A photograph.
A recipe.
A letter folded and unfolded for years.
A tool worn smooth by work.
A piece of a life that refused to disappear.
What We Kept invites the community to share meaningful objects, photographs, letters, tools, recipes, heirlooms, keepsakes, and family stories for a public exhibition at Haus of Taylor Gallery.
Each selected submission will become part of a carefully curated gallery experience honoring memory, work, family, place, and identity.
This exhibition is not simply about objects. It is about the lives attached to them.
What Did Your Family Keep?
Family photographs
Letters
Recipes
Tools
Work objects
Clothing or uniforms
Family Bibles
Keepsakes
Handmade items
Oral histories
Business or Main Street artifacts
Objects tied to Tazewell County or Southwest Virginia life
The object does not need to be valuable in the traditional sense. It only needs to carry a story worth remembering.
Rural communities are filled with stories that rarely make it into museums, history books, or public archives.
What We Kept gives those stories a place.
Through community submissions, object labels, photographs, audio recordings, and gallery installation, the exhibition will help preserve pieces of Southwest Virginia’s lived history in a way people can see, hear, and feel.
In Collaboration with Local History
Haus of Taylor Gallery is working to connect this exhibition with the broader historical record of Tazewell County.
As part of the project, our resident artist will curate selected historical pieces in collaboration with the Tazewell County Historical Society, creating a bridge between personal memory and regional history.
Commissioned for the Exhibition
Haus of Taylor Gallery has commissioned an original work of art for What We Kept.
This piece will be auctioned during the opening reception, with proceeds benefiting the Tazewell County Historical Society.
This gives the exhibition a direct way to honor history while helping support the people and organizations preserving it.
Help Preserve the Stories of Southwest Virginia
What We Kept is currently seeking community partners and sponsors.
Local businesses, organizations, civic groups, banks, foundations, and regional partners are invited to help make this exhibition possible.
Sponsorship supports public programming, exhibition materials, story documentation, community outreach, printed materials, opening reception needs, and sponsor recognition throughout the campaign.
This is a visible way for local organizations to stand with the stories, families, and cultural memory of this region.
Opening Reception
Join us Saturday, August 1, 2026, at Haus of Taylor Gallery for the opening reception of What We Kept.
The evening will bring together community stories, selected objects, historical pieces, original artwork, and a shared celebration of the people and memories that shaped this region.
Reception details will be announced soon.
What Did Your Family Keep?
If your family has an object, photograph, letter, recipe, tool, keepsake, or story connected to Southwest Virginia, we invite you to share it for consideration.
