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By Nina Heiser las writer KENNEBUNK — The Brick Store Museum opened earlier this month thanks to the good works of a small but strong group of volunteers who put together the seasonal exhib it and have been working hard to keep the museum afloat as it lands in transition The museum's search committee is currently in the process of review ing applications for a new executive director and museum trustee Mary Ellen Mason is head of that commit tee. Monday that the committee hopes to hold interviews for select candidates in August and September with final interviews in October and a job offering by Halloween. The committee is looking for a leader with a strong appreciation for local history who is able to promote teamwork and an open exchange of ‘ideas within the museum and the larger community Minimum requirements for the Position include a master’s degree in ‘museum studies or a closely related field and a strong curatorial back ground and/or practices for the preservation of historic properties, archives and collections ‘Once a director has been hired, Mason said the plan is to phase in permanent paid museum staff while still relying heavily on the muse um’s volunteers. The board is look ing at a five-year projection with capital projects and staff being phased in gradually, she sai. Meanwhile, Interim Director Sandy Armentrout, who is also on the search committe, said last week that she was pleased to announce that 20 volunteers have come for ward to serve as docents at the his torical museum this season. Museum staff are working on a schedule for the docents; however, ‘Buided tour is generally available to provide museum visitors with a broader understanding of the items they are seeing .The current exhibit, “Bringing Out the Birds, and other resources from the community's art includes such treasures from the museum's collection as the musket ball removed from the cheek of a Civil War soldier and the photo raph to prove it There are a number of paintings by leading nineteenth century artists including works by Abbott Fuller Graves, Louis D. Norton, Walter Ingalls, Hannah Skee, and Thomas Badger. One of the most intriguing of the artists exhibited, Armentrout said, was John Brewster, Jr, a deat h mute from Buxton who overcame extraordinary disabilities in his life time and whose paintings are hung in major American museums. Then, of course, there are the ‘The public may take it for granted but it has been through Sandy [Armentrout]’s leadership that we have kept the museum afloat and come up with the innovative exhibit.’ Peter Fuller Brick Store Museums tr set ‘chairman Brck Store Museum, N birds collected by William Barry as study specimens. Packed away for years in the museum attic, the song and shore birds — and the popular large snowy owl — were dusted off and put back on display .The archives and a photographic collection are now located in the for mer gift shop space making them more visible and accessible to the public this season; the archives are ‘open to the public Tuesday through ‘Thursday mornings or by appoint ment, the exhibit was designed to reac h quaint residents with the museum's eclectic collection and to entice new Visitors, Armentrout said. The Brick Store Museum first opened to the public in 1936 and for many years ‘operated only in the summer months. Year-round programming began in 1978 but in recent years, the museu reverted to its seasonal schedule and in December former director March Molinaro and the staff working under her vacated their Positions when the museum closed its doors for the season. Armentrout, who took on the interim directorship in January said that her focus at the museum has been on keeping things going and not on the master plan recently com pleted by Douglas Mund, of Douglas Mund Design Group of Main Street, Kennebunk Groveland, Mass. “We are getting close to making some decisions regarding the direc tion the museum will take in term of Doug Mund’s repor.” Peter Fuller, Brick Store trustee chairman, said last week, “We have gone through a rigorous process and we are looking a the options.” Mund was hired to do a master plann for the museum that found itself at a crossroads, suffering financial setbacks like other museums of its size and a drop in visitations. The ‘one strength he identified early on in the process was the strength of the ‘museum's volunteers who have been running the museum since December. “If there were volunteer of the year awards,” Fuller said, “they ‘Should go to Sandy, Joyce Butler, Roz Magnuson and Kathryn Hussey ‘ho have done a phenomenal job. “The public may take it for grant eed but it has been through Sandy's leadership that we have kept the ‘museum afloat and come up with the innovative exhibit Fuller said that he followed Armentrout around the museum as she trained the new docents and as she told stories about the different items that highlight the history of the community and bring to life Meanwhile, trustees continue to review and digest Mund's sugges tions that deal mainly with the museum's long-term planning goals and some of those suggestions are achievable. Fuller said, while others are not adding Jack Libby's building to the museum's streetscape, an option that some residents and museum members have expressed support for, doesn’t look likely “It would be wonderful to add [Libby's building to the streetscape but I don’t hold out a lot of hope,” Fuller said. An offer was made by the museum board but the asking price was too far apart from the museum's offer. “I is too much for now.” The museum is located at 117 Main Street and is open from 10 am. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 am. to 1 p.m. on Saturday; admission is free although a 4 $3 donation is encouraged. For more information about the museum, log onto www.brickstore museumi org. Nina Heiser can be reached at wheiser@ seacoastonline.com. Ih ve photo
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Kennebunk York County Coast Star
Kennebunk, Maine, US
Thu, May 15, 2003
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