Fall 2014 VAM Voice

Voice

3126 W. Cary St., #447 | Richmond, Virginia 23221-3504 | 804. 358.3170 | www.vamuseums.org | Fall 2014

Virginia’s Top 10

Endangered Artifacts

Turns Four!

Energy Efficiency in i Historic Buildings

Member Profile: The Valentine Nominated by the National D-Day Memorial, John Schenk’s New Testament Bible, carried with him on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944 was one of Virginia’s 2014 Top 10 Endangered Artifacts.

Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered

by Heather Widener

Cover Story

2014 Honorees: Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts (from top left)

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Anne Spencer House & Garden Museum Lynchburg, VA Mosaic Handmade Tile Work by Amaza Lee Meredith Archeological Society of Virginia Charles City, VA Virginia’s Oldest Batteau Danville Historical Society Danville, VA General Store Ledger- 1798 George C. Marshall Foundation Lexington, VA D-Day Landing Map

Manassas Museum System Manassas, VA Liberia House Civil War Graffiti Museum of the Shenandoah Valley Winchester, VA Portrait Miniature of Thomas Boyle Campbell (1796–1858) National D-Day Memorial Bedford, VA John Schenk’s New Testament Bible carried with him on Omaha Beach 6 June 1944, 1940s

Ordnance Training and Heritage Center Fort Lee, VA Skeleton Tank Pamunkey Indian Museum & Cultural Center King William, VA Chief Paul Miles’ Regalia Rockbridge Historical Society Lexington, VA War of 1812 Cavalry Helmet Rockbridge 1st Dragoons

People’s Choice Honoree: 4,103 Votes Salem Museum and Historical Society Salem, VA Preston Papers

d Artifacts Turns Four!

It’s hard to believe our baby is growing up! It seems like just yesterday we were sitting in a VAM board meeting at Mountain Lake, biting our nails, as our first Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts nomination period came to an end. Would we get even 10 nominees? What would we do if we didn’t? What if we set up an online public voting competition and nobody voted? What have we gotten ourselves into?

Fast-forward four years, and we are here to report that all our worry was for naught. Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts program is alive and well, and continuing to shine a spotlight on fascinating, significant, and endangered artifacts in Virginia as well as Washington, DC. This year’s nominations included 36 artifacts spanning hundreds of years of history. From archaeological finds to military vehicles, from Bibles to ledgers, and from Congressional desks to Civil War dolls, there is a nominee to pique anyone’s interest!

As rich as our diverse heritage, the nominated artifacts carry with them stories of our culture and our past.

With so many significant artifacts in need of conservation, our peer review panel had quite a job this year as they chose the Top 10. We are so grateful to our partner organizations who assist with the painstaking task of reviewing nominations – all of which have a compelling backstory and all of which are worthy of preservation - and narrowing down to just 10 honorees each year. We simply could not accomplish this without help from collections and conservation experts, including those from the Library of Virginia, Preservation Virginia, Virginia Conservation Association, and the

Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

The Top 10 program’s mission has always been to raise awareness about collections care and the challenges inherent for museums that maintain a collection in the public trust.

Launched with initial operating support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), we’ve completed four successful years, tallying hundreds of thousands of public votes, and successfully building awareness for nearly 100 nominated artifacts – all of which are worthy of study and preservation. Awareness and press garnered through the Top 10 program has resulted in donors coming forth and helping to fund conservation of artifacts, volunteers offering expertise in the preservation of artifacts, and institutions awarding grants to nominees for conservation.

Already, eleven artifacts have been conserved and many more are in the process of being conserved.

It is nothing less than fascinating to hear the stories of the journeys that result from an initial nomination to the Top 10 program. One of our most incredible Top 10 stories comes from Norfolk. The Hermitage Foundation Museum and Gardens nominated a beautiful Korean tapestry to the program in 2011. The tapestry was designated a Top 10 Endangered Artifact. Then something incredible happened. Our Top 10 news reached South Korea. You read that right.

South Korea. Officials there recognized this as an artifact that had at one time been cut out of a temple setting. They contacted the folks at The Hermitage, the organizations worked together, and a new ‘history’ of this precious object unfolded from there. It has now been repatriated to South Korea where it will be able

Fall 2014

to be both conserved and displayed.

We at VAM have been documenting some of the fascinating stories such as this in a new blog entitled, “Where are They Now? Virginia’s Endangered Artifacts Revisited.” Be sure to visit it to read about some of the fantastic conservation work being done and some amazing, serendipitous results of a Top 10 nomination!

Finally, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts program is the first of its kind in the nation. It is modeled loosely after the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “Most Endangered Historic Places” and Preservation Virginia’s “Most Endangered Historic Sites” programs. Key differences include the public engagement (voting) component as well as the fact that VAM’s program aims to draw attention to artifacts, rather than sites, that require urgent conservation attention. Several other states, including Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Colorado, and North Carolina have replicated this exciting public outreach program. We are gratified that this is a movement that is spreading, and we are more than excited to see what Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts program will look like in another four years!

Do you want to learn more about Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts program? Visit us on the web at vatop10artifacts.org, or view our YouTube video about the program at http:// youtu.be/bGEfZqojZa8. We will be accepting nominations for next year’s program in June 2015, so be thinking about the artifacts in your care and whether there is one that you want to highlight by nominating! We’d love to help you raise awareness of the conservation work and needs at your museum.

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Energy Efficiency in H

Excerpted from the National Park Service Preservation Brie

The following is an excerpt from the National Park Service’s Technical Preservation Services Preservation Brief 3 entitled Improving Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings, by Jo Ellen Hensley and Antonio Aguilar, published December 2011. ISBN: 978-0-16-089762-7 U.S. Government Printing Office Stock Number: 024-005-01294-0

Technical Insert

The concept of energy conservation in buildings is not new. Throughout history building owners have dealt with changing fuel supplies and the need for efficient use of these fuels. Gone are the days of the cheap and abundant energy of the 1950’s. Today with energy resources being depleted and the concern over the effect of greenhouse gases on climate change, owners of historic buildings are seeking ways to make their buildings more energy efficient.

These concerns are key components of sustainability — a term that generally refers to the ability to maintain the environmental, social, and economic needs for human existence. The topic of sustainable or “green” building practices is too broad to cover in this brief. Rather, this preservation brief is intended to help property owners, preservation professionals, and stewards of historic buildings make informed decisions when considering energy efficiency improvements to historic buildings.

Sound energy improvement measures must take into consideration not only potential energy savings, but also the protection of the historic property’s materials and features. This guidance is provided in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation to ensure that the architectural integrity of the historic property is preserved. Achieving a successful retrofi t project must balance the goals of energy efficiency with the least impact to the historic building. Planning must entail a holistic approach that considers the entire building envelope, its systems and components, its site and environment, and a careful evaluation of the effects of

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the measures undertaken. Treatments common to new construction need to be evaluated carefully before implementing them in historic buildings in order to avoid inappropriate alteration of important architectural features and irreparable damage to historic building materials.

This brief targets primarily small-to medium-size historic buildings, both residential and commercial. However, the general decision-making principles outlined here apply to buildings of any size and complexity.

Inherent Energy Efficient Features of Historic Buildings

Before implementing any energy conservation measures, the existing energy-effi cient characteristics of a historic building should be assessed. Buildings are more than the sum of their individual components. The design, materials, type of construction, size, shape, site orientation, surrounding landscape, and climate all play a role in how buildings perform.

Historic building construction methods and materials often maximized natural sources of heat, light and ventilation to respond to local climatic conditions. The key to a successful rehabilitation project is to understand and identify the existing energy-effi cient aspects of the historic building and how they function, as well as to understand and identify its character-defi ning features to ensure they are preserved. Whether rehabilitated for a new or continuing use, it is important to utilize the historic building’s inherent sustainable qualities as they were intended to ensure that they function effectively together with any new treatments added to further improve energy efficiency.

Windows, courtyards, & light wells

Operable windows, interior courtyards, clerestories, skylights, rooftop ventilators, cupolas, and other features that provide natural ventilation and light can reduce energy consumption. Whenever these devices can be used to provide natural ventilation and light, they save energy by reducing the need to use mechanical

systems and interior artifi cial lighting.

Historically, builders dealt with the potential heat loss and gain from windows in a variety of ways depending on the climate. In cold climates where winter heat loss from buildings was the primary consideration before mechanical systems were introduced, windows were limited to those necessary for adequate light and ventilation. In historic buildings where the ratio of glass to wall is less than 20%, the potential heat loss through the windows is likely minimal; consequently, they are more energy effi cient than most recent construction. In hot climates, numerous windows provided valuable ventilation, while features such as wide roof overhangs, awnings, interior or exterior shutters, venetian blinds, shades, curtains and drapes signifi cantly reduced heat gain through the windows. Historic windows can play an important role in the efficient operation of a building and should be retained.

New architectural styles, beginning with the International Style of the 1920’s, brought about an increase in the percentage of glazing in the total building envelope. By the 1950’s, with the advent of the glass curtain wall, glazing constituted nearly 100% of a building’s exterior walls in many buildings. While many early modern buildings continued to use operable windows as a way to provide natural ventilation, greater reliance on mechanical heating and air conditioning systems eventually reduced the function of exterior glazing to providing light only, particularly in commercial, office, and institutional buildings.

Walls

Thick masonry walls typical of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries have inherent thermal characteristics that keep the buildings cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Walls with substantial mass have the advantage of high thermal inertia, which reduces the rate of heat transfer through the wall. For instance, a wall with

Historic Buildings

ef entitled Improving Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings high thermal inertia, subjected to solar radiation for an hour, will absorb the heat at its outside surface, but slowly transfer it to the interior over a period as long as six hours. Conversely, a wall having the equivalent thermal resistance (R-value), but a substantially lower thermal inertia, will transfer the heat in perhaps as little as two hours. Heavy masonry walls also reduce the need for summer cooling.

High thermal inertia is the reason many older public and commercial buildings without air conditioning still feel cool during the summer. The heat from the midday sun does not penetrate the buildings until late afternoon and evening, when it is less likely to be occupied or when exterior temperatures have fallen.

Heavy masonry walls are also effective in moderating internal temperatures in the winter by dampening the overall peaks of heat gain and loss resulting in a fl atter and more tolerable daily cycle. In areas that require cooling during the day and heating at night, masonry walls can help spread out excess heat gain from the day to cover some of the needed heating for the evening and night hours.

drafts and heat loss. In warmer climates, wide central halls with tall ceilings, breezeways, and large porches all maximized air circulation.

Landscape

Site orientation was another factor considered especially in the location of a historic building on its property. In cold climates, buildings were oriented against northern winds while buildings in warm climates were sited to take advantage of prevailing breezes. Evergreen trees planted on the north side of buildings shielded from winter winds; deciduous trees planted to the south provided summer shade and maximum sun in the winter.

Energy Audit

Roofs

Before implementing any measures to improve the thermal performance of a historic building, an energy audit should be undertaken to evaluate the current energy use of the building and identify deficiencies in the building envelope or mechanical systems. In some areas, the local utility company may offer a free simple audit, however a more in-depth audit should be obtained from a professional energy auditor. The goal of the audit is to establish a baseline of building performance data to serve as a reference point when evaluating the effectiveness of future energy improvements. It is important to hire an independent auditor who does not have financial interests in the results, such as a product vendor.

Floor Plans

An energy auditor first documents the current energy use patterns in the building to establish an energy use history. This initial step includes obtaining the billing history from the local utility company over a one- or two-year period, as well as documenting the number of building occupants, how the building is used, and the type of fuel consumed.

The location of any existing insulation is recorded and the approximate R-value of various components of the building envelope including walls, ceilings, fl oors, doors, windows and skylights is calculated. The building envelope is inspected to identify areas of air infiltration and

Roof construction and design in historic buildings, particularly vernacular buildings, are strongly influenced by the conditions of the local climate. Wide overhangs that sometimes extend to create porches minimize the heat gain from the sun in warmer climates, while steep, sloping roofs with minimal or no overhang prevail in colder climates to allow for shedding snow and increasing beneficial solar heat gain through the windows.

Materials and color also influence the thermal performance of roofs. Metal and light colored roofs, for example, reflect sunlight and thereby reduce the heat gain from solar radiation.

The floor plan of many historic buildings, particularly traditional vernacular ones, was also designed to respond to the local climate. In cold climates, rooms with low ceilings were clustered around central chimneys to share the heat, while small windows with interior shutters reduced

Fall 2014

air loss. The type and age of mechanical systems and major appliances are also recorded.

Tools such as a blower door test or infrared thermography are useful to identify specific areas of infiltration, lack of insulation and thermal bridging. Mechanical depressurization along with infrared thermography is extremely useful in identifying locations of air leakage and heat loss followed by the use of tracer smoke to isolate specific air leaks. These tests are often challenging to perform on buildings and must be undertaken by experienced professionals to avoid misleading or inaccurate results. There are professional standards for audits, those of the Building Performance Institute (BPI) being the most widely used. The energy auditor then produces a detailed report that documents the findings of the audit and includes specific recommendations for upgrades such as air sealing, adding insulation, general repairs, lighting, and improvements to or replacement of mechanical systems or major appliances.

Cost estimates are provided for each of the improvements including the cost of implementation, potential operating cost savings, and, importantly, the anticipated payback period. Armed with this information, historic building owners can start to make informed decisions on how to improve the performance of their buildings. Usually the auditor finds a few locations where there is major air leakage; large “holes� that are unique to a particular building and require equipment to find them. These anomalies are often invisible to the people who use the building on a regular basis. It is important to retest the performance of the building following the implementation of any upgrades undertaken as a result of an energy audit to ensure that the upgrades are performing as expected.

Prioritizing Energy Upgrades

When implementing energy upgrades, efforts should be concentrated on improvements that will provide the most payback for the money expended and the least compromise to the historic character of the building. Some upgrades recommended in energy audits may not

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Workshop Series 2014 - 2015 Registration is $55 for members and $80 for non-members. Unless otherwise noted, VAM workshops run from 10:00am to 3:00pm, with check-in starting at 9:30am and a lunch break at noon.

DOING MORE WITH LESS, WITH VOLUNTEERS

This workshop is designed especially for the small to medium sized organization that relies heavily or solely on volunteers.

From learning how to find volunteers to managing and retaining them, we’ll delve deeper into the special needs of growing organizations that use volunteers as primary staff and docents. We’ll learn about unique opportunities and ways to engage volunteers from the largest and longest-running AmeriCorps program in Virginia.

Program Updates

Date: Friday, November 14, 2014 Location: Virginia Holocaust Museum; Richmond, VA Speakers: Jenny Callear, program director VCU AmeriCorps; Charles Coulomb, Deputy Director and Matt Simpson, Director of Guest Services, Virginia Holocaust Museum; other speakers TBA Certificate Credit: Internal Affairs OR Education and Outreach

THE REAL IMPACT OF SPECIAL EVENTS

An organization may be tempted to host special events without fully considering the future impact on the site, staff, or volunteers.

Hear from colleagues who have made the leap into special events, from fundraisers to weddings, and learn how these impact their organizations. If you decide to become an event planner, learn insider tips on developing an events plan and how to make your site a valued attraction.

Date: Friday, December 5, 2014 Location: Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont; Fredericksburg, VA Speakers: Jaime Fawcett, Executive Director, Edgar Allan Poe Museum; Betsy Labar, Special Events Manager, Gari Melchers Home and Studio; Barbara Ziman Historian/Events & Marketing Coordinator, Sully Historic Site Certificate Credit: External Affairs OR Education and Outreach

COLLECTIONS HANDLING ESSENTIALS

With demonstrations and hands-on practical training, workshop attendees will learn best practices from experts on how

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to handle artifacts and archives. Participants will also learn how best to assist the public when artifacts are brought to their sites. Finally, attendees will take home new friendships, new skills, and new resources to share with colleagues and the public.

Date: TBA Location: TBA Speakers: Dana Puga, Prints & Photograph Collections Specialist, Library of Virginia; Newbold Richardson, The Costume and Textile Specialists Certificate Credit: Collections Management

The Pavillion at Gari Melchers Home & Studio, set up for a private dinner event. Learn about the real impact of special events at our December 5th workshop. Photo credit: Gari Melchers Home and Studio.

THE COLLECTIONS CONUNDRUM OF DEACCESSIONING

Whether a museum, library, archive or art gallery, every collecting institution has items in their care that that are no longer in need, don’t meet the mission, or are of unknown origin. Knowing what to do with these artifacts and archives is often a worrisome task that is left undone - sometimes for years - leaving new staff with an even greater conundrum. Learn about resources such as collection policies and Virginia state laws on old loans and undocumented items.

Knowing best practices on deaccessioning artifacts can not only make the process go smoothly, but can help contain a potentially controversial situation. We will end the day with a discussion on public relations related to deaccessioning, including case studies and best practices.

Date: Friday, April 10, 2015 Location: The Lyceum: Alexandria’s History Museum; Alexandria, VA Speakers: Jeanne Niccolls, Circuit Riders consultant; Catherine Dean, former con-

servator at Virginia Department of Historic Resources; Meghan Townes, Visual Studies Collections Registrar, Library of VA Certificate Credit: Collections Management

ARE YOU AGE WAVE READY? MOVING FORWARD WITH THE BOOMERS

Over the next decade, all sectors will be challenged to adapt strategies, marketing, services, and staff and volunteer management to prepare for an aging population.

Learn about research and planning already underway in areas like the Richmond Region to become ‘Age Wave’ ready and how the community can work together to meet the needs of a changing demographic.

We will discover and discuss how cultural groups can engage older adults as visitors, volunteers, donors and staff.

Date: TBA Location: TBA Speaker: Celeste Fetta, Chief Educator, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts; Sara Link, Director of the Greater Richmond Age Wave Readiness Coalition, Agewell Virginia; James Brooks, Associate State Director, AARP Certificate Credit: External Affairs OR Education and Outreach

TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

VAM is excited to present a unique event bringing past sought-after conference speakers to you live-and-in-person and to your laptop! Learn about advances in distance learning, 3D scanning and printing, plus Google’s 360 degree interior photography that has already brought numerous sites in Virginia to an expanded world audience. We will put new tech tools to work for us as we break down the barriers of distance and bring the corners of the state together through an in-person workshop and live video conferencing opportunities around the state.

Date: TBA Locations: Mariners’ Museum, Virginia Tech Inn/Skelton Center Speakers: Matthew Gibson and Peter Hedlund, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities; Evan Liddiard, Virginia Historical Society; other speakers TBA

Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings

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be introduced into a historic building feasibly without damaging historic fabric or altering the appearance of significant features. Removing historic siding and replacing it with new siding to introduce insulation into the wall cavity of a frame building or replacing repairable historic windows are examples of treatments that should not be undertaken on historic buildings. A common misconception is that replacing windows alone will result in major energy savings. This argument, often used to sell replacement windows, is simply not true. Although it varies from building to building, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has documented that air loss attributable to windows in most buildings is only about 10% of the

total air loss. Studies have shown that window replacement does not pay for itself in energy savings in a reasonable length of time. Moreover, there are ways to improve the performance of historic windows that do not require their replacement. In addition, historic windows can usually be repaired and are, thus, sustainable, while most new windows cannot be repaired, or even recycled, and may wind up in landfills.

When considering energy upgrades, it is imperative to get a clear picture of what an improvement will cost initially and how long it will take to pay back the cost in energy savings. Therefore, the life cycle cost of the improvement must be consid-

ered as well as its impact on historic fabric. Reducing infiltration around existing windows and doors, sealing penetrations in the building envelope, and adding insulation — particularly in the attic where it has little impact on historic fabric — can result in significant improvements at relatively little cost. Updating mechanical systems or changing the way in which they are operated can also be cost-effective interventions. For example, installing a more efficient mechanical system alone may pay for itself in ten years.

To read about actions you can take to improve energy efficiency, read the rest of the Preservation Brief here.

Look for our online conference program beginning in December; we’ve got a fantastic lineup of educational sessions, networking opportunities, behind-the-scenes tours, evening events, and more! Richmond is rolling out the red carpet for VAM 2015.

March 7 - 10, 2015 The Omni Richmond Hotel #HaveYouSeenUsLately?

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The Valentine: Renovation, R

by Sue Bland and Domenick Casuccio Richmond, Virginia’s Hidden Treasures Tell a New Story

The Valentine is devoted to collecting and interpreting the material culture of the city in a bold, new way. With its multi-million-dollar renovation, the Valentine has created a people’s space for visitors to engage in public dialog about important urban issues. This is Richmond, Virginia, the museum’s core exhibition, will open Saturday, Oct. 25 in its main history gallery.

The Valentine’s Sara D. November Education Center and Stettinius Community Galleries will open in November 2014 and January 2015, chronicling neighborhood-focused stories with hot-button subjects.

Member Profile

Taking It to the Street

Gifts for capital improvements and endowment funds have allowed the Valentine to take on one of its biggest transformative capital projects. With guidance from local architects, Glavé & Holmes and project management

by Kjellstrom+Lee, the Valentine has visually connected the neoclassical 1812 John Wickham house, its garden and the Edward V. Valentine Sculpture Studio to three adjoining 19th-century

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row houses. By tearing down walls, the Valentine takes the museum experience to the street. Clay Street pedestrians can now glimpse parts of the Valentine’s exhibitions since the once-shuttered row house windows are open once again.

Member previews will be held in advance of the museum’s grand re-opening on Saturday, Oct. 25.

The renovation and opening week of activities are generously supported by corporations, foundations, and individual donors. Lead sponsors include Dominion Resources, Altria Group, Capital One, MWV, Bon Secours Richmond Health System, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, WRIC 8 News, Style Weekly, and many others.

This is Richmond, Virginia weaves a new narrative about Virginia’s capital. While the exhibition tells the proud story of Richmond’s connection to America’s founding fathers, it also includes emotionally-charged subjects such as the slave trade, women’s suffrage rights and civil rights. Since December 2013, the Valentine’s architectural renovation has revealed layers of Richmond history.

When taking down a wall, contractors discovered mid-20th century plans for an exhibition that included, among others, Sara D. November, mother of Richmond philanthropist Neil November, and a widely respected artist and teacher.

Director Bill Martin says “it’s more than serendipitous that we discovered this bit of Valentine museum history.” The November family has supported the

This is Richmond, Virginia Exhibition Rendering.

museum since the early 1900s, and when the Sara D. November Education Center opens on Friday, Nov. 7, her self-portrait will grace its entrance.

This is Richmond, Virginia and the renovated space it occupies were made possible by a gift from Altria Group and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

According to Martin, the entire exhibition was designed by Virginia firm Riggs Ward, This is Richmond, Virginia explores five key themes: Why the fall line? Where do we live? What do we produce? Who has a voice? and What do we value? Valentine staff members David Voelkel and Meg Hughes curated the exhibition.

Developed for flexibility, This is Richmond, Virginia will change over time.

Pieces from the Valentine’s collection and new acquisitions will be rotated for insight into the life and times of Richmonders from the 1600s to the present-day. Martin anticipates the exhibition will ignite public dialog and future narrative. He has actively engaged public participation during his two decades with the Valentine. Under Martin’s leadership, the Valentine has expanded the choices of Richmond-area walking and bus tours to more than 300 annually.

The Valentine offers an array of public educational programs for all ages and has been educating Richmond Public School students about cultural subjects since the early 1900s. What was once referred to as “Richmond’s attic,” Martin and the Valentine Board of Directors now

Edward V. Valentine Sculpture Studio

Restoration & Regeneration call “Richmond’s Living Room.” Martin was instrumental in recently developing the Richmond Liberty Trail and the annual Richmond History Makers program.

Richmond History Makers will celebrate its 10th anniversary on Tuesday, Oct. 21 with a public celebration.

Made in Richmond

In addition to the new exhibition, a new museum gift shop will feature Richmond-made specialty items, all uniquely created in Virginia’s capital. More galleries will open next year. Made in Church Hill, a collaborative exhibition involving a variety of local cultural and educational institutions, is scheduled to open in January in the renovated Stettinius Community Galleries. In May 2015, the Klaus and Reynolds Costume and Textile Galleries will explore Richmond’s classical roots in an exhibition from the internationally known, 40,000-piece Valentine Costume and Textile collection. More exciting community exhibitions are planned for 2016.

For the first time ever, the Edward V. Valentine Sculpture Studio can now be viewed from a window in the This is Richmond, Virginia exhibition space. Edward V. Valentine created many public sculptures of Southern leaders but his best known work, Recumbent Lee, lies in the Lee Chapel at Washington and Lee, above Robert E. Lee’s burial vault. In addition to many figurative sculptures, the intimate studio displays an unusually large number of death masks Valentine created and collected. The studio is one of only five

surviving 19th-century sculpture studios open to the public in the U.S.

an institution, and therefore it satisfies a public want.”

The John Wickham House was built in 1812 for prominent Richmond lawyer John Wickham. Wickham represented Vice President Aaron Burr in his trial for treason. The house is located in Richmond’s Court End, once a neighborhood for the city’s wealthiest and most powerful citizens. Wickham’s neighbor was U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall who presided over the Burr trial. Today, the Wickham house displays living spaces that would have been used during the family’s time. In August, The Valentine opened an insightful exhibition called Creating History: The Valentine Family and the Creation of a Museum on the second floor of the Wickham house with family portraits, a history of Valentine’s Meat Juice - the product that made Mann S. Valentine II wealthy - and a recreation of the very first exhibition in 1898.

The Valentine preserves, conserves and interprets Richmond, Virginia history and diverse community issues by focusing on urban and social history, costumes, decorative arts and architecture. It is the only institution in the country committed solely to this mission and it is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.

It houses a 40,000-piece collection of textiles and costumes, one of the largest Western collections of its kind. The Valentine maintains more than one million photographic images of the city, and 25,000 decorative arts pieces, including portraits, furniture and domestic items.

Its research library provides primary source material for national and international scholars. The Valentine-owned 1812 John Wickham House is listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks.

The Valentine Museum was created with a bequest in 1892 from Mann S. Valentine II, who left a sum of money and his collection of scientific artifacts and art objects, as well as the Wickham House for public education and research. His brother, Edward V. Valentine, served as the museum’s first president when it opened to the public in 1898.

The Valentine 1015 East Clay Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-649-0711 Visit The Valentine online and learn more.

About the Valentine Museum, the Richmond Dispatch, Nov. 21, 1898 said:

Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums

“Richmond has long been in need of such

Wickham House Back Facade

Sara D. November Education Center

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Book Review

Preservation Virginia The Green Museum: a Primer on Environmental & VAM Present: Practice by Sarah S. Brophy and Elizabeth Wylie Historic Structures

by Heather Widener and ham”?) for those looking to make Roundtable Event With input from architects, engineers, museum professionals, and funders, the authors have left no stone unturned in The Green Museum. The book begins with an overview of “green” – why we should care, what the term really means, and how public policy as well as public perception affect the “green movement.”

With a plethora of examples from museums across the nation, you can then delve into the nuts and bolts of measuring what is “green” (or not-so-green) at your museum. From energy audits to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) checklists, the book outlines ways to determine a baseline for your museum’s operational (and, yes, carbon) footprint. Using these types of metrics, you can most appropriately set goals and priorities for the greening of your museum.

The third section of the book is truly the “meat and potatoes” (the “green eggs

changes. Options for becoming more environmentally efficient include elements as diverse as green walls and roofs, water conservation, green purchasing, recycling, and composting. This thorough review of options provides a fantastic resource for site managers, directors, and facilities personnel. The book concludes with the argument that institutions who have prioritized an environmentally friendly approach to the way they do business are actually “environmentally advantaged” in the competitive market for positive public relations and also for funding support. Increasingly, they point out, funders “recognize, or are learning, that environmental sustainability is about long-term security and fulfilling your mission: conserving resources and saving money leaves more to support your mission-critical functions while contributing to the health, education, and well-being of your immediate and extended public.”

All in all, The Green Museum is a must-

October 28, 2-4pm Fort Monroe

read for any museum leader who would like to review or improve their energy efficiency, or who is looking to prioritize the “greening” of their museum. art among friends: four collections of american art

Jonathan stuhlman has been the curator of american art at the mint museum since 2006. he was previously the anne and harold berkeley smith curator of american art at the norton museum of art and has worked at the university of Virginia art museum, the Virginia museum of fine arts, the art institute of chicago, and second street gallery in charlottesville, Virginia. stuhlman has organized exhibitions exploring the work of georgia o’keeffe, robert henri, kay sage and yves tanguy, and charles seliger. he received his ba with honors in art history from bowdoin college and his

published in conjunction with the blowing rock art and history museum’s exhibition “art among friends: four collections of american art” (may 4 – november 2, 2013), this catalogue features photographs and thoughtful interpretation of eighty-one paintings and one bronze sculpture comprised entirely from four private collections in the north carolina high country.

ART AMONG FRIENDS

spanning one of the most dynamic periods of american art history, the works were created between roughly 1880 and 1940 and portray the evolution of american impressionism to urban realism.

four collections of american art

Art Among Friends demonstrates the influence of friendship not only between the four collectors, but also the artists themselves. The depth and breadth of each collector’s holdings made it possible for guest curator Jonathan stuhlman, of the mint museum, in charlotte, north carolina, to trace the rise and fall of significant artistic movements and demonstrate the remarkable talents of some of this country’s most important artists.

stuhlman

ma in modern and contemporary art history, theory, and criticism from the school of the art institute of chicago. he is currently a doctoral candidate in art history at the university of Virginia where his dissertation focuses on the work of the surrealist painter yves tanguy.

blowing rock art and history museum

Joann mitchell was selected as the founding director of the blowing rock art and history museum (brahm) in 2005. her responsibilities have included managing the inaugural capital campaign, working with the architects and builders to complete the museum facility, and guiding the organization through its initial years of operation. as a year-round resident of blowing rock, Joann values the significant contributions of the long-time locals who make the town extraordinary as well as the seasonal residents who give generously of their resources to enrich the community. both groups have added immeasurably to the success of the blowing rock art and history museum. jacket design: nathan w. moehlmann, goosepen studio & Press front: Young Tennis Player, c. 1920. agnes millen

www.blowingrockmuseum.org

richmond (1870–1964). oil on canvas. back: In Tennessee,

blowing rock art and history museum

1925. John adams spelman (1880–1941). oil on canvas.

Round 3 NEW JACKET 28Aug2013 - Art Among Friends - BRAHM - Goosepen.indd 1

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jacket design: Nathan W. Moehlmann, Goosepen Studio & Press jacket illustrations: M. Dawn Crouse. Front: The Hart Square kiln.

Published for the linColn County HistoriCal assoCiation

by Goosepen stuDio & press Conover, North Carolina www.Goosepenpress.Com

McGuckian, Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, Rita Ann Higgins, and pottery in the Catawba Valley others, and in more daunting social circumstances, Máire of North Carolina, a tradition

Mhac an tSaoi’s poetry speaks to and from the intimate ex-two centuries old. dating over Pottery tradition in the Catawba Valley

Born in Dublin in 1922, Máire Mhac an tSaoi is the daughter of the politician and author Seán MacEntee and Margaret Browne MacEntee, a Lecturer in Irish at University College Dublin.

Mhac an tSaoi spent long periods in the Kerry Gaeltacht around Dunquin during her childhood.

She studied at Alexandra College, Loreto College, and University College Dublin. She spent two years at the School of Celtic Studies in the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies, studied law at King’s Inns, and, in 1944, became the first Irish woman to be called to the bar. She spent two years as a postgraduate student in the Institut des Hautes Études at the Sorbonne.

From 1947 to 1962, she served in the Irish diplomatic corps in Dublin, Strasbourg, and Madrid, in Africa and America, and at the United Nations. In 1962, she married politician and writer Conor Cruise O’Brien, and travelled, worked, and lived with him until his death in 2008.

She lived for many years on the summit of Howth Head outside Dublin, and now lives Jason harPe with her daughter in County Meath.

perience of women at a time when women’s voices were largely Initially utilitarian, made and inaudible, on the margins of Irish literature and society. used outThis of necessity, the pottery bilingual selection of her work is the first substantial collection has evolved with the times into to introduce her poems to an English-language audience and sometimes decorative but always a reminder to readers of Irish as to why she is one of the most highly collectible works of art, significant poets to emerge since the beginning of the language though today’s potters, as authors revival almost a century and a half ago.

Jason Harpe and Brian Dedmond

of their forebears passed from generation to generation. With a foreword by renowned scholar detailed histories of the potters

n a sense my poetry is a journal; each effort seeks to stabilise the emotions of a given circumstance, whether the presentation be dramatic or lyric. I have found this facility a powerful resource in times of trouble. Yet another reason to be grateful!

In the nature of things the poems treat of many kinds of love, and in this context it is important to realise that love of language is a passion like any other. Writing verse is an addiction, a rewarding one. Perhaps I should leave it at that and trust that so many willing interpreters will have made these points better than I could. Coimrí Dé orthu go léir!

— Máire Mhac an tSaoi, from the Preface

themselves complement historical, candid images from the archives of collectors and museums.

Dawn Crouse’s vivid photographs capture the pottery-making wake for est uni ver si t y pr ess

wake forest university press

process as well as displays of over w w w. w f u press. w f u. edu isbn 978-1-930630-68-0 | $17.95 1,050 pieces of Catawba Valley

and brian dedmond

Dedicated to Irish Poetry

pottery to define one of North Carolina’s and the nation’s most

distinguished ceramics traditions.

With a foreword by Charles g. zug iii

cover illustration: Dunquin Fields © Helene Brennan,

www.goosepenpress.Com

www.helene-brennan.com, used with permission.

PrINteD IN CaNaDa

I

Charles G. Zug III, Valley Ablaze’s

m. dawn Crouse Principal Photography

author photograph: Candide Jones

T h e An paróiste M I r ac u l o u s míorúilteach Pa r I s h

delineate, still embrace the time— Louis de Paor, from the Introduction honored methods and knowledge

cover design: Nathan W. Moehlmann, Goosepen Studio & Press

Back: {top} Burlon Craig double face jug; Daniel Seagle jar; and Kim Ellington vase. {mid left} Charles Lisk large and small swirl ring jugs and Michel Bayne swirl rooster. {mid right} Burlon Craig kiln sale, 1990.

Courtesy of Allen Huffman. {bottom left} Harvey Reinhardt swirl pitcher.

wake forest

melany Dawn Crouse of Lincolnton, North Carolina, became interested in Catawba Valley pottery in 2006 after attending a summer sale of Kim Ellington’s. She started experimenting with photography while working full time in the furniture industry. In 2009, she combined her interests in both photography and pottery and founded Melany Dawn Crouse Photography. Crouse is also chief photographer for the Lincoln County View and a part-time photography instructor at Catawba Valley Community College, in Hickory, North Carolina.

“flAmes

roAring tHrougH kilns AnD tHe exCitement of ACquiring new ADDitions to A ColleCtion Are ultimAtely wHAt keep tHis VAlley AblAze.” — Brian Dedmond

POTTERY TRADITION IN THE CATAWBA VALLEY Harpe Dedmond Crouse

Dr. Brian DeDmonD was born and reared in Lincolnton, North Carolina, and received a BA degree in biology and a DDS degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He now practices dentistry with his father in Lincolnton.

As an undergraduate, Dedmond took several independent study courses in ceramics. In 2002, he purchased his first Burlon Craig face jug and has been passionately collecting contemporary Catawba Valley pottery ever since.

VAlley AblAze

is the first volume to examine

An paróiste míorúilteach The Miraculous Parish | Rogha dánta Selected Poems | Máire Mhac an tSaoi

VA l l e y A b l A z e

A native Charlottean, Jason Harpe received his BA in history and MA in public history from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. For nearly sixteen years, he has served as Executive Director of the Lincoln County Historical Association and Lincoln County Museum of History in Lincolnton, North Carolina.

In 2008, he founded Harpe Consulting, LLC. Harpe has authored and edited eight books, including Two Centuries of Potters: A Catawba Valley Tradition.

VAlley AblAze

carefully the a generation before the groundbreaking achievements of entire scope of both historical and contemporary Eavan Boland, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Biddy Jenkinson, Medbh

www.wfupress.wfu.edu

Máire Mhac an tsaoi rogha dánta selected poems in eagar ag louis de paor edited by louis de paor

goosepen

goosepen

JACKET Valley Ablaze MAIN.indd 1

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5.75

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Clients with upcoming titles include the Grolier Club of New York City; Genealogica, Los Angeles; Tellus Science Museum, Cartersville, GA; The Virtual Steam Car Museum, Dallas, TX; Wake Forest University Press, Winston-Salem, NC; Bob Timberlake & Ambassador Mark Erwin, Lexington and Charlotte, NC; North Carolina Department of Archives & History, Raleigh. 5 Nathan W. Moehlmann | nwm@goosepenpress.com | 828.850.2705

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Members-Ask-Members: Facilities Management

Question: “What are some simple items that you can implement to increase energy efficiency in a museum building?”

T

o dovetail with our Technical Insert on energy efficiency, we asked some experts in the VAM community: “What are some simple items you can implement to increase energy efficiency in a museum building?”

The following recommendations come right from the top! In addition to his duties in Portsmouth at the Childrens Museum of Virginia, Al Schweizer is currently president of VAM. Here are 10 of his top tips for tip-top energy efficiency: 1. Set up a regular schedule for changing all air filters in the facility to save wear and tear on the HVAC system as well as help keep the dust down.

2. Ask your local electric service provider to arrange an energy audit of your facility.

3. Consider LED lighting as a major contributor to reducing electric bills. They have exceptionally long life but are expensive at the first installation.

4. Install automatic sensor control water faucets and automatic flush devices in the restrooms.

5. Consider the use of preset temperature and humidity levels on the HVAC system with limited user control over the adjustable range.

6. For the large windows and large skylights, examine available films that can be applied to the glass.

7. Caulk used in window frames and door jambs is critical to reducing air infiltration during all seasons of the year.

8. A vestibule, if available or if it can be added without impacting the look of the facility, will reduce air penetration when doors are opened.

9. A green roof is an expensive insulator if the load can be carried by the structure both mechanically and aesthetically.

10. Periodic maintenance on building systems are inexpensive compared to large expenses when something breaks.

Al Schweizer Site Manager Childrens Museum of Virginia

The following response comes from our friends at Preservation Virginia.

Preservation Virginia’s 2014 statewide conference, held in partnership with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, will be in the Norfolk region from October 26th - 28th, 2014. The conference typically draws 150-200 preservationists, architects, city planners, developers, local government officials, historic property owners, historic preservation non-profit staff and members, and others to attend lectures and panels, workshops, tours, and field sessions on a variety of preservation-related issues.

Learn more at www.preservationvirginia.org.

Historic buildings can never be made airtight, nor should they be! – the free flow of air and humidity (which Virginia “enjoys” in abundance) helps keep a structure in harmony with its environment. Historically, houses were designed and built to work with the natural settings, rather than seeking to overcome them with technology. This is not to say that we as site managers should not undertake all reasonable means to minimize air exchange and to thus keep our energy costs reasonable.

new trees that will provide some barrier protection is to keep them at least 100 feet away from the structure itself.

If you have the opportunity to replace an HVAC system, investigate the possibility of geothermal systems. These utilize the natural difference in temperature at depth to moderate the amount of conditioning your air will require. They do require a certain amount of space for deep wells to be dug and are more expensive up front. But the life cycle cost of the overall system, and its relative unobtrusiveness once installed, make it an option worth exploring.

Louis Malon Director of Preservation Services Preservation Virginia

Weather-stripping inside doorways can be discreetly installed to fill in cracks left by wooden doors that leave gaps when closed. Where possible, blanket insulation can be laid between joists in attic areas to reduce heat loss in winter months. We have made use of full pane interior storm windows which do not detract from the appearance of the property but help create a thermal barrier to heat loss or gain through large window openings.

We also make use of both exterior and interior shutters to control the amount of light and radiant heat that come into interior rooms. I am less willing to use trees to provide shade and wind protection. To be effective shade providers, trees need to grow to substantial size and thus become potential dangers in hurricanes and other wind and storm events. Our rule of thumb in planting

Fall 2014

11

Director’s Corner

more staff who are burned out, or who feel they cannot take vacation because there is just too much to do. How long does the passion of what we do win out over the exhaustion that comes from trying always to do more with less?

Dear Members,

This issue of the magazine talks a lot about energy efficiency. While traditionally that phrase relates more to buildings and vehicles, you could make the argument that “energy efficiency” can be used to describe museum professionals as well. In effect, we have always been focused on energy efficiency, haven’t we? The idea of “doing more with less” was not a new concept that arose from the recession (though that didn’t help), but rather something that seems inherent in everything we do as part of a nonprofit cultural organization. How do we make sure we provide the best education program with a small budget? How do we stretch our staff dollars by recruiting volunteers and engaging the board?

How can we care for our collection in creative ways that minimize cost?

What does all this energy efficiency accomplish? Theoretically, our organizations benefit, because they get hugely efficient output from a small group of paid staff. And in practice, the public benefits because they are the recipients of the products we create using all this energy efficiency—school programs, exhibitions, special events.

But unlike changing from incandescent bulbs to LED, doesn’t energy efficiency in museum professionals come at a cost that may, in the long run, outweigh the benefits? I see more and

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I raise these questions today as a part of a larger conversation about the future of the museum field that has been going on for years. VAM just started our free student membership initiative, designed to engage museum studies students in the field early on.

But I want to make sure we are engaging them in a field that they can get excited about, and can look forward to entering. I know that museums have always had tight budgets, even the big ones, and they have always done amazing things with what little they have available to them. But how do we carve out a piece of that budget pie for those “energy efficient” staff, and for ensuring that the future of the museum profession looks as bright as it can? I think this is one area where VAM can truly be of service. Museums don’t have to make a huge investment to get huge returns. Our institutional members are telling their staff that they are honored and rewarded—those staff can network with VAM, build their career, get member discounts on continuing education programs, and discounts on individual membership.

Not to mention, those museums are also telling their staff that the organization they work for is committed to the field, and to each person in the field.

Cheers,

Jennifer Jennifer Thomas Executive Director Virginia Association of Museums

Our Governing Council President, Al Schweizer VP, Planning & Resources, Gary Sandling VP, Programming, Gretchen Bulova Secretary, Anna Holloway Treasurer, Norman Burns Past President, Tracy J. Gillespie Ex-Officio Members, Robert C. Vaughan and Jeffrey Allison D i re c to r s Eric App April Cheek-Messier Jamie Bosket Robert Orrison Karen L. Daly Dana Puga Paige Gibbons Barbara Rothermel Charles Grant Vanessa Thaxton-Ward Debi Gray Charlotte Whitted Joe Keiper Eric S. Wilson Lisa Martin Melanie L. Mathewes O u r Sta f f Executive Director, Jennifer Thomas Assistant Director, Christina Newton Communications Director, Heather Widener Accountant, Su Thongpan O u r Co nta c ts Phone: 804. 358.3170 Fax: 804. 358.3174 www.vamuseums.org O u r Vo i ce VAM Voice is a member benefit published quarterly for museum professionals and volunteers.

The editor encourages readers to submit article proposals. Contact the communications director for more information.

O u r N e ws D e a d l i n e s Spring: February 15th Summer: May 15th Fall: August 15th Winter: November 1st Our Mission The mission of the Virginia Association of Museums is to serve as the resource network of the Virginia and District of Columbia museum community through education, technical