(GOLDENDALE, Wash., May 22, 2014) – International chess sensation Jeremy Silman will be at Maryhill Museum of Art on Saturday, June 7, 2014 to headline a series of chess-themed programs. Your Move! Celebrating the Game of Chess is presented in connection with the exhibition Cardboard, Clay and Crayons: Chess Sets by Young Northwest Artists, on view at the museum through July 31, 2014.
Jeremy Silman is an International Master in the game of chess, and one of the few people ever to win the U.S. Open, the American Open and the National Open. He has written three dozen books on chess including the highly acclaimed How to Reassess Your Chess. Silman was chess consultant for the movie Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone, and will recreate the Harry Potter game on Maryhill’s Grand Lawn, with commentary.
Later in the afternoon, Mr. Silman will give a lecture and book-signing. An evening dinner at the museum will give chess enthusiasts an opportunity to socialize with the International Master.
As part of the day, members of the Washington Chess Federation (WCF) will present a series of blitz chess games; and later, will stage a simultaneous chess demonstration with Mr. Silman competing in concurrent games with WCF members.
JUNE 7 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Blitz Tournament, rounds at 10 a.m., noon & 1:15 p.m.
Watch the game pieces fly in a flurry of activity as members of the Washington Chess Federation compete in rapid-fire games of chess. Free with museum admission.
Large Scale Chess on Maryhill’s Grand Lawn, 11 a.m.
Live re-creation of the chess game from Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone, on the Maryhill Grand Lawn. This outside activity is free.
Lecture: Jeremy Silman, 2 p.m.
Jeremy Silman is an International Master in the game of chess, and one of the few people ever to win the U.S. Open, the American Open and the National Open. He has written three dozen books on chess including the highly acclaimed How to Reassess Your Chess. After the talk, Silman will autograph books. Free with museum admission.
Simultaneous Chess, 3:15 p.m.
The public is invited to watch as Jeremy Silman plays simultaneous chess games with Washington Chess Federation members – about 10 games in all. Free with museum admission.
Reception & Salmon Dinner, 5:00 p.m.
Sample local wines and then enjoy a scrumptious Northwest salmon dinner with Jeremy Silman. $35/ museum members; $40/non-members. For reservations call 509-773-3733 ext. 25.
THE LEGACY OF CHESS AT MARYHILL
Maryhill Museum of Art’s permanent exhibition of international chess sets is a perennial favorite among museum visitors. A 1957 exhibit curated by the museum’s director at the time, Clifford Dolph, led to the creation of this permanent exhibition, which today includes about 75 sets representing the many countries, cultures and periods in which chess has been played. These sculptures in miniature present a fascinating intersection of art and chess, and are beloved by visitors of all ages.
In 2014, young artists (K-12), either working in teams or as individuals, were invited to create chess sets of their own design for display at Maryhill in the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust Education Center. The resulting exhibition, Cardboard, Clay and Crayons: Chess Sets by Young Northwest Artists, is on view now through July 31, 2014. Generous support for Cardboard, Crayons and Clay is provided by the Charlotte Y. Martin Foundation.
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ABOUT MARYHILL MUSEUM OF ART:
Housed in a glorious Beaux Arts mansion on 5,300 acres high above the Columbia River, Maryhill Museum of Art opened to the public May 13, 1940 and today remains one of the Pacific Northwest’s most enchanting cultural destinations. The museum was founded by Northwest entrepreneur and visionary Sam Hill, who purchased the property and began building the house with dreams of establishing a Quaker farming community. When that goal proved untenable, Hill was encouraged by friends Loie Fuller, Queen Marie of Romania, and Alma de Bretteville Spreckles to establish a museum.
Maryhill Museum of Art boasts a world-class permanent collection, rotating exhibitions of the highest caliber, and dynamic educational programs that provide opportunities for further exploration by visitors of all ages. On view are more than 80 works by Auguste Rodin, European and American paintings, objects d’art from the palaces of the Queen of Romania, Orthodox icons, unique chess sets, and the renowned Théâtre de la Mode, featuring small-scale mannequins attired in designer fashions of post-World War II France. Baskets of the indigenous people of North America were a collecting interest of Hill; today the museum’s American Indian collection represents nearly every tradition and style in North America, with works of art from prehistoric through contemporary.
Maryhill’s William and Catherine Dickson Sculpture Park features more than a dozen large-scale works by Northwest artists. The Maryhill Overlook is a site-specific sculpture by noted Portland architect Brad Cloepfil; nearby are Lewis and Clark interpretive panels. Four miles east of Maryhill is a life-sized replica of Stonehenge, Stonehenge Memorial, which Sam Hill built to memorialize local men who perished in World War I. Nearby, the Klickitat County War Memorial honors those who have died in the service of their country since World War I.The museum was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In 2001 the museum was listed as an official site of the National Historic Lewis and Clark Trail and in 2002 was accredited by the American Association of Museums. In 2012 the museum opened the Mary and Bruce Stevenson Wing, a 25,500 square foot expansion that is the first in the museum’s history. The new wing boasts the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust Education Center, a collections storage and research suite, a new cafe and terrace, and the Cannon Power Plaza with an installation of sculpture, and sweeping views of the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood in the distance.
VISITOR INFORMATION:
Maryhill Museum of Art is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 15 to November 15. Admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $3 for youth age 7-18 and free for children 6 and under. Admission to the Stonehenge Memorial is free; it is open from 7:00 a.m. to dusk daily.Sandwiches, salads, espresso drinks, cold beverages, and freshly baked desserts and pastries, as well as a selection of local wines are available at the museum’s cafe, Loie’s, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily; the Museum Store features art and history books, jewelry, Native American crafts and other mementos.
Maryhill is located off Highway 97, 12 miles south of Goldendale, Washington. Drive times to the museum are 2 hours from Portland/Vancouver, 3.5 hours from Bend, 4 hours from Seattle, and 1.5 hours from Yakima. For further information, visit maryhillmuseum.org.
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