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| THE HISTORY OF SOLVANG • THE HERITAGE OF DENMARK |
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JULY 15 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 3 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. FAMILY HISTORY PROJECT 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 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. Resistance video project 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.” GIFT HONORS WALKER & JOHNSON 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.
BRANDT-ERICHSEN PRESENTATION
On Sunday afternoon, April 23, fifty people gathered for a special presentation by Thor Brandt-Erichsen. 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.
INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY
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. SEPTEMBER 17 & 18 - LIVING HISTORY DAYS 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.
REBILD GIFT 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. SPRING CLASSES
Class sizes are limited and advance registration is required. For more information call the Museum at (805) 686-1211.
VALLEY WINES & VALENTINES
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  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.” 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:
“VINTAGE VENDORS” ON DISPLAY 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 Way 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.
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HANBERG DONATION:
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. 
WEDDINGS AT THE ELVERHØJ