Beautiful: the Changing Faces of Beauty & Cosmetics

On September 29, 2020   /   History, History Exhibits  
What makes a woman beautiful? Society’s answer changed significantly between 1870 and 1970. For better or worse, our appearance communicates something to the people around us. As cultural attitudes and codes of morality changed, so did the standards of beauty. The tools, products, and techniques that were utilized to create the ideal look tell the stories of women’s daily lives, cultural attitudes about gender and race, and the empowerment of women.
 
The new exhibit now installed at the Montgomery Museum of Art & History explores these concepts through an array of historic cosmetics and beauty aids. The impact on the beauty industry for women economically was important. The story of the young women at Christiansburg Institute who took cosmetology as part of their vocational training is told with the display of rarely seen artifacts on loan from Christiansburg Institute, Inc. Their coursework could provide a means to a viable career. Further illustrating the story of beauty attitudes and techniques are advertisements, hair care equipment and accessories, period photographs, and cosmetics packages.
 
From the influence of the moving picture industry, to the idea of women exhibiting their patriotism through their red lipstick, the exhibit raises the question: Was the rise in cosmetics empowering to women or did it exacerbate the attitude that a woman’s value was only in her appearance? Join us to view this exhibit and decide for yourself what it means to be beautiful.

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New History Exhibit Now Open

On July 2, 2020   /   History, History Exhibits  

If you’ve ever received a free tote bag or key chain carrying a business logo, you are familiar with promotional novelties. If you’ve ever wondered who thought of putting company logos on serving plates and salad tongs, you’ll want to join us to view the upcoming exhibit at the Montgomery Museum. You’ll see rare glimpses of long-closed businesses, view quirky novelties, and be amazed at the large assortment of goods carrying local logos!

The first promotional novelties in the United States were buttons created to commemorate the inauguration of George Washington in 1789. By the late 1800s, enterprising businessmen in Coshocton, Ohio had launched a new industry that offered advertising on everything from burlap book bags to fly swatters, yardsticks, and metal souvenir trays.

 The incredible (and continuing) success of non-paper advertising was based on visibility and loyalty. When placed on a utilitarian object, the ad remained in view of both the piece’s owner as well as anyone the owner came in contact with while using the item. The “free gift” nature of the novelties created a sense of loyalty and obligation towards the business.

Visit the Montgomery Museum’s new exhibit to see an abundance of useful goods and clever novelties that were offered to encourage new business and retain customers. Owners of large stores in Christiansburg and small general store owners in communities like Riner, Ironto, and Cambria all gave away items emblazoned with their business name.

The exhibited items highlight past businesses and illustrate how we once shopped. We hope you will join us.

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Museum Minute

On April 20, 2020   /   History  

Visit our Facebook page to learn interesting snippets about Montgomery County history. Our new “Museum Minute” video tours have been entertaining to learn to produce to say the least! These short videos feature museum staff introducing you to some of the items on display in the museum exhibits.

Museum Minute 1.0 – Spirit of Progress: Women in the 1920s

The Montgomery Museum's curator gives a short tour of the Spirit of Progress exhibit looking at the changes for women during the 1920s in Montgomery County, Virginia.

Posted by Montgomery Museum of Art & History on Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Museum Minute 1.1 – Spirit of Progress: Transportation in the 1920s

The Montgomery Museum's curator gives a short tour of the Spirit of Progress exhibit looking at how changes in transportation effected businesses during the 1920s in Montgomery County, Virginia.

Posted by Montgomery Museum of Art & History on Monday, April 13, 2020
Museum Minute 1.2 – 1920s: Music, Entertainment, and Racial Inequality

The Montgomery Museum's curator gives a short tour of the Spirit of Progress exhibit discussing various types of entertainment available during the 1920s in Montgomery County, Virginia. Places of entertainment were one of many areas where the severe racial inequality and segregation of this period can be found.

Posted by Montgomery Museum of Art & History on Monday, April 20, 2020
Museum Minute 1.3: Traveling Shows in Montgomery County, VA

Montgomery Museum of Art & History curator will discuss the variety of traveling shows that regularly came to Montgomery County during the 19th century and give insight into how exhibits at the museum are selected.

Posted by Montgomery Museum of Art & History on Monday, April 27, 2020
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Blacksburg High School Art Show 2020 – digital version

On March 16, 2020   /   Art, Uncategorized  

While the Montgomery Museum will be closed at least through the remainder of March, we felt it was important to make the interesting work currently on exhibit in the Blacksburg High School Art Show available. These images are to be enjoyed online – use of them without express permission from the artists is prohibited.

  • “Pierced Luminary,” Eleanor Lee, Glazed Earthenware;
    “Untitled Tile,” Sophia McGrady, Glazed Earthenware; “Cat and Mouse,” Lydia Rabbaa, Painted Earthenware; “Slab Pot,” Sophia McGrady, Glazed Earthenware
  • Froggy Friends, Leah Van Gelder, Graphite and
    Stump Spirit of the Forest, Eleanor Kocz, Ink
  • Sphinx Cat, Eleanor Kocz, Ink; Kirin, Eleanor Kocz, Graphite;
    Untitled, Emily Barron, Pen & Ink; Mothman’s Lament, Emily Barron, Ink;
  • Untitled, Sophia McGrady, Collage
  • “Hurt,” Karen Villanueva, Acrylic; “Generosity,” Mellisa Meng; Acrylic on Glass; “Meep,” Olivia Opazo-Barnhart, Acrylic; and “Propane,” Jayden Batista, Acrylic
  • “Bandit,” Ainsley Raymond, Acrylic; “Breaking Down,” Anonymous GS, Ink;
    “She Went Away,” Jayden Batista, Acrylic (Honorable Mention);
    “Wonderer” Anna Sheng, Watercolor
  • “Untitled 2,” Josh Mullins, Duct Tape and Paper
  • “The water’s a rising so either buck up or get a front row seat,” Grace Sallee, Mixed Media; “A Sinking Feeling,” Jayden Batista, Acrylic;
    “Late Night,” Karen Villanueva, Colored Pencil; “Untitled,” Emily Barron, Acrylic
  • ”The Dark Burst,” Allie Miller, Pencil;
    “Praise Keck,” Nicholas Keck, Graphite; “Youthful,” Iris Layman, Ink
  • “The Condor,” Sophie Aronson, Watercolor/Gouche; “Bitey!!,” Jayden Batista, Acrylic; “Untitled,” Emily Barron, Mixed Media
  • “Python,” Wyatt Gear, Acrylic; “HeShe,” Aranad Sharma, Graphite; “Violinist,” Alice Xu, Oil
  • “Untitled 1,” Josh Mullins,” Duct Tape and Paper
  • “Peonies in the Rain,” Lauren Coliver, Oil and “Arizona,” Ainsley Raymond, Acrylic
  • “Squirrel,” Ana Czar, Acrylic and “Untitled,” Emily Barron, Mixed Media
  • “Sibling Squabble,” Karen Villanueva, Acrylic;
    “Being Coy,” Brooklyn Mullins, Acrylic; “Eloiuse,” Ana Czar
  • “True Identity,” Karen Villanueva, Acrylic;
    “Untitled,” Emily Barron, Ink; “She Bites,” Jayden Batista, Acrylic
  • “Letting Go,” Ella Warnick,” Acrylic
  • “A Lost Love,” Jesse Braak, Acrylic and “Screen Time,” Karen Villanueva, Acrylic
  • “Hold On,” Karen Villanueva, Graphite [First Prize Winner]
  • “Why,” Olivia Opazo-Barnhart, Acrylic; “Mending & Broken Home,” Karen Villanueva, Oil Pastel; “Mending,” Karen Villanueva, Oil Pastel
  • “Sun Bath,” Lauren Collvar,” Acrylic on Paper;
    “The House,” Ella Provo, Pen & Ink (Honorable Mention);
    “Papaya Mama,” Nola Scott, Acrylic; “Vacation,” Eleanor Lee, Pencil
  • “Sunset,” Hannah Deck, Tempera and “Shatthered,” Karen Villanueva, Acrylic
  • “Turtle,” Gabbie Parton, Acrylic and “Fight It,” Austin Bishop, Mixed Media
  • “Entomophobia,” Jesse Braak, Acrylic / Watercolor [2nd Prize Winner]
  • “Untitled Plate Group,” Zoe Krisch, Glazed Earthenware; “Lidded Dish,” Emily Barron, Painted/Glazed Earthenware; “Untitled,” Emily Barron (Honorable Mention); “Pinch Pot,” Emily Barron, Painted Earthenware; “Fish,” Jayden Batista, Earthenware, “Untitled,” Ella Provo, Glazed Earthenware
  • “Untitled,” Ella Provo, Glazed Earthenware; “Untitled,” Eleanor Lee, Glazed Earthenware; “Cityscape Plate,” Jenna Repass, Glazed Earthenware; “Untitled Tile,” Eleanor Lee, Glazed Earthenware; “Crepe,” Ginsey Thompson, Painted Earthenware
  • “Untitled Plate,” Leza Thomas, Glazed Earthenware; “Untitled,” Michah Gholston-Sparks, Painted Earthenware; “Arapaima Plate,” Sophia Vikesland, Glazed Earthenware; “Untitled Dish,” Ella Provo, Glazed Earthenware; “Sculptural Head,” Zoe Krisch, Glazed Earthenware
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