Winter Lectures | Curator's Lecture | Spring Lectures | Travel Tour & Garden Workshops
Winter Lectures
Rosecliff-Hangers: Stories from the Rose Garden
Jim Donahue, PSNC Curator of Historic Landscapes & Horticulture
Thursday, January 24
11:00 a.m., Preservation Society Offices, 424 Bellevue Avenue, Newport
Join us for tales of intrigue and murder, part of the long
and complicated history of the property. Hear about how ‘Rose Clyffe’s’ original owner – noted diplomat, 19th century historian and rosarian George Bancroft – was involved.
Jim Donahue is Curator of Historic Landscapes and Horticulture for the Preservation Society. Mr. Donahue received a Masters Degree in Sustainable Landscape Design and Planning from The Conway School after graduating from The College of the Holy Cross. He has been with the Preservation Society for over 15 years serving first as Chief Horticulturalist at Green Animals for 10 years before assuming his current position.
Admission is $10 for Preservation Society members, $15 for the general public. Advance ticket purchase is required.
or call 401-847-1000 ext. 178
Building the Avenue
Abigail Stewart, PSNC Education & Interpretation Specialist
Thursday, February 7
11 a.m., Rosecliff, 548 Bellevue Avenue, Newport
The magnificent cottages that line Bellevue Avenue are not only lasting symbols of a bygone era, but
serve as a timeline of American architectural history. Through a selection of Preservation Society’s properties, this lecture will explore the changes and trends in 19th century architecture that define the Newport we know today.
Abigail Stewart is the Education and Interpretive Programs Specialist at the Preservation Society. She received her MA in Architectural History with a certificate in Historic Preservation from the University of Virginia. Ms. Stewart researches and writes tours for the historic properties of the Newport Mansions, and manages family and school programs. Before coming to the Preservation Society, Ms. Stewart taught high school history and literature.
Admission is $10 for Preservation Society members, $15 for the general public. Advance ticket purchase is required.
or call 401-847-1000 ext. 178
Saving Aphrodite: Conserving Garden Statuary and Fountains
Patricia Miller, PSNC Chief Conservator
Thursday, February 28
11 a.m., Rosecliff, 548 Bellevue Avenue, Newport
The gardens of the Preservation Society properties are well known for their abundant flowers and foliage. But have you ever wondered about the statues that inhabit these gardens and how they are cared for? Learn about the outdoor sculpture collection and the work that goes into conserving it.
Patricia Miller has over twenty years of conservation experience in the assessment and treatment of outdoor sculpture, monuments, historic structures, fountains, and industrial artifacts. Before joining the Preservation Society she worked in private practice on projects for the New York Public Library Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, and the Biltmore Estate. She holds a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Columbia University and is a Professional Associate of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC).
Admission is $10 for Preservation Society members, $15 for the general public. Advance ticket purchase is required.
or call 401-847-1000 ext. 178
Beyond the Wrecking Ball: Historic Preservation’s Coming of Age
Kaity Ryan, PSNC Deputy Chief of Staff
Thursday, March 14
11 a.m., Rosecliff, 548 Bellevue Avenue, Newport
What do utility lines, stone walls, and streetscapes have in common? They are critical, if sometimes overlooked, aspects of the built environment at the intersection of preservation and conservation. Learn about recent and ongoing advocacy campaigns undertaken by the Preservation Society, and about how expanding the definition of preservation can support a more scenic, economically viable Newport County.
Kaity Ryan is an architectural historian and preservation advocate. As the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Preservation Society, she has led the organization’s policy and advocacy efforts for the past seven years. Ms. Ryan holds a Master’s degree in Historic Preservation from the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. She serves on the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission (SHPO), Smithfield Zoning Board, Providence Preservation Society’s Historic House Marker Committee, and the Board of the Aquidneck Land Trust.
Admission is $10 for Preservation Society members, $15 for the general public. Advance ticket purchase is required.
or call 401-847-1000 ext. 178
John James Audubon: Obsession Untamed
Ashley Householder, PSNC Exhibition Curator
Thursday, April 4
6 p.m., Rosecliff, 548 Bellevue Avenue, Newport
In 1820 John James Audubon embarked on what would become his life’s work as “portraitist of all the birds of America.” Hear how this witness to America’s Heroic Age translated his obsession into a successful business venture that resulted in arguably the most enduring images associated with the modern conservation movement.
Ashley Householder is Curator of Exhibitions for the Preservation Society and is responsible for in-house and travelling exhibitions for the Galleries at Rosecliff. Ms. Householder holds an MA in the History of Decorative Arts from Parsons The New School for Design. Prior to moving to Rhode Island, she lived in New York City and worked in arts publishing, serving as buyer for Rizzoli Bookstore.
Admission is $10 for Preservation Society members, $15 for the general public. Advance ticket purchase is required.
or call 401-847-1000 ext. 178
Spring Lectures - Beautiful Ideas
Interior Decoration: Elegance & Ease
Nina Campbell, Author, Interior Designer, President of Nina Campbell Design
Wednesday, May 29
6 p.m., Rosecliff, 548 Bellevue Avenue, Newport
Reception to follow at 7 p.m.
For comfortable and stylish interiors, look no further than Nina Campbell, the doyenne of English interior design today. Her almost fifty-year career exemplifies the best of English interior design, with a client list that includes figures such as the Duke and Duchess of York, Ringo Starr, and Rod Stewart. Nina will explore the techniques employed in some of her favorite commissions and discuss her own experimentations and passions—from pared-back grandeur to bold plays of scale and modern use of texture and color. As a designer she must draw upon the key principles of her design aesthetic in a variety of contexts, from prestigious addresses in London and New York, a pied-à-terre in Rome, and a retreat in the English countryside to a historic German hotel, a viewing pavilion at the Ascot, and a Los Angeles bedroom suite. Renowned for her contagious wit and brilliant sense of style, her designs appeal to both young and old and sit well in both contemporary and traditional interiors. She has written and lectured extensively on interior design.
Nina Campbell is an international design presence with commissions that bestride continents and cultures. She has vibrant fabric and wallpaper collections, a tempting online shop stocked with every home accessory one could imagine, and a parade of gorgeous books that not only record her work but bear eloquent and inspiring witness to its evolution. Nina is the subject of Rizzoli’s 2018 Nina Campbell Interior Design: Elegance and Wit, written by Giles Kimes.
Admission is $10 for Preservation Society members, $15 for the general public. Advance ticket purchase is required.
or call 401-847-1000 ext. 178
Books at Bell! Book Club: The Awakening, by Kate Chopin
Dr. Renee Somers, Professor, Bridgewater State University
Saturday, May 11
10 a.m., The Isaac Bell House, 70 Perry Street, Newport
Kate Chopin’s masterpiece, The Awakening, was widely censored upon its publication in 1899, with critics calling it “immoral” and likening it to “poison”, and comparing it to controversial European early modernist novels like Madame Bovary. The novel, with its realistic narrative, incisive social commentary, adult themes, and psychological complexity was unparalleled in American fiction of the time, and quickly faded into obscurity until the 1960s. Join us and discussion leader Dr. Renee Somers and see what all the fuss was about!
Dr. Renee Somers is an English Professor at Bridgewater State University who specializes in American literature. She received a Ph.D. from the University of Rhode Island in 2003 and is the author of Edith Wharton as Spatial Activist and Analyst (Routledge 2005), which explores how Wharton participated in Newport’s Gilded Age culture. Dr. Somers has won an “Excellence in Teaching” award and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Admission is $5 for Preservation Society members, $10 for the general public. Advance ticket purchase is required.
or call 401-847-1000 ext. 178
Emerging Scholars’ Colloquium
The Breakers Stable & Carriage House
Saturday, June 15
9 a.m.-4 p.m.
$15 students / Members $30 / General Public $40
Advance registration required
The PSNC, in conjunction with the Decorative Arts Trust, is pleased to offer our first annual Colloquium featuring students and young professionals in the fields of decorative arts and historic preservation. Join us for a daylong speaker series on new research by young scholars. For more information, contact emarchi@newportmansions.org.
Admission is $15 for students, $30 for Preservation Society members, $40 for the general public. Advance ticket purchase is required.
or call 401-847-1000 ext. 178
Travel Tour & Garden Workshops
Spring Travel Tour / Harvard’s “Glass Flowers”
Saturday, June 8
9 a.m.–5 p.m., The Harvard Museum of Natural History, Cambridge, MA
Harvard University’s Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants, popularly known as the “Glass Flowers”, is regarded as one of their greatest treasures and is the only collection of its kind in the world. The Glass Flowers were commissioned in 1886 by the first director of Harvard’s Botanical Museum to aid in teaching and to serve as the premier botany exhibit in what is now the Harvard Museum of Natural History. This unique, exquisitely detailed collection of over 4,000 models, representing more than 830 plant species, was created by Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, a father and son team of Czech glass artists. We will depart from PSNC headquarters at 9 am sharp, travel to Cambridge via luxury motorcoach, enjoy the exhibition and a light lunch, and return to Newport by 5 pm.
Admission is $90 for Preservation Society members, $110 for the general public. Advance ticket purchase is required.
Transportation and all museum fees are included.
or call 401-847-1000 ext. 178
Green Animals Garden Workshops
Spring Floral Centerpieces
Julie Christina, Garden Educator & Floral Designer
Sunday, April 14
10:00 a.m.-noon, Green Animals
Join creative floral designer Julie Christina for a hands-on workshop to create your own unique spring-inspired display to take home. All materials are included. Workshop is limited to 20 participants.
A fee of $40 includes the workshop and materials. Space is limited to 20 participants. Advance ticket purchase is required.
or call 401-847-1000 ext. 178
Spring Garden Walk with Dan
Dan Christina, Green Animals Chief Horticulturist
Saturday, May 18
10:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Green Animals
Chief Horticulturist and bulb-master Dan Christina will lead an insightful walk through the gardens and share insider information about how horticulturists get the most out of their spring gardens – and how you can, too!
Admission is free with Garden admission. Space is limited to 20 people. Advance ticket purchase is required.
or call 401-847-1000 ext. 178
Girl Scout Badge Day at Green Animals Topiary Garden
Dan Christina, Green Animals Chief Horticulturist
Saturday, May 4
10 am – 12 pm
Looking to earn your next Girl Scout badge? Join us at Green Animals Topiary Garden for a day in the garden and participate in art and activities to earn your next badge! Brownies can earn their Outdoor Art Creator Badge, Juniors can earn components of their Gardener Badge, and Cadets will explore the garden and complete requirements for their Tree Badge. Scouts will also have an opportunity to create an entry for the 2019 Newport Flower Show!
Garden educators and Preservation Society staff will be on hand to facilitate all activities and all materials are included. This is a wonderful opportunity to spend time outdoors with fellow Girl Scouts all the while working towards your badge completion. Please wear suitable footwear and clothing appropriate for garden explorations. We look forward to seeing you at Green Animals, rain or shine!
Presented in partnership with the Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England.
There is a $20 fee per Scout; adult chaperone is free. Advance registration required: Scout badge, house, and garden admission are included in the registration fee.
or call 401-847-1000 ext. 178