PHOTO BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
CLASS … Doris Piercefield guided the morning art session while Megan Lytle-Steele (right) painted with her daughter Jeanne Steele (left)
By: Renea Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
renea@thevillagereporter.com
The Museum of Fulton County welcomed participants on Saturday, November 15, for another pair of Artful Academy sessions, a hands-on program that blends history and creativity for children and adults. Two classes were offered during the day, one at 10:30 a.m. and another at 6:00 p.m.
During each session, an instructor guided attendees through a bite-sized exploration of local and national history before leading them into a themed art project inspired by exhibits at the museum.
The morning class focused on a Civil War Christmas tree, which tied directly to an authentic 19th-century Christmas tree currently on display.
The evening class centered on a rural farm painting that invited students to interpret agricultural life through their own artistic style.
The historical background shared during the morning session explained how Christmas trees were not part of early American holiday traditions.
Their introduction in the United States can be traced to the mid-nineteenth century, with a significant rise in popularity during the Civil War era.
Artists of the time contributed to the trend by depicting decorated trees in widely read newspapers and magazines. Families, even while living under blockades, rationing, and wartime shortages, embraced the custom by crafting homemade ornaments from whatever materials they could gather.
Most Christmas trees of the period were small and placed on tables, decorated with strings of dried fruit, popcorn, pinecones, holly, ivy, and mistletoe.
Real candles were used for lighting, creating warm but risky displays due to the fire hazards. Soldiers in encampments also adopted the tradition, decorating small trees beside their tents with whatever limited items they had, including pieces of dried rations.
Students taking part in the class recreated their own versions of these Civil War-style Christmas trees while learning about the history behind the original exhibit, and afterward, they were guided through the museum to view the authentic Civil War-era tree before the end of the session.
The next Artful Academy class will be offered on December 6th. Each session costs $20, which covers all supplies and museum admission for the day. Seating is limited, and registration with prepayment is required.
Those wishing to participate may register online or by calling 419.337.7922. All classes are held at the Museum of Fulton County.