11/30/04
The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History will continue its monthly
cultural heritage lecture series with West Virginia State Museum curator, James
R. Mitchell on Wednesday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m., in the West Virginia State Theater
at the Cultural Center, State Capitol Complex, Charleston. The talk, “Antiques
as Holiday Gifts,” is free and open to the public.
Mitchell will have many items from the West Virginia State Museum Collection
on display for visitors to see including utilitarian glass and art glass made
by the West Virginia firms of Pilgrim, Blenko and Fenton, as well as others.
He also will have some pottery and porcelain, such as Fiesta, decorated porcelain
and blue salt-glazed stoneware. In addition, there will be some examples of
textile work, samplers, tools that are interesting and pristine, and some pieces
of decorative furniture. Mitchell will talk about these objects, when they were
made, and what they may cost if you were interested in purchasing them. He also
will have a question and answer period to round out the evening.
Mitchell has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin,
a master of arts in early American culture from the University of Delaware and
a master of science in public administration from Shippenburg University of
Pennsylvania. In addition to being curator for the West Virginia State Museum
at the Cultural Center and former director of the museums section for the Department of Arts, Culture and History, he has been curator of industry and technology for the
State Museum of Pennsylvania where he also served as director, chief curator
for the Carborundum Museum of Ceramics and curator of decorative arts for the
New Jersey State Museum, among others.
For more information about the James Mitchell talk, “Antiques as Holiday
Gifts” or the cultural heritage lecture series at the Cultural Center,
call (304) 558-0162.
The next lecture in the series will be held Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m., during
Black History Month and will feature Ilene Evans of Elkins as the History Alive
Character Harriet Tubman, and Dr. Dana Brooks, dean of the school of physical
education at West Virginia University, who will talk about “Black Community
Sports in West Virginia.”
The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia
Department of Arts, Culture and History, brings together the state’s past,
present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and
history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. The Cultural Center is
West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. Visit the Division’s
website at www.wvculture.org for more information
about programs of the Division. The Department of Arts, Culture and History is an Equal
Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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