Last year, you joined us to celebrate the start of conservation work on our 18^th-century wallpaper. This November, we invite you to return to celebrate the conclusion of this wonderful project with Phelps-Hatheway staff, Studio TKM Associates, and special guest speakers who will address the unique nature of the papers and the importance of the conservation work. Following the presentations, there will be a champagne toast to the unique project and the future of Phelps-Hatheway’s exquisite collection – featuring delicious macarons. As daylight wanes, explore the museum to hear from Studio TKM conservators and museum staff who will be answering questions about the history of the house and the wallpaper project.

Proceeds support wallpaper conservation. Learn more about the Phelps-Hatheway House & Garden wallpaper project here. 

Support for this program comes from the Suffield Greater Together Community Fund.

Steve Larson “Réveillon at Adelphi” 

Steve Larson co-founded Adelphi Paper Hangings in 1999, in conjunction with Chris Ohrstrom. His exposure to wallpaper as a child came from the wallpaper pattern books lining the lower shelves of the paint and decorating store which his father managed. His early artistic career, after studying ceramics at the University of Washington in Seattle, centered on producing sculptures, many of which were of papier maché covered with 1950s and 60s wallpapers, found in basement storerooms and attics of small-town paint stores. Eventually, the colors and styles of these mid-century papers became an impediment to his work, and he considered the possibility of producing his own papers. In 1997, a serendipitous opportunity to work at the American Paperstaining Manufactory at the Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown, an operation also founded by Chris Ohrstrom, allowed him to learn historic techniques firsthand. At Adelphi’s inception Steve focused on formulating paints and refining printing techniques for simple block printed papers. Since then, he has investigated and reproduced traditional flocked papers, plain varnished papers as well as patterns with both irisé print and irisé ground colors. Newly commissioned reproduction projects continue to present the opportunity to experiment with techniques and materials used by 18th and 19th century wallpaper manufacturers. 

Peggy Wishart “The History of Wallpaper” 

In 2013, Peggy accepted an IMLS grant-funded position to catalogue a large gift of historic wallpapers and update records for hundreds of extant pieces in the collection of Historic New England. Mentored by Richard Nylander, Historic New England curator emeritus and internationally recognized wallpaper expert, Peggy was enthralled by the history, designs, and production of the papers. Peggy began to pay closer attention to all things wallpaper and learned that her grandfather and father had both worked in the wallpaper and textile printing industries – her grandfather overseeing printing in the mills of Fall River and Columbia, South Carolina and her father as a colorist-chemist. Peggy realized that the wallpaper and textile patterns that surrounded her when growing up had literally been produced, in part, by her own family. Peggy sees her continued interest in wallpaper as carrying on a family tradition. Peggy studied archaeology as an undergraduate at the University of Connecticut and holds a master’s degree in American and New England Studies from the University of Southern Maine. With over 20 years of experience, she has held positions as an archaeologist, historic sites manager, registrar, cataloguer and object collection manager. Currently, she is the Research Center Director for the Old York Historical Society in York, Maine. 

Studio TKM Associates and Deborah LaCamera “Updates from the Phelps-Hatheway Wallpaper Conservation Project” 

For more than thirty years, the conservators of Studio TKM Associates have provided conservation services for institutions that lack conservation facilities of their own or that seek additional specialization, including museums, libraries, archives, historical societies, private and public agencies in North America, Europe and Asia, as well as galleries and individuals. We specialize in the conservation of fine art (old and modern master drawings, paintings and graphics), decorative and historic works (architectural drawings and prints, maps and globes, historic wallpaper and murals, documents, artifacts, ephemera and parchment), and Asian paintings and prints on paper and silk. The conservators of Studio TKM Associates received their academic training at ANAGPIC accredited graduate programs in conservation and acquired years of practical experience at institutional conservation departments throughout North America. We proudly serve as active members of national and international professional organizations, and remain current with developments in conservation practice by regularly attending and contributing to professional conferences, publications, and advanced training seminars and workshops. Studio TKM Associates, Inc. is a certified Women Business Enterprise with the Supplier Diversity Office of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 

 Deborah LaCamera is Partner and Senior Conservator at Studio TKM. She holds a Masters of Arts in Art History & Certificate in Conservation New York University Institute of Fine Arts and is American Institute for Conservation Fellow. 

Tickets are $30 for CTL Members and $40 for the general public. Not yet a Connecticut Landmarks Member? Join today to access all the benefits of membership!

To access Member pricing:

If you have any questions, please email phelps.hatheway@ctlandmarks.org or call 860-668-0055.