Jan 3 Dave Petersen

On February 22, 2023   /   Art, Events  

Jan 3

DAVE PETERSEN EXHIBIT

MONTGOMERY MUSEUM OF ART AND HISTORY

Tranquility.  If there is a theme to Dave Petersen’s new oil and photography show at the Montgomery Museum of Art and History, it is tranquility.

Most of these tranquil places can be found within a 50-mile radius of here, stretching from the Smokies to the Outer Banks.  If you have lived around here for even a short time, you will find yourself saying, “I know that place” or “I have seen that.” One recognizable place is the previous location for the MMAH, which was originally the home for a Presbyterian minister.  But on closer look, Petersen’s work may show a place like Mabry Mill or McAfee Knob in a different light or covered with snow or even the feathery hoar frost, which only forms under special cold conditions, usually at high elevations.

In order to catch the scene at the right time, Petersen, often accompanied by his son Paul, also a painter and photographer, sometimes endures harsh conditions and waits for the just right moment.  The pair often camp out and take a compass with them to determine where the sun will be in the morning.  Early Boy Scout training comes in handy.

“Low Clouds Over the Smoky Mountains” required such persistence. The pair drove up to Clingmans Dome in the Smokies to do some photography.  Once up on Clingmans Dome they were greeted with low clouds, heavy winds, and blowing rain.  After waiting over two hours and with the weather getting worse, they gave up and started driving back down to the campsite.  Just as they dropped below the clouds, they saw the distant mountains.  The wind and rain had stopped, and there Petersen took a picture that became the basis for the oil painting in this exhibit.

The upcoming show features both oil paintings and photography in about equal numbers, and about half of the photographs are in black and white.  Petersen has been compared to Ansel Adams, although the techniques used are different, as digital photography has changed the way artists work. Petersen’s photographs are often printed on stretch canvas.

About a quarter of the works depict scenes in the western United States, where the scenery is decidedly different from that in Virginia.   Art works depict tranquil places out west such as Glacier, Yellowstone, Death Valley, the Tetons, the Black Hills, or the deciduous rain forest on Mount Olympus in Washington.

Dave Petersen became interested in art in high school, where he was privileged to study under famed local artist Walter Biggs.  Another favorite muse is Richard Schmid, the impressionist or realist, depending upon whom you ask, known for his paintings of the west and the Hudson River Valley.  Petersen attended Virginia Western Community College and Madison College (now James Madison University), where he stayed on for a master’s degree, not in painting or photography, but in ceramics.  He decided not to pursue a career in ceramics, in part because the expensive gas-fired kilns available in college are not usually accessible to the individual artist.  Instead, Petersen taught himself photography.  Three years of technical drawing still influence his work, but he likes to loosen up when painting and leave the viewers to find their own paths.

Petersen taught high school art for twenty years and was an assistant principal in Blacksburg.  After retirement and the forced isolation necessitated by COVID, he has found more time to pursue his art, more “growing time” as he puts it, or time to reevaluate where to go next.  Half of his studio is relegated to photography and the other half to painting, so he seems to be going both directions.

Petersen said, “You can learn a lot about people by what they photograph.”   So, Dave Petersen must be a tranquil man.

Dave Petersen’s exhibit will be at the Montgomery Museum of Art and History at 4 East Main Street in Christiansburg from January 3 to February 27.  A public reception is being planned for February 2 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

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NRV Black History Collection of books and pamphlets.

On August 3, 2022   /   Events, History Exhibits  

NRV Black History Collection of books and pamphlets.

Press release:

MONTGOMERY COUNTY-RADFORD CITY-FLOYD COUNTY BRANCH OF THE NAACP PARTNERS WITH MONTGOMERY MUSEUM TO MAKE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE MORE ACCESSIBLE

The Education Committee of the Montgomery County-Radford City-Floyd County Branch of the NAACP (MRF Branch) has organized the NRV Black History Collection of books and pamphlets.  The purpose of the collection is to make local African American history more accessible to the community by providing resources to local museums. The public, students, and community groups can gather to research and experience local history through this robust collection.

On Thursday, August 11, from 5-7pm, the Montgomery Museum of Art and History will have an open house in conjunction with its summer Membership Mingle. At 6pm the MRF Branch will formally present its Black History Collection to the museum, including the newly created history booklets.  The event will take place at the museum’s new location, 4 East Main Street, Christiansburg, VA and all are welcome for this historic community event. “We are honored to partner with the Montgomery County-Radford City-Floyd County Branch of the NAACP to make African American history and culture more accessible to all within the New River Valley,” said Executive Director, Casey Jenkins of the Montgomery Museum. Deborah Travis, President of the NAACP Branch, stated “this project would not have been possible without the support of the community.  We are excited to make these materials available through the museum and embrace the value it will bring to our community.”

The collection was curated by the Education Committee in consultation with curators of local history museums, and with history and sociology professors from Virginia Tech and Radford University.  This collection has come to life through the generous contributions of community members who purchased and donated books from a designated book list. Generous support from these donors also allowed the Education Committee to purchase and acquire rare literature and cover the cost of printing and binding of certain booklets.

The collection has two parts: 25 books that tell the history of African Americans in the New River Valley and the greater region of Appalachia, and 8 booklets that focus more narrowly on the New River Valley and the lived experiences of African Americans in Montgomery, Floyd, and Pulaski counties and Radford City.  The subjects covered include coal mining, local education, slavery and segregation, massive resistance, and reconciliation within the region.  In addition to printed material there will be QR codes to access documented oral histories.

Two sets of the Book Collection have been donated to the Montgomery Museum of Art & History.  The following quotation is printed on the bookplate inside each book: “There is no more powerful force than a people steeped in their history. And there is no higher cause than honoring our struggle and ancestors by remembering.” -Lonnie Bunch, Founding Director of the National Museum of African History and Culture

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50 Years in the Making!

On February 8, 2022   /   Events  

50 Years in the Making!

Old Time, Blues and Bluegrass Music Concert

7 pm – Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Moss Arts Center at Virginia, Blacksburg VA

FEATURING: A two-time W.C. Handy National Blues Award winner.  The most awarded instrumentalist in IBMA history. A fiddler with championship titles from 7 states.  These are just three of the remarkable artists who are part of 50 Years in the Making. 

Tickets $20 in advance, $25 at the door.  Children 12 and under $5.    All proceeds benefit the Montgomery Museum.

Buy Tickets! …or call the Moss Arts Center box office at (540) 231-5300.

More details at https://montgomerymuseum.org/events/50-years-in-the-making/

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Membership Letter

On January 29, 2022   /   Art, Events  

Greetings,

Thank you for considering membership to the Montgomery Museum!

The Montgomery Museum of Art and History is undergoing significant growth and change as we embark on a new journey to Downtown Christiansburg. As you may be aware, the Museum will be moving its operations to 4 East Main Street on the Town Square in Christiansburg. This move, scheduled for Summer 2022, will allow the institution to better serve Montgomery County and the New River Valley as a premier cultural destination.

In just a few months, we have raised nearly $800,000 toward our goal of $1.6 million needed for the move. The total reflects the purchase price of the property plus building renovations such as an elevator and ADA-compliant restrooms. We are very excited at our progress and hope to continue our fundraising success.

We have many exciting new special events planned for this year including 50 Years in the Making and Arts❤️NRV. 50 Years will feature a collection of talented artists from across Appalachia, all performing on the same stage at the Moss Arts Center sharing their talents in blues, bluegrass, and more! Arts NRV will be held at the German Club and feature a juried art show, fashion show, and silent auction. In August, we will also bring back a community favorite, Heritage Day in Downtown Christiansburg.

These are just a few of the many things we are excited about as we forecast this year. We are a museum “growing with our community.” As our increasingly diverse community continues to grow, so must we in order to accommodate and serve the region at large. We are cognizant of our responsibility to steward the arts, history and culture of Montgomery County and the New River Valley.

Your generous membership will help support the Museum’s ability to preserve history and present art to the community. This institution plays a vital role in promoting local artisans and celebrating regional history, while also providing a platform and safe space for community conversations.

I thank you so much for your friendship and support for this growing institution and I wish you and your family prosperity and happiness.

Sincerely,

Casey Jenkins

(540) 382-5644

director@montgomerymuseum.org

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Museum participates in History Hunt SWVA

On May 6, 2021   /   Events, History  

Explore the past in SW Virginia this summer with a historic scavenger hunt!

Sixteen history museums, from Bedford to Wytheville, are partnering to celebrate the 350th Anniversary of the Batts & Fallam [aka Batte & Hallom] Expedition

Three hundred and fifty years ago, explorers Thomas Batts [Batte] and Robert Fallam [Hallom] set out from what is now Petersburg on a quest to find a land route to the Pacific Ocean. Their journal records their visit to this region, making them some of the earliest—and perhaps the first—European explorers to reach southwest Virginia. This summer, sixteen history museums across the region are recreating that spirit of exploration with a scavenger hunt of historic proportions.

This summer will be a great time to get out and explore SW Virginia history! Each museum tells its own unique and fascinating story; in addition, each site has selected a special scavenger hunt challenge question that adds to the fun. Visitors are encouraged to pick up a History Passport at any participating museum or download a copy at the History Hunt SW VA Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/HistoryHuntSWVA. The History Passport includes all of the scavenger hunt questions, plus information about each participating museum.

The majority of these museums offer free admission, or free admission for children participating in this passport program. Hours also vary: call ahead or check museum websites for the days of the week and hours each is open. Families and visitors of all ages are welcome and encouraged to join in the exploration.

Visitors will be entered into a prize drawing for every five museums visited between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when they find the answers to the scavenger hunt challenge questions at each site. The drawing will take place after Labor Day.

The sixteen participating history museums stretch from Bedford to Wytheville, offering much to explore:

The Batts and Fallam [Batte and Hallom] Expedition of 1671 was funded by Abraham Wood, who hoped the expedition would discover a route to the “South Sea” just beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains. The explorers and their Native American guide headed west, but their exact route is debated by historians today. In September, the explorers noted in their journal, “we came to a very steep descent, at the foot whereof stood the Totera Town in a very rich swamp between a branch and the main River of Roanoke circled about with mountains… Here we were exceedingly civilly entertain’d. Saturday night, Sunday and Monday we staid at the Toteras.” The location of Totera Town, home of the Tutelo tribe, remains a mystery, but archaeological evidence suggests it may have been in modern Salem. While the group didn’t find a route to the Pacific, they are credited with being the first Europeans to see the New River.

For more information and to download a passport, visit History Hunt SW VA Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/HistoryHuntSWVA.

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Quilt Appraisal Event

On October 24, 2019   /   Events  
The Montgomery Museum is pleased to host quilter, quilt lover, and quilt expert Bunnie Jordan.
 
An appraiser accredited through the American Society of Appraisers and a contributing author to several books, including Quilters Hall of Fame, Virginia Quilts, and Southern Quilts, we are fortunate to be able to offer this opportunity to the community and hope you will take advantage of this time with Bunnie.
 
Date: November 13, 2019
Location: @ the Museum, 300 S. Pepper St., Christiansburg, VA
Time: Appointment Times are Available between 10:30-2:00pm. Please contact the museum to make an appointment now.
Cost: A verbal appraisal will be $25 and a written appraisal will be $55. 
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Cruisin’ Christiansburg with Kids Pinewood Derby

On May 4, 2018   /   Events  

The Third Annual Cruisin’ Christiansburg will be held by the Montgomery Museum and Lewis Miller Regional Art Center on Saturday May 12, 2018 from 3:30-7:30 p.m. This is a free, family-friendly event.

A cruise-in is a gathering of people who drive their classic or muscle cars on a regular basis and people who just like to look at cars, especially the classics.  Members of the Blue Ridge Mountain MOPAR Club will participate in the event.  A variety of classic cars will be parked along Main and Hickok Streets. Come to see and explore these classic cars, talk with other people who are interested in cars, and make new friends with a shared interest. Want to bring your classic car? Contact Dale Echols atdjechols@aol.com.

The Hot Diggity Dog food truck will be selling hot dogs and hamburgers at the event.  Snacks, water, and soft drinks will be available for purchase at the museum tent.  Music from the 1950s will add to the fun!

Artists have been invited to attend and create “plein air” artwork at the event.  Plein air painting is all about leaving the four walls of the studio behind and experiencing painting and drawing in the open air. 

Continue a Cub Scouting custom or make a new family tradition, by creating cars from a block of wood and racing in the Pinewood Derby sponsored by Cub Scout Pack 145. The derby will be held at Great Road Hall (the former Main Street Baptist Church) at 100 W. Main St. in Christiansburg from 3:30-7:30. Racers can bring their own already-made Pinewood Derby car or build a new one from a Pinewood Derby kit. The kits are available for purchase for $5 from the Montgomery Museum at 300 S. Pepper Street in Christiansburg. All ages are encouraged to build and race on the track provided by Pack 145.  All children who race will receive a special Pinewood Derby patch.  The race will be an “outlaw” version, meaning there will be no weighing or measurements.  The only requirement is that the car fit on the track.

Come out and join us for this exciting multi-faceted event in downtown Christiansburg! 

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