The Brick Store Museum

Brick Store Museum Happenings 
Exploring the Wonders of History October 2009
Collage blockFirst off:  a huge thank-you to all who "voted" for the Museum back in the spring as part of Kennebunk Savings' Community Investment Ballot. The Museum was recently awarded a check for $974, corresponding to our share of the more 7,000 overall votes cast.  Pioneered back in 1994, the Ballot is part of the bank's Community Investment Program that has contributed more than $6 million to nonprofit organizations in southern Maine over the years. 
 
Finally, leaves are changing, and the temperature is dropping. With that comes a whole host of autumn programming:  lectures, tours, screenings, demos, and more...some of our upcoming activities are made possible by the very ballot monies we just received!  Read on for all the things that we hope will draw you into the Museum this autumn!
 
Sincerely, 
The Brick Store Museum
207-985-4802 
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
 
Top: Museum director Tracy Baetz presents the 85th birthday card (detail below) to President George H. W. Bush at left; photo copyright 2009, CA Smith Photography. Bottom: The new "Anchor to Windward" monument dedicated to President Bush, overlooking Walker's Point. On September 30, at the scenic turnout on Kennebunkport's Ocean Avenue overlooking the Bush Family compound on Walker's Point, a 6,000-pound Navy anchor was dedicated to 41st President George H. W. Bush by his friends in the community.  The new "Anchor to Windward" monument marks the President's enduring connection to the Kennebunks, a place he has long called home for much of the year.
 
As part of the unveiling and dedication ceremony, the Museum's executive director Tracy Baetz was fortunate to have an opportunity to present President Bush with a giant "Happy 85th Birthday" card.  The card  was part of the Museum's birthday tribute exhibition about the President and had been signed by hundreds of locals and visitors from around the globe over the summer.   
"Patchwork Series" Complements Quilts Exhibit

Patchwork Series logo

As a special tie-in with our ongoing Quilts from the Collections of the Brick Store Museum, we're pleased to announce The Patchwork Series. On three separate Saturdays, different quilters will showcase and demonstrate various facets of their craft. Come to one or all three; the series is great for all ages and free with the $5/person admission to the Museum. This series is made possible through a grant from the Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation, with additional support from the Museum's John Rogers Memorial Lecture Fund:
  • Fine miniature quilt by Kate AdamsOctober 17, 10AM - 1PM:  The series kicks off with Kate Adams of Kennebunkport, an internationally known artist working in antique textiles. Her background is in clothing and costume design, but she has always had a keen interest in the history and art of American quilts. Since 1982, she has been working in 1:12 scale, using traditional quilt patterns and vintage fabrics to create one-of-a-kind, limited edition miniature quilts measuring 9" square or smaller.  Her quilts have appeared in many national publications. In an open-house format, watch Adams demonstrate her craft and see samples of her work.
  • Susan Carlson and one of her collage quiltsOctober 31, 10-11:30AM: 
    Susan Carlson of Harpswell will be on hand for a special lecture and trunk show beginning at 10AM.  Carlson is a renowned fabric artist who has been creating images with fabric since 1983. Her experimentation has resulted in a fabric collage method which she has shared and taught internationally since 1994. In her informational and inspirational presentation, she'll begin with her first fabric experiments of more than 20 years ago and trace the progression of her quilts, with insights and stories for each. The step-by-step development of a piece is shown, from her original inspiration to the finished wall hanging. She even shares techniques and hints for design, fabric selection, construction, borders and quilting. To accompany her talk, Carlson will display a selection of quilts, allowing you to examine completed works and see up-close how her techniques are applied.  This program will be held in the Museum's Program Center at 4 Dane Street. 
  • Sample mini from the Southern Maine ChapterNovember 14, 10AM - 1PM:  The series concludes with the Southern Maine Chapter of the Embroiderers' Guild of America, Inc. holding a "stitch-in" where several talented guild members will educate with works-in-progress and showcase finished pieces. Needlepoint, penny rugs, cross-stitch, crazy quilts and more will serve as inspiration to needleworkers of all skill levels. Discover first-hand about the Guild's mission in studying and preserving the heritage and art of embroidery!
All Souls' Week is Almost Here!
 
In the spirit of Halloween and All Souls' Day, we're gearing up for a series of activities for All Souls' Week, made possible by a grant from the Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation.  Here's the scoop:
  • Thursday, October 15 at 7 PM Hope Cemetery
    Six Feet Under: Burial Traditions in the Kennebunks
    With stories and images, Kennebunk Town Historian Kathy Ostrander introduces listeners to the cemeteries of the Kennebunks and the clues they have to offer about burial traditions over the centuries. Learn about various local stonecutters, the imagery appearing on tombstones, and more.  The talk takes place in the Museum's Program Center at 4 Dane Street with a suggested donation of $5/person.
  • Thursday, October 22 at 7 PM
    Grandma's Obituary Box: The Use of Obituaries in Genealogical Research and their Role in American Culture
    Obituaries are research tools that help us document our ancestors and bring them to life. In her illustrated remarks, award-winning, certified genealogist Pam Stone Eagleson will show you how to glean information and clues found in obituaries, as well as where and how to locate them. She'll provide insight into the role of obituaries in American culture and how they've changed over the past three centuries. As a tie-in with the upcoming All Souls' Walk, Eagleson will even include examples from past Kennebunk luminaries. The talk takes place in the Museum's Program Center at 4 Dane Street with a suggested donation of $5/person.
  • 6th Annual All Souls' WalkSaturday, October 24
    (continuous tours beginning at 1 PM; last tour at 4PM)
    6th Annual All Souls' Walk
    Our popular narrated historical walk with costumed interpreters begins at the Museum and covers a half-mile loop through Kennebunk's Hope Cemetery. Not too spooky, it's a perfect activity for the whole family. You'll visit more than a dozen gravesites and learn local history through the fascinating and often tragic tales of residents from bygone eras. Featured stories include ones about ill-fated sea captains, a Civil War soldier killed in battle, a Kennebunk girl's calamity atop Mount Washington, and a spinster and the doom of her namesake ship. Tours conclude back at the Museum, where you'll enjoy cider and treats while viewing the museum's portraits of those highlighted on the walk. Blooms & Heirlooms of Kennebunk is graciously donating the flowers to be left in tribute at each of the featured graves as the tours process through the cemetery. Tours are offered rain or shine continuously all afternoon beginning at 1PM, with the last tour departing at 4PM.  Tickets are $5 per person; no advance reservations are required unless for large groups.
E-Newsletter Sponsored by our Proud Business Partner:
In This Issue
Presentation to a President
Patchwork Series
All Souls' Week
INSIDE SPOTLIGHT 
 
 Sandra S. Armentrout
 
Remembering a Friend and Colleague:
Sandra S. Armentrout
  (1940-2009)
by Tracy Baetz, Executive Director 
 
The community and the Museum lost a dear friend with the death of Sandra S. Armentrout on October 2, 2009.
 
Sandy was unsurpassed in her enthusiasm and allegiance to The Brick Store Museum over the years.  She served as a volunteer and trustee for the Museum in the late 1960s and early 1970s, coming on as a staff member in 1976 and becoming the Museum's director in 1980.   
 
Read more >>

Upcoming... 
 
 
Picture Yourself at the Museum program icon 
 
November 7
Picture Yourself at the Museum
 
 
Soul of a People
 
November 12
Screening of Soul of a People, presented with Kennebunk Free Library

 Did You Know...  
 
Museums icon 
 
...that there are more museums in the U.S. than there are McDonald's restaurants or Starbucks cafes?  
   
...that collectively, America's museums employ nearly 500,000 people?
 
...that Americans volunteer nearly one million hours a week of their time to museums?

 
These are just a few of the staggering statistics revealed  in Museum Financial Information 2009, published by the American Association of Museums. The publication is researched, compiled and updated every three years, based upon the most comprehensive national survey of its kind.
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 Vest Pocket Camera
 
Quick Links
The Brick Store Museum is located at 117 Main Street in the heart of Kennebunk's National Register Historic District. For more than 70 years, the Museum has been dedicated to preserving the Kennebunks' rich cultural and artistic heritage. Its galleries and research archives are open year-round (closed holidays), Tuesdays-Fridays, 10-4:30 and Saturdays, 10-1. Admission is by donation; suggested $5/person. For more information, check us out at www.brickstoremuseum.org, or give us a call at 207.985.4802.
 
The Brick Store Museum | 207-985-4802 | 117 Main Street | Kennebunk | ME | 04043
 

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