April 14, 2011: Rotary Log (Currier Museum)

Rotary Log April 14, 2011

By:  Jonathan M. Flagg

            Full house today and a very, very busy agenda.  Our guests included our visiting Youth Exchange student along with our Portsmouth High School student who will be going to Brazil next year on the Youth Study Exchange.  Basil introduced, as only Basil could, his wife who he referred to as “the source of every liberal thought I have ever had”. 

            We had several happy dollars, including from Ken Roberts who gave a happy dollar because his daughter became a Medical Doctor and a “sad” dollar because today would be his last day at the club for awhile.  Tenley gave a happy buck because she will be singing at the opening ceremonies in the Summer Air Show.

            Bob Herald introduced Genene Tesfaye from the Rotaract Club of Keroggie in Ethiopia.  Bob referred to Genene as a Rotaract marvel at getting things done.  Bob met Genene when he was on a medical mission to Ethiopia through Rotary and they have become so close that Genene refers to Bob and his wife as Dad and Mom.  That is in part because Genene at the age of 13 raised himself and his younger sisters, without parents, in Ethiopia.  Bob presented Genene with a $2,000,00 check for the Addis Ababa Rotary Club. 

            Blake Purdy of the Rye Boy Scouts thanked the club for our support of his “Strengthening Ties with Afghanistan: soccer equipment for 400 children”.  Blake is sending soccer equipment and school supplies to 400 children in Afghanistan.  The soccer supplies will consist of soccer balls, pumps, and soccer t-shirts, and the school supplies will consist of pencils, crayons, a note book and a story book about sports.  Blake has arranged to send the equipment and school supplies to Afghanistan through Bridges of Learning, a non-profit organization located in Greenland, New Hampshire.  Blake has raised $8,000.00 and has recruited volunteers to contribute 100 hours for silk screening t-shirts and packaging materials for transport.  Congratulations Blake!

            We had a lot of announcements too:  Dan Hoefle introduced the Portsmouth Rotary Club Youth Protection Policy which is on a 10 day notice to the club and copies were circulated at the tables and are available on the website.  The policy has been passed by the board and will be voted on by the club in two weeks…Nancy Notis announced that the Funky Junk Yard Sale is set for June 4^th at the Community Campus and she asked us to start cleaning out our closets…Joanie announced that the Club raised $14,000.00 in last week’s auction!  Great Job Joanie!...Ted gave us an interesting and clever history of the Slash and Burn Committee and announced that the first 2011 project will be the morning of April 30^th on Pierce Island.  You will be done by noon so see Ted and sign up!

THE PROGRAM

            P. Andrew Spahr, Director of Collections and Exhibitions at the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester was our featured speaker.  Andrew has been with the Museum for 17 years, most recently currating the special exhibition, Jon Brooks:  A Collaboration with Nature, which is currently on view until June 12^th.  Before joining Currier Museum, Andrew was curator of exhibitions at the American Federation of Arts from 1987-1994, where he currated the traveling exhibitions Abstract Sculpture in America, 1930-1970.  In addition to organizing numerous other nationally traveling exhibitions, Andrew has contributed to several published works.  Andrew has a B.A. and M.A. from Rutgers University. 

            Jon Brooks grew up in New Hampshire and attended the Rochester Institute of Technology, primarily to be able to move away from home!  Jon was largely influenced by Wendell Castle.  He wanted to make furniture that looked like art and art that looked like furniture.  The Currier Museum currently has several of Jon’s art pieces that are on loan from a variety of Museums, but only until June 12^th.  Andrew explained that the forest and trees have influenced Jon and showed some pictures of very interesting progressions from raw wood to furniture and art.  Jon was also influenced by art and wildlife in Australia, particularly the Tasmanian region.  Jon’s art work is creative, thought provoking and, as we found out, sometimes very valuable. 

            The Currier Museum will have Shifting Terrain:  Landscape Video from July 2 – September 18, the Ceramic Art of Karen Karnes from August 27 – December 3 and Rock and Roll Photography will be exhibited from October 7 – January 15, 2012.

            A very interesting and informative program.

            In our last issue, we asked the question:  Q: Did you ever wonder why dimes, quarters and half dollars have notches, while pennies and nickels do not?

            And this is the answer:  A: The US Mint began

putting notches on the edges of coins containing gold and silver to

discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the precious

metals. Dimes, quarters and half dollars are notched because they used to contain silver. Pennies and nickels aren't notched because the

metals they contain are not valuable enough to shave.

            And so how about this little mind bender:  Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left? (Joanie better get this one right!!!)