Closed for the off season, will reopen on May 10!
Mara Superior, acclaimed ceramic artist known for blending delicate ceramic pieces with sharp social commentary, joins curator Kory Rogers for an engaging hour-long webinar discussion about her life, her art, and her creative inspirations. Discover how Mara’s passion for art history and world travel shapes her work, how historical subjects inspire contemporary conversations, and how she reimagines traditional forms like teapots into striking 3D sculptures. Don’t miss this exploration of creativity and innovation and learn more about Mara prior to the opening of her 2025 exhibition, Porcelain Love Letters: The Art of Mara Superior.
Kite (Oglala Lakota) a featured artist in the upcoming Shelburne Museum exhibition, “Making A Noise: Indigenous Sound Art” (June 21 – October 26, 2025). Focusing on using Indigenous Research-Creation Methodologies, such as body-centered acts of knowledge making and Dream to Design methodologies, Kite‘s artworks engage with—and through—computational media.
In this virtual lecture, Kite introduces her current artistic research, which uses dreaming methodologies to engage with Lakota worldviews and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. She addresses her development of body interfaces since 2013, her role in the Abundant Intelligences Research Program, her work in Human Computer Interaction, and her research of nonhuman ontologies and interiorities, first published in the groundbreaking 2018 article “Making Kin with the Machines,” which Kite co-authored with Jason Edward Lewis, Noelani Arist, and Archer Pechawis.
The Conservation Department welcomed two new team members. Johanna Pinney grew up visiting the Museum and first volunteered here in 2013. Awyn Rileybird is brand new to the Museum and the area. Johanna specializes in preventative conservation and book and paper conservation. Awyn specializes in textile conservation.
In this video, Johanna and Awyn introduce themselves and dive into the “10 Agents of Deterioration” in relation to their individual projects. Johanna discusses how these agents show up in her preventative conservation work in the Electra Havemeyer Webb Memorial Building. Awyn shares how textiles are prepared to go on display in The Dana-Spencer Textile Galleries at Hat & Fragrance.
Part 1 of a free series of 4 virtual portrait drawing sessions designed to develop and refine your skills. Each session focuses on a unique aspect of portrait drawing, helping you build comfort and confidence with each sketch.
The sessions begins with a warmup inspired by works from the Museum’s collection, followed by an introduction to essential techniques, live demonstrations, and practice time focused on the day’s theme.
This webinar is for artists of all ages and skill levels. You don’t need to watch all four sessions—each one stands alone, so feel free to enjoy at your own pace.
This session focuses on head angles and perspective.
This session focuses on proportions of the face.
Rounding out your final drawing by adding finer details.
Capturing the action, feeling of movement, and pose of a figure. Practice your figure drawing skills in one or all of our virtual figure drawing sessions. Every session will have a unique focus, building comfort and confidence in drawing the human form. Each session will include an analysis of selected artworks from Shelburne Museum’s collection that demonstrate the session’s focus, a brief instruction and demonstration period, a live clothed model doing short and long poses, and an optional sharing and reflection time at the close of the event.
Understanding the size of body parts in relation to other body parts and to the environment.
Exploring how light interacts with the body to create highlights and shadows and finding techniques to demonstrate this.
Adding distinctive features to a figure including hands, feet, hair texture, facial features, and clothing.
Katie Wood Kirchhoff, Alice Cooney Frelinghuysen Curator of American Decorative Arts, chats with fiber artist Lorna McMaster about felting, seed saving, and sustainable practices in the arts and agriculture in this free webinar. McMaster’s work will be featured in the exhibition Lorna McMaster: Stewarding a Seed Collection.
Capturing the action, feeling of movement, and pose of a figure. Practice your figure drawing skills in one or all of our virtual figure drawing sessions. Every session will have a unique focus, building comfort and confidence in drawing the human form. Each session will include an analysis of selected artworks from Shelburne Museum’s collection that demonstrate the session’s focus, a brief instruction and demonstration period, a live clothed model doing short and long poses, and an optional sharing and reflection time at the close of the event. Click here to watch with ASL Interpretation.
To celebrate the online and onsite exhibitions Built from the Earth: Pueblo Pottery from the Anthony and Teressa Perry Collection, Associate Curator of Native American Art Victoria Sunnergren discusses the stylistic features and technical processes involved in creating these masterworks, and the ways in which Pueblo potters drew on their environment and worldview to imbue their works with meaning and symbolism.
Celebrating the opening of the exhibition Pet Friendly: The Art of Stephen Huneck, Associate Curator Carolyn Bauer discusses the life and work of Stephen Huneck, one of New England’s most well-known and celebrated artists. This exhibition features a selection of prints recently acquired by the Museum.
Curator Katie Wood Kirchhoff with special guests J.J. Murphy and Nancy Mladenoff celebrate the opening of the special online exhibition, Right Under Your Nose: Children’s Printed Textiles from the Collection of J.J. Murphy and Nancy Mladenoff. Learn about Murphy and Mladenoff’s collecting histories, discover their favorites, and explore ideas and issues brought forth by the objects.
Francie and John Downing Senior Curator of American Art Kory Rogers celebrates the opening of the online exhibition, Action Figures: Objects in Motion, which explores the theme of movement and action in art.
Curator Katie Wood Kirchhoff highlights Shelburne Museum’s extensive collection of decorative bedcovers and its ties to the vibrant contemporary works featured in the exhibition Maria Shell: Off the Grid.
Dubbed Vermont’s “Painter Laureate” by Life magazine in 1937, realist painter and printmaker Luigi Lucioni is best known for his scenes of the state. He often painted at the Shelburne home of Shelburne Museum founder Electra Havemeyer Webb who was one of his biggest patrons. Curator Katie Wood Kirchhoff presents about Luigi Lucioni and his work.
Learn more about Shelburne Museum founder’s trusted folk-art dealer and friend Edith Halpert, featuring guest scholar Rebecca Shaykin, Associate Curator at The Jewish Museum. This free webinar marks the opening of the online exhibition Our Collection: Electra Havemeyer Webb, Edith Halpert, and American Folk Art.
Curators Katie Wood Kirchhoff and Carolyn Bauer explore the online exhibition, Eyesight & Insight: Lens on American Art. Kirchhoff and Bauer frame their discussion on the four individual chapters of the exhibition exploring themes and objects ranging from 18th-century optical technologies to the social and historical connotations of eyeglasses in portraiture from the 19th century to today.
Francie and John Downing Senior Curator of American Art Kory Rogers alongside special guests Jamie Reason and Joseph Jannsen, decoy makers and contributing writers for Decoy Magazine. They present the extraordinary life and art of master carver Charles Sumner Bunn.
Associate Curator Carolyn Bauer and renowned art historian Nancy Mowll Mathews, PhD present on the close and creative relationship between American Impressionist artist Mary Cassatt and the Havemeyer family.
Shelburne Museum curator, Katie Wood Kirchoff, discusses the online exhibition, Pattern and Purpose: American Quilts from Shelburne Museum.
Francie and John Downing Senior Curator of American Art Kory Rogers discusses the online exhibition, A. Elmer Crowell: Sculptor, Painter, Decoy Maker.
Shelburne Museum associate curator Carolyn Bauer and director Thomas Denenberg, as well as Bennington Museum’s executive director Joshua Torrance and curator Jamie Franklin, discuss the exhibition, Painting at Home with Grandma Moses.
Member preview to introduce Part One: People, of the four-part online exhibition American Stories.
Member preview to introduce Part Two: Travel, of the four-part online exhibition American Stories.
Member preview to introduce Part Three: Home, of the four-part online exhibition American Stories.
Member preview to introduce Part Four: Community, of the four-part online exhibition American Stories.
Member preview to introduce Part One: Color, of the four-part online exhibition Color, Pattern, Whimsy, & Scale.
Member preview to introduce Part Two: Pattern, of the four-part online exhibition Color, Pattern, Whimsy, & Scale.
Member preview to introduce Part Three: Whimsy, of the four-part online exhibition Color, Pattern, Whimsy, & Scale.
Member preview to introduce Part Four: Scale, of the four-part online exhibition Color, Pattern, Whimsy, & Scale.
Join Shelburne Museum Curator, Katie Wood Kirchoff, and Professor of Design Studies at Parsons School of Design, David Brody, for a conversation about American artist Luigi Lucioni.
Associate Curator Katie Wood Kirchhoff and Dr. Marie-Stephanie Delamaire, Associate Curator of Fine Arts at Winterthur Museum and Country Estate, discuss 19th century depictions of America.
Carolyn Bauer, associate curator, presents Isabel Bishop: The Working Woman, highlighting the museum’s collection, sharing Bauer’s recent research, and exploring the incredible life and work of this extraordinary artist.
Curators in Conversation with Associate Curator Katie Wood Kirchhoff, Minnie Wabanimkee, Odawa Artist and Photographer, and Marsha MacDowell, Professor of Art and Curator of Folk Arts and Quilt Studies at Michigan State University Museum.
Francie and John Downing Senior Curator of American Art Kory Rogers sits down with photographer Elliot Fenander for a conversation about the artist’s poignant black and white images of the circus from the late 1960s, a time of great change for the iconic American circus.
Curator Katie Wood Kirchhoff and Kevin Clayton of Village Wine & Coffee
Curator Katie Wood Kirchhoff and Kevin Clayton of Village Wine & Coffee
Francie and John Downing Senior Curator Kory Rogers and special guest sculptor Peter Kirkiles. Kory and Peter will discuss Peter’s propensity to work in outsized or diminutive scale and the whimsical installation on the Museum campus. To get everyone in the mood, renowned mixologist, restaurateur, and author Ivy Mix from the restaurant Leyenda in Brooklyn will tee up the webinar with a cocktail.
Associate Curator Katie Wood Kirchhoff and Mimi Buttenheim of Mad River Distillers.
Francie and John Downing Senior Curator Kory Rogers and Kate Wise of Hotel Vermont.
Francie and John Downing Senior Curator Kory Rogers and Nadia Womble of Waterworks
Associate Curator Carolyn Bauer and Caitlin Conn of Pro Pig.
Francie and John Downing Senior Curator Kory Rogers.
Director of Conservation Nancie Ravenel discusses the ongoing care and conservation of the collection of Native American Art at Shelburne Museum. Learn more about the history of the collection, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), and the collaborative work she and her collections care colleagues are doing to caretake these items in consultation with tribal members and other experts. This work has been made possible in part thanks to a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Moderated by Associate Curator of Native American Art Victoria Sunnergren.
Director of Conservation Nancie Ravenel celebrates Conservation Month by discussing techniques for the care and display of quilts at Shelburne Museum.
Director of Conservation Nancie Ravenel welcomes us into the Conservation Lab to show us how she uses lighting and photographic techniques to gain insight into how artist Luigi Lucioni worked.
Maria Shell started out as a traditional quilter, but soon found herself making abstract pieced art quilts that look surprisingly modern. Maria will share her personal journey in and about the traditional, art, and modern quilt movements.
Special 75th Anniversary Panel Discussion: Folk Art Today. Watch a dynamic and esteemed panel of American folk art scholars discuss the topic of Folk Art Today, moderated by Thomas Denenberg, John Wilmerding Director and CEO. Panelists include: Michael Bramwell, Linde Curator of Folk and Self-Taught Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Emelie Gevalt, Curatorial Chair for Collections and Curator of Folk Art at the American Folk Art Museum, and Katie Wood Kirchhoff, Curator at Shelburne Museum.
Museum director Tom Denenberg introduces an exciting new acquisition for Shelburne Museum’s American painting collection and the intriguing circumstances that led to the reunion of a long-separated couple. The evening will be a tale of revolutionary Boston, featuring the young John Singleton Copley and his portraits of Mercy Greenleaf and John Scollay.
Electra Havemeyer Webb had a grand vision for a museum to share her collections with all—a vision visitors enjoy while strolling the 45-acre grounds and visiting the 39 buildings that make Shelburne Museum a wonder-filled experience. To bring that vision to fruition Mrs. Webb used scale models to plan and design the Museum. Join Francie and John Downing Senior Curator of American Art Kory Rogers for a special 75th anniversary webinar that explores the important role models played in the creating of Shelburne Museum.
A Close Look at a New Acquisition with Associate Curator Katie Wood Kirchhoff and Miller scholar Lisa Strong, Director of the Art and Museum Studies M.A. Program and Professor of the Practice at Georgetown University