The McFaddin-Ward House

A Historic Home in Beaumont, Texas

Sister, don't give up the land. They are not making land anymore.
W.P.H. McFaddin

Conferences and Lectures and Projects, Oh My!

By Allen Lea

Read the full December issue of Viewpoints.

Whew! Where has this year gone? For some, it was just another year to scratch through on the calendar, but for us here at the McFaddin-Ward House, well it was somewhat busy. In addition to the plethora of daily tours, projects and events that we provide annually, we had two memorable additions to the year. In April, we were thrilled to participate with the Texas Association of Museums as they held their annual conference here in Beaumont and, if we weren’t tired enough from the first conference, we hosted our own triennial conference in November. We had a lot of fun planning and executing both but I think it’s safe to say that we are “conferenced” out.

But it’s not all play. Hosting events and programs means hours of planning must be done by museum staff, all the while work must go on behind the scenes in order to keep the museum in pristine condition. Two of the bedrooms on the second floor of the museum received paint restorations in October and the front porch got a fresh coat of paint. Just in time for the Christmas season!

As 2014 comes into focus we are planning forward. Hosting educational lectures and activities for the public is part of our mission as a museum and it is also something we enjoy doing. The word ‘lecture’ can sometimes raise thoughts and feelings of having to sit through an hour-long snooze fest, but we would not bore you with any of those. Each year we host two or three lectures, but for 2014 we will be increasing our lecture series to quarterly lectures; two of which have been planned. On January 30th, Meredith Meuwly, Director of Appraisal Services at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, Texas, and appraiser for the Antiques Roadshow on PBS, will speak to us about fakes and forgeries in the art market. And on May 1st, Perry McFaddin-Clark from the Amizetta Estate Winery in Napa Valley will address us on different grape varieties and the art of wine making.

We hope you are as eager to attend the lectures as we are to host them. Remember, all of our lectures are free and open to the public. See you there!

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Another Point of View

By Arlene Christiansen

Read the full December issue of Viewpoints.

This past October, Becky Fertitta and I were fortunate to be allowed to attend the Mountain Plains Museum Association’s annual meeting in Lincoln, Nebraska. There were approximately 400 museum professionals from the ten-state area that encompasses the association in attendance. Much like our own Texas Association of Museums, the annual meeting is held as a forum for members to participate in sessions and share knowledge as well as to network with colleagues from across the region.

Becky spoke on volunteers to the group in Lincoln, sharing what it is like to volunteer at the McFaddin-Ward House and to coordinate such a group. I belong to the membership committee, a that group promotes the association and makes potential members aware of the benefits of membership. We were also there to promote the house, and of course, our own upcoming conference.  It was a fun and exciting experience.

Speaking of our own conference, the McFaddin-Ward House hosted a three-day conference; “Conservation Savvy: From Expert to DIY” November 7-9, 2013 covering a broad range of conservation topics. Dr. Karen Pope of Baylor University Allbritton Art Institute led off the conference with her keynote speech “Perspectives from Art History” on how conservation relates to art history.

Ten speakers addressed various and sundry conservation tricks on how to best conserve glass, furniture, paper, and paintings and frames as well as how to digitize records and photographs. The speakers also offered guidance on how to decide if it is possible to do the project in-house or if an expert should be consulted. There were also sessions on structures and disaster planning. The participants spent a pleasant afternoon at McFaddin-Ward House enjoying tours of the house, carriage house, and the curatorial office building with conservation demos in all three areas.

The eleventh conference in the McFaddin-Ward House series was a collaboration between Dr. Karen Pope, Baylor University Allbritton Art Institute; Judith Linsley, McFaddin-Ward House Curator of Interpretation and Education; and Allen Lea, Director of McFaddin-Ward House.

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Conservation Savvy: From Expert to DIY

Join us for our upcoming conference to learn the basics of conservation, from doing it yourself to hiring the best in the business.

Conservation Savvy: From Expert to DIY

November 7—9, 2013

We all have treasured objects in our possession–whether they are personal belongings passed down from loved ones, or priceless museum artifacts. Proper care for these items present many challenges, ranging from a lack of resources to a lack of expertise.

Join us at the McFaddin-Ward House 2013 Conference where we will present a panel of experts to address common conservation conundrums to help you ensure that your belongings and artifacts are conserved for the next generation to enjoy.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE 

Conservation Savvy: From Expert to DIY has been designed to teach proper techniques for collections care through presentations, site visits, and panel discussions. The event will be held in Beaumont, Texas from November 7-9, 2013.

TOPICS INCLUDE
  • Disaster Prevention
  • Object-Specific How-Tos
  • Conservation Prioritization and Techniques
  • Question and Answer Sessions

2013 PRESENTERS

  • Dr. Karen Pope, Baylor University, Waco, TX
  • Gary Smith, Dallas Heritage Village, Dallas, TX
  • Barbara Applebaum, Applebaum & Himmelstein, New York, NY
  • Stephen Koob, Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY
  • Steven Pine, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX
  • Cheryl Carrabba, Carrabba Conservation, Austin, TX
  • Dreanna Belden, University of North Texas, Denton, TX
  • Anne Zanikos, Zanikos Art Conservation, San Antonio, TX
  • Winnie Trippet, Battleship Texas, La Porte, TX
  • Pipp Gillette, Camp Street Cafe, Crockett, TX

 

 

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Registration is now open. Please register by November 1, 2013.   

To register, submit your information at the link below. The registration fee includes access to all conference programming and panel discussions, workshops, site visit and all meals, which include:

  • Thursday evening dinner
  • Continental breakfast on Friday and Saturday
  • Coffee/tea breaks
  • Friday luncheon and dinner
  • Saturday boxed lunch

Register with a credit card online at the links below, or by check by clicking here.

Regular Registration

$100
(A $3.49 fee will be added to all online registrations.)

Students
$50
(Proof of enrollment in a qualifying institution required and a $2.24 fee will be added to all online registrations.)

HOTEL INFORMATION 

The conference takes place at the MCM Elegante Hotel in Beaumont, Texas. The venue is featuring a special $89 rate. Contact the hotel for reservations at (409) 842-3600.

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KEYNOTE SPEAKER, DR. KAREN POPE

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Keynote speaker, Dr. Karen Pope

We are pleased to announce Dr. Karen Pope as keynote for Conservation Savvy: From Expert to DIY. Dr. Pope will give insight into the fascinating and important field of conservation with an emphasis on conservation’s value to art history and viability as a career choice.

With a PhD in Art History (University of Texas 1981), Dr. Pope is a popular lecturer in and around Austin on diverse topics.  With expertise especially in the art of Europe and America in the 19th and 20th centuries, she makes art history accessible and enjoyable for audiences of all levels.

Dr. Pope is a full-time member of the Baylor University Art Department faculty, where she teaches art history courses in 19th-century European and American art, the priority of Baylor’s Allbritton Art Institute.

 

 

So don’t miss Conservation Savvy: From Expert to DIY! Be sure to save the dates, November 7 – 9, 2013 for solutions to your conservation challenges-no matter your budget size!