In celebration of Verso University's exploration of the CT Art Trail, join us on October 12 for a presentation about the New Britain Museum of Art in New Britain.
Dr. M. Stephen Miller will give a talk titled Masterworks of Shaker Design: Mount Lebanon, NY. This will be an illustrated lecture focused on the current exhibit at the museum.
This event will take place in the Brooks Place program room on the Library's main level. Please register for this free event HERE.
Miller has been a collector, researcher, writer, teacher, and speaker in the world of Shaker material culture for the past 47 years. His last two major books, From Shaker Lands and Shaker Hands: A Survey of the Industries and Inspired Innovations: A Celebration of Shaker Ingenuity were published by University Press of New England. Steve has been the curator, now guest curator, of a series of Shaker exhibitions in the NBMAA’s Shaker Gallery since 2015. The gallery was established and endowed by Steve and his wife, Miriam.
New Lebanon was the first fully formed Shaker community, founded in 1787. It closed in 1947. This was the home to the Parent Ministry, the acknowledged leaders of the seventeen other long-lasting Shaker villages that stretched from Maine to Kentucky. For most of its existence, it was also the largest of the Shaker communities, with up to 600 members by the middle 1800s. The name was changed from New to Mount in 1861, when congress granted them their own post office. In theory, at least, this was the place that all Believers looked to for leadership.
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Each month, Verso University will bring individual curators and/or museum directors, from the CT Art Trail membership to the Library for a deeper dive into that museum’s particular mission and exhibits — past and present. Participants will have an opportunity for deeper learning and gain an insider’s view of the museums, their collections and history, along with an invitation for an on-site visit. The Connecticut Art Trail is a nationally recognized partnership between 23 world-class museums and historic sites, created to promote Connecticut’s rich cultural assets.
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Verso University is the Library’s lifelong learning and education initiative, serving up year-round offerings of classes, workshops, and lectures designed to further education and learning. Offerings run the gamut of educational opportunities, ranging from one-time lectures to ongoing courses to classes that meet weekly or perhaps monthly.
Verso University programs are made possible by the generous support of the Nancy J. Beard Lifelong Learning and Education Fund.
