Volume III | October 17 2020
Harriet had Brown Eyes
Harriet’s Story Continues...
James Shirley just called the Museum this week. He saw our newly donated portrait of Harriet Fitzgerald (Or what we thought was a Harriet Fitzgerald’s self portrait) on Instagram, and he is sure this is in fact his grandmother painted by his great aunt, Harriet Fitzgerald.  His mother had blue eyes, like the portrait. Harriet had brown eyes, said Mr. Shirley. James Shirley has just moved to Chapel Hill, so he will be coming up to Danville to look at the portrait painted by Harriet Fitzgerald.  He will be sending us pictures too! We cannot wait to see how this story unfolds…
 
We also just received a report from the curator working on the Harriet Fitzgerald Retrospective:
Report on Harriet Fitzgerald by curator Runchan Zhang
Submitted October 4, 2020
Updates on my research (The following is for the newsletter):
For the retrospective show of Harriet Fitzgerald, I mainly consulted three types of materials: 1) scholarly publications which directly discussed Harriet's social circle consisting of civil rights activists and fellow painters, such as Anne Braden and Peggy Anderson; 2) primary sources written by Harriet's friends, contemporaries, and confidants, such as I live in Virginia by Julian R Meade; and 3) local newspapers, such as The Danville Register and The Bee feature interviews with Harriet. To understand Harriet's family background, I also checked census records. 
 A side note for our readers: If you are related to Harriet or knew her personally, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@danvillemuseum.org. We would love to have photos of Harriet, for the only available image of Harriet is on findagrave.com. Correspondence (postcards, letters, etc.), paintings/drawings by Harriet, and anecdotes would also be wonderful. Thank you for reading my full update report HERE 
 
 

Ghosts and Gravestones: BUY YOUR TICKETS SOON!

                                                                                                                
Three Planting by Danville Garden Club
The Garden Club of Danville has gifted a dogwood tree to the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History and will be planning a day for planting within the next two weeks. They have contacted the city who will supply the manpower for planting. We will move forward with our commemoration plan and planting on Oct. 20/21—or the following week on the 28th /29th. The official dedication will be held in early spring. 

Outing to Owens Farm +Pumpkin Carving registration
Pumpkin Outing to Owens Farm + Pumpkin Carving
Museum Interns picked up our Halloween Museum Pumpkins at Owens Farm - locally grown! To family and friends of the Museum who would like to team up for a day of pumpkin carving we will be offering a day-long event of pumpkin scooping and carving. So get some fresh air and come on out with family and friends!!! We will provide all your tools (and even have ideas for carving).

Contact us at [email protected] to register for your pumpkin carving session. Tickets are $10 for one pumpkin and there will be prizes handed out during the lighting of the pumpkins at 6pm. Join in the fun on Saturday October 24th from 10am to 6pm. We hope you will join the History Ghost Tour offered by Ghosts &Gravestones right after the pumpkin lighting.

Art On The Lawn Weekly Feature
While we are not hosting Art on the Lawn at the Museum this year we are allowing you to tune in for an online look inside our artists’ studios. Each Artist gives a demonstration and talks about what inspired them to work in their particular medium. Please tune in for our next Art On the Lawn FB Artist Talk on this coming Sunday coming up (October 18) at 2pm. This week we will be looking at art that is collectively made around a specific “wicked eco problem of the Spotted Lanternfly” and shows how community can come together around difficult issues. Art Festivals such as Art On The Lawn often tells many layered stories about our region. For instance: works, especially local pottery, is made from local clay deposits. So take the time to stop by our artists’ studios for a curious peek and chat.
 
Service: Averett French Class Wrap Up Their Service learning Project At The Museum
Professor Catherine Clark’s Averett students have completed their video projects to share. You can follow the links below. We were delighted to interact with this group on their Service Learning Project and we are happy the Perkinson Garden could create such an appropriate sensory experience as students read the philosophical novel of French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: The Little Prince.
Why does Antoine De Saint-Exupéry’s little prince love the rose? Although the rose is, for the most part, vain and naïve, the prince still loves her deeply because of the time he has spent watering and caring for her. Tell us why YOU love our Perkinson Rose Garden, and send us pictures of yourself in the Perkinson Rose Garden.
Silk Screening is for EVERYONE!!!
Silk-screening is for Everyone!!!
If you have ever wanted to know more about the silkscreening process but thought it would be too difficult, think again. The silkscreeing Is For Everyone Workshop offered at the museum is for beginners through advanced. Come give it a try!
Swanson Studio SILK-SCREENS on the Second Last Tuesday of October so stop on by on the 22nd to learn how to silkscreen your own mask and also bring an old T-shirt that needs a new life! We will be silk-screening on paper and fabric.
If you have ever wanted to know more about the silk-screening process but thought it would be too difficult, think again. Workshop participation fee is $20 for members of the museum and $25 for those still thinking about supporting their one and only Danville Museum.
Early Attic Sale Donations
Are you packing out your winter clothes or preparing the house for winter? Are you ready to move? Are you trying to deal with a loved ones house and trying to organize? Please note the museum’s Attic Sale early collection and drop-off on the last Saturday of every month. If you want more information regarding donations for the Attic Sale please email Dave Corp for information on drop off times for the October Saturday. You can also contact the museum at [email protected]

Buy Your Ghosts &Gravestone Tickets HERE
Come be a part of history! Ghosts & Gravestones is an annual tradition presented by the Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History and Smokestack Theatre Company. These historical walking tours take you from the Sutherlin Mansion through the Grove Street Cemetery where you will meet the “ghosts” of our city’s past. These tours are intended for all ages, but parents should use discretion. You will walk through a 200 year old cemetery with bumpy terrain and low lit areas. Use caution if you have physical limitations. If you have any questions about the content of these tours please reach out to us by emailing [email protected] or calling 434.793.5644 Order your Tickets HERE

Swanson Studio is open for VOTING on Nov. 3
Swanson Studio is a Polling Place
Voting on November 3 at Swanson Studio
Tuesday, November 3, 2020, the Swanson Studio will be used as a polling place. Officers of election will be arriving by 5:00 a.m. and be leaving by 8:30 p.m. that day. Polling hours throughout the Commonwealth are from 6:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. As long as a voter is in line by 7:00 p.m., the voter will be able to vote. If you have any questions about elections please check the Virginia Department of elections webpage: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/registration/election-voter-faq/