On exhibit in the Museum Gallery is “Lost & Found,” a stimulating group show with multifaceted approaches to collage and assemblage art. The diverse group of 22 jury-selected artists powerfully expresses the concept in their use of materials and mediums as well as subject.
Awards were presented at an energized reception on April 18 attended by a multigenerational group of more than 150 guests. Charlotte Valestra was presented the Jurors Award for “A Leg for a Medal.” The award included a $1,000 cash prize donated by two local arts advocates. Awards of Merit were presented to Julian Harake, Patrick F. McGinnis and Pamela Zwehl-Burke.
Exhibiting artists included: Sima Ansari, R. Anthony Askew, Mike Brady, Barbara J. Cornett, Dale Cornwell, Kimberly Davis, Izzy Greer, Gene Inglis-Ward, Robert Jensen, Thomas Larson, Syd McCutcheon, Barbara B. McIntyre, Diane Reuter, Launa D. Romoff, Mary Stanley, Marlene Struss, Susan Tibbles, and Dug Uyesaka.
The work shown in this special exhibit was selected by a trio of distinguished jurors from a field of more than 100 entries. “The jurists no doubt found their role challenging given the quality of work and the display space limitations,” said Esther Jacobsen Bates, Executive Director of Elverhøj Museum. “The resulting show is an exhilarating look at a very engaging art form.”
“Lost & Found” Awards Pictured
(left to right) are Merit Award recipient Patrick McGinnis, Jurors Award
winner Charlotte Valestra with her prize-winning piece “Leg For a Medal” (inset on right) and
Julian Harake, Award of Merit recipient.
The Jurors:
Rita A. Ferri is Visual Arts Coordinator and Curator of Collections for the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission and has been an arts administrator and award-winning arts educator for over 25 years. Debra McKillop teaches art at Ventura Community College is an artist, graphic designer, gallery manager, and curator. Frances Puccinelli has had an active role in many areas of the arts including juror, gallery owner, curator, organizational volunteer, consultant, retailer and collector.
The work will remain on display through July 5, 2009.
ELVERHØJ: FAIRY TALE & PLAY
A few large lizards were running nimbly about in the clefts of an old tree; they could understand one another very well, for they spoke the lizard language. . . .
So begins one of H. C. Andersen’s lesser-known fairy tales, “Elverhøj,” pronounced El-ver-hoy and translated as Elves’ Hill.
One evening after dark, Elves’ Hill opened and out came an old elfin maiden who was the housekeeper of the King of the elves. She announced a grand celebration. Two sons of the Old Goblin from Norway had come to marry two daughters of the Elf King in Denmark.
The younger son pointed to the Elves’ Hill and said that it looked like a hole in Norway. The Old Goblin reminded his son to take care, for people would think him rude.
Both sons entered the Hill, sat down, and put their legs on the table in the Elf King’s hall. The Old Goblin told them to take their legs off the table.
Do the Goblins sons marry the Elf Kings daughters? You must read for yourself. When the cock crowed the old elfin maiden closed the shutters, and then the hill closed.
“Agnete’s Dream” from 1913 production of Elverhøj “Agnete’s Dream” from the play Elverhøj is pictured above. The play was performed for the first time in Solvang in 1913 outdoors in Fredensborg Canyon bowl.
A beautifully illustrated English translation of H. C. Andersen’s Fairy Tales is available in the Elverhøj Museum Store.
Elverhøj also exists as a play written for the wedding of Frederik Carl Christian (later Frederik VII) to Vilhelmina Marie on November 6, 1828. Johan Ludvig Heiberg wrote the script based on national folk melodies. Friedrich Kuhlau wrote the music, also drawing on Danish Folk music. The play — romantic, nationalist, and highly entertaining — became the popular signature of the Royal Danish Theater. Although the plots of the play and the fairy tale are different, the Elves’ Hill and the Elf King appear in both.
Contributed by Kenneth Harwood
LIVING HISTORY FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 19 & 20
Step back into the old world culture of Denmark during the Living History Festival at Elverhøj Museum of History and Art. Held annually in conjunction with Solvang’s Danish Days, the 2009 festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are fun and educational activities for all ages, with hosts in handmade Danish costume demonstrating a variety of Old World crafts and folk art, fiber arts, and more. Admission is free.
Exhibits come to life as volunteers demonstrate spinning and weaving in the museums Immigration-Era Room which showcases pre-industrial Danish artifacts. Scandinavian fiber arts such as Viking knitting, card weaving, Hardanger Renaissance lace making, and Nolbinding will be demonstrated in the Museum’s main room and gallery. Bobbin lace makers will create samples of their exacting and intricate work, even offering guests an opportunity to try their hand at this centuries old art. Traditional Danish crafts, including Christmas decorations such as woven paper hearts and paper stars, will be constructed by volunteers who will create samples to hand out.
Demonstrations under the trellis in the museum garden will feature stone carving, a skill practiced by many early cultures, and woodcarving using a variety of hand tools and techniques. Docent-led tours of the museum’s historical, cultural and art exhibits will be available throughout the weekend.
VALLEY WINES & VALENTINES A SUCCESS
Thank you to all who supported and attended Valley Wines & Valentines. The annual winter FUNraiser, held on February 14, was a tremendous success, bringing in a record amount of proceeds. More than 300 guests filled the Museum rooms to overflow, enjoying the convivial atmosphere, wine tasting and food.
Guests lined up for the delicious food prepared by volunteers Sandy Gregersen and Carol Johnson (pictured at right). Docents and board members greeted guests and assisted at the event. Elverhøj wine glasses were lifted as guests sampled local wines and toasted friends. The musical duo She’s My Band, with Carole Ann Colone on percussion and Pamela Harris on pedal harp, provided music for the lively crowd.
Flowers and candlelight provided an elegant ambiance for the evening’s festivities. The gallery exhibition “All You Need Is Love,” surrounded guests with a visual experience honoring the longing, joy, and suffering that is part of inviting love into our lives.
“What an incredible turnout!” said Executive Director Esther Jacobsen Bates. “The event exceeded our goals. Thank you to our sponsors and guests who contributed such a successful evening. We are already planning for next year’s event.”
The festivities concluded with pulling the winning tickets in the Fabulous Valentine’s Drawing. First place winners Elizabeth Farnum and Marion Nielsen each won a 12 bottle wine collection. The grand prize — Cupid’s Wine Cellar, a 24-bottle wine collection — was won by David Pick. Twelve guests also took home prize packages won in the silent auction.
Pictured, left, at the Valentines event is David Pick, grand prize winner of the Fabulous Valentines Drawing. Winning 24 bottles of wine makes for lots of smiles! Sharing in the fun are Executive Director Esther Jacobsen Bates and Ken Johnson, president of Elverhøj’s board of directors.
Valley Wines and Valentines would not be possible without the support and contributions of many generous donors, listed below.
Valentine vintners:
Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards
Artiste Winery
Arthur Earl Winery
Brander Vineyard
Bridlewood Winery
Buttonwood Farm Winery
Curtis Winery
Daniel Gehrs Wines
Firestone Vineyard
Foxen Vineyard
Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards
Olive House & J McFeeley Wines
Presidio Winery
Sunstone Vineyards & Winery
Tastes of the Valleys
Auction and drawing prize donations:
Backdoor Boardshop
Bit O’ Denmark
Book Loft
Elna’s Dress Shop
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Gaveaesken
Graphic Systems
Home Connection
Ingeborg’s Homemade Chocolates
Johnson’s Jewel Box
Mirabelle Inn & Restaurant
New Frontiers
Rancho Olivos
Royal Copenhagen Shop
Santa Ynez Valley Hardware
Solvang Bakery
Trattoria Grappolo
Valley Oaks Bank
Vineyard House
Vinhus
Z Folio Gallery
Donations of food:
Ingeborg’s Homemade Chocolates
Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery
Solvang Bakery
ELVERHØJ INVITES YOU TO BECOME A DOCENT
The word docent comes from the Latin verb docere, meaning “to teach, conduct, lead into, take care of, learn.” The Elverhøj Museum of History and Ar’ts 35 active docents do all of that and more, every single day the Museum is open.
For nearly 15,000 visitors each year, docents are the Museum’s welcoming face and informed voice. We invite you to join this special group. All you need is an interest in and appreciation of Solvang’s history, Danish cultural heritage and/or art.
Monthly meetings of the docent volunteers often include educational opportunities. Recent topics have included recycling and waste management with guest speaker Russ Hicks, and fire safety and emergency preparedness with presentations by the Solvang Fire Department firefighters. Shown is docent Elizabeth Jensen practicing with a fire extinguisher in the Museum driveway.
We ask that you be ready to commit to one or two shifts per month; each shift is three to four hours. In return, you will meet a great group of volunteers and visitors, learn about your community, and have the opportunity to participate in a variety of special outings and events at area institutions.
Please stop by and see our docents in action or call (805) 686-1211 for more information.
CHALLENGES OF TOMORROW
Contributed by Ken Johnson, President Solvang Heritage Associates,
Board of Directors for Elverhøj
Last quarter I discussed the Challenges of Today. Now I would like to highlight the challenges the Board expects Elverhøj to face tomorrow and how we hope to meet them.
Among the challenges will be:
Preserving the past history of Solvang
Recording its future growth and change
Coping with changing population demographics
Keeping Elverhøj a vital part the community
Maintaining museum structures and property
Planning for the future.
Financial Requirements
Meeting the challenges of “Tomorrow” requires adequate funding. The Board is currently considering how best to meet such requirements. We have divided our funding needs into two parts. The first is meeting ongoing operational costs (for example, facility maintenance, museum events and exhibits, personnel, etc.). The second is maintaining and growing an endowment fund for stable, long-range financial support.
Annual Fund Raising
Unlike other museums, Elverhøj has not conducted an annual fund raising appeal. But now we must. The Board has concluded that we will have both an Annual Appeal by mail plus an outstanding social event dedicated to raising funds. The mail appeal will go out soon and the event is in the planning stage.
Endowment for Tomorrow
The second part of our funding program will be an Endowment Campaign to supplement the existing Endowment Fund. The program should be fully formulated in a year or so — in time for the upcoming Centennial of Solvang in 2011 and the 25th Anniversary of Elverhøj in 2013. If we are successful, the Endowment Campaign will do much to ensure the Museum’s operation in the future.
The Board of Directors is enthusiastically behind the plans for Elverhøj’s “Tomorrow.” We hope that you will join the Board and our wonderful network of volunteers in being deeply involved in our funding efforts!
DIRECTOR’S NOTES
May is California Museum Month, which is an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the important role museums play in communities such as ours. During these difficult economic times, museums can provide unique and affordable experiences that open up our minds, expose us to new information and ideas, and spark creativity and curiosity.
The museums in our community offer engaging, affordable, and educational opportunities for families, adults, and schools. Each Saturday in May, Elverhøj is abuzz with activity as children enjoy art experiences that are part of our “May Mornings at the Museum” class series. Classes and lectures for adults are offered on a regular basis and school groups tour the Museum’s exhibits to learn about local history and culture.
We can all benefit from exposing ourselves to fresh and unique experiences. The current art exhibition, “Lost & Found,” is a stimulating presentation of collage and assemblage work. Awards were presented to four of the jury-selected artists whose work is on exhibit. The recipients include one high school student and two retired and accomplished art instructors.
I personally invite you and your family to visit Elverhøj. You can experience first-hand how museums nourish minds and spirits by fostering contemplation, exploration, and dialogue.
By stepping away from the television, the computer, and your chores for part of the day and visiting a museum, you can create a memorable experience that transcends our daily concerns. I hope to see you at Elverhøj soon!
Esther Jacobsen Bates
GIVING
This series of occasional articles is designed to inform and educate about charitable giving options.
The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 is not only noteworthy as a “rescue” plan, but also as a tax relief strategy to investors, especially IRA owners. Under this Act, the IRA Charitable Rollover provision that expired at the end of 2007 has been extended. IRA owners over 70 and 1/2 years of age are permitted to contribute up to $100,000 directly to charitable organizations from their IRA accounts tax-free until December 31, 2009.
The IRA owner, however, is not entitled to take an additional income tax deduction for the charitable gift, and there are several requirements that must be met in order to ensure that the charitable IRA distribution will be excluded from gross income:
The IRA owner must be at least 70 and 1/2 years of age on the day of the transfer to charity.
The donation must be made directly from an IRA (including inherited IRAs). Other types of retirement plans (i.e. 401(k), profit sharing plans, etc.) do not qualify, although any assets rolled from these types of plans into an IRA would.
The donation must be made directly to the charity. For example, a check made payable to the IRA owner and subsequently signed over to the charity would not qualify.
The charity must be a public charity.
A distribution will only qualify if the contribution would normally be able to be deducted in full. Certain donations such as raffle tickets where only a portion of the amount qualifies for a charitable income tax deduction, would not qualify at all under this special IRA provision.
The donation must be made from assets which would otherwise be considered a taxable distribution.
IRA owners who are or will be 70 and 1/2 in 2008 and 2009 may wish to seriously consider making a distribution from their IRA to a charity. While IRA Charitable Rollover cannot be used to fund life income gifts such as annuities and trusts, it may be used to honor outstanding pledges to charities. It is truly a unique opportunity to save on taxes while working to meet philanthropic objectives.
MUSEUM BROCHURE
The Elverhøj brochure was redesigned in 2008 for a fresh, new look. There are updated photos and expanded text relating the history of Solvang. Special thanks to Rob Jensen Art Direction Design, members of the Santa Ynez Valley Camera Club, and our sponsors: The Valley Foundation, The Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, and Solvang Rotary Foundation.
The historic building and carefully manicured cottage gardens provide a beautiful backdrop for intimate weddings. The garden with its abundant year-round blooms and corner gazebo creates a lovely setting for any wedding party. The bell in its stately tower can chime, marking the presentation of the newly married couple.
The garden area comfortably accommodates up to 150 guests. Call (805) 686-9533 for information about availability and the reasonable rates.
Step back into the old world culture of Denmark during the Living History Festival at Elverhøj Museum of History and Art. Held annually in conjunction with Solvang’s Danish Days, the 2009 festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are fun and educational activities for all ages, with hosts in handmade Danish costume demonstrating a variety of Old World crafts and folk art, fiber arts, and more. Admission is free. 
Thank you to all who supported and attended Valley Wines & Valentines. The annual winter FUNraiser, held on February 14, was a tremendous success, bringing in a record amount of proceeds. More than 300 guests filled the Museum rooms to overflow, enjoying the convivial atmosphere, wine tasting and food. 
Contributed by Ken Johnson, President
May is California Museum Month, which is an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the important role museums play in communities such as ours. During these difficult economic times, museums can provide unique and affordable experiences that open up our minds, expose us to new information and ideas, and spark creativity and curiosity. 
Download the museum Brochure