Tammis Keefe: Whimsical and Vibrant

Tammis Keefe: Whimsical and Vibrant

Not only are her designs adorably whimsical and highly collectible, but she was a role model to aspire to! My curiosity was piqued and I was falling headfirst down the rabbit hole. Before things went too far, I opened up our collections database to see how many Tammis Keefe items we had in the collection. Would there be enough to create an exhibition? The answer is… yes!

Oktoberfest 2019 Recap

Oktoberfest 2019 Recap

Oktoberfest 2019 at Turtle Bay was a blast! Nearly 700 people came out to celebrate fall in newly renovated Paul Bunyan’s Forest Camp with 14 local breweries paired with delicious food, local art, live music, costume contests, crafts, face painting, and more! Kids and adults of all ages explored Turtle Bay’s new outdoor playground and water feature areas while Black Vinyl 45 played all the hits in the outdoor amphitheater. Some guests even tried their hand at glass blowing their own works of art. 

Artifact of the Month: Shasta County Court Documents

Artifact of the Month: Shasta County Court Documents

At first glance, these four pages may not seem too compelling, but there is more here than meets the eye! What appears to be a stack of personal notes, jotted down in old-fashioned cursive, are actually records from court cases related to miners and land claims. The cases were conducted in French Gulch in the late 1800’s. Legal documents like these offer a glimpse into 19th Century life while also providing insight into the local affairs of 1890.

Mosaic Gallery: Suzanne Gibbs' Carr Fire Exhibition

Mosaic Gallery: Suzanne Gibbs' Carr Fire Exhibition

On Tuesday evening, at the Mosaic Gallery, we hosted a very special opening reception for Suzanne Gibbs’ Carr Fire Exhibition, observing the anniversary of the Carr Fire and commemorating all that came to follow. It was a restorative evening of healing, and even at times, humor. The artist shared her personal experience of the Carr Fire which led to the unique technique of including ash in her artworks in an effort process the loss and devastation that occurred in her community of East Fork in French Gulch…

Forest Adventure Playground NOW OPEN!

Forest Adventure Playground NOW OPEN!

Community members, donors and staff gathered this morning to celebrate the opening of Turtle Bay’s Forest Adventure Playground, a new big-kids play area located within Paul Bunyan’s Forest Camp. This playground is the most recent inclusion from the Park’s Forestry Forward Project and is complimented by Babe’s Corral, a playground for children ages 0-5, as well as the Mill Building.

Artifact of the Month: 1940s Lucite Handbag

Artifact of the Month: 1940s Lucite Handbag

One might argue that the handbag (purse, satchel, or just plain old bag) is probably one of the oldest hominid inventions. An animal bladder, a skin, a gourd, or even a really big leaf could be adapted as an effective way to carry our ever-increasing number of possessions. Over millennia, a relatively simple and practical way to carry stuff has been elevated to an art form and a status symbol accessory.