Director's Note: Schottland Family Legacy

Heirs of “Big Mike” Schottland pose on the stairs of the family home which now houses Piedmont Arts.

On March 4, Piedmont Arts held an event to celebrate the legacy of “Big Mike” Schottland and his granddaughter, Kathryn “Kay” Ascough Smith. In preparing remarks for the Under the Stars event, I kept coming back to that one word—legacy.  

Throughout the course of the evening, we heard many stories about Mike Schottland and the family who grew up at 215 Starling Avenue in Martinsville, Virginia, the current home of Piedmont Arts. Big Mike was certainly someone who left a lasting legacy. He was a father, grandfather, successful businessman and an integral part of the community. His love of astronomy—at one time, Schottland had the largest privately-owned telescope in the United States—influenced his nephew, Rob Schottland, and Martinsville native Ron Crouch. Rob spent 10 years tracking down the telescope that once resided on the grounds of the museum, and Ron developed a lifelong love for the cosmos after childhood visits to the Schottland home.

Big Mike Schottland and his telescope, featured in an
April 1955 issue of Martinsville Bulletin.

We also celebrated the legacy of Kay Smith, a long-time friend and advocate for Piedmont Arts. Kay worked tirelessly on the Shared Vision capital campaign in the late 1990s, which allowed Piedmont Arts to expand its facilities to include state-of-the-art galleries, a performance space, kitchen and classroom. Because of Kay’s love of Piedmont Arts and her legacy as an educator, her sister, Julie Work, started the Kathryn Ascough Smith Arts Education Fund to help the museum funds its educational outreach. Since the fund’s inception two years ago, Piedmont Arts has served nearly 10,000 children through various in-school and onsite programs. These programs have included children learning the art of making mobiles through the Mobilizing Our Community artist residency; learning why music is important in our daily lives with Brass 5; learning about segregation and civil rights through Mike Wiley’s one-man play, Jackie Robinson: A Man Apart; experiencing different cultures through Latin Ballet of Virginia and Andes Manta’s in-school programs on Latin American culture; and even getting a taste of firing glass from Richmond-based glass artist Ryan Gorthrup.

Plaque marking the dedication of the Schottland House to Piedmont Arts.

Mike Schottland, his family and many others in the Martinsville-Henry County community started a grassroots movement to make art more accessible to everyone, and they continue to have a lasting impact on Piedmont Arts. When we think about great institutions across the country, most exist because of a legacy—whether it is the legacy of a generous benefactor, a museum that marks the legacy of a time in our past, or a monument or sculpture that honors those who have come before us.

I’ll end with the following quote: “Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share with you.”

Here at Piedmont Arts, we hope that we are honoring the legacy of the Schottland family and others who have given so much to the museum, by offering quality exhibits and programs that inspire and engage those around us.

Director's Note is a monthly blog by Piedmont Arts Executive Director Kathy Rogers, examining the impact of the arts in our community. Contact Kathy at kathyrogers@piedmontarts.org.