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RISE DELMAR OCHSNER: “GO FIGURE” A new exhibition featuring painter Rise Delmar Ochsner’s bold and colorful figurative works opens in the Museum Gallery on Saturday, July 15. A reception for Ochsner will be held that day from 4 to 7 PM. There is no charge for admission and the public is invited to attend. Appetizers and Alma Rosa Wines will be served. Ochsner grew up in New York City and began painting seriously at a young age, although with no formal training. At that time, she never considered painting for a living and enjoyed a successful career as an ophthalmologist. On a visit to California, Ochsner was captivated by the light, the colors, and the foliage of coastal Santa Barbara. She was inspired to leave New Orleans, which had been her home for 30 years, and her medical career to relocate in the Montecito hills and paint full time. “When I paint, I know why I’m alive,” says Ochsner. Taking full advantage of the large canvases on which she works, that joy is evident in her energetic style. Working in oil and acrylic, Ochsner prefers painting portraits, landscapes, antique cars and polo ponies. She tells her portrait subjects, “It’s a poem about you; it isn’t everything about you. A momentary glimpse.” Her trademark portraits of famous chefs include Julia Child in her kitchen, Thomas Keller, and Louisiana native Paul Prudhomme. Such works can be seen on the walls of award-winning restaurants across the county. Ochsner, who recently relocated to the Santa Ynez Valley, is noted for her loose and lush style which shows off well in the scale and colorful boldness that typifies her work. “Go Figure” will remain on exhibit through September 3. The goal of the Family History Project is to collect and maintain a brief history on each family that settled in or around Solvang between 1911 and 1941. This committee of volunteers, under the direction of Bill and Sue Rubey, has identified many of the early settlers and has sent questionnaires to 160 of their descendants. The Family History Committee has done hours and hours of research, gathering a great deal of information on early settlers. They have looked through old issues of the Santa Ynez Valley News; records of births, deaths and marriages in church logs; reviewed cemetery records; and conducted interviews with "old-timers." To date, 60 completed forms have been returned. The quality of the finished product has been outstanding. To those who have received the questionnaire and have not yet completed it, please give it your best effort. If you have not received the questionnaire and you feel you should have, get in touch with us and we will correct the oversight. If you are having trouble completing the forms, please call the Museum at (805) 686-1211. Maybe we have that missing piece of information you've been looking for. We need your help to meet our goals. DANISH BROTHERHOOD, SISTERHOOD CONVENTION The California District of the Danish Brotherhood and Danish Sisterhood held their annual convention in Solvang May 19-21. Hosted by the Solvang lodges, there were three days of meetings and activities, concluding with a breakfast in the Museum gallery on Sunday morning, May 21. The unexpected May rain didn’t impact attendance as approximately 75 people enjoyed a tasty continental breakfast organized by Marie Jaeger and family. The Museum Store did brisk business as convention attendees shopped and chatted. Many guests stopped to admire the Heritage Walk bricks in the colorful entry courtyard, often seeking out their personalized brick and enjoying seeing names they recognized. SOLVANG ROTARY AWARDS $2000 GRANT The Solvang Rotary Foundation has awarded Elverhøj Museum a gift of $2,000 for production of a DVD about the role of specific Santa Ynez Valley residents in the World War II Danish Resistance efforts. The video is intended to document individual stories in an educational and interesting format. The video will be screened for Museum visitors as part of a future permanent exhibit about the Danish Resistance. This is the third consecutive year that Elverhøj Museum has been the recipient of proceeds generated from the Rotary Club of Solvang annual Monte Carlo Night fundraiser. The Rotary gift supports a “growing consensus within the Santa Ynez Valley that the Elverhøj Museum of History and Art is a deserving and integral part of our heritage which should endure for future generations.” A recent gift was received in honor of Marion J. Walker and Anker E. Johnson. This $10,000 gift from the Johnson-Walker Trust was an unexpected and wonderful surprise and honors two long-time community members who deeply valued the preservation of their Danish heritage.
On Sunday afternoon, April 23, fifty people gathered for a special presentation by Thor Brandt-Erichsen (right). Thor, whose childhood family home is today the Elverhøj Museum, presented a portrait of Johannes Jaeger to the Museum. The original oil on canvas, painted by Thor, honors the memory of Jaeger, a devoted museum volunteer who contributed many hours to the Elverhøj. On hand for the brief ceremony was a very surprised Mrs. Johannes (Marie) Jaeger who was joined by family and friends. Following the presentation was a dessert reception with a huge sheet cake and tasty Danish kringler donated by Leo and Mary Mathaisen and Bent Olsen of Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery.
The U.S. Congress has declared 2006 as the Year of the American Museum, and the California legislature has proclaimed 2006 as the Year of the California Museum. Over the centuries, museums in America have proliferated into an amazing number and astounding diversity of institutions. Today, there are over 15,000 museums in our country, which attracted approximately 850 million visitors in 2005! The value these institutions represent to our society and economy is enormous. Nationally, the economic impact of museums amounts to many billions of dollars every year. Museums are central elements in shaping a community’s quality of life. Museums are also emerging as community centers that have the power to unify in a world that is increasingly being torn apart by cultural, ethnic, religious, political, and economic divisions. Most importantly, perhaps, museums are powerful educational institutions. We encourage you to visit, learn about, and support the wonderfully diverse museums in our area and beyond. The Elverhøj Museum of History and Art invites you to Living History Days, Saturday and Sunday, September 16 and 17. The Museum has special extended hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for this popular annual event which features museum docents and volunteers demonstrating Old World crafts. Spinning and weaving will be demonstrated in the museum’s Immigration-Era Room, which features pre-industrial Danish artifacts. Bobbin lace makers will be on hand to answer questions and create samples of their exacting art. Rick James Marzullo will demonstrate the fascinating art of Danish papercutting in the Museum Gallery. His amazing ability to create art with materials as simple as paper and scissors has garnered national attention. Included in the gallery demonstrations will be knitting, carding and other fiber arts. Docents, clad in colorful Danish costumes, will demonstrate a variety of Christmas crafts, including woven paper hearts and paper stars. Completing this fun and educational weekend of activities are music and docent-led museum tours of the historical, cultural and art exhibits. There is no charge for admission and the public is invited. 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. |
