lunch at noon and again at Kent State University Stark Campus Main Hall Auditorium in the evening. On June 6, at the Massillon Museum’s monthly free “Do the Mu!” time, families will learn about architecture with architect Don Allcorn and build their own structures. Margy Vogt will lead an afternoon workshop, “Photographing Massillon’s Architectural Treasures: History and Composition Class,” on July 11. Curator Alexandra Nicholis will present a free gallery talk on July 19.

The Museum’s Education Department of the Museum has added an interactive component to the exhibition and the second-floor Photography Gallery will include related images from the Museum’s permanent collection such as the “Rohr Barnraising” and local steel industry photos.

On Saturday, April 18, visitors can enjoy two additional exhibitions, which will open concurrently with “The Rise of a Landmark.” On the Museum’s second floor, the “Jody Hawk: Local Allegories, Stories of Massillon” exhibition will open. In the Fred F. Silk Community Room in the lower level, the Studio M exhibition, “Image to Image,” photographs by Walsh University digital photojournalism students will also open. Visitors will be encouraged to meet Hawk and the Walsh students and to view their work.

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

The Massillon Museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. The Chit Chat Coffee Shop is open in the Museum lobby from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday, and 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday. Free parking is available on adjacent streets and in nearby city lots. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free.

Media Contacts:

Christine Fowler Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director: 330-833-4061

Alexandra Nicholis, Massillon Museum Curator: 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator: 330-844-1525

Walsh Students Exhibit Photography in Studio M

Walsh Students Exhibit Photography in Studio M

Sixteen students enrolled in Professor Lee Horrisberger’s digital photography class at Walsh University are studying the work of outstanding photojournalists from the perspectives of artistic style, technique, and history. The course will culminate in an exhibition in the Massillon Museum’s Studio M from April 18 through May 24, 2009.

The public is invited to meet the student photographers, view their work, and enjoy refreshments at the exhibition opening on Saturday, April 18, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Fred F. Silk Community Room of the Massillon Museum. The party is free and open to all.

The fourth annual “Image to Image: A Comparative Study of Past and Present Photojournalists’ Images, Styles, and Shooting Techniques” exhibition will feature the work of Clinton Blossomgame III, Andrew Board, Adam Brately, Bryan Bush, Ben Daleiden, Ashley Dunnerstick, Megan Garin, Molly Hyland, Alexis Kyriakedes, Kate Lombardo, Amy Police, Mark Sexton Jr., Alexandra Shorac, Brittany Smart, Sterling Tatum, and Anna Wilson. The students will imitate the photography style, lighting, and content of an eminent photojournalist of their choosing to demonstrate the impact of style and technique on artistic content.

The students have emulated some of the best-known photograpers in the history of the art form: Henri-Cartier Bresson, Elizabeth Alice Austen, Lewis Hine (whose photographs will fill the Museum’s main gallery throughout the Walsh show), Alfred Stieglitz, Weegee, Neil Leifer, Imogen Cunningham, William Henry Jackson, Alfred Eisenstaedt, W. Eugene Smith, Dorothea Lange, Bruce Murray, Lisa Law, Aaron Siskind, and James Nachtwey.

Each student’s work will be printed, matted, and hung beside a reproduction of a photograph by his selected photojournalist, a bibliography, and the student’s photographic notes. The students and their professor will help Massillon Museum Curator Alexandra Nicholis install the exhibition.

Two additional photography-related exhibition openings will be held concurrently with the Walsh show. “The Rise of a Landmark: Lewis Hine and the Empire State Building,” will be a main gallery exhibition of photographs taken in 1930 and 1931 as the building was constructed. “Jody Hawk: Local Allegories, Stories of Massillon,” a second-floor exhibition of storyboxes depicting the lives of local women incorporating sculpture, photographs, and recordings.

All three exhibitions may be seen during regular Museum hours, Tuesday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., except when the Silk Room has been reserved for private functions. A call to the Museum office can confirm that the exhibit is available for viewing—330-833-4061.

Studio M enhances the collaboration between the Museum and the community by showcasing the artistic talents of local, regional, and national artists. The series of five-week shows will continue throughout the year, selected by jurors from proposals submitted by artists. Brochures containing guidelines and an application are available by contacting the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or www.massillonmuseum.org.

The Chit Chat Coffee Shop is open in the Museum lobby from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday, and 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East (Ohio Route 172) in the heart of downtown Massillon. Free parking is available on adjacent streets and in nearby city lots. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Director - 330-833-4061

Alex Nicholis, Massillon Museum Curator - 330-833-4061

Lee Horrisberger, Professor, Walsh University - 330-490-7040

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

Book Discussion for Week Five of The Big Read

MassMu Book Discussion for Week Five of The Big Read

Dr. Leslie Heaphy, Associate Professor, History, Kent State University Stark Campus, will moderate the final book discussion of The Big Read for 2009 at the Massillon Public Library’s main branch (208 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon) on Tuesday, March 31, at 7:00 p.m. The discussion is free and open to the public. Reservations are not required.

The Massillon Museum, in collaboration with the Massillon Public Library, encourages everyone in the community to read The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton—The Big Read book selection for this year.

Copies of The Age of Innocence may be checked out at the Massillon Public Library. They may be purchased at the Massillon Museum (121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon), the Massillon Public Library (208 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon), and The Village Bookshelf (746 Amherst Road Northeast in Massillon).

The Age of Innocence is an appropriate reading level for high school students and adults. Free readers' guides are available at the Museum, the Library, and at offices and businesses throughout the area. Anyone who reads the book is invited to sign a “Victorian calling card” to be displayed at the Museum or the Library.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.

Local organizations and individuals collaborating with the Massillon Museum include: the Massillon Public Library; the Lions Lincoln Theatre; Mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli; Dr. Leslie Heaphy, Dr. Robert Sturr, and Kent State University Stark Campus; Jason Norris; John Kiste and the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau; Rotary Club of Massillon; the Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce; The Independent; the Fairless, Jackson, Tuslaw, and Massillon school systems; State Representative Scott Oelslager; Massillon Cable TV; the Chit Chat Coffee Shop; George Nicholis; Camille Leslie; Brian Centrone; Eric Myers; Gretchen Schrantz; Five Oaks and Massillon Woman’s Club; Richard Gercken; The Canton Symphony Orchestra; The Amherst Rose and Parlour Gift Shoppe; Kozmo’s Grille; St. Timothy’s Church; Massillon Family YMCA; Hampton Inn Massillon; and many community volunteers.

Massillon Museum Executive Director Christine Shearer leads the local project. Massillon Public Library Director Camille Leslie, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator Margy Vogt, Museum Assistant Chris Craft, Dr. Leslie Heaphy of Kent State University, and Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce President Bob Sanderson serve on the committee.

For more information about the book discussions or The Big Read, call 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org or www.NEABigRead.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Camille Leslie - Massillon Public Library Director - 330-833-9831

Margy Vogt - Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

“Do the Mu!”—Circus

“Do the Mu!”—Circus

On Saturday, April 4, the Massillon Museum will celebrate The Immel Circus. Families and individuals are invited to join staff members for a tour of the second-floor circus exhibition and a visit to the lower level lobby to see cases full of circus artifacts. Participants will then create their own art inspired by the circus.

Denny Bowe will entertain as Bo Bo the clown. He will bring examples of costumes and make-up to show how he transforms himself into a clown.

The “Do the Mu” program, instituted by the Massillon Museum’s Educator, Jill Malusky Bacon, is free and open to all. Participants may drop in any time between noon and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, for a tour, an arts activity, and a snack. No pre-registration is required.

The Immel Circus is a one-hundred-square-foot miniature circus lot hand-carved by the late Dr. Robert Immel of Massillon. It includes thousands of figures—animals, crowds, performers, barkers, tents, wagons, everything that would be found on the grounds when the circus came to town. Little vignettes within the layout tell stories—a sick zebra, workers carpenters a burned wagon, workers feeding the animals, muscular men pounding tent stakes, a parade, and dozens more. The miniature circus lot comes to life with circus sounds, and it is surrounded by huge posters and authentic costumes.

On the first Saturday of every month, the public will be invited to “Do the Mu!”—free activities for families at the Massillon Museum. Do the Mu! receives funding from ArtsinStark.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East (Ohio Route 172) in downtown Massillon. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free. 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

Dominick Farinacci Concert

Massillon Museum Hosts Dominick Farinacci Concert

Trumpeter Dominick Farinacci will perform at the Massillon Museum’s final Rhythms Concert of this season on Saturday, March 28. The doors will open for social time in the lobby at 7:30 p.m.; the concert will begin at 8:00 p.m.

A recent graduate of the Institute for Jazz Studies at The Juilliard School, Farinacci has recorded five records for the Japanese label, M & I Jazz. They garnered the "International New Star" Award from Japan’s Swing Journal Magazine in 2003—an honor previously awarded to Christian McBride and Diana Krall, among others. He received “Gold Disc Awards,” signifying a record of the month for Swing Journal, for three of those recordings.

Farinacci has toured several times throughout Japan and has performed in the United States with Tony Bennett, Ira Sullivan, Joe Lovano, Joey DeFrancesco, Mulgrew Miller, and Jason Miles. In 2000, he performed with one of his mentors, Wynton Marsalis, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra as a featured student in a Louis Armstrong tribute, which was broadcast on PBS’s “Live From Lincoln Center.” In 2005, Farinacci performed with his own groups at the Blue Note and Birdland Jazz Club in New York as well as at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival. His quartet recently recorded a live performance at the Kennedy Center for NPR's JazzSet with Dee Dee Bridgewater.

The $25 per-person pre-sale ($23 for Massillon Museum members) may be purchased in advance by calling the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or by visiting www.massillonmuseum.org. Tickets will be sold at the door ($28 non-members, $25 Massillon Museum members) as long as seats remain available. Cash, checks, and Visa and MasterCard are accepted. The concert is open to the public.

Community members have stepped forward to make the Museum’s music series possible: In Tribute of Kevin Alden Hunt; Mel and Ann Herncane; Affinity Medical Center; A.A. Hammersmith Insurance, Inc.; Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffith and Dougherty Co.; FirstMerit; The Health Plan HomeTown Region; and The Eye Clinic, Inc. WKSU is the media sponsor. Grant support is provided by the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, Ohio Arts Council, and Arts in Stark.

The Massillon Museum hosts five out-of-the-mainstream concerts in the intimate setting of its main gallery to broaden the arts that it offers to the community.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East, in downtown Massillon. Free parking is available on adjacent streets and in nearby city lots. For more information, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

The Big Read Archery Demonstration

MassMu Hosts The Big Read Archery Demonstration

The Massillon Museum, with the collaboration of the Massillon Public Library, will host an archery demonstration on the Museum lawn on Saturday, March 21, at 11:00 a.m. The event is one of two dozen that are scheduled as part of The Big Read to encourage people in the community to read The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, the 2009 book selection. A women’s archery competition is part of the novel’s plot.

Dustin Bounce, an archery instructor who operates Hadley’s Sports Store in Akron—an establishment featuring archery equipment and supplies, will present the program. He has been shooting bow and arrow for more than two decades; he has been shooting professionally for eight years. Bounce has won both the indoor and outdoor championship for the state of Ohio and has competed nationally and internationally. The archery team he sponsors has also won Ohio championships.

The demonstration is free and open to the public with no reservations necessary. In case of inclement weather, the archery demonstration will be held at the Massillon Family YMCA (131 Tremont Avenue Southeast, Massillon).

When attending the demonstration, visitors may also see the Victorian displays relating to the book in the Museum’s lower level and second-floor permanent collection galleries. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free.

The Big Read is a month-long celebration of the classic work of fiction, The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton. The organizers selected the book because it depicts an era when Massillon’s industrialists and financiers reflected the social ways depicted in the novel. The Massillon Museum’s collections of furniture, clothing, art, china, and glassware represent their lifestyle.

Copies of The Age of Innocence may be checked out at the Massillon Public Library or purchased at the Massillon Museum, the Massillon Public Library, and The Village Bookshelf (746 Amherst Road Northeast in Massillon).

A complete schedule of events related to The Big Read is available at the Massillon Public Library, the Massillon Museum, or online at www.massillonmuseum.org.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.

Local organizations and individuals collaborating with the Massillon Museum include: the Massillon Public Library; the Lions Lincoln Theatre; Mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli; Dr. Leslie Heaphy, Dr. Robert Sturr, and Kent State University Stark Campus; Jason Norris; John Kiste and the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau; Rotary Club of Massillon; the Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce; The Independent; the Fairless, Jackson, Tuslaw, and Massillon school systems; State Representative Scott Oelslager; Massillon Cable TV; the Chit Chat Coffee Shop; George Nicholis; Camille Leslie; Brian Centrone; Eric Myers; Gretchen Schrantz; Five Oaks and Massillon Woman’s Club; Richard Gercken; The Canton Symphony Orchestra; The Amherst Rose and Parlour Gift Shoppe; Kozmo’s Grille; St. Timothy’s Church; Massillon Family YMCA; Hampton Inn Massillon; and many community volunteers.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon. For more information about the book discussions or The Big Read, call 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org or www.NEABigRead.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Camille Leslie - Massillon Public Library Director - 330-833-9831

Margy Vogt - Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

Victorian Tea and Etiquette Program

Massillon Museum Hosts Victorian Tea and Etiquette Program

On Sunday, March 29, at 4:00 p.m., the Massillon Museum will host afternoon tea at Five Oaks, where guests will be surrounded by the splendor of Massillon’s finest Victorian mansion. The event, part of “The Big Read: Western Stark County Reads The Age of Innocence," accents the novel’s frequent allusions to etiquette rules of socially elite New Yorkers of the late 1800s.

“This will be a proper tea,” says Museum Educator Jill Malusky Bacon, who developed an appreciation for the tradition in England, while she studied in Manchester and managed a medieval hall in York. She says that three courses will be served in tiers: scones and cakes, tea sandwiches, and desserts.

“Having tea at Five Oaks will help guests feel the opulence described in The Age of Innocence, says Museum Executive Director Christine Shearer. J. Walter and Flora McClymonds built their Five Oaks mansion in 1894, at the height of The Gilded Age. Exquisite handcarved woodwork, gold-leaf wall decoration, a Tiffany window, the Moroccan leather billiards room, a ballroom, and a grand staircase made the home a model of wealthy Victorian life.

Following the tea, guests will learn about the intricacies of those etiquette rules from a national ettiquette expert Marja Barrett of Cincinnati. Barrett is an author, national speaker, trainer, and consultant on etiquette and social skills to top businesses—Fortune 500 corporations, health care and financial institutions, federal government agencies, schools, the hospitality industry, and universities. She has been honored by the YWCA, Administrative Management Association, the Internal Revenue Service, Central Region Federal Women’s Program, The House of Representatives, Commonwealth of Kentucky, City of Cincinnati, and the Cincinnati Enquirer as a “Woman of the Year” recipient. Barrett started her business in 1985 after a successful career as a professional model and managing director of the Kathleen Wellman School of Fashion and Modeling in Cincinnati.

The tea and etiquette program are open to the public. "If you have read or are reading The Age of Innocence, the tea will transport you for an afternoon to the era of the book. If you have not delved into the novel, perhaps the tea will inspire you to read it," says committee member Margy Vogt. Tickets, $25 per person, may be purchased in person at the Museum Museum or by phone at 330-833-4061. The Museum accepts cash, checks, Visa, and Mastercard. Reservations should be made by March 20.

The Big Read is a month-long celebration of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, funded by a competitive grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Massillon Rotary Foundation has provided additional funding to purchase copies of the book for classroom use. 2009 marks the second year the National Endowment for the Arts has granted funding for the Massillon Museum’s ambitious participation in The Big Read—a national initiative to help Americans return to reading for leisure.

The Big Read, the largest federal literature program since the W.P.A., is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.

Five Oaks is located at 210 Fourth Street, at the heart of Massillon's National Register historic district. The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon.

For more information about western Stark County’s Big Read project, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org or www.NEABigRead.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt - Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-844-1525

The Big Read Film: “The Age of Innocence”

MassMu Invites the Community to The Big Read Film: “The Age of Innocence”

The Massillon Museum, with the collaboration of the Massillon Public Library and Kent State University Stark Campus, will show the film, “The Age of Innocence,” as part of The Big Read.

On Thursday, March 19, at 7:00 p.m., “The Age of Innocence,” based on The Big Read book selection of the same name, will be shown in Main Hall at Kent State University Stark Campus, 6000 Frank Road Northwest. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Winona Ryder, the film tells a tale of 19th-century New York high society.

The film night, part of “The Big Read: Western Stark County Reads The Age of Innocence,” is free and open to the public. Ample free parking is available in visitor lots.

The Big Read is a month-long celebration of the classic work of fiction, The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton. The organizers selected the book because it depicts an era when Massillon’s industrialists and financiers reflected the social ways depicted in the novel. The Massillon Museum’s collections of furniture, clothing, art, china, and glassware represent their lifestyle.

The movie night is among two dozen events scheduled to encourage the community to read The Age of Innocence. A complete schedule of events is available at the Massillon Public Library, the Massillon Museum, or online at www.massillonmuseum.org.

Copies of The Age of Innocence may be checked out at the Massillon Public Library or purchased at the Massillon Museum, the Massillon Public Library, and The Village Bookshelf (746 Amherst Road Northeast in Massillon).

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.

Local organizations and individuals collaborating with the Massillon Museum include: the Massillon Public Library; the Lions Lincoln Theatre; Mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli; Dr. Leslie Heaphy, Dr. Robert Sturr, and Kent State University Stark Campus; Jason Norris; John Kiste and the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau; Rotary Club of Massillon; the Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce; The Independent; the Fairless, Jackson, Tuslaw, and Massillon school systems; State Representative Scott Oelslager; Massillon Cable TV; the Chit Chat Coffee Shop; George Nicholis; Camille Leslie; Brian Centrone; Eric Myers; Gretchen Schrantz; Five Oaks and Massillon Woman’s Club; Richard Gercken; The Canton Symphony Orchestra; The Amherst Rose and Parlour Gift Shoppe; Kozmo’s Grille; St. Timothy’s Church; Massillon Family YMCA; Hampton Inn Massillon; and many community volunteers.

For more information about the book discussions or The Big Read, call 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org or www.NEABigRead.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Camille Leslie - Massillon Public Library Director - 330-833-9831

Margy Vogt - Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

Victorian Salon Features Historical Characters

Massillon Museum’s Victorian Salon Features Historical Characters

Step into The Gilded Age for just one night on Sunday, March 22. Visit Massillon’s finest Victorian mansion, Five Oaks, for “Edith Wharton’s Salon,” where guests will mingle with famous 19th-century artists, writers, and political leaders. The event is part of the Massillon Museum’s project, “The Big Read: Western Stark County Reads The Age of Innocence.”

At the salon, which opens at 6:00 pm., Olivia Langdon Clemens (Jill Malusky Bacon) will share some of Mark Twain’s witticisms. Alex Nicholis will portray photographer Belle Johnson and Chris Craft will be John Singer Sargent for the night. Sandi Thouvenin will bring to life author Virginia Wolfe, and Mandy Pond will impersonate Massillon’s suffrage leader Caroline McCullough Everhard. With such an illustrious guest list, other literary figures are sure to show up.

The salon is open to everyone. Victorian costumes and characters are encouraged, but participants are always welcome to attend Museum events wearing appropriate contemporary attire. The $5 fee includes light refreshments. Advance reservations—requested but not required—may be made by calling the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or emailing info@massillonmuseum.org. The Museum accepts cash, checks, Visa, and Mastercard.

Five Oaks, now the home of the Massillon Woman’s Club, was the local epitome of the Victorian lifestyle depicted in The Age of Innocence. Its extravagant woodwork, Tiffany appointments, gold leaf wall designs, and period furnishings will create an ambiance reminiscent of social settings in The Age of Innocence. The early 1890s-era mansion is located at 210 Fourth Street Northeast in Massillon.

The Big Read is a month-long celebration of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, funded by a competitive grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Massillon Rotary Foundation has provided additional funding to purchase copies of the book for classroom use. 2009 marks the second year the National Endowment for the Arts has granted funding for the Massillon Museum’s ambitious participation in The Big Read—a national initiative to help Americans return to reading for leisure.

The Big Read, the largest federal literature program since the W.P.A., is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

For more information about western Stark County’s Big Read project, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org or www.NEABigRead.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt - Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

The Big Read Night of One-Acts to Star Local Thespians

The Big Read Night of One-Acts to Star Local Thespians

On Thursday, March 26, the Massillon Museum, with the collaboration of the Massillon Public Library, and Washington High School, will present an evening of original one-act plays relating to The Big Read and this year’s book selection, The Age of Innocence. Washington High School dramatics students will perform three plays under the direction of Eric J. Myers.

The evening will begin in the Washington High School auditorium at 7:00 p.m. with period music performed by members of the Canton Symphony Orchestra. The string quartet will perform between each of the plays.

Massillon Public Library Director Camille J. Leslie—a Georgia native fascinated by foreign languages, animals, folk music, and the The New York Times—wrote “A Heavenly View” for The Big Read project. The characters, representing actual people from Massillon’s history, depict a slice of local life during which an itinerant artist/cartographer began work on the 1870 birdseye view of Massillon. Joseph Morales (Nahum Russell), Samantha Smith (Esther Russell), Rebekah Seesan (Flora Russell), Dorroh Smith (Annie Russell), Alexis Jones (cousin Lucia), Kori Baker (Mary), Daniel Murphy (Albert), and Elizabeth Remley (Dorothy) will portray a scene in the Nahum and Esther Russell home on historic Fourth Street—later the home of the McClymonds Public Library, forerunner to Massillon Public Library.

Screenwriter George Nicholis is the full-time Public Relations Coordinator for Home and Garden Television in New York City. His original one-act for the Massillon Museum’s 2008 evening of one-act plays was well-received during the community's first Big Read project. Daniel Condo and Alexandria Burch will perform the two roles in “The Ghost,” Nicholis’s new play for this year.

Brian Centrone wrote “The Gilded Strings.” An accomplished short story writer, Centrone has an MA in Novel Writing from The University of Manchester (UK). He is an Adjunct Professor of English at SUNY/Westchester Community College (New York). Jenna Brinker plays Mrs. Winterguard, Tyler Bennett plays Howard, Elizabeth Remley is Nellie, and Kathryn Leffler is Ms. Shanksman.

Admission is free and open to all. No reservations are required. Washington High School is located at One Paul Brown Drive Southeast in Massillon.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.

For more information about western Stark County’s Big Read project, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org or www.NEABigRead.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Camille Leslie - Massillon Public Library Director - 330-833-9831

Margy Vogt - Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

Brown Bag Lunch Features “The Age of Innocence”

Brown Bag Lunch Features “The Age of Innocence”


Bring a sack lunch or purchase lunch from the Chit Chat Coffee Shop for the Massillon Museum’s next Brown Bag Lunch on Tuesday, March 24. Christine Fowler Shearer, Executive Director of the Massillon Museum, will speak about this year’s book selection for The Big Read—The Age of Innocence—and how it relates to Massillon’s era of greatest wealth and the legacy left by its most prominent families for the permanent collections of the Massillon Museum.

Shearer’s program will highlight the success of Massillon’s industrial and financial leaders during The Gilded Age, when Russell and Company was shipping steam engines across the nation, the Bucher Opera House was drawing leading national orators and musicians, and Fourth Street families were hosting dinners and balls and wedding receptions for hundreds of socialites. She will relate the Victorian era in Massillon to the characters and events in Edith Wharton’s novel, The Age of Innocence.

The Brown Bag Lunch, which is held in the Museum lobby, is free and open to the public; no reservations are required, but seats fill early.


Guests are invited to visit the Museum's Victorian displays in the second floor permanent collection gallery and in the lower level. Both have been installed in conjunction with The Big Read and its focus on the late nineteenth century.

Bates Printing sponsors the Brown Bag Lunch series, which is in its seventh year. In conjunction with the next main gallery exhibition, “Lewis Hine: Rise of a Landmark,” Michael Lasser will present April’s program: “The Hip-Hooray and Bally-Hoo: Popular Music’s Take on New York.” Massillon Police Captain Joe Herrick will present “CSI Massillon: Unsolved Murders” in May.

The Big Read is a month-long celebration of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, funded by a competitive grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. 2009 marks the second year the National Endowment for the Arts has granted funding for the Massillon Museum’s ambitious participation in The Big Read—a national initiative to help Americans return to reading for leisure.

The Big Read, the largest federal literature program since the W.P.A., is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

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


Media Contacts:
Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Director - 330-833-4061
Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum PR Coordinator & Lunch Series Chair - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

Book Discussions for Week Three of The Big Read

MassMu Book Discussions for Week Three of The Big Read

The Massillon Museum, with the collaboration of the Massillon Public Library, encourages the community to read for leisure with The Big Read, a month-long celebration of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. A series of one-hour book discussions offers readers the opportunity to talk about the book.

Richard Gercken, a former department head at Massillon Public Library, will lead a discussion at the Massillon Museum (121 Lincoln Way East) on Sunday, March 15, at 2:00 p.m. Kozmo’s Grille (37 First Street Southwest) will host a discussion on Wednesday, March 18, at 7:00 p.m.; Dr. Leslie Heaphy, Associate Professor, History, Kent State University Stark Campus, will moderate the session. The Massillon Museum will host another discussion on Friday, March 20, at 7:00 p.m. Dr. Robert Sturr, Associate Professor, English, Kent State University Stark Campus, will focus the conversation on the film, “The Age of Innocence,” which will be shown the previous evening at Kent State University Stark Campus.

Discussions are free and open to the public. Reservations are not required. The direction of the discussion changes with each session, so readers are encouraged to attend more than one. Additional discussions will be held later in the month: Hampton Inn Massillon—Monday, March 23, 7:00 p.m.; Massillon Family YMCA—Monday, March 25, 7:00 p.m.; St. Timothy’s Church—Saturday, March 28, 11:00 a.m.; and Massillon Public Library’s main branch—Tuesday, March 31, 7:00 p.m.

Copies of The Age of Innocence may be checked out at the Massillon Public Library. They may be purchased at the Massillon Museum (121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon), the Massillon Public Library (208 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon), and The Village Bookshelf (746 Amherst Road Northeast in Massillon).

The Age of Innocence is an appropriate reading level for high school students and adults. Free readers' guides are available at the Museum, the Library, and at offices and businesses throughout the area. Everyone who reads the book will be encouraged to sign a “Victorian calling card” to be displayed at the Museum or the Library.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.

Local organizations and individuals collaborating with the Massillon Museum include: the Massillon Public Library; the Lions Lincoln Theatre; Mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli; Dr. Leslie Heaphy, Dr. Robert Sturr, and Kent State University Stark Campus; Jason Norris; John Kiste and the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau; Rotary Club of Massillon; the Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce; The Independent; the Fairless, Jackson, Tuslaw, and Massillon school systems; State Representative Scott Oelslager; Massillon Cable TV; the Chit Chat Coffee Shop; George Nicholis; Camille Leslie; Brian Centrone; Eric Myers; Gretchen Schrantz; Five Oaks and Massillon Woman’s Club; Richard Gercken; The Canton Symphony Orchestra; The Amherst Rose and Parlour Gift Shoppe; Kozmo’s Grille; St. Timothy’s Church; Massillon Family YMCA; Hampton Inn Massillon; and many community volunteers.

Massillon Museum Executive Director Christine Shearer leads the local project. Massillon Public Library Director Camille Leslie, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator Margy Vogt, Museum Assistant Chris Craft, Dr. Leslie Heaphy of Kent State University, and Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce President Bob Sanderson serve on the committee.

For more information about the book discussions or The Big Read, call 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org or www.NEABigRead.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Camille Leslie - Massillon Public Library Director - 330-833-9831

Margy Vogt - Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

Massillon Museum Exhibits Reflect The Big Read Victorian Theme

Massillon Museum Exhibits Reflect The Big Read Victorian Theme

The Massillon Museum’s second floor permanent collections exhibition area will include a Victorian parlor during the month of March, which has been designated as western Stark County’s time to focus on The Big Read. The book selection for this year is Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, which is set during the last years of the 19th-century, The Victorian era.

Visitors can expect to see Victorian furniture, an Oriental rug, and decorative arts reflecting the lifestyle of Massillon’s industrialists and bankers who lived on historic Fourth Street and East Main Street, during the town’s wealthiest era, the late 1800s. “A look at the Victorian parlor can help provide a context for readers who are trying to imagine the setting of The Age of Innocence,” said Massillon Museum Executive Director Christine Shearer, who spearheads The Big Read. The story takes place in New York City, where Massillon’s socialites often visited to keep up with the times.

The new lower level lobby display features fans, lace-up shoes, and other accessories of The Gilded Age worn by local ladies more than a century ago.

Museum visitors can also see “Celebration in Art,” an exhibition of artwork by area students; The Immel Circus; “The Greatest Generation,” teapots, a man’s haori and tea ceremony objects in collaboration with Canton’s “Kimono as Art” exhibition; the sports gallery; and a timeline of Massillon and Massillon Museum history.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. For more information about western Stark County’s Big Read project, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org or www.NEABigRead.org.

Local organizations and individuals collaborating with the Massillon Museum include: the Massillon Public Library; the Lions Lincoln Theatre; Mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli; Dr. Leslie Heaphy, Dr. Robert Sturr, Dr. Anne Coen, Dr. Andrea Adolph, and Kent State University Stark Campus; Jason Norris; John Kiste and the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau; Rotary Club of Massillon; the Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce; The Independent; the Fairless, Jackson, Tuslaw, and Massillon school systems; State Representative Scott Oelslager; Gretchen Schrantz; Massillon Cable TV; the Chit Chat Coffee Shop; George Nicholis; Camille Leslie; Brian Centrone; Eric Myers; Richard Gercken; The Canton Symphony Orchestra; The Amherst Rose and Parlour Gift Shoppe; Kozmo’s Grille; St. Timothy’s Church; Massillon Family YMCA; Hampton Inn Massillon;and many community volunteers.

Copies of The Age of Innocence may be checked out at the Massillon Public Library. Books may be purchased at the Massillon Museum (121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon), the Massillon Public Library (208 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon), and The Village Bookshelf (746 Amherst Road Northeast in Massillon). Free readers' guides are available at the Museum, the Library, and at offices and businesses throughout the area. Everyone who reads the book will be encouraged to sign a “Victorian calling card” to be displayed at the Museum or the Library.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free.

Media Contact:
Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Photographs:
Mandy Pond - Massillon Museum Archivist - apond@massillonmuseum.org

Ohio Youth Ballet Will Wear Student-Created Kimono

Ohio Youth Ballet Will Wear Student-Created Kimono

More than 250 people attended the “Midori” Japanese-inspired fashion show on Saturday, February 21, at the Lions Lincoln Theatre—a collaborative project of the Massillon Museum, the Fashion Student Organization of Kent State University, and Arts in Stark.

Before the models and designers took the stage, guests viewed a display of kimono created by area students, which was displayed in the lobby, and voted for their favorites. The Fashion Student Organization designed the garments of plain fabric. Groups of students designed and decorated them to display in the community to promote the fashion show and to be judged by those who attended. They used paint, sequins, beads, stitching, applique, and other creative techniques to create an array of Japanese-inspired works of art.

High school students from Massillon Washington, Fairless, McKinley, Jackson, GlenOak, and Perry high schools as well as North Canton Public Library submitted their designs. Erin Sterling, Breann Sterling, and Allegra Gianfagna, high school students in Keri Burick’s North Canton Public Library Youth Manga Group, took first place in the high school category with their kimono design.

Younger students from Glenwood, Oakwood, Hartford, and Louisville middle schools; Sacred Heart of Mary School; Madge Youtz Elementary (with Stark Social Workers Network); and Massillon Public Library Junior Friends participated. Oakwood eighth graders Kayla Kayatin and Katie Scott, under the supervision of art teacher Susan Blurton, took the prize for the favorite kimono in the younger division.

The kimono will next appear on March 7 at Westfield Shopping Center, Belden Village, where they will be featured in a fashion show at 1:00 p.m. The Ohio Youth Ballet will wear them during their performances on March 27 and 28 at the Northeast Ohio Dance Fest; on April 13 at Kent State University Stark Campus at 5:00 p.m; and on April 26 at the closing ceremony for the “Kimono as Art” exhibition at Canton Country Day School, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

The “Midori” project was funded by Arts In Stark in conjunction with the “Kimono as Art” exhibit at the Canton Museum of Art; the Massillon Museum sponsored “Midori,” and the countywide display of original kimono; and the Fashion Student Organization created and coordinated the fashion show.

Media Contact:

Alexandra Nicholis, Massillon Museum Curator - anicholis@massillonmuseum.org or 330-833-4061

Photograph:

Back view of Oakwood Middle School's winning kimono

More images or higher resolution:

Mandy Pond, Massillon Museum Archivist - apond@massillonmuseum.org or 330-833-4061

The Big Read Keynote and Symposium

The Big Read Keynote and Symposium

The Massillon Museum, with the collaboration of the Massillon Public Library, and Kent State University Stark Campus, will present a keynote address on Thursday, March 12, and a symposium on Saturday, March 14, both relating to The Big Read and this year’s book selection, The Age of Innocence. The Museum and collaborating institutions and individuals will celebrate The Big Read throughout the month of March.

Keynote

Edith Wharton scholar Carol Singley will present the Keynote program in the auditorium of the Fine Arts Building at Kent State University Stark Campus on Thursday, March 12, at 7:00 p.m. State Representative Scott Oelslager will comment on "The Big Read: Western Stark County Reads The Age of Innocence" and introduce the speaker. The program is free and no reservations are required.

Singley is Associate Professor of English at Rutgers University-Camden, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in American literature and culture, women’s literature, and the literature of childhood. She directs the undergraduate Liberal Studies program, co-directs the American Studies program, and is a fellow at the Center for Children and Childhood Studies.

An internationally known scholar of Edith Wharton, she is the author of Edith Wharton: Matters of Mind and Spirit (Cambridge University Press, 1995, paperback 1998). She is editor of the New Riverside Edition of The Age of Innocence (2000), with more than 500 notes on the novel and selected readings. She is editor of The Historical Guide to Edith Wharton, published by Oxford University Press (3003), a collection of original essays on Wharton in historical context. She is also the editor of Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth: A Casebook (Oxford University Press, 2003), a book of essays on the novel. She is past president of the Edith Wharton Society.

Carol Singley has published articles on nineteenth- and twentieth-century American writers, feminist theory, composition and rhetoric, and peer tutoring. She edited two collections of scholarly essays: Anxious Power: Reading, Writing, and Ambivalence in Narrative by Women (State University of New York Press, 1993) and The Calvinist Roots of the Modern Era (University Press of New England, 1997).

She is currently writing a book on representations of adoption in American literature and culture, which includes chapters on Wharton’s novel Summer and novella The Old Maid. This book examines adoption practices and attitudes toward adoption in the literature from colonial times to the twentieth century. She is co-founder and co-chair of the Alliance for the Study of Adoption, Identity and Kinship, an organization of scholars from diverse disciplines interested adoption and related issues such as personal and society identity and family construction. An adoptive mother, she lives in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, with her husband and two sons.

Symposium

The symposium, which is open to everyone, will offer contact hours for English, art, and history teachers who participate. Advance registration is required. Sign-in will begin at Kent State University Stark Campus at 9:00 a.m. and the symposium will conclude at 3:00 p.m. The $15 registration fee includes lunch.

Individual sessions will focus on cultural topics related to Edith Wharton’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Age of Innocence. Dr. Ann Coen will discuss the art The Gilded Age; Dr. Leslie Heaphy will address the historical context of the book and Wharton’s life; Dr. Andrea Adolph will talk about feminism of the era and how it is exhibited in women’s literature of the time (c. 1890–1914); and Christine Shearer and Jill Malusky Bacon of the Massillon Museum will lead an interdisciplinary discussion about the architecture and social environment of The Gilded Age.

Contact the Massillon Museum for registration and credit information: 330-833-4061.

General Information about “The Big Read: Western Stark County Reads The Age of Innocence”

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

Local organizations and individuals collaborating with the Massillon Museum include: the Massillon Public Library; the Lions Lincoln Theatre; Mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli; Dr. Leslie Heaphy, Dr. Robert Sturr, Dr. Anne Coen, Dr. Andrea Adolph, and Kent State University Stark Campus; Jason Norris; John Kiste and the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau; Rotary Club of Massillon; the Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce; The Independent; the Fairless, Jackson, Tuslaw, and Massillon school systems; State Representative Scott Oelslager; Gretchen Schrantz; Massillon Cable TV; the Chit Chat Coffee Shop; George Nicholis; Camille Leslie; Brian Centrone; Eric Myers; Richard Gercken; The Canton Symphony Orchestra; The Amherst Rose and Parlour Gift Shoppe; Kozmo’s Grille; St. Timothy’s Church; Massillon Family YMCA; Hampton Inn Massillon;and many community volunteers.

Copies of The Age of Innocence may be checked out at the Massillon Public Library. Books may be purchased at the Massillon Museum (121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon), the Massillon Public Library (208 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon), and The Village Bookshelf (746 Amherst Road Northeast in Massillon). Free readers' guides are available at the Museum, the Library, and at offices and businesses throughout the area. Everyone who reads the book will be encouraged to sign a “Victorian calling card” to be displayed at the Museum or the Library.

For more information about western Stark County’s Big Read project, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit

www.massillonmuseum.org or www.NEABigRead.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Camille Leslie - Massillon Public Library Director - 330-833-9831

Jill Malusky Bacon - Massillon Museum Educator - 330-833-4061

Tickets remain for Massillon Museum's Michael Searching Bear Concert

Tickets remain for Massillon Museum's Michael Searching Bear Concert

Tickets remain available for the Massillon Museum’s March 7th Rhythms concert featuring Michael Searching Bear, a Native American of Eastern Cherokee and Powhatan descent. The doors will open for social time in the lobby at 7:30 p.m.; the concert will begin at 8:00 p.m.

An accomplished musician with more than 35 years of experience as a performance and studio musician, Michael Searching Bear’s love of music and search for his native heritage led him to the Native American wood flute. He plays the electric, acoustic, and classical guitars, and studies music theory, history, and ethnomusicology. Michael Searching Bear makes his entire career as a musician, performer, educator, and Native American wood flute maker. He teaches Native American culture across the country in historical societies, businesses, native arts organizations, colleges, day care facilities, and national events.

The $20 per-person pre-sale ($18 for Massillon Museum members) may be purchased in advance by calling the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or by visiting www.massillonmuseum.org. Tickets will be sold at the door ($22 non-members, $20 Massillon Museum members) as long as seats remain available. Cash, checks, and Visa and MasterCard are accepted. The concert is open to the public.

Guests who attend the concert will also have the opportunity between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. to attend the Studio M exhibition opening for artwork by members of the East Central Region of the Ohio Art Education Association in the Fred F. Silk Community Room in the Museum’s lower level. Light refreshments will be served at the opening; wine will be available for purchase in the lobby.

Community members have stepped forward to make the Museum’s music series possible: In Tribute of Kevin Alden Hunt; Mel and Ann Herncane; Affinity Medical Center; A.A. Hammersmith Insurance, Inc.; Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffith and Dougherty Co.; FirstMerit; The Health Plan HomeTown Region; and The Eye Clinic, Inc. WKSU is the media sponsor. Grant support is provided by the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, Ohio Arts Council, and Arts in Stark.

The Massillon Museum hosts five out-of-the-mainstream concerts in the intimate setting of its main gallery to broaden the arts that it offers to the community. The final concert of the 2008–2009 season will feature trumpet virtuoso Dominick Farinacci (www.dominickfarinacci.com) on March 28.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East, in downtown Massillon. Free parking is available on adjacent streets and in nearby city lots. For more information, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

Gilded Age Ball Introduces The Big Read

Gilded Age Ball Introduces The Big Read

Tickets remain for the Massillon Museum’s “Gilded Age Ball” on Saturday, February 28. A Canton Symphony Orchestra octet will play music from the late 1800s for dancing in the gallery of the Massillon Museum. Guests can expect a strolling magician—Brent Schneider, a performance by the Ohio Youth Ballet, Ananda Center dancers, dance cards and nosegays, and other Victorian-era entertainment.

The event will launch The Big Read 2009. The event will start at 8:00 p.m. and conclude at midnight, when free copies of The Age of Innocence will be distributed to all who attend. This year’s book selection, The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, portrays social life during The Gilded Age—the late 1800s and the turn of the 20th century.

Costumes and period clothing are encouraged, but not required. Massillon Museum Executive Director Christine Shearer, who leads The Big Read project says, “The staff and committee will be in ball gowns and tuxedos. We will evoke enough Victorian atmosphere to make anyone comfortable who wants to come in costume. But we know that many guests will prefer to wear contemporary clothes.”

The Big Read will be a month-long celebration of The Age of Innocence, funded by a competitive grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Massillon Rotary Foundation has provided additional funding to purchase copies of the book for classroom use. 2009 marks the second year the National Endowment for the Arts has granted funding for the Massillon Museum’s ambitious participation in The Big Read—a national initiative to help Americans return to reading for leisure.

The Big Read, the largest federal literature program since the W.P.A., is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

Tickets for The Gilded Age Ball—$25 per person—include refreshments. They are available at the Massillon Museum in person, by phone (330-833-4061), or online at www.massillonmuseum.org. The Museum accepts cash, checks, Visa, and Mastercard.

Gretchen Schrantz chairs “The Gilded Age Ball.” Barb Moran of Moran Interiors in Canton is providing decorations.

For more information about western Stark County’s Big Read project, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org or www.NEABigRead.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt - Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-844-1525

Art Educators to Be Featured in Studio M Exhibition

Art Educators to Be Featured in Studio M Exhibition

The Massillon Museum will feature artwork by members of the East Central Region of the Ohio Art Education Association (OAEA) in Studio M from Saturday, March 7, through April 12, 2009. This is the third annual art teachers’ exhibition, the first at the Massillon Museum. Participants are certified to teach kindergarten through high school and higher education. They represent six counties and a variety of media.

The exhibition will open on Saturday, March 7, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., in the Massillon Museum's Fred F. Silk Community Room. The public is invited to view the artwork, meet some of the artists, and enjoy refreshments. As always, a visit to the Massillon Museum is free. No reservations are necessary.

Among the exhibiting artists will be: Randy Robart, Rittman High School; Matt Ramseyer, Orrville High School; Gary Spangler, Malone University; Sherri Dennis, Triway High School (retired); Pat Anderson, Triway High School; Hope Long, Wooster High School (retired); Julie Fisher, North Western High School (retired); Chris Triner, Hoover High School; Linda Litterdale, Canton South High School (retired); Rachel Tisher, Rittman Schools (art substitute); and Kathy Matthews, United Local High School. Spangler, a former Massillon Museum assistant, is coordinating the OAEA show with Massillon Museum Curator Alexandra Nicholis, who organizes and installs Studio M exhibitions.

The Ohio Art Education Association’s membership is open to art educators, retired art educators, college students, and any professional organization as an associate member. The association sponsors exhibits for elementary, high school, and college students at the regional and state level. To encourage current and future art educators, the association provides two teacher incentive grants and two scholarships for students pursuing licensure in art education. The OAEA is one of the largest associations in the United States.

The Massilon Musem will also host a Rhythms concert on the evening of the Studio M opening. Michael Searching Bear’s Native American music concert begins at 8:00 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door for $22 ($20 Massillon Museum members). Advance sale discounts are available now (330-833-4061 or massillonmuseum.org).

Studio M was initiated to strengthen the collaboration between the Museum and the community by showcasing the artistic talents of local, regional, and national artists. Exhibitions are selected by jurors from proposals submitted by artists. Brochures containing guidelines and an application are available by contacting the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or www.massillonmuseum.org.

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

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061 or cshearer@massillonmuseum.org

Alexandra Nicholis, Massillon Museum Curator - 330-833-4061 or anicholis@massillonmuseum.org

Book Discussions for Week One of The Big Read

Book Discussions for Week One of The Big Read

Throughout March, the Massillon Museum, with the collaboration of the Massillon Public Library, will sponsor ten book discussions as part of The Big Read, a month-long celebration of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. The community is encouraged to read the book.

Massillon Public Library (208 Lincon Way East) will host two one-hour discussions during the first week of The Big Read. Dr. Leslie Heaphy—Associate Professor, History, Kent State University Stark Campus—will moderate the first at the main branch at 208 Lincoln Way East on Monday, March 2, at 7:00 p.m. This discussion will focus on the author, Edith Wharton. Former Massillon Public Library department head Richard Gercken will lead a discussion centered on the book on Saturday, March 7, at 11:00 a.m., at the Library’s Barry Askren Memorial Branch (1200 Market Street N.E. in Navarre—next to the Towpath YMCA).

Discussions are free and open to the public. Reservations are not required. Additional discussions will be held later in the month: Amherst Rose—Tuesday, March 10, 7:00 p.m.; Massillon Museum—Sunday, March 15, 2:00 p.m.; Kozmo’s Grille—Wednesday, March 18, 7:00 p.m.; Massillon Museum—Friday, March 20, 7:00 p.m.; Hampton Inn Massillon—Monday, March 23, 7:00 p.m.; Massillon Family YMCA—Monday, March 25, 7:00 p.m.; St. Timothy’s Church—Saturday, March 28, 11:00 a.m.; and Massillon Public Library’s main branch—Tuesday, March 31, 7:00 p.m.

Copies of The Age of Innocence may be checked out at the Massillon Public Library. They may be purchased at the Massillon Museum (121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon), the Massillon Public Library (208 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon), and The Village Bookshelf (746 Amherst Road Northeast in Massillon).

The Age of Innocence is an appropriate reading level for high school students and adults. Free readers' guides are available at the Museum, the Library, and at offices and businesses throughout the area. Everyone who reads the book will be encouraged to sign a “Victorian calling card” to be displayed at the Museum or the Library.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.

Local organizations and individuals collaborating with the Massillon Museum include: the Massillon Public Library; the Lions Lincoln Theatre; Mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli; Dr. Leslie Heaphy, Dr. Robert Sturr, and Kent State University Stark Campus; Jason Norris; John Kiste and the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau; Rotary Club of Massillon; the Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce; The Independent; the Fairless, Jackson, Tuslaw, and Massillon school systems; State Representative Scott Oelslager; Massillon Cable TV; the Chit Chat Coffee Shop; George Nicholis; Camille Leslie; Brian Centrone; Eric Myers; Gretchen Schrantz; Five Oaks and Massillon Woman’s Club; Richard Gercken; The Canton Symphony Orchestra; The Amherst Rose and Parlour Gift Shoppe; Kozmo’s Grille; St. Timothy’s Church; Massillon Family YMCA; Hampton Inn Massillon; and many community volunteers.

Massillon Museum Executive Director Christine Shearer leads the local project. Massillon Public Library Director Camille Leslie, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator Margy Vogt, Museum Assistant Chris Craft, Dr. Leslie Heaphy of Kent State University, and Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce President Bob Sanderson serve on the committee.

For more information about the book discussions or The Big Read, call 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org or www.NEABigRead.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Camille Leslie - Massillon Public Library Director - 330-833-9831

Margy Vogt - Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

Massillon Museum Board Meeting

Massillon Museum Board Meeting

The Massillon Museum Board of Directors will hold its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, February 26, at 4:00 p.m., in the Fred F. Silk Community Room at the Massillon Museum, 121 Lincoln Way East, in downtown Massillon.

Museum Board officers who were elected at the annual meeting in January are: Jeff McMahan, Chairman; Shane Jackson, Vice-Chairman; Margaret Cocklin, Treasurer; Maude Slagle, Secretary; and Nancy Gessner, Past Chairman.

For information about the Massillon Museum, call 330-833-4061 or visit massillonmuseum.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Public Relations Coordinator - 330-844-1525 or vogt@sssnet.com

MassMu Hosts Celebration in Art Exhibition

Massillon Museum Hosts Celebration in Art Exhibition

The Massillon Museum will host its annual “Celebration in Art” exhibition from March 1 through March 29. The show features the artistic achievements of children, grades kindergarten through high school, from Massillon area schools. About 500 works of art are traditionally included.

The exhibition will open with a reception for the young artists on Sunday, March 1, from 2:00 to 5:00, in the main gallery of the Massillon Museum. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.

Student work will be included from 22 area schools: Bowers, Franklin, Gorrell, Emerson, Whittier, Fairless, Northwest, Reedurban, T.C. Knapp, Watson, and Whipple Heights elementary schools; Jackson, Massillon, and Tuslaw middle schools; Edison Junior High School; Fairless, Jackson, Massillon Washington, Perry, and Tuslaw High Schools; and St. Barbara’s and St. Mary’s Schools.

Jill Malusky Bacon, Museum Educator, is coordinating the exhibition, which may be seen through March 29 during regular Museum hours: Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Visitors can also enjoy the Immel Circus, exhibits featuring the Victorian era (relating to “The Big Read: Western Stark County Reads The Age of Innocence”), the sports gallery, and “The Greatest Generation” exhibition. Artwork by members of the East Central Region of the Ohio Art Education Association may be seen beginning on March 7 in Studio M.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon. For more information, contact the Museum at 330-833-4061 or www.massillonmuseum.org. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Director - 330-833-4061

Jill Mlusky Bacon, Museum Educator - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

MassMu Invites the Community to The Big Read Film Series

MassMu Invites the Community to The Big Read Film Series

The Massillon Museum, with the collaboration of the Massillon Public Library, will present a free three-part film series related to Edith Wharton’s novel, The Age of Innocence, as part of The Big Read. A film will be shown in the Massillon Public Library auditorium at 7:00 p.m. each evening. Guests are asked to use the Library’s canopied street-level entrance on Second Street Northeast.

On Friday, March 6, the movie, “The Age of Innocence,” based on The Big Read book selection for 2009, will kick off the series. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Winona Ryder, it is a tale of 19th-century New York high society.

Saturday’s film (March 7) will be “House of Mirth” starring Gillian Anderson and Dan Aykroyd, the film adaptation of another Wharton novel. One of the first novels of manners in American literature, it is about New York socialite Lily Bart’s attempt to secure a husband and a place in rich society.

The film on Sunday, March 8, will be the 1997 version of “In Love and War” starring Sandra Bullock and Chris O’Donnell, based on the semi-autobiographical Ernest Hemingway novel by the same name. The story is told from the point of view of an injured soldier who falls in love with his nurse during World War I, which marked the end of The Gilded Age, Wharton’s “age of innocence.” It was just after the war that she penned her Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Age of Innocence.

The film series, part of “The Big Read: Western Stark County Reads The Age of Innocence,” is free and open to the public. The Big Read is a month-long celebration of leisure reading. The organizers selected the book because it depicts an era when Massillon’s industrialists and financiers reflected the social ways pictured in the novel. The Massillon Museum’s collections of furniture, clothing, art, china, and glassware represent their lifestyle.

The movie nights are among two dozen events scheduled to encourage the community to read The Age of Innocence. A complete schedule of events is available at the Massillon Public Library, the Massillon Museum, or online at www.massillonmuseum.org.

Copies of The Age of Innocence may be checked out at the Massillon Public Library or purchased at the Massillon Museum, the Massillon Public Library, and The Village Bookshelf (746 Amherst Road Northeast in Massillon).

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.

Local organizations and individuals collaborating with the Massillon Museum include: the Massillon Public Library; the Lions Lincoln Theatre; Mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli; Dr. Leslie Heaphy, Dr. Robert Sturr, Dr. Andrea Adolph, Dr. Ann Coen, and Kent State University Stark Campus; Jason Norris; John Kiste and the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau; Rotary Club of Massillon; the Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce; The Independent; the Fairless, Jackson, Tuslaw, and Massillon school systems; State Representative Scott Oelslager; Massillon Cable TV; the Chit Chat Coffee Shop; George Nicholis; Camille Leslie; Brian Centrone; Eric Myers; Gretchen Schrantz; Five Oaks and Massillon Woman’s Club; Richard Gercken; The Canton Symphony Orchestra; The Amherst Rose and Parlour Gift Shoppe; Kozmo’s Grille; St. Timothy’s Church; Massillon Family YMCA; Hampton Inn Massillon; and many community volunteers.

For more information about the book discussions or The Big Read, call 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org or www.NEABigRead.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Camille Leslie - Massillon Public Library Director - 330-832-9831

Margy Vogt - Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-844-1525

Brown Bag Features 19th-Century Medicine

MassMu Brown Bag Features 19th-Century Medicine

Matt Lautzenheiser, Director of the Dover Historical Society and J.E. Reeves Home, will speak on Tuesday, February 24, at the Massillon Museum’s Brown Bag Lunch.

The program, “Lancets, Leeches, and Laudanum: A Short History of Medicine in 19th-Century Ohio,” will focus on alternative medicines, common cures, and remedies used during the 1800s in Northeast Ohio. He will discuss early medical training and will cover some early phyicians of Stark County.

Lautzenheiser, a native of Dover, Ohio, has served as the director of the local historical society and J.E. Reeves Victorian Home since 2005. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hiram College and a Master of Arts from the University of Akron. While at Akron, he worked part-time at Hale Farm and Village as an interpreter. After graduation, he joined Hale Farm in a full-time capacity as the site’s historian.

Lautzenheiser has introduced new programs and events to the Dover Historical Society including the “Moonlight Picnic and Wine Tasting,” an Oktoberfest, a lecture series, and a living history program—”Backdoors and Backstairs: A Visit with the Reeves Housekeeper.” He is currently working on a book for Arcadia Press under their Images of America Series. The book will be a photographic history of Dover. Matt lives in Nimishellen Township, Stark County, with his wife Kelly and two sons.

Brown Bag guests may bring a sack lunch or purchase lunch from the Chit Chat Coffee Shop in the lobby of the Museum. The Museum will serve free cookies and coffee.

The program will begin promptly at 12:10 p.m. and conclude about 12:50 p.m. to accommodate guests who attend during the lunch hour.

The event, which is held in the Museum lobby, is free and open to the public; no reservations are required, but seats fill early. The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon. For more information, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org.

Bates Printing sponsors the Brown Bag Lunch series, which is in its seventh year. Schedules for the first half of the 2009 series will be available at the event.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Director - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Museum Public Relations & Lunch Series Chair - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

Soup Lunch Benefit at the Massillon Museum

Soup Lunch Benefit at the Massillon Museum

The Massillon Museum’s fifth annual “Soup Up Your Support” lunch will be held on Wednesday, March 11. The soup lunch will be served from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. in the Museum lobby and the Chit Chat Coffee Shop at the Massillon Museum. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Museum.

Pottery soup bowls—handcrafted and donated by volunteers and off-duty staff members—will be displayed in the lobby of the Museum beginning on March 4. Museum friends are invited to choose a bowl and purchase it for a minimum donation of $15. Payment secures a reservation for the lunch.

Supporters may phone in “soup” reservations with Visa or Mastercard (330-833-4061), or they may make their reservations in person with cash, check, or credit card, which will provide the opportunity to select bowls in advance. Advance purchases will be tagged and displayed in the lobby until March 11 to show each contributor’s support of the Museum.

Bowls may be selected during all Museum hours: Tuesday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

On the day of the lunch, each bowl will be filled once—at no charge—with soup from the Chit Chat Coffee Shop, which is now located in the Museum lobby. The lunch will include bread, dessert, and iced tea or lemonade.

Those who have created the bowls are: Jill Malusky Bacon, Libby Bracy, Christopher Craft, Flora Csejtey, Sylvia DeMarco, Keith George, Jacqueline Holmes, Angela Klusty, Judith Lancaster, Brittany Mazur, Clarice Nelson, Alexandra Nicholis, Judy Paquelet, Scot Phillips, Gloria Pope, Holly Reiber, Amanda Roberts, Bob Sanderson, Missy Schreckengost, Christine Shearer, Sandi Thouvenin, and Jessica Yoder.

The Kent Area Chapter of Links, Inc. offered special support and Aqua Ohio sponsored the clay and glazes.

“The soup lunch is one of the many ways that Museum supporters can contribute and be a part of the Massillon Museum,” Shearer says. “Most of all, we want people to participate here at the Museum, to know that this is their Museum.” This is a fun event to attend, she said. “The lobby is filled with people enjoying great soup, lively conversation, and original art. It’s casual. Some people eat and leave; others stay to see who’s coming next.”

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way, East, in downtown Massillon. Call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org for details.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Director - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

“Do the Mu!”—Celebrating Victorian Style

“Do the Mu!”—Celebrating Victorian Style

On Saturday, March 7, the Massillon Museum will celebrate Victorian style for its third monthly “Do the Mu” program. Families and individuals are invited to join staff members between noon and 2:00 p.m. for a tour of the second-floor Victorian parlor exhibit and the lower level lobby display on The Gilded Age. Participants will be treated to tea and sweets, and then, using the Victorian "language of flowers," they will be encouraged to make a tussie mussie or butionaire.

The March “Do the Mu” is based on the Massillon Museum’s second annual National Endowment for the Arts grant project, “The Big Read: Western Stark County Reads The Age of Innocence.”

The popular new “Do the Mu” program, instituted by the Massillon Museum’s educator, Jill Malusky Bacon, is free and open to all. Participants may drop in any time between noon and 2:00 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month, for a special talk and an arts activity. No pre-registration is required. "Do the Mu" is one of many free activities for families at the Massillon Museum.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East (Ohio Route 172) in downtown Massillon. A visit to the Massillon Museum is always free. 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

MassMu and Glenmoor CC Call for Artists

MassMu and Glenmoor CC Call for Artists

The Massillon Museum will present, in collaboration with Glenmoor Country Club, the inaugural edition of an outdoor art fair, “Gallery on the Greens,” on Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12, on the grounds of Glenmoor. White tents filled with original art will line the boulevard that leads to the clubhouse.

Admission to the show will be just $5 (free for members of the Massillon Museum) to encourage artists’ sales. Each artist will be responsible for his own space and sales.

Artists’ applications are now available for the juried show. Any Ohio artist is eligible to submit a proposal. Tents (10x10 feet), tables, chairs, and overnight security will be provided as part of the entry fee—$150 before March 15 or $250 after that deadline. Additional space, tents, tables, and chairs can be provided for an additional fee. The entry fee will not be due until the time of acceptance.

All media will be eligible. Artists will submit digital images of their work for consideration by the jurors. Cash awards totalling $600 will be awarded.

Artists may obtain entry forms with complete application information by contacting Sandi Thouvenin at the Massillon Museum, 330-833-4061 or sthouvenin@massillonmuseum.org.

Glenmoor Country Club is located at 4191 Glenmoor Road Northwest in Canton. The Gallery on the Greens will include a patron reception and silent auction on Friday, July 10, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.; the two-day public outdoor show on July 11 and 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; and a golf outing at Glenmoor Country Club on Monday, July 13. Proceeds from the preview night, the art show, and the golf outing will benefit the Massillon Museum.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Sandi Thouvenin - Massillon Museum Volunteer & Special Events Coordinator - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt - Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-832-8469

MassMu Hosts Michael Searching Bear Concert

Massillon Museum Hosts Michael Searching Bear Concert

Michael Searching Bear, a Native American of Eastern Cherokee and Powhatan descent, will perform at the Massillon Museum’s Rhythms Concert on Saturday, March 7. The doors will open for social time in the lobby at 7:30 p.m.; the concert will begin at 8:00 p.m.

An accomplished musician, Michael Searching Bear’s love of music and search for his native heritage led him to the Native American wood flute. With more than 35 years of experience as a performance and studio musician—as a drummer and percussionist—he developed his talents and perfected his gift for mastering intricate rhythms. He later learned the electric, acoustic, and classical guitars, as well as music theory, history, and ethnomusicology. With this knowledge, Michael Searching Bear desired to incorporate many types of instruments and backgrounds into his compositions.

Michael Searching Bear makes his entire career as a musician, performer, educator, and Native American wood flute maker. He teaches Native American culture across the country in historical societies, businesses, native arts organizations, colleges, day care facilities, and national events.

He was a 2008 Native American Music Award nominee and a Spirit Wind Records Silver Arrow Award winner for outstanding contribution to Native American music in 2008. He was a presenter at the annual Native American Music Awards (Nammy's) in 2007 and 2008, and he was nominated in 2007 for the Aboriginal People's Choice Awards in three categories. In 2006, he earned the Just Plain Folk Music Award for album of the year for “Voice From Within” and was nominated for song of the year for “The Gathering.” That year he was nominated in six categories for the Native American Music Awards. His music has been heard on The History Channel's "Windtalkers" weekly radio show; Kulture Kids; and spots for ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC.

The $20 per-person pre-sale ($18 for Massillon Museum members) may be purchased in advance by calling the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or by visiting www.massillonmuseum.org. Tickets will be sold at the door ($22 non-members, $20 Massillon Museum members) as long as seats remain available. Cash, checks, and Visa and MasterCard are accepted. The concert is open to the public.

Community members have stepped forward to make the Museum’s music series possible: In Tribute of Kevin Alden Hunt; Mel and Ann Herncane; Affinity Medical Center; A.A. Hammersmith Insurance, Inc.; Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffith and Dougherty Co.; FirstMerit; The Health Plan HomeTown Region; and The Eye Clinic, Inc. WKSU is the media sponsor. Grant support is provided by the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, Ohio Arts Council, and Arts in Stark.

The Massillon Museum hosts five out-of-the-mainstream concerts in the intimate setting of its main gallery to broaden the arts that it offers to the community. The final concert of the 2008–2009 season will feature trumpet virtuoso Dominick Farinacci (www.dominickfarinacci.com) on March 28.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East, in downtown Massillon. Free parking is available on adjacent streets and in nearby city lots.

For more information, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

Massillon Museum History Group To Meet

Massillon Museum History Group To Meet

The Massillon Museum’s History Discussion Group, “Massillon Remembers,” will talk about old-time home remedies at its monthly session at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 3, at the Museum. Participants may tell about their personal experiences and family tales. Bringing objects and photographs to illustrate the stories enlivens conversation. Chris Craft moderates the discussion.

The History Group meets on the first Tuesday of every month from 10:00 a.m. until noon to chat casually about a pre-announced topic, usually a narrow segment of Massillon history. The April subject will be old-time radios and radio shows.

The “Massillon Remembers” group is free and open to everyone; new participants are welcome at any time. Some people come to every session; others attend when the topic is of particular interest. No reservations are required.

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

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Chris Craft, History Group Moderator - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-832-8469 / 330-844-1525

Massillon Museum Launches The Big Read

Massillon Museum Launches The Big Read

The Massillon Museum, with the collaboration of the Massillon Public Library, has designated March as “The Big Read” month in western Stark County. It will be a month-long celebration of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, funded by a competitive grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Massillon Rotary Foundation has provided additional funding to purchase copies of the book for classroom use.

Organizers selected the classic, The Age of Innocence, because the Victorian Age depicted in the book is the era most strongly reflected by the Massillon Museum’s permanent collection.

Events will include a book give-away, a Victorian parlor exhibition, ten book discussions, The Gilded Age Ball, a film series, a stage presentation of one-act plays, a brown bag lunch, an archery demonstration, a salon, and a Victorian etiquette program with afternoon tea at Five Oaks. At Kent State Stark Campus, national Wharton expert Carol Singley will present a keynote address and art and literature educators will lead a symposium.

2009 marks the second year the National Endowment for the Arts has granted funding for the Massillon Museum’s ambitious participation in The Big Read—a national initiative to help Americans return to reading for leisure. “The Massillon Museum sought this second NEA grant to help us continue to engage the community in an activity that everyone can enjoy together. We’re thrilled with the enthusiastic collaboration of more than two dozen individuals and organizations within western Stark County,” said Massillon Museum Executive Director Christine Shearer.

Local organizations and individuals collaborating with the Massillon Museum include: the Massillon Public Library, the Lions Lincoln Theatre, Mayor Francis H. Cicchinelli, Dr. Leslie Heaphy and Kent State University Stark Campus, John Kiste and the Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, Rotary Club of Massillon, the Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce, The Independent, the Fairless, Jackson, Tuslaw, and Massillon school systems, State Representative Scott Oelslager, Massillon Cable TV, the Chit Chat Coffee Shop, George Nicholis, Camille Leslie, Brian Centrone, Eric Myers, Richard Gercken, The Canton Symphony Orchestra, Amherst Rose, Kozmo’s Grille, St. Timothy’s Church, Massillon Family YMCA, Hampton Inn Massillon,and many community volunteers.

Copies of The Age of Innocence may be checked out at the Massillon Public Library, which has bolstered its Edith Wharton collection for The Big Read. Reasonably-priced paperback books may be purchased at the Massillon Museum (121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon), the Massillon Public Library (208 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon), and The Village Bookshelf (746 Amherst Road Northeast in Massillon).

The Age of Innocence is an appropriate reading level for high school students and adults. Free readers' guides will be available at the Museum, the Library, and at offices and businesses throughout the area. Everyone who reads the book will be encouraged to sign a “Victorian calling card” to be displayed at the Museum or the Library.

The Big Read, the largest federal literature program since the W.P.A., is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment. Individual communities may choose from among 23 book selections from American and world literature. Since the program’s national launch in 2006, the NEA has funded more than 500 Big Read programs.

Massillon Museum Executive Director Christine Shearer leads the local project. Massillon Public Library Director Camille Leslie, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator Margy Vogt, Museum Assistant Chris Craft, Dr. Leslie Heaphy of Kent State University, and Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce President Bob Sanderson serve on the committee.

For more information about western Stark County’s Big Read project, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org or www.NEABigRead.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Camille Leslie - Massillon Public Library Director - 330-833-9831

Margy Vogt - Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

New play tells the story of Kimono artist

New play tells the story of Kimono artist

Kimono artist Itchiku Kubota is the subject of a play co-authored by Lois DiGiacomo and Frank Motz. The performance of "Master Kubota and Me" will be held on Friday, March 20, at 7pm in Cable Recital Hall, and is organized by Soroptimist International of Canton/Stark County. Admission to the play is free. The local Soroptimist club was one of the recipients of an ArtsinStark grant to create a program connected to the Kimono as Art exhibit.

Lois DiGiacomo, Soroptimist member and host of the local television program, State of the Arts, says that “The audience will learn about Itchiku Kubota's life through this play.” DiGiacomo, the creative force behind this play, is well known in Stark County for her connection to the arts. As the founder of the Rainbow Repertory Company and Canton Cabaret, Lois brings her years of theatre experience to this project. In collaboration with Frank Motz, the two arrived at the premise for the play rather quickly. “I called upon Frank for artistic advice since I knew him to be a very gifted writer and dramatist. He was inspired by the direction I wanted to take the play and chose to collaborate with the writing. I also consulted with Joe Martuccio, another very gifted thespian—a person I have worked with on several productions.”

Motz, an attorney-mediator, has a great interest in theatre and was instrumental in helping to create the Kathleen Howland Theatre in Canton’s Second April gallery. Motz has been inspired by the life and work of Kubota, and says of his collaboration with DiGiacomo that, “We have both been amazed by this great artist and his life. We hope this play will convey that same amazement for the audience.”

Admission to the play is free but reservations for tickets must be made in advance by calling 330.524.7113. Cable Recital Hall is located inside the Canton Cultural Center, 1001 Market Avenue North, in downtown Canton.

Soroptimist is an international women’s organization that works to improve the lives of women and girls locally and around the world. In addition to having received this grant from ArtsinStark, the Canton/Stark County club, under the leadership of president Alexandra Nicholis, earned a $10,000 grant last June to facilitate a project in collaboration with the Domestic Violence Project, Inc. of Canton. In March, they will distribute more than $3,000 in scholarships to deserving young women.

Media Contacts:

Lois DiGiacomo - rainbowrep@neo.rr.com;

Alexandra Nicholis - President, Soroptimist International of Canton/Stark County - 330.524.7113 / anicholis@massillonmuseum.org

“Midori” Features Japanese-Inspired Fashions and an Abbreviated Tea Ceremony

“Midori” Features Japanese-Inspired Fashions and an Abbreviated Tea Ceremony

“Midori,” sponsored by the Massillon Museum, will be an evening of Japanese-inspired fashions and an abbreviated tea ceremony demonstration at the Lions Lincoln Theatre in downtown Massillon, followed by a free reception at the Massillon Museum.

The doors of the Lions Lincoln Theatre will open on Saturday, February 21, at 6:00 p.m. for the free event. Kumi Day will demonstrate an abbreviated tea ceremony at 6:30. The Fashion Student Organization of Kent State University (FSO) will model their original Japanese-inspired fashions at 7:00. The fashion students also created an original video; Kathy Guidone, art teacher at Louisville Middle School, orchestrated stage decorations.

Immediately following the fashion show, guests will be invited to walk across the street to the Massillon Museum for a reception, a display of teapots created by students in the Museum’s “Expressive Teapot” class instructed by Laura Kolinski-Schultz, and an exhibit of a man’s haori and objects used in a tea ceremony on loan from the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, Florida.

To promote “Midori,” students from Washington High School, Fairless High School, McKinley Senior High School, Glenwood Middle School, GlenOak High School, Jackson High School, Perry High School, Oakwood Middle School, Hartford Middle School, Sacred Heart of Mary School, and Louisville Middle School; Massillon Public Library Junior Friends; and Youth Manga Group at North Canton Public Library; as well as members of the Stark County Social Workers Network decorated kimono handcrafted by FSO members. The kimono display different materials—paint, fabric, sequins, beads, and more. A list of participating students and photographs of their kimono can be viewed online at www.massillonmuseum.org/kimono.html.

Prior to “Midori,” the kimono are exhibited at the Massillon Museum, Massillon Cable TV, the Massillon Club, Massillon Area Chamber of Commerce, the YMCA of Western Stark County, Massillon Public Library, Lions Lincoln Theatre, Kent State University Stark Campus, North Canton Public Library, Enger Auto Service in Massillon, Kent State University Fashion School (main campus), Canton Woman’s Club, and the Malone University Art Department. On the night of the event, they will be exhibited at the Lions Lincoln Theatre, where the audience will judge them. The students whose design is selected as the best will earn complimentary tickets to the "Kimono as Art" exhibition at the Canton Museum of Art. All students who decorated kimono will receive student memberships to the Massillon Museum.

The “Midori” project is funded by Arts In Stark in conjunction with the “Kimono as Art” exhibition at the Canton Museum of Art. The Massillon Museum is sponsoring “Midori” and the countywide display of original kimono. Massillon Museum Curator Alexandra Nicholis has coordinated the project with Kent State University student and FSO president, Gretchen Greenwood. The FSO organized the fashion show and the accompanying video, designed the original fashions to be presented, and created the blank kimono that have been decorated and displayed throughout the county.

For more information about “Midori” and the kimono display, contact Alexandra Nicholis at the Massillon Museum, 330-833-4061, or visit massillonmuseum.org.

Media Contacts:

Alexandra Nicholis, Massillon Museum Curator - anicholis@massillonmuseum.org or 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-844-1525

“Expressive Art Class”

MassMu “Expressive Art Class”

The Massillon Museum will offer a a four-week adult program, “Expressive Art Class: Watercolor Painting with the Tao Technique,” beginning on Wednesday, March 4. The class will meet from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. each Wednesday with instructor Karen Elvin.

Massillon Museum classes are open to everyone. The class fee, $49 ($39 for Massillon Museum members), must be submitted along with registration information by February 27—in person, by phone (330-833-4061), or online (www.massillonmuseum.org). 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 Museum Educator Jill Malusky Bacon 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 - 330-844-1525

Gilded Age Ball Introduces The Big Read

Massillon Museum’s Gilded Age Ball Introduces The Big Read

Imagine dancing the night away at a “Gilded Age Ball” on the stage of the Lions Lincoln Theatre to period music by members of the Canton Symphony Orchestra.

The Massillon Museum will launch The Big Read 2009 with a gala event on Saturday, February 28. The music will start at 8:00 p.m. and conclude at midnight, when free copies of The Age of Innocence will be distributed to all who attend. This year’s book selection, The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, portrays social life during The Gilded Age—the late 1800s and the turn of the 20th century.

Tickets, $25 per person, include refreshments. A cash bar will be available. Tickets for The Gilded Age Ball are available at the Massillon Museum in person, by phone at 330-833-4061, or online at www.massillonmuseum.org. The Museum accepts cash, checks, Visa, and Mastercard.

For those who simply wish to watch and those who need to brush up on their waltz and fox trot steps, skilled ballroom dancers will be on hand to demonstrate and instruct. “We hope that many area people who have taken up ballroom dancing as a result of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ will plan to attend the ball,” said Gretchen Schrantz, a Museum volunteer who is chairing the event.

“Costumes and period clothing are encouraged, but certainly not required,” said Massillon Museum Executive Director Christine Shearer, who leads The Big Read project. “Many of the staff and committee will be in ball gowns and tails,” she said. “That means there will be enough Victorian flavor to set the atmosphere and make anyone comfortable who wants to come in costume. But we know that many guests will prefer to wear contemporary clothes.” Museum events often invite costumes, but there is always an easy mix of styles.

The Big Read will be a month-long celebration of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, funded by a competitive grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Massillon Rotary Foundation has provided additional funding to purchase copies of the book for classroom use. 2009 marks the second year the National Endowment for the Arts has granted funding for the Massillon Museum’s ambitious participation in The Big Read—a national initiative to help Americans return to reading for leisure.

The Big Read, the largest federal literature program since the W.P.A., is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents the Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.

For more information about western Stark County’s Big Read project, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit www.massillonmuseum.org or www.NEABigRead.org.

Media Contacts:

Christine Shearer - Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061

Margy Vogt - Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-844-1525

History Group To Meet

Massillon Museum History Group To Meet

The Massillon Museum’s History Discussion Group, “Massillon Remembers,” will talk about “Wish You Were Here” (postcard collecting) at its monthly session at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 3, at the Museum. Participants may tell about interesting cards they have sent, received, or collected and are encouraged to bring postcards to help illustrate their stories. Chris Craft moderates the discussion.

The History Group meets on the first Tuesday of every month from 10:00 a.m. until noon to chat casually about a pre-announced topic, usually a narrow segment of Massillon history. The March session will be “So Long, Cod Liver Oil!” (home remedies); April will cover old-time radio; and the May topic will be favorite or unusual pets and animal experiences.

The “Massillon Remembers” group is free and open to everyone; new participants are welcome at any time. Some people come to every session; others attend when the topic is of particular interest. No reservations are required.

Coffee and sweets are available for a donation in the Fred F. Silk Community Room, where the group meets, or participants may wish to get a specialty coffee and a muffin in the Chit Chat Coffee Shop on their way through the Museum lobby.

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


Media Contacts:
Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061
Chris Craft, History Group Moderator - 330-833-4061
Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-844-1525

Chit Chat Coffee Shop Opens in the Massillon Museum

Chit Chat Coffee Shop Opens in the Massillon Museum

The Chit Chat Coffee Shop has moved to the Massillon Museum lobby. Owner Wensdy Suarez has reconstructed the warmth of her popular place at the heart of the downtown, where she will be at the center of community events and the Museum’s activities.

Visitors will find the Chit Chat’s furniture: cushioned chairs, high tables in the park-side windows, and a comfortable leather seating area in the front windows. Wireless internet service invites visitors to stay for a while. In the spring, outdoor seating will be added to the patio area.

The rich aromas lure Museum visitors to the Chit Chat, where four varieties of brewed coffee, latte with intriguing names like snowball and gingersnap, cappuccino, five kinds of Chai tea, fresh fruit and green tea smoothies, and iced drinks add an extra dimension to a Museum visit. “We serve the best mochas in town,” says Suarez. “And we can meet anyone’s special needs: decaf, sugar free, fat-free, soy, carb-free, Weight Watchers, lactose intolerant.”

For the first few weeks, the Chit Chat is serving baked goods such as muffins, bagels and cream cheese, Italian cream cake, double layer fantasy fudge cake, and deluxe turtle cheesecake. Soon the menu will include light lunch fare: soup, salad, and sandwiches.

Suarez says that her goal is to have every person leave feeling better than when he arrived. She tries to make customers feel like family. Her passion for coffee and service keeps customers coming back. “I don’t want anyone to walk out of my door with a bad experience,” says Suarez.

Customer Butch Hose says she succeeds. “This is great ambiance, he said. “You can sit in this comfortable couch and watch what goes on in the city. There’s always someone to talk to.”

Another regular customer, Bob Santos, says that Suarez retained all the flavor and atmosphere of the Chit Chat without skipping a beat. “In fact, I like it better here because parking is easy and it’s larger and more open,” he said, “but all the same people are here.”

“I’m looking forward to the outdoor seating,” customer Craig Sampsel said. For now, he loves the windows. “You can sit anywhere and see outside.”

The Chit Chat is open Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.; and Sunday from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. The shop can be reached by phone at 330-833-0795.

The Massillon Museum and the Chit Chat Coffee Shop are located at 121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon. For more information, call the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit massillonmuseum.org.

Media Contacts:
Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061
Wensdy Suarez, Chit Chat Owner - 330-833-07895
Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-844-1525

Massillon Museum to Record Veterans’ Stories

Massillon Museum to Record Veterans’ Stories

In anticipation of the upcoming exhibition, “The Greatest Generation,” Archivist Mandy Pond invites World War II veterans to record their memories for preservation in the Massillon Museum’s archives.

“Everyone in The Greatest Generation has a story to tell, from everyday activities to harrowing struggles,” Pond says. “We want to make sure that those stories are preserved for future generations to learn from and to enjoy.”

Veterans may call Pond at the Museum, 330-833-4061, to make an appointment. During the interview, she will ask questions, but particiants are invited to bring notes and introduce special stories that they wish to record. Bringing special photographs or objects to the meeting sometimes helps inspire meaningful dialogue. Each interviewee will receive one CD of the recorded conversation; another copy will be preserved by the Massillon Museum. All veterans are encouraged to participate at no charge.

“The Greatest Generation” exhibition, curated by Alexandra Nicholis and Christopher Craft, will open to the public on Sunday, December 21, 2008, and continue through February 5, 2009. Its photographs and artifacts will depict the 1930s pre-war period, the World War II years, and post-war America of the 1950s.

Massillon Museum Curator Alexandra Nicholis says: “In an age when people talk to one another less and less, with brevity of conversation resulting from emailing, text messaging, and busy schedules, the Museum saw a real need to capture the stories of individuals who helped shape this country over the past half-century. Chris Craft, Museum Assistant, had the idea to recognize this group of individuals as ‘The Greatest Generation.’ Through artifacts, clothing, photographs and oral histories, the Museum staff will attempt to represent the history of Massillon during the 1930s-50s, both from civilian and military perspectives.”

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


Media Contacts:
Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061 or cshearer@massillonmuseum.org
Mandy Pond, Massillon Museum Archivist - 330-833-4061 or apond@massillonmuseum.org
Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-844-1525 or vogt@sssnet.com

Recruiting New Volunteers

The Massillon Museum is seeking volunteer desk receptionists. Responsibilities include answering the telephone, making sales in the shop, and greeting visitors with a warm smile. Training is provided. Volunteers can work as little as one four-hour shift per month; schedules can be set or flexible.

“If you enjoy art, history, and interacting with people, the Massillon Museum could be the perfect place for you to volunteer,” said Sandi Thouvenin, who coordinates the Museum’s volunteer program. For more information or to volunteer, contact Thouvenin atsthouvenin@massillonmuseum.org or 330-833-4061.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East in downtown Massillon. It is open to the public free of charge Tuesdays through Saturdays 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sundays 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.massillonmuseum.org/.

Media Contacts:
Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061
Sandi Thouvenin, Massillon Museum Volunteer and Special Events Coordinator - 330-833-4061
Margy Vogt, Museum Public Relations Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525

Jill Colucci and Tim Thompson Concert

Jill Colucci and Tim Thompson will perform in the main gallery at the Massillon Museum on Saturday, October 18, in the first concert of this season’s “Rhythms” music series.

Jill Colucci
If you watch television, go to movies, or listen to the radio, you’ve heard Jill Colucci’s musical work. By age seven, the western Stark County prodigy started a ten-year gig as a “regular” on Cleveland’s Gene Carroll Show. She moved in the early 1970s to California before she made her way to Nashville.

Her slightly raspy singing voice has become a fixture on television. She sang ABC’s network themes—“Something’s Happening” and “America’s Watching ABC”—as well as "Celebrate Me Home" for Disney Channel promotions. She was songwriter and vocalist for the "America’s Funniest Home Videos" show. Other commercial credits include Coors, Glidden, Oldsmobile, Taco Bell, Levi’s 501 Blues, McDonald’s, Chevrolet, Burger King, Coca-Cola, JC Penney, Doritos, Wal-Mart, and Toyota’s "I Love What You Do For Me" campaign.

Colucci initially rose to movie prominence in 1988, singing the main score to the film, “Mystic Pizza.” She has also been lead vocalist for “Where The Boys Are,” “Taps,” “All The Right Moves,” and “White Water Summer.” Her vocals have been featured on albums by Donna Summer, Julio Iglesias, Anne Murray, Laura Branigan, and Phoebe Snow. Colucci has also added her vocals to television shows such as "Miami Vice," "Designing Women," "Santa Barbara," "Spencer For Hire," and numerous "Movies of the Week."

As a songwriter, Colucci has made her mark on country music with hits such as the 1993 Billboard Song of the Year "No One Else on Earth" sung by Wynonna Judd, and ASCAP #1 Award and CMA #1 Award winners, "I’m Gonna Be Somebody" and "Anymore" by Travis Tritt. She wrote "Paradise," which was featured in “White Water Summer” and “Little Nikita.” Her cuts may be heard on gold albums by Anne Murray and Gloria Loring. Colluci’s songs have been recorded by other artists: Lacy J. Dalton, Michelle Wright, Richard Carpenter, Kennedy Rose, Larry Stewart, Mark Beeson, Andy Childs, and Akina Nakamori. Colucci has now released an album of her own songs—"No Regrets," featuring her hit compositions "No One Else on Earth," "Anymore," and "He Would Be Sixteen."

Travis Tritt said, "Jill Colucci is one of the most gifted songwriters I have ever worked with. She has tremendous flair for capturing deep heartfelt emotion in her lyrics and melodies. That is what makes her stand out!" Wynonna Judd said, "Jill is my kind of songwriter! She has the guts to come straight out about her inner feelings—something I find is hard to get from songwriters these days. ‘No One Else On Earth’ gave me the sass I was looking for and it became one of my all time favorite songs in the history of the universe. My ‘sister-friend’ Jill kicks the big ‘booty.’ Go girl!" To learn more about Jill Colucci, visit http://www.jillcolucci.com/.

Tim Thompson
Tim Thompson grew up in a musical Minnesota family. By the age of nine he played the piano. By fourteen, he played the guitar professionally.

Since his 1993 arrival in Nashville, he has produced records for Kerrville Folk Festival winner Mike Brandon and Kerrville Folk Festival finalist Nelda Sisk. He has written songs for Tirk Wilder and the folk-rock group Jamie-Sue Seal and the Radiotown Flyers. He wrote the theme songs for the television series “Walker Texas Ranger” and The Amber Foundation (for missing children).

Thompson’s versatility is reflected in his intricate and energetic fingerstyle interpretations of classics. On his “Bring on the Giants” CD, he sings his intelligent lyrics in his signature style—like Colucci, a raspy voice. “Revved Up,” his most recent release, as well as previous efforts, “Cathedral” and “Christmas,” features acoustic guitar solos; “Faces” focuses on his talent as a solo jazz guitarist.

Last winter’s quarterly issue of Wood and Steel wrote about Thompson: “Meticulous fingerstyle…jaw-dropping technique…chameleonic.” To learn more about Tim Thompson, visit http://www.timthompsonguitar.com/.

Concert Details
The doors will open at 7:30 p.m.; Colucci and Thompson will take the stage at 8:00 p.m.
The $20 per-person pre-sale ($18 for Massillon Museum members) may be purchased in advance by calling the Massillon Museum at 330-833-4061 by visiting http://www.massillonmuseum.org/. Tickets will be sold at the door ($22 non-members, $20 Massillon Museum members) as long as seats remain available. Cash, checks, and Visa and MasterCard are accepted. The concert is open to the public.

Community members have stepped forward to make the Museum’s music series possible: Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau; Affinity Medical Center; A.A. Hammersmith Insurance, Inc.; Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffith and Dougherty Co.; and The Eye Clinic, Inc. WKSU is the media sponsor.

The Massillon Museum hosts out-of-the-mainstream musicians in the intimate setting of its main gallery to broaden the arts that it offers to the community. Remaining Saturday night concerts in the 2008–2009 season are: Kristine Jackson (http://www.kjblues.com/) with opener Jeff Poulos Blues Review (http://www.jeffpoulosblues.com/) on November 29; Marti Jones and Don Dixon (http://www.martijonesdixon.com/ and dondixonmusic.com) with opener Saturday Night Fish Fry on January 31; Michael Searching Bear (searchingbearflutes.com) on March 7; and Dominick Farinacci (dominickfarinacci.com) on March 28.

The Massillon Museum is located at 121 Lincoln Way East, in downtown Massillon. Free parking is available on adjacent streets and in nearby city lots.
For more information, call the Museum at 330-833-4061 or visit http://www.massillonmuseum.org/.

Media Contacts:
Christine Shearer, Massillon Museum Executive Director - 330-833-4061
Margy Vogt, Massillon Museum PR Coordinator - 330-832-8469 or 330-844-1525