Exhibits PortfolioLaurie A. Sedicino, MA

MHPMuseum Curator

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“…Her narratives were compelling and thought-provoking, creating an exhibit that reflected the awe and fascination we had with these cultures…”

Bill and Anne MarshPrivate Collectors

Exhibit: Elegance of Malice

“Laurie writes extremely well…and seeks to tell the stories of people with their great appeal to visitors…”

Kathy V. Dixson, principalAvient Museum Services

Wheels of Change permanent exhibit consultant

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Exhibit:Celebrating 100 Years of Boy Scouting in West Georgia Intro panel excerpt

The gallery displays selected items from regional and national sources, but most of the artifacts, uniforms, badges, photographs, and memorabilia are personal items loaned by local Scouts, former Boy Scouts, and their families. These mementoes hold a place of distinction among their memories.  From the certificate that attested to the time it took to learn and practice a new skill, to the achievement of the rank of Eagle Scout, each person recalled the value of the experience and offered their treasured loan with pride.  In addition to nostalgic recollections of campfires that kindled friendships, there are recollections of growth in aptitude and character.  Many credit the skills and values they learned in Scouting for helping mold them into the successful citizens and community leaders they are today. 

  On this 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America, Legacy Museum hopes the exhibit captures the spirit of scouting and communicates a local perspective of its irreplaceable value in the lives of its participants and the community.

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Exhibit:Wheels of Change Final text panel, Looking Back, Moving Forward

Throughout history, West Georgians have reinvented themselves as they built new lives, responded to unforeseen events and kept pace with changing times. As pages of history turned, new eras unfolded. Through these changes we find continuity in the defining characteristics of the people: some were innovators and visionaries while others simply adapted and showed tenacity, commitment, courage and determination. These intangible qualities remain as legacies of our history. Landscapes they altered, structures they built, tools they used and records they left stand as a testimony to their perseverance. Consideration of our history and these legacies help us becomes aware of how individual efforts have shaped our communities in the past and will do so in the future. From this understanding we move forward to a new era as the history of West Georgia continues.

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Exhibit:Working with Cotton from “Can See to Can’t”Text Panel, Farmers ~ Caretakers of the Land

Family farming embodied many of the country’s most cherished traditional values: hard work, independence, strong family ties and close knit communities. For many rural families, farming was much more than a vocation – it was a way of life. Work on the land, often a legacy from parents and grandparents, meant a commitment both to a place and to a tradition. To some farmers, leaving the land due to financial hardship meant they failed both their families and their heritage and brought with it the end of a personal connection to the land.

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Exhibit:Elegance of Malice: Swords from Talismans to Battle

Weapons Intro text panel

The weapons of the Moro and Javanese hold intrinsic value as exquisite samples of handcrafted, traditional works of art, superior weapons of confrontation and historical objects.  However, the mystique that surrounds them does not result from their substance or in the methods of their manufacture, but from the civilization and exploits of those who used these beautiful, but deadly, objects.  To understand what these weapons truly are, a glimpse into the cultures that made them and the warriors who used them is necessary.

 The story of these cultures is centered on the origins of the sword identified as the Kris.  As a battle implement, it was a fierce weapon; as a talisman, it was believed to posses supernatural powers of protection. The sword was considered a vital accessory; in fact, no man would venture out in public without his signature Kris tucked into his waistband, a tradition that survives today. Even today, the Kris sword indicates status, identity, history, and an important link to ancestry.  Layered with symbolism, the sword, in the past and today, is cared for, protected and respected.

 Take a moment to appreciate these objects of combat.  Enjoy the artfulness and mystery of the heirloom Javanese Kris and the brute strength of the Moro battle Kris as you are reminded of the unique cultures that forged them, the ideology that underscores them and the people they represent who fought for independence throughout history.

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Exhibit:Homelife on the Eve of the Civil War Intro text panel

The Home Life on the Eve of the Civil War exhibit featured selected artifacts from homes of descendents of early families living in pre-Civil War West Georgia. Each object gave visitors the opportunity to reach back into history and touch a part of life from the area’s early days of settlement. Some revealed how families lived their daily lives on a farm; some reflected the preferences of the affluent in their selection of imported, manufactured furniture and accessory items. Other objects told of regional carpenters who, because of their skill, added style and detail to even the most utilitarian objects. And still others pointed to a slave artisan who, though enslaved, was his own man when making something out of wood. Through examination of these objects and the stories of those who owned, made or used them, a heritage of the area is disclosed. All revealed that our ancestors did not live in a drab world, and that each person, whether slave or free, brought their culture with them and left behind a West Georgia legacy.

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