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Debuting in the Museum gallery on April 14 is Colorscapes, a new exhibition featuring the work of painterly colorist Gwen Cates. A reception for the artist will be held on Friday, April 21 from 5:30 to 8 PM. Appetizers and Tantara wines will be served. There is no charge for admission. Cates is a plein air painter who works on location to capture the energy and spirit of the landscape. “I am passionately drawn to mountains,” says Cates. “They are dramatic and monumental. For most of my life I painted in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, simplifying and abstracting.” After moving to the Santa Ynez Valley with its golden hills and majestic oaks, Cates found the terrain both austere and dramatic. “The bare bones of the peaks revealed themselves in exotic ways,” says Cates, “and the Santa Barbara County ranches and vineyards are wonderful subjects to explore.” Cates prefers oil paints on linen and enjoys sliding one color over the other to achieve richness and vibrancy. The colors she paints are not necessarily the color that is seen as a casual observer of a scene. She has been exhibiting professionally for over two decades, including solo shows in London and Washington D.C. While some of the works on view are on loan from private collections, most are available for purchase. “Colorscapes” will remain on exhibit through June. Frequently we get requests from visitors for information on an individual or family that lived in Solvang in its early years. In order to respond to these requests, we need to have information available in the Museum files. A "Blue Ribbon" group of individuals led by Bill and Sue Rubey has volunteered to identify and contact as many early settlers and/or their descendants as possible. Questionnaires are being sent requesting information needed to create a Family History Folder for these families. The folders will be maintained in the Museum Library, accessible to the families, and will include a brief family "tree", news paper articles, information about their life in Solvang, photographs, etc. We feel that this project will improve the image of the Museum, enhance information about life in the early years of Solvang, and further our mission of preserving the Danish heritage and culture. So, if you get a letter from the Elverhøj Museum, please don't put it in the "circular file" but give the questionnaire your best effort and return it to us. If you have any questions, please contact Esther at (805) 686-1211. DANISH BROTHERHOOD, SISTER CONVENTION The California District of the Danish Brotherhood and Danish Sisterhood will be holding their annual convention in Solvang May 19-21. Hosted by the Solvang lodges, there will be three days of meetings and activities. We are pleased to have the opportunity to welcome attendees to the Elverhøj on Sunday morning May 21 as the convention concludes with a breakfast in the Museum garden. The Solvang chapter of Rebild Park Society recently donated $500 with a request that the gift be used towards purchase of wish list item(s). The timing could not have been better as we wanted to purchase bistro-style tables prior to our Valley Wines & Valentines fundraiser. Thanks to the Rebild gift, we now have six new, beautiful and functional bistro tables for use at special events. And they even fold up and nest together to fit into the tiny storage space at the museum. Adult Classes:
Kid’s Saturday Morning Art series:
Class sizes are limited and advance registration is required. For more information call the Museum at (805) 686-1211. The Elverhøj Museum’s winter fundraiser, Valley Wines & Valentines, was a big success, raising more than $5000. “The event was a fun way to celebrate Valentines, sample some of our More than 150 guests attended, filling the museum with their conversation and laughter. Flowers, candlelight and live music provided an elegant backdrop for Valentine’s Day treats which included a selection of local wines, a sumptuous Danish cheese board, fruit and chocolates. This annual fundraiser included the Fabulous Valentine’s Raffle and a small, but select, silent auction. Museum members and guests drew the winning raffle tickets as the event finale. The grand prize Cupid’s Wine Cellar, a 24 bottle collection of local wines, was won by John and Cam Rasmussen. First place winners Gerry Foster and Frank Schmidt each received a 12 bottle wine collection. The following Santa Ynez Valley vintners donated wine for the raffle prizes and sampling:
Additional raffle prizes and the winners were:
Silent auction prizes and winners were:
 HANBERG DONATION: The Elverhøj Museum is supported by a variety of individuals, organizations and foundations. A recent gift of stock was given by Paul Hanberg. A long-time Museum supporter and former board member, Hanberg’s generous gift was acknowledged by the board of directors (pictured with Hanberg, second from left) with a special certificate of appreciation.
It’s interesting to look at the array of businesses represented and how they differ from many of today’s tourist-based enterprises. In the first half of the twentieth century, Solvang business owners catered to the local population; the tourist trade did not appear until after World War II. The archival photos show Solvang as it transitions from a new town with a dirt Main Street to a busy community center circa 1940. “Vintage Vendors” will remain on exhibit through Fall of 2006. 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. |
wonderful valley wines, and come together to support the Museum,” said Director Esther Jacobsen Bates. “Thank you to all who attended, donated and contributed to the evening’s success.”
A new exhibit, “Vintage Vendors,” is now on exhibit in the Main Room of the Museum. It features an interesting collection of give-away and logo items from early Solvang businesses. Augmenting the exhibit are archival photos of downtown Solvang from1914 and into the 1940s. The exhibit features items as diverse as plates and pencils, flyswatters and yardsticks, all bearing information about businesses that served Solvang and Santa Ynez Valley residents. 