The AMoA Family Summer Art Guide Changing Landscapes Jan Beauboeuf Along the Trail

June 4 through August 21, 2016 Alexandria Museum of Art “Life is dear to every living thing; the worm that crawls upon the ground will struggle for it. At that moment it was dear to me, enslaved and treated as I was.”

Solomon Northup CONTENTS About the Guide 1 Following the Northup Trail 2 About Solomon Northup 3 Visiting the Museum 4 Stop One: Alexandria Landing 5 Stop Two: Epps House 6 Stop Three: The Old Bennett Store 7 Stop Four: Indian Creek 8 The Solomon Northup Trail Guide App 9 More Photography Tips for Your Family 10 But Wait! There’s More at AMoA 11 Acknowledgments 12

About the Guide This guide focuses on the Summer 2016 exhibition at the Alexandria Museum of Art, Changing Landscapes: Jan Beauboeuf Along the Solomon Northup Trail, on view June 3 through August 21, 2016.

The guide contains interesting, educational and engaging activities you can do with your family before, after or independent of a museum visit. The guide also includes helpful information for when you do decide to visit he Alexandria Museum of Art.

This exhibition features photography by Jan Beauboeuf taken along the Solomon Northup Trail in Louisiana. Prior to her experience with digital photography, Jan was a sculptor, working in neon lights. The influence of this artform can be seen in her manipulation of vivid hues in her photography. Beauboeuf grew up in Avoyelles Parish, a place Northup worked during the period of his enslavement. Her experiences during the Civil Rights Movement and memories of her own childhood in Avoyelles Parish fueled the work in this exhibition.

This exhibtion is being paired with the Historic New Orleans Collection’s Purchased Lives exhibition. Together the two exhibitions offer a glimpse into a difficult element of our cultural past and a haunting desire for freedom and power of the human spirit.We understand that these things can be difficult to discuss with children, but also know that art is a fantastic tool for education and engagement.

Use this guide to follow the Northup Trail and view beautiful Central Louisiana landscapes with your family. Use the tips in the guide to create a photographic record of your explorations with your family.

1 Following the Solomon Northup Trail with Your Family We feature several of the Central Louisiana stops on the Solomon Northup Trail in this guide. For the full experience, start at the museum, and learn about Solomon Northup and what his experience might have been like and move on to the first Central Louisiana stop on the trail,The Alexandria Landing on the Red River, right next to the museum. From there follow the addresses in the guide to see more of the stops on the trail. Use the Smartphone Photography Tips to record your journey. Want an even more meaningful experience? Pull out your smartphone and go to your app store and find the Solomon Northup Trail Guide. This app contains helpful maps, information about each stop and quotes from the book narrated by Louis Gosset Jr.

Discussing Slavery With Your Children When discussing the life of Solomon Northup and the realities of the time he live in with your children, certainly slavery must be broached. We acknowledge this is not a light topic, but this can be a rich educational opportunity for the family. Here are a few tips to help you get started: Stranger Danger- Explain that when people were taken from Africa and enslaved, they were taken from their families and home, by strangers. The Loss of Freedoms- Most children will understand the concept of being paid money for a job performed. Explain that an enslaved person is not paid for their work. They often do very difficult work for long hours and cannot do as they wish. They cannot leave if they are unhappy and are held captive. Look for the helpers- Mr. Rogers the childrens television host once said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” Point out that while there were people enslaving others there were also people, both black and white who resisted slavery and fought for its end. Give specific examples, and discuss them while at the museum and on the trail. Allow for feelings- If you notice your child is moved by something that is shared during the exhibition or while on the trail. Let them know it’s okay to have those feelings. You can share your own feelings and let them know it’s normal.

2 AboutSolomon Northup wasSolomon the son of a freed enslaved manNorthup and a free woman of color, born in July of 1808 in Minerva, New York. He was born a free person of color. He and his wife, Anne Hampton had three children together and established a farm in Kingsbury, New York. He also had a reputation as an excellent fiddler and often made money playing at local parties. In 1834, the couple moved to Saratoga Springs, New York where Northup worked for boarding houses and hotels. He also made money constructing the railroad and playing the violin. In 1841, two men, claiming to work for the circus convinced him to travel with them to Washington, D.C. where he might find employment playing his violin. They drugged him, kidnapped him and sold him to a slave trader, James Birch. He was purchased in New Orleans by a planter from Central Louisiana named William Ford. He was sold in 1843 to in Bayou Beouf.

He spent 12 years illegally enslaved on cotton and sugar plantations in Central Louisiana. During most of this time he was a slave driver. It was his job to obtain the best work from the other slaves, and he was sometimes required to beat them, though he sometimes risked punishment himself when he faked or refused to whip other slaves. Solomon Northup in His Plantation Suit Canadian, Samuel Bass, a carpenter who was against slavery visited Epp’s plantation, and sent word to Northup’s friends in New York, who verified that This engraving was featured in his 1853 he was a free man and member of their community. With the help of New York autobiography. governor, Washington Hunt and lawyer, Henry Northup Solomon was released in 1853.

His wrote an autobiography, 12 Years a Slave, which was published ini 1853.

A movie based on 12 Years a Slave was released in 2013. 3 Art Viewing Tips

Visiting the Museum • Allow your children to choose a few art works or historical documents they want to discuss and have them look at them Before you strike out on the Solomon Northup Trail, begin at the Alexandria very carefully. This will help improve their observational Museum of Art where you can learn more about Northup and the world he lived skills. in through the Historic New Orleans Collection’s Purchased Lives exhibition and the photography of Jan Beauboeuf. • Encourage your children to discuss what they see happening Both the Changing Landscapes and Purchased Lives exhibitions are located in the artwork. You can share your ideas as well. on the first floor of the museum. As you walk into the first floor galleries you will see the vibrant and haunting photographs Jan Beauboeuf took along the Northup Trail. This exhibition is being shown in tandem with Purchased Lives, • Explain to family members that they must not touch the art- which contains a section on Solomon Northup, and contains historic documents work. It may seem harmless to just touch a piece of art once, including his original bill of sale and a letter from the governor of New York, but even when they are clean, our hands contain oils Washington Hunt regarding his illegal enslavement. that over time can damage artwork. Even gases from our breath can be harmful! Purchased Lives traces the impact of the domestic slave trade in the United States that took place from 1808 until 1865 with a focus on the trade in New Orleans and Louisiana as a whole. • At times they may want to come very close to see details, but generally, it is good to stand at least two feet from the After discussing the work and documents at the museum, your family is ready work as it gives one a better overall view of the work. to set out on the Northup Trail.

4 Stop2nd Street One: and Alexandria Murray Street, Alexandria,Landing La. 71302

After being purchased in New Orleans by Wil- liam Ford, Northup, now known as Platt traveled on the steamboat, Rodolph on the Red River to Alexandria. Though the exact location of the river boat landing is unknown, many believe it is near the Murray Street entrance to the Red River levee in Alexandria. He arrived with three other slaves, also purchased by Ford.

They would have left Alexandria, probably in a horsedrawn cart. They then boarded the Red River Railroad, near LSUA’s current location.

Smartphone Photography Tip:

Experiment!

Take shots from different angles and viewpoints. Red River Landing, Alexandria 2016 Take shots from a wide angle or get really close. Jan Beauboeuf (American, 1936-) Move around your subject. Photography AMoA Permanent Collection Take lots of shots and pick your favorites.

5 Stop8619 Acorn Two: Drive, Epps LSUA, House Alexandria, La. 71302

Solomon Northup was purchased by Edwin Epps in 1843.

The land this home originally stood on is about 30 miles south near Holmesville on Bayou Boeuf. What remained of the home was moved in 1999 after being donated to LSUA to preserve what was left of the structure. It was rebuilt using the materials, design and methods used to build the orginal structure.

It was here that Solomon assisted carpenter and abolitionist sympathizer, Samuel Bass in building the house. Bass assisted him by mailing a letter to New York for him.

The house is now Epps House, Solomon Northup’s Gateway to Freedom Museum, curated by AMoA’s Director, Catherine M. Pears.

Visit this historic home museum to learn more about Northup. Photograph of the Epps House by Meredith Melancon, December 2013 Smartphone Photography Tip: Hold the camera of phone straight and steady.

Encourage your child to double check that the phone is held straight or at the angle they intended before taking the picture. 6 StopInglewood Three: Plantation, The OldOld BatonBennett Rouge Store Highway

This store is thought to have been in operation from 1817 until the late 1960s.

It now stands on Inglewood Plantation, about one mile north of its orginal place on Highway 71.

This store contained a post office from which the let- ter that initiated the long process leading to Solomon Northup’s freedom were sent.

Smartphone Photography Tip:

Old Bennett Store, Inglewood Determine your point of interest. Ask your child to 2015 decide what he or she is taking a picture of and to Jan Beauboeuf make sure that is highlighted in their photograph by (American, 1936-) how it is positioned in the photograph and how they Photography zoom in on the object or person.

AMoA Permanent Collection 7 Stop100 Camp Four: Ground Indian Rd, Woodworth, Creek LA 71485

William Ford owned a sawmill on Indian Creek, and Northup labored there.

In one instance he used experience and expertise he gained moving lumber down the Champlain Canal to engineer a way to move logs from the sawmill to a shingle mill on Bayou Lamourie.

The site of the mill is inaccessible. If you are using the app, it will point you to the address of the original mill where the marker stands. Certainly, you can visit this place and see it from the road, but we provide the address of the camp grounds in Woodworth, a lovely place to end your tour and take more photos with your family.

Smartphone Photography Tips:

Check your settings- Some newer phones will have some of the same settings your digital camera might. You can use these to control focus, white balance, exposure and ISO.

You can also tap your phone screen to automatically focus on your subject.

White balance- removes unrealistic colors from your photo, so that objects appear as you see them.

ISO- the level of sensitivity of your camera to available light. A higher number suggests greater sensitivity, however it also adds more grain to your image.

Use the Back Camera- While the front camera is great for selfies, the back camera will give you better resolution and a clearer image. 8 The Solomon Northup Trail Trail Guide App A few of the stops in this guide can also be found on the 12 Years a Slave Solomon Northup Trail Guide app. The app features 19 stops in Central Louisiana and one in New Orleans.

Each of the stops on the app are matched with physical marker signs at each stop along the apps trail.

This app was written with the help of Dr. , who was responsible for authen- ticating the 12 Years a Slave autobiography of Solomon Northup.

App Description:

“Featutres include engaging histories of each site, present day and19th century photos of the people and places in the narrative from the archive of Dr. Sue Eakin, audiobook clips featuring Solomon’s description of each place voiced by Louis Gossett, Jr., easy-to-use GPS map tracking, quick access to our 12 Years a Slave ebook and audiobook so you can read Solomon’s full descrip- tions and chapters related to each location, and quick access to our website, which is a virtual museum of the story with fascinating images, audio and video. The sequence of the locations mostly follow the same order in the book and movie, allowing you to immerse yourself in the story as you move from place to place.”

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/twelve-years-slave-official/id921179126?mt=8

9 AndMore other Photography ideas for artTips on for the Your trail Family

Smartphone Photography Tips:

The Rule of Thirds- Rules are meant to be broken in art, but it’s good to learn them first.

The rule of thirds asks that you consider your image broken up into thirds vertically and horizontally so that you have a grid over your photo. (see example on the right)

Your focal points or points of interest should be centered on the intersecting points of the grid more or less. The rule of thirds will help you and your child create photographs that are not static, but lively and interesting. That said, you can break the rule of thirds and often come up with an amazing shot of a centered point of interest. Other Ideas: Lighting- Where is your light coming from? You can get some Perhaps you’d like to get away from it all, including your lovely effects using silhouettes or dappled sunlight. Be careful that smartphone! No worries! There are other ways to record your there is enough light and that your subject is lit enough so that you journey. Take sketchbooks and colored pencils and sketch the can see the details. lovely landscapes and historic sites you see along the way. Or, create a watercolor field kit like this one: What time of day is it? Time of day and cloud cover can really http://www.instructables.com/id/Pocket-sized-Watercolor- impact the overall look and dramatic effect of a photograph. Altoids-Tin/

Grab some bottled water and some watercolor paper and hit the road! 10 ButThere’s Wait! More at AMoA This Summer! For more details on the events below visit our website, themuseum.org The Muse Illuminated Fashion Workshop Summer Camp Lite with Luminaries June 24 and June 27- July 1st from 1pm- 4pm Half Day Camps Free to teens between the ages of 13 and 21 July 25-29, 2016 Morning Session for 6-9 year olds: 9:00am-12:00noon Summer Reading Series: Afternoon Session for campers 10 and up: 1:00pm-4:00pm Free and open to the public Nancy Noles and Cindy Blair: Instructors, AMoA Educators Edwin Epps House, LSUA Campus $75 for members / $100 for non-members July 2nd, 10:30 am ADULT STUDIO CLASS Summer Art Camps: Steam Powered ART Solomon’s Views: Digital Landscape Photography with Sean K. Kinetics and Encaustics Saturday, July 23, 2016 For campers 10 and up 1:00pm-5:00pm July 11 – 15, 2016 $50 for members, $70 for non-members Jason Gray: Instructor, Artist, Educator Family Class: Ceramic Creatures! Summer Reading Series: Help Me to Find My People: The Afri- July 16 1pm-3pm can American Search for Family Lost in Slavery Free to AMoA Member Families and $20 per non-member family (up July 16th, 10:30 am to 5 members)

Steaming Forward with Ideas of the Past Summer Community Luminary Project For camper Ages 6-9 July 21 6:30- 8:30pm July 18-22, 2016 All Ages Heather White: Instructor, Artist Free

The Muse Teen Council Meeting August 21 1pm- 4 pm Free to teens between the ages of 13 and 21 11 Acknowledgements Information on the topics covered in this guide can be found at the following locations:

• Four Hats and Frugal: How to Discuss Slavery with Your Kids by Amiyrah: http://4hatsandfrugal.com/2013/02/how-to- discuss-slavery-with-your-kids.html • Scholastic: It’s Not So Black and White, Advice for Talking About Race-Related Issues by Dr. Beverly Tatum: http://www. scholastic.com/teachers/article/its-not-so-black-and-whiteaspx?entryID=472 • The Historic New Orleans Collection: Purchased Lives, Solomon Northup’s Efforts to Prove His Freedom: http://www. hnoc.org/programs/documents/LessonPlan_SolomonNorthup.pdf • Digital Photography School: 13 Lessons to Teach Your Child About Digital Photography by Darren Rowse: http://digital- photography-school.com/13-lessons-to-teach-your-child-about-digital-photography/ • Hongkiat Technology Design Inspiration: 10 Tips To Help Improve Your Smartphone Photography by Leanne Tan: http:// www.hongkiat.com/blog/ways-improve-smartphone-photography/

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