Archives for April 2013

Museum Advocate Remembered

The University Museum is deeply saddened to share news of the passing of Elizabeth Cummings Fortune—known to all her Oxford and Ole Miss friends as “Lib.” She was preceded in death by her husband Porter Lee Fortune Jr., Chancellor of the University of Mississippi from 1968 to 1984. She passed away in Atlanta on October 31, 2012.

Lib devoted many years of her time and leadership talents as president of the Friends of the Museum Board and was a tireless champion of not only the Museum but also arts and cultural initiatives across the entire University community. She remained an active supporter of the Museum throughout her life and in 1992 created the Porter and Elizabeth Fortune Endowment in support of Museum acquisitions and priority needs. In 1997 she donated funds to construct the Fortune Gallery to pay tribute to the life of her late husband, Chancellor Fortune. She extended her advocacy to an active concern and support for the Museum’s Walton-Young Historic House.

An enthusiastic and passionate volunteer, Lib gave her time generously. Her vibrant personality continued to inspire others after a move to Atlanta, where she resided in later years.

Lib was born in Ware Shoals, South Carolina, and grew up in High Point, North Carolina. She graduated from the Woman’s College of the University of North Carolina and became a benefactor of the school (now known as UNC at Greensboro). She is survived by two sons Philip Lee Fortune and Carey Fortune; her daughter Jean Fortune Kaplan; seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Upon her passing, the Fortune family requested that memorial gifts be made to the University Museum and Historic Houses, in care of the University of Mississippi Foundation. We are profoundly grateful for the family’s thoughtful gesture that extends Lib’s extraordinary legacy. Memorial gifts will be used for purposes congruent with the terms of the Fortune Endowment.

If you would like to contribute in honor of Elizabeth Fortune, contact Michael Upton at the UM Foundation at 662.915.3027 or mupton@olemiss.edu. Gifts also may be made by mailing a check to the University of Mississippi Foundation, P.O. Box 249, University, MS 38677, noting the Elizabeth Fortune Memorial Gifts, or by visiting www.olemiss.edu/makeagift.

Retired Professor Creates Endowment for Museum Education and Outreach

Mrs. Lynton Dilley and Chancellor Dan Jones

Retired University of Mississippi Education professor Lynton Dilley fondly remembers toting around heavy, military-style footlockers in 1981 when she helped establish one of the campus museum’s first educational outreach programs—what were then called the “Dilley Boxes.”

Dilley, with help from fellow Education professors Cindy Leigh and Peggy Emerson, acquired trunks stocked with hands-on learning materials to create activities for third-graders who toured exhibits at the Museum.

“It started as a modest project we did in our free time,” Dilley said. “I was in charge of placing our elementary education students as teacher aides in the local school systems. This was a way for the University to collaborate with those schools.”

But what started as a small program grew quickly. Today, the Traveling Trunk Program at the Museum sends seven similar boxes with learning materials
and lesson plans to classrooms in surrounding counties. A $25,000 gift from Dilley will help ensure it continues to reach future generations.

During a small ceremony in July at the Museum, Dilley was honored by friends, family, and University leaders for her gift, which created the Dilley Museum Education Endowment to fund educational outreach programs.

“This has been an exceptional year for donations at Ole Miss,” Chancellor Dan Jones said. “To me, some of the most special gifts are those that come from our former faculty members who decide they want to give back to continue to support Ole Miss.”
Among the programs the Dilley Endowment will help fund are free outreach programs, such as the Traveling Trunk Program. More than 8,200 children participated in the museum’s educational outreach programs since 2011.

(Left to Right) James Dilley, Larry Dilley, Mrs. Lynton Dilley, and John Dilley

“Mrs. Dilley’s generosity will touch many lives and significantly impact our programming,” said Emily Dean, Curator of Education. “We want to expand our current programs to bring the Museum collections to life for more students of all ages. We will also be able to develop new programs that reach varied audiences. We want to be ambassadors of Mrs. Dilley’s belief in the power of education.”

Museum Education and Outreach News

Santa’s Workshop Family Activity day

This past fall, the Museum once again came alive with audiences of all ages creating art inspired by the Museum’s diverse collections and exciting new exhibitions. Our education programs reached record attendance numbers of almost 3,000 participants this fall alone, and we continued to reach new groups far beyond the walls of the Museum. Our youngest Mini Masters (ages 2–5) learned about colors through Rolland Golden’s River and Reverie exhibit, our Art Zone afterschool students travelled back through time to create 3D replicas of Ancient Greek pottery, and hundreds of school children were reached through tours at the Museum.

Express Yourself! Family Activity Day

Family Activity Days exploring watercolors, basket weaving, and holiday prints drew record numbers this fall as parents, grandparents, and children of all ages worked together to create their own masterpieces. “Our Family Activity Days offer the unique opportunity for a truly enriching, intergenerational experience as parents and children learn and create together inspired by Museum exhibits,” says Curator of Education, Emily Dean.

Central to the mission of the University and to the Museum is extending educational programming beyond the physical location of the Museum. We continue to partner for regular programming with Leap Frog afterschool program, the Lafayette County and Oxford Public Library, and have started monthly programming with EDUCATE afterschool program in Como, MS. Our Traveling Trunks are designed to provide cultural and artistic enrichment in the classroom setting while meeting state and national curriculum standards. In addition to school groups, our Traveling Trunk program reached 365 students through counseling programs in seven counties and more than 200 participants in partnership with Very Special Arts last fall.

Steven Mockler gives tour during the Lowcountry Basketweaving Family Activity Day.

This spring we are expanding lessons in our trunks to reach grades K-12, and we are projecting numbers of more than 5,000 participants at no cost to participating schools or groups.

This semester we are partnering with the Powerhouse and local artist Andi Bedsworth to offer Mini Masters classes for toddlers and parents in alternating locations, making this truly a community program. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and join our mailing list to find out more about our unique programming offered for a variety of age groups. Summer Camp registration has begun, so sign up today because this will be a spring and summer at the Museum that you will not want to miss!

Museum Education Staff (Left to Right) Emily Dean, Brea Burkett, Julie Maudlin, Mary Kate Keappler, Molly Scofield, Kelly Herbert, Steven Mockler, and Alexa Penton. Not Pictured: Ashton Wilcox

Double Decker 2013

Friday, April 26, 12pm-5pm Museum on the Square

Create a quick project inspired by the Museum’s collection of Theora Hamblett paintings

Escape the heat during Double Decker!
The University Museum will be free to the public on Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27 from 10 AM to 6 PM. Come view our two new exhibitions, Portraits as Landscapes, Landscapes as Portraits: Yoknapatawpha County in the 1960s and Into the Flatland: Photographs by Kathleen Robbins

Bo Bartlett: Selected Works

April 18–July 13, 2013

PANEL DISCUSSION:
Friday, April 26, Noon – 1:00 P.M.

“Muses and Metaphor”

Featuring Bo Bartlett, Betsy Eby, and William Dunlap
THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM

Sponsored by the University of Mississippi Department of Art

Home, 2010. Bo Bartlett, Oil on Linen. From the Collection of Stacy and Jay Underwood

Spring 2013 ArtZone Class Exhibition Reception

Thursday, April 25, 2013
5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

The University of Mississippi Museum

Join us for a reception honoring the Spring 2013 ArtZone students. Student work will be exhibited in the Museum. Refreshments will be served.

Questions should be sent to Emily Dean at esdean@olemiss.edu or telephone the Museum at 662-915-7073.

Let’s Move! Family Activity Day

Saturday, April 13, 2013
10 AM-Noon (Drop-in)

Cost: FREE

Get the whole family outdoors and active exploring art and nature through fun activities along the Bailey’s Woods Trail. Families of all ages start off in the Museum parking lot and continue the adventure down the trail all the way to Rowan Oak!

Registration is not needed for this event.

Weather permitting.