1) Smithsonian Exhibition Exploring the American Workforce Coming to Blowing Rock Art & History Museum​
2) Scholars & Scones: Crafting Coffee: The Daingerfield Blend
3) Thursday Art and Culture Talk (TAC Talk): Supporting Your Health with Essential Oils
4) Smithsonian Exhibition Featured in BRAHM’s Latest Coffee with the Curator Tour
 

Smithsonian Exhibition Exploring the American Workforce Coming to Blowing Rock Art & History Museum

March 20 – April 28, 2018 with an Opening Reception on March 24, 2018 from 2-4:00 p.m. — Blowing Rock, NC

What would life be like without teachers, doctors or firefighters? Every day Americans are hard at work on farms, factories, in homes or at desks keeping our communities thriving. The Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (BRAHM), in cooperation with North Carolina Humanities Council, will explore the professions and the people that sustain American society when it hosts “The Way We Worked,” a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition. “The Way We Worked” will be on view March 20th through April 28th, with an opening reception on Saturday, March 24th. The March 24th opening will be free and open to the public.

BRAHM and the surrounding community have been expressly chosen by the NC Humanities Council to host “The Way We Worked” as part of the Museum on Main Street project—a national/state/local partnership to bring exhibitions and programs to rural cultural organizations. The exhibition will tour six communities in North Carolina from January through November; an itinerary is attached.  

“The Way We Worked,” adapted from an original exhibition developed by the National Archives and Records Administration, explores how work has become a central element in American culture. It traces the many changes that have affected the workforce and work environments over the past 150 years, including the growth of manufacturing and increasing use of technology. The exhibition draws from the Archives’ rich collections, including historical photographs, archival accounts of workers, film, audio and interactives, to tell the compelling story of how work impacts our individual lives and the historical and cultural fabric of our communities.  

“We are very pleased to be able to bring “The Way We Worked” to our area,” said Willard Watson, Programs and Outreach Director, BRAHM. “It allows us the opportunity to explore this fascinating aspect of our own region’s history, and we hope that it will inspire many to become even more involved in the cultural life of our community.”  

“Allowing all of our state’s residents to have access to the cultural resources of our nation’s premiere museum is a priority of the NC Humanities Council,” said Paula Watkins, Executive Director of the NC Humanities Council. “With this special tour, we are pleased to be working with the BRAHM and Blowing Rock to help develop local exhibitions and public programs to compliment the Smithsonian exhibition.” Such free events include exhibition opening tour on Saturday, March 24 at 2 pm. 

“The Way We Worked” is part of Museum on Main Street, a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation and local host institutions. To learn more about “The Way We Worked” and other Museum on Main Street exhibitions, visit www.museumonmainstreet.org.  

Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.  

SITES connects millions of Americans with their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of art, science and history exhibitions. State humanities councils, located in each state and U.S. territory, support community-based humanities programs that highlight such topics as local history, literature and cultural traditions. The BRAHM serves the local community by promoting visual arts, history and heritage of the mountains through educational programs, exhibitions, and significant permanent collections. To learn more, visit www.sites.si.edu, www.nchumanities.org, and www.blowingrockmuseum.org.  

For more information, contact the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum’s Education & Outreach Director, Willard Watson at (828) 295-9099 ext. 3006 or via email atprograms@blowingrockmusuem.org.

Located at 159 Chestnut Street on the corner of Chestnut and Main in Blowing Rock, NC, the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m, and Sunday, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. (May – November). The Museum is closed on Monday. General admission to the Museum is $7 for adults and $6 for students, seniors, and children ages 5 and up. Donations are accepted for full admission to the Museum on Thursday. Admission is free for active military and EBT cardholders. For more information, please call (828) 295 – 9099 or visit www.blowingrockmuseum.org.

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Scholars & Scones: Crafting Coffee: The Daingerfield Blend

Thursday, March 1, 2018 from 11:00 a.m. — Blowing Rock, NC

Thirsty for creativity? Hatchet Coffee Co. and the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum have joined forces to craft a coffee that is sure excite artists and caffeine lovers alike. Jeremy Bollman, co-owner of Hatchet Coffee Co. will offer a talk that explores the process of intentionally creating a custom coffee blend for the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum in this edition of the Scholars & Scones lecture series. The talk will be at the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum on Thursday, March 1, 2018 from 11:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. The event is free for members and $5 for nonmembers.

Born in the mountains of North Carolina, Hatchet Coffee is a new adventure created by friends consumed with the idea that amazing coffee is a life-changing experience. 

Hatchet Coffee co-founder, Jeremy Bollman will lead us on a delicious and educational journey through the crafting of a custom coffee blend. Through many trials and flavor profiles, a dedicated team of taste testers has come up with a complex and tasty coffee which invites you to paint your palate with the vibrant flavors of the Daingerfield Blend, custom-mixed for us by our friends at Hatchet Coffee here in Watauga County, NC. Bold strokes of milk chocolate and toffee take the lead in the foreground, followed by a twinkling amaretto finish. Whether you’re just greeting the Blue Ridge sunrise or you need a golden hour pick-me-up, this lightly-roasted blend will surely keep you aglow. Pour yourself a cup of local color!  

Scholars & Scones is a monthly educational program which invites patrons to spend a morning sipping coffee, eating locally-baked goodies, and learning about the latest research, writing, and creativity taking place in our region. Complimentary breakfast goods from Ugga Mugga Bakery and fresh cups of Daingerfield Blend from Hatchet Coffee Co. will be served. Unless otherwise posted, Scholars & Scones is free for members and $5 for nonmembers.

Located at 159 Chestnut Street on the corner of Chestnut and Main in Blowing Rock, NC, the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m, and Sunday, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. (May – November). The Museum is closed on Monday. General admission to the Museum is $7 for adults and $6 for students, seniors, and children ages 5 and up. Donations are accepted for full admission to the Museum on Thursday. Admission is free for active military and EBT cardholders. For more information, please call (828) 295 – 9099 or visit www.blowingrockmuseum.org. 

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TAC Talk: Supporting Your Health with Essential Oils

Thursday, March 22, 2018 from 6:00 p.m. — Blowing Rock, NC

Give your immune system a boost and learn how essential oils can benefit your health as we transition into Springtime! Essential oils are one of nature’s most valuable gifts that can benefit us from the inside out. In this edition of our Thursday Art & Culture Talk (TAC Talk) series, Speakers Samantha Lee Wright and Allison Rollans will discuss the the foundation of using essential oils to benefit all aspects of their health, and attendees can take home their very own Thieves Essential Oil Spray ($5). The talk will be on Thursday, March 22, 2018 from 6–7:00 p.m. at the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum. This talk is free for museum members and $5 for nonmembers.

Samantha Lee Wright and Allison Rollans own and operate High Country Doulas, a premier birth agency supporting new parents through pregnancy, birth, and the early postpartum. They are also passionate health advocates and love empowering others to take control of their health through simple changes in their lifestyle and through the use of natural tools such as essential oils. Samantha also produces the world’s #1 rated podcast on the topic of essential oils, The Essential Oil Revolution, and Allison Rollans is a certified Health Coach with the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute.

Thursday Art and Culture Talks (TAC Talks) bring collegiate level lectures to the museum. Featuring scholars from around the country, the lectures are selected to provide supplemental information on our current exhibits or highlight the history and heritage of the Appalachian region. Beginning at 6 pm these events have an hour long lecture and conclude with an audience question and answer session. Unless otherwise posted, all TAC Talks are free to members and $5 for nonmembers.

Located at 159 Chestnut Street on the corner of Chestnut and Main in Blowing Rock, NC, the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m, and Sunday, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. (May – November). The Museum is closed on Monday. General admission to the Museum is $7 for adults and $6 for students, seniors, and children ages 5 and up. Donations are accepted for full admission to the Museum on Thursday. Admission is free for active military and EBT cardholders. For more information, please call (828) 295 – 9099 or visit www.blowingrockmuseum.org. 

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Smithsonian Exhibition Featured in BRAHM’s Latest Coffee with the Curator Tour

Tuesday, March 27th at 11:00 a.m. — Blowing Rock, NC

Have you ever walked through an exhibition at a museum by yourself, only to walk away wanting to know more?  Each month, the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (BRAHM) offers the opportunity to take a behind the scenes look at a featured exhibition during Coffee with the Curator, where visitors tour through the galleries with either the curator at the museum or guest curators of special exhibitions, all while enjoying a warm, complimentary cuppa from Hatchet Coffee Co. and locally baked goods from Appalachia Cookie Company.

Come join Dianna Cameron, Curator, and Willard Watson III, Programs & Outreach Director, at BRAHM on Tuesday, March 27th at 11:00 a.m. for a guided tour revealing the details of the traveling Smithsonian exhibition, “The Way We Worked”, on view at the museum from March 20th – April 28th.  Cameron and Watson will share how this exhibition explores work becoming a central element in American culture by tracing the many changes that affected the workforce and environments over the past 150 years.  The exhibition features a diverse selection of photographs pulled from the National Archives, as well as videos and hands-on interactives that kids and adults can enjoy together.

“We are part of a small group of museums selected to host this exhibit, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring it to Blowing Rock,” said Dianna Cameron.  “We’re doing a long series of programs related to this project, including another exhibition called “The Way We Worked” that will open later this summer, so this Coffee with the Curator tour will serve as a great introduction to this exhibition series and the history of work across America.  Willard and I are excited to engage attendees during the tour through a few interactive activities to see how our community contributes to this ongoing conversation about our work and ourselves.”

“The Way We Worked” has been made possible in Watauga County at BRAHM by the North Carolina Humanities Council.  “The Way We Worked”, an exhibition created by the National Archives, is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and the State Humanities Councils nationwide.  Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.

Located at 159 Chestnut Street on the corner of Chestnut and Main in Blowing Rock, NC, the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m, and Sunday, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. (May – November). The Museum is closed on Monday. General admission to the Museum is $7 for adults and $6 for students, seniors, and children ages 5 and up. Donations are accepted for full admission to the Museum on Thursday. Admission is free for active military and EBT cardholders. For more information, please call (828) 295 – 9099 or visit www.blowingrockmuseum.org. 

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