The Arden Craft Shop Museum will be closed on Sunday, April 21, 2019 to observe the Easter Holiday. We will reopen on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at 7:30 pm.
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Arden Craft Shop Museum invites you to an Afternoon with the Artists on Sunday, April 28 in the Bernie Schwab Community Room at the ACSM. The event will feature a presentation and video on creating the ACRA mural at the Buzz Ware Village Center with Linda Celestian, Jeanne Orr and David Gerbec. This event is coordinated with the museum’s current exhibition: “They gave us good leave to wander: Celebrating 70 Years of ACRA”  Have you been wondering about the huge bird mural on the back of the Buzz Ware Village Center? Who designed it? How was it made? Please join us to learn about the history and the making of this community mural. Linda Celestian, David Gerbec and Jeanne Orr will talk about their training in the Creative District of Wilmington with a visiting muralist from the Mural Arts Program in Philadelphia. The training enabled Linda Celestian to take the lead in the design and creation of the new mural for the Buzz. Starting with community meetings and many hours learning Photoshop she came up with a design that could incorporate the children’s drawings (done during the ACRA summer program) into a cohesive image that encapsulated Arden. The overall theme of the mural is the “Arden Child” and the kid’s drawings are about growing up in the Ardens. The museum will be open 1 to 3pm with the talk scheduled to begin at 2pm. Drawings and other mural related art will be on display. Refreshments will be served. Once again the Arden Craft Shop Museum was well represented at the Small Museum Association (SMA) conference! Our previous curator, Kelsey Ransick, worked on the conference committee along with Robin MacDonald, former curator and current board member of the ACSM. Our current curator, Liz Jones-Minsinger, was there with Museum and Archives Committee members Sadie Somerville and Barbara Macklem. While there, we met other small museum staff members and volunteers and learned about their collections, programming, and events.  Left to right: Liz Jones-Minsinger, Kelsey Ransick, Barbara Macklem, Robin MacDonald, Sadie Somerville This year's conference was held February 17-19 in College Park, Maryland, where the theme was Catch Me if You Can: Museum Leadership Flying into the 21st Century. Representatives of small museums from across the country came together to examine leadership in small museums and what it means for leadership to be rooted in and reflect values such as advocacy, inclusivity, and equity. The keynote speaker was Dr. Suse Anderson, professor in the Museum Studies Program at the George Washington University and host of the podcast, Museopunks. She recorded her address as a podcast episode, engaging in conversation with Dr. Kasey Grier, Director of the Museum Studies Program at the University of Delaware, and Danielle Gabriel, doctoral student in Human and Organizational Learning at George Washington University.  Keynote address and podcast recording with Suze Anderson, Danielle Gabriel, and Kasey Grier. The Monday night banquet attendees were encouraged to don aviation-themed costumes inspired by Amelia Earhart and other early aviators with the promise of a prize for the best costume. Barbara and Sadie went dressed at vintage-style flight attendants! --Sadie Somerville  Barbara Macklem (left) and Sadie Somerville (right)
The ACSM will be closed Wednesday, February 20, due to the inclement weather. We will reopen this Sunday, February 24th at 1pm.  Naaman's Creek in the snow, mid-20th century. ACSM02417.
Everyone knows the traditional welcome the Ardens extend to all visitors: “You are welcome hither.” It was chosen by Frank Stephens and carved on the top of the stile sign at the original entrance to the villages. It expresses both the long-established greeting and spirit of the Ardens.  The stile ca. 1910. ACSM00605, Arden Craft Shop Museum Photographic Collection.  Installation of a new stile, ca. 1950s. ACSM01906, Arden Craft Shop Museum Photographic Collection. The Arden Craft Shop Museum recently received a donation of the top of the stile sign and it joins two other similar objects already in the collection. The latest sign was found by the donor on their leasehold, but they did not have any specific information on its origins. We now have three stile signs and would be delighted to know additional information about any of them. The first two signs were “found in collection,” so we do not have any specific information on their donors or origins. The first is in very fragile condition, appears to be of wood which has been stained brown. The remnants of carved scroll work remain on the left side and the right side is missing.  Stile sign #1. 2011.002.131, Arden Craft Shop Museum Collection.  Stile sign #1, detail. 2011.002.131, Arden Craft Shop Museum Collection. The second sign appears to have been painted blue/gray and the lettering may have once been painted red. There is scroll work on both sides, but it is also in poor condition and is in three pieces.  Stile sign #2. 2011.002.132, Arden Craft Shop Museum Collection. The newest sign does not have any scroll carving, but the letters may have also originally been painted red. All three signs are very alike in the style of the carving, which does appear to have been done by hand. They are also quite similar in size and shape.  Stile sign #3, side one. 2018.034.001, Arden Craft Shop Museum Collection.  Stile sign #3, side two. 2018.034.001, Arden Craft Shop Museum Collection. We have just begun researching our records for more information about these signs, particularly who made them and how often and when they were replaced. We are hoping, however, that the collective memory of the villages will be help guide us in our search for information. Please stop by the Museum to update us with more details or send an email to ardencraftshopmuseum@gmail.com. We hope to display all three signs later this spring when we have more information.
The Museum is open Sunday afternoons from 1-3 & Wednesday evenings from 7:30 to 9. --Barbara Macklem The Arden Craft Shop Museum will be closed on Wednesday, December 26th. We will reopen at our normal hours on Sunday, December 30.
The Arden Craft Shop Museum held a fun and festive celebration for our newest exhibition, “They Gave Us Good Leave to Wander: Celebrating 70 Years of ACRA" on Sunday afternoon, October 21, 2018. Together with ACRA (The Arden Community Recreation Association) we opened our exhibition and celebrated with food and refreshments.   A big tent on the Village Green and clusters of red and white balloons topped off the occasion. Everyone had a good time looking closely at the photographs on display and reminiscing about the days they or their children were in the ACRA program.   Since its beginning in 1948, ACRA has offered a mix of artistic, intellectual, and physical activities for residents, especially through its summer program. It also puts on many events throughout the year, including holiday parties, Fourth of July Games on the Green, and pancake breakfasts in the woods. ACRA continues to draw on the talents of community residents to provide inspiring programs and enriching experiences. The exhibition continues through October 2019.  Post by Sadie Somerville and Liz Jones-Minsinger. Photographs by Sadie Somerville. The Arden Craft Shop Museum will be closed on Wednesday, November 21, 2018 to observe the Thanksgiving holiday. We will reopen at 1pm on Sunday, November 25th.
The Arden Craft Shop Museum will close on Sunday, October 7, so we can install our new exhibition, "They Gave Us Good Leave to Wander: Celebrating 70 Years of ACRA." The museum will re-open on Sunday, October 21, at 1pm for the opening of the new exhibition. We hope you will join us then!
The Arden Craft Shop Museum partnered with Arden resident Jeff Martin to put on a Pickin’ Picnic on the Village Green on Sunday, July 15, 2018. Everyone brought their favorite summertime dish to share and it was quite a feast. The Museum opened the Bernie Schwab Room for use by the picnicking folks. It rained early that morning but the Green was dry by the afternoon when volunteers set up for the event. All sorts of games were played on the grass, including a full setup for volleyball.  The country bluegrass band, FY5, from Colorado, played two sets in the Frank Stephens Open Air Theater. The music that filled the summer night was very much enjoyed.  It was a friendly, relaxed affair for all ages to enjoy. All you had to do was bring food, a donation for the band, and a playful attitude! Thanks to Jeff for the brilliant idea and pulling it all together. --Sadie Somerville  |
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