Winter 2015

In Our Own Voice

Newsletter of the Women’s Museum of California

Preserving the Past,

Inspiring the Future

Museum Launches Anne Hoiberg Women’s Center

By Rosalie Schwartz

Lively conversation filled the Women’s Museum November 5 as enthusiastic supporters gathered to launch the Anne Hoiberg Women’s Center. They brought along an appetite for learning and were rewarded with art, inspiration, and a lovely dinner.

Attendees began the evening in the gallery admiring the colorful and finely wrought sculptures and basketry assembled for the Museum’s latest exhibit, “Tradition by Moderns,” representing Native American women artists using traditional materials—feathers, beads, grasses—in contemporary works of art. (Please see our Behind the Scenes feature on this exhibit, page 2).

After the gala dinner in a nearby Liberty Station banquet hall, Board President Hannah Cohen expressed her excitement about the Anne Hoiberg Center, and her admiration for Anne. “Those of us involved in the Museum often have heard Anne talk about her dream of a developing a women’s center,” said Cohen, “and she has made that dream a reality. We have a center to promote education, arts, and history for women as an integrated component of the Women’s Museum of California. Although education has always been a main part of the Museum’s vision, we now have the opportunity to more broadly develop these programs.”

Continued on page 4

Anne Hoiberg (l) with Museum Director Ashley Gardner

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Winter 2015

Volunteer to Vocation: Hats Off to Nikki Saputo-Menn By Tracey Balsdon

The Women’s Museum of California is lucky to have Nikki Saputo-Menn share her talents with us while she pursues a master’s degree in Museum Studies. Nikki started volunteering in 2013, tackling everything from office work and gift shop sales to polishing silver for an exhibit. Her love of history and anthropology, paired with her more recent experience in the museum archives, has solidified her focus on a career in collections management. Nikki's current project is no small task- cataloging the museum’s entire collection of clothing! Some of her hard work will be showcased in January’s exhibit entitled “Talking Through Her Hat: Hats and the Women Who Wore Them”. A native San Diegan, proud Navy wife, and mom to four-year-old Sophie, Nikki spends her free time with family, staying active with all San Diego has to offer.

Nikki Saputo-Menn

“Talking Through Her Hat” opens January 8

Charla handled written requests and facility reports, assessed demands for security systems and monitored consistent climate control. The requirements from The Smithsonian included payment of fees for a conservator to survey a beaded dress before releasing it, charges to pack and crate the item, and shipping costs. Unfortunately, the Women’s Museum had to withdraw that request.

Continued on page 3

Behind the Scenes at Tradition by Moderns

By Rosalie Schwartz

How is a museum like motherhood? If you want to produce an extraordinary exhibit, the conception can be exciting, the delivery tough, and the outcome worth all the pain. Ask Charla Wilson, the Museum’s Collection Manager, who served as midwife to the November exhibit, “Tradition by Moderns.”

A year ago, UCSD Professor Ross Frank approached Executive Director Ashley Gardner about a project for his course, Representing Native America. Always on the lookout for collaboration, Ashley sensed an educational opportunity. The students researched and selected native women artists and artwork. Then they turned to Charla to acquire the pieces for display. She had eight months to pull it together, but the artists were scattered around the state, and she faced the challenges of loan approvals from museums and shipping over long distances.

Beaded Boots by Jamie Okuma

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Winter 2015

Featured Gift Shop Artist:

Organic Jewelry by Allie By Kelsey Rihbany

Alessandra Thornton has spent much of her adult life studying the lifestyles and fashions of the indigenous people of her native Ecuador. Her background in archaeology, anthropology, and fashion has led to an exciting career in jewelry design. Materials for many of Alessandra’s pieces come directly from the Amazon rainforest, providing jobs to local farmers and artisans alike. Alessandra takes careful measures to make sure that her resources benefit both the people of the Amazon region and the ecology of the forest itself.

Inspiration for Alesandra’s colorful pieces comes from the simple thing in everyday life. A stunning sunset or intruiging museum piece can inspire her unique work. Alessandra’s designs have not gone unnoticed; her jewelry has been seen on the sets of Good Morning America, Good Morning San Diego, and San Diego 10 News. It is also a Women’s Museum Gift Shop bestseller!

When not designing, Alessandra loves to tour local missions and wineries. She finds inspiration and enthusiasm in discovering new places and friends.

Behind the Scenes, from page 2…

“We learned so much from this experience,” Charla said, “working with numerous individuals and institutions from outside of the local area.” Size, weight, packing, and protection were all considerations in shipping the pieces of original artwork.

After the artifacts arrived, Professor Frank and the students composed the text. Women’s Museum Artistic Director Duane McGregor designed the presentation, and guests encountered an awe-inspiring exhibit. At the opening, the students explained their studies of the history of collection and museums, critically evaluating representations of Native Americans. Then, student teams proposed the exhibit structure, researched women artists in California, and worked on the curatorial aspects of the exhibit.

The nine students met with the artists and worked as partners during the process of imagining the exhibit. They discussed their art and careers, pieces for the exhibit, and ways of reading and interpreting their work. Students also met with Museum staff, working together as the exhibit took shape.

All of this work was worth it. The expertise used to bring the exhibit together helped illuminate the artists’ spiritual connection to their work. As participants stood in front of the colorfully beaded cradleboard, the feathered doll, the finely woven baskets; as they read stories of the Native American women artists whose contemporary work links them to their tribal past, they shared a unique experience.

The Women’s Museum was extremely proud of this educational collaboration, and the Tradition by Moderns opening was a fitting kick-off to the launch of the Anne Hoiberg Women’s Center. (Please see our cover story.)

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Winter 2015

Cover Story, from page 1…

Cohen then introduced Hoiberg, who had a successful career as a research psychologist, which, as Cohen put it, “underpins her commitment to women’s issues and her desire for women to connect and create a community. Women’s health, domestic violence, alcohol abuse, and women in the military are just a few of the concerns that motivate Anne’s writing, public speaking, participation in international conferences, and her sponsorship of the Women’s Center.”

Anne then explained the Center’s educational goals in the context of the Museum’s stated mission to inspire future generations of women. "My vision for the Center is to create a more-perfect community for all. In the spirit of the Women's Club Movement, the Center encourages community members and organizations to use the Museum space to plan, party, share, and learn--for women to come together for the betterment of society. Another reason for the Center was to meet the needs of women's nonprofit organizations for a free meeting space and to enjoy the magnificent Museum exhibits."

A series of educational programming is proposed for 2016 – 2017. Programs will involve partnerships with nongovernmental organizations and government agencies in the community. These collaborative, innovative, and woman-centered programs or projects address women’s experiences in the past, their present situation and efforts for change, and their future dreams and goals.

At the end of her introduction, Board Chair Cohen expressed her own commitment to the center, adding in conclusion, “I look forward to working with Ashley, the staff, and the board of directors to expand the reach of the museum and the Women’s Center in the coming year.”

The mission of the Women’s Museum of California is to

educate and inspire present and future generations about the

experiences and contributions of women by collecting, preserving, and interpreting the evidence of

that experience.

Advisory Council

Robert Alden, Barbara Bry,

E. Douglas Dawson, Patricia Frischer,

Felena Hansen, Dr. Natasha Josefowitz,

Linda Katz, Christine Kehoe, Lee Ann

Kim, Lori Saldana, Rosemary Straley

Board

Hannah Cohen, President

Anne Hoiberg, Past President

Amy Freiburger, Diane Peabody, Linda

Babcock, Diana Palacios, Cori Brooks

Staff

Ashley Gardner, Executive Director

Duane McGregor, Exhibit Designer

Tina Clarke, Operations Manager

Charla Wilson, Collections Manager

CeCe Morrison, Store Manager

Chris Harmon, Bookkeeper

In Our Own Voice

is a quarterly publication of the

Women’s Museum of California

2730 Historic Decatur Road

Suite 103

San Diego, CA 92106

(619)233-7963

Peggy Lauer, Executive Editor

Tracey Balsdon, Managing Editor

Rosalie Schwartz, Features Writer

Kelsey Rihbany, Contributing Writer

www.womensmuseumca.org

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Winter 2015

Event Calendar Additional educational programming can be found on the

Museum website.

January 2016

7- VIP Opening Reception, Talking Through Her Hat- Hats

and the Women Who Wore Them, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

8- Friday Night Liberty & Exhibit Opening, Talking Through

Her Hat, 5:00-9:00 p.m.

10- Second Sunday Author Series: Women’s Voices,

Women’s Choices, 4:00-5:00 p.m.

18- La Jolla PEN Women

20- NOW Monthly Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

26- OWL/WILPF Monthly Meeting, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

February 2016

4- VIP Opening and Reception, Around the World: The Story

of UN Women, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

5- Friday Night Liberty & Exhibit Opening, Around the

World, 5:00-9:00 p.m.

10- WOSD Film Night, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

14- Second Sunday Author Series: Women’s Voices,

Women’s Choices, 4:00-5:00 p.m.

17- NOW Monthly Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

23- OWL/WILPF Monthly Meeting, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Museum Wish List

48” Wall-mounted LCD Monitor

Two PC Laptops with Windows 7

iPad 2, Mini, or Air- for Museum Visitor Sign-In

PastPerfect Museum Software- for Collection Management

Copy Paper

Portable Risers

Storage Unit Space

Detergent

Wine! Yes, wine.

Don’t forget to visit the museum shop for a wonderful selection of unique gifts! We have something for everyone on your list.

Winter 2015

Message from the Board

Dear Friends,

This is a special time of year with the convergence of holidays and the anticipation a New Year ushers in. As I look back on 2015, I am honored to be President of the Board of Directors of the Women’s Museum of California. Ashley Gardner, our Executive Director, and her devoted staff perform miracles every day. The exhibits are superb, the programs educational and entertaining, and the gift shop filled with unusual and enticing items. I invite you to visit and enjoy these offerings.

An especially exciting addition to our programming was the launching of the Anne Hoiberg Women’s Center, to expand the educational component of the museum. With Anne’s generous donation, we were able to establish the center, which will focus on engaging the community, educating our future generations, and empowering women.

As the year is ending, I encourage you to support our beautiful museum through a tax-deductible donation and help us develop our programming and community outreach so we may reach a larger portion of our community. Your help is critical for the future growth of the Women’s Museum of California.

May you have a joyous holiday season and a very happy and prosperous New Year.

Warm regards,

Hannah Cohen President of the Board