Curator's Corner

1. Rock!
   

   
   

   Imagine:  sitting outon the porch in a rocking chair, drinking iced tea.  Okay, this might be a wish for consistentlywarmer weather but that day will come! Until then, consider a critical element in that vision:  rocking chairs, like the wonderful examplethat we have in the Virgil and Thelma Linam Collection.  Much research has been done concerning thehistory of rocking chairs but historians have been unable to agree on what itsorigins might be.

   
   

   Rocking chairs can be seen as an American passion but theidea of something rocking goes back much farther.  Designboom.com claims that the rocking chairevolved from the cradle and the rocking horse. This makes sense.  As discussed inone of my earlier articles, the cradle gives a very soothing, rocking motionfor an infant.  The rocking chair,therefore, also gives a soothing motion for anyone who sits in it.  Along with this, according torockingchairjack.com, “There is an ergonomic benefit associated with rockingchairs as well.  Due to the center ofgravity of the user being met and the angle utilized, the rocking chair leavesits user at an almost weightless state.” There are differing opinions as to whether the rocking chair originatedin England in the early 1700’s or whether Benjamin Franklin created the chairby attaching the rockers from a baby’s cradle to an ordinary chair.  Either way, the Windsor rocking chair, namedfor its place of origin in England, became the model that many rocking chairswere based off of thereafter.  Earlyrocking chairs were made to be outdoor garden chairs and were a standard forrelaxation.  Today, rocking chairs arestill used both inside and outside.

   
   

   Rocking chair designs have evolved over time but the mainprincipal still exists:  only two pointsof the chair touch the floor at a time allowing for the rocking motion.  Next time you find yourself sitting in arocking chair, allow yourself a moment to contemplate the soothing nature ofthe chair and thank whoever it was who created the concept of the rockingchair.  To see our rocking chair from theVirgil and Thelma Linam Collection, please visit the South Gallery of theWestern Heritage Museum Complex and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame.  And while you’re here, don’t miss ourtraveling exhibit in the North Gallery: Eyes on Earth.  We look forward toseeing you!

   
2. Dickens Film Series
   

   

   Celebrate Charles Dickens' 200th Birthday with a special film series in his honor!
   
   Feb 7 - 6:30pm
   The Mystery of Charles Dickens
   
   Feb 12 - 2pm
   Nicholas Nickleby
   
   Feb 19 - 2pm
   Great Expectations
   
   Feb 26 - 2pm
   Oliver Twist

   
3. Eyes on Earth
   

    

   Join us for the opening of our newest traveling exhibit: Eyes on Earth on Feb 1, 2012.
   
   Exhibit opens at 5:30pm and at 6pm we will have a special speaker, Dr. Vic Berner from New Mexico Junior College.
   
   Refreshments will be served.

   
   Far beyond the atmosphere of Earth, at orbits ranging from 290 to over 35,400 km (180 to over 22,000 miles) above sea level, circle the satellites of the Earth Observing System (EOS), NASA’s primary satellite mission. This small group of human-made scientific observers is constantly scanning our planet--tracking weather, monitoring pollution, creating maps, and gathering information that helps scientists predict storms, monitor forest fires, and study the holes in the ozone layer.
   
   EYES ON EARTH, a highly interactive science exhibition, focuses on the EOS and examines how satellite observations are made and what we can learn about the Earth using space technology. Designed primarily for families and school groups (elementary through adults), visitors learn what a satellite is, discover the different types of orbits, and explore cutting-edge technology similar to that used by EOS scientists. EYES ON EARTH brings these concepts “down to earth” through a combination of fun, accessible interactives in a playful and “spacey” environment.
   

   
4. Volunteers Needed!
   

    

   The Western Heritage Museum will hold a luncheon and training session for our docents and anyone who might be interested in becoming a docent on Monday, January 30th at 11:30 a.m. Docents are volunteers who help guide visitors through the museum or a specific exhibit suc...h as Eyes on Earth, our newest traveling exhibit opening on February 1. Docents also have the opportunity to help out with other aspects of the Museum such as special events or installing an exhibit depending on where your interest lies. If you are interested in knowing more about the opportunities available at your local museum and the traveling exhibits that come through, please join us for this special luncheon and training. If you are unable to attend but would still like to become a docent or would like more information on becoming a docent please contact Mary Lyle at 575-492-2679.

   
5. Website
   

   

   
   Have you checked out our new website?  The donation and store buttons are now active!  Check it out and stay updated with what's happening at the Museum.
   
   Website designed by Musketball Group.

   
6. Ceramics
   

   I do enjoy showcasing pieces that we may take for granted inour daily lives.  For example:  a jug. A plain old brown ceramic jug that seems pretty stereotypical for thetime.  We have one of these on displayfrom the Virgil and Thelma Linam Collection. Now, the jug itself we may take for granted but I would rather focus onthe material it is made of:  ceramic.

   
   

   What are ceramics?  Ceramicsare inorganic and nonmetallic materials. Mixtures of clay, earthen elements, powders, and water are generallyused to make ceramics (http://depts.washington.edu).  Once shaped, ceramics are then fired at ahigh temperature and become a hard, wear-resistant, brittle material.  Humans figured out the usefulness of ceramicslong ago.  According to www.depauw.edu, ceramic materials were used tomake pots and pot-making was one of humankind’s first inventions.  Because of this, it remains one of the bestrecords of early cultures including Chinese, Roman, Egyptian, African, andNative American.  Styles, shapes, andadornments have changed over the years and vary from place to place dependingon what level of technology that civilization was in at the time.  The jug that we have in the Virgil and ThelmaLinam collection follows a folk tradition that became “ubiquitous to theAmerican scene:” a small mouthed, single handled jug (www.depauw.edu).  Obviously, this style jug is veryutilitarian, but ceramics, depending on what they are, can be utilitarianand/or aesthetic.  Just a few things thatcontain ceramics include tiles, bricks, toilets, watches, snow skies, spaceshuttles, electrical insulators, figurines, and plates (http://depts.washington.edu).

   
   

   As you can see, humans have known about ceramics for a longtime and have molded them into many different uses.  For more information on ceramics come checkout the ceramic jug from the Virgil and Thelma Linam Collection in the SouthGallery or look into one of the ceramics classes at New Mexico Junior Collegeand you won’t take ceramics for granted again.

   
7. Brown Bag Lunches
   The Western Heritage Museum Complex is a regional Museum that covers Southeastern New Mexico and West Texas. What are some of the major events that shaped this region? Join us as Calvin Smith discusses 10 significant parts of the region's history. Each brown bag talk will cover a different topic.
   

   
   
   Calvin Smith, Executive Director of the Western Heritage Museum Complex and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame will be presenting a series of Brown Bag Lunch talks. “The series,” states Smith, “will focus on ten events in Southeastern New Mexico during the prehistoric and historic periods that have shaped this ‘place’ we call home.” The lunches will start at 11:30 am at the Western Heritage Museum and the public is welcome to attend. Don't forget your lunch and we hope to see you there!

   

   January 27 - The Mammoth Hunters

   February 10 - The First Well Diggers

   February 24 - The Pottery Makers

   March 9 - The Pearlers

   March 23 - The Trail Drivers

   April 13 - The Water Seekers

   April 27 - The Buffalo Soldiers

   May 4 - The Homesteaders

   May 18 - The Wildcatters

   June 1 - The New Energy Pioneers

   

   For more information please call 575-492-2678.

   
8. Welcome Back
   Hello! We are back from our winter break.  We had a snow day yesterday so our hours have been kind of screwy since returning.  Never fear, however, because we are here and unless we get some more snow (which is in the forcast) we will be open for regular hours.  Our new website is up and running.  There are a few things that are still being worked on but overall it's really good and you should check it out.  Right now we are planning for the installation of our spring exhibit:  Eyes on Earth.  This will be a fun, interactive exhibit about satellites orbiting around the earth.  That exhibit will be open Feb 1 - May 1, 2012.  2012...can you believe it?  Happy Centennial New Mexico!!!