For those seeking inspiration to enhance their living spaces — or just seeking a charming, unusual place to eat lunch — an ongoing exhibit prepared through the Bennington Museum has plenty of ideas to give a Victorian flair to one’s interiors. Guests are in for a visual feast.
The Bennington Decorators’ Showcase is an annual event that began as a way to coordinate the dozens of area businesses that specialize in antiques and items from the region’s past, as well as some contemporary designs. It is also a fund-raising event for the museum, with a monthlong raffle and an opening gala that was held Sunday evening.
Each fall a house in Southern Vermont is transformed into a lavishly decorated jewel fit to host a royal family, and ready to greet visitors from around the region. Everything, from the curtains on the walls to the furniture, and other objects d’art, is provided by the participating decorators. This year’s house is at 69 Monument Ave., on the corner of Route 9 in the Old Bennington roundabout. The house was built in 1775-76 by Co. Nathaniel Brush, whose wife, Elize Dewey, was the sister of the proprietor of the Walloomsac Inn across the street. The house was expanded in 1824 by new owner Dr. Heman Swift.
“It’s been a great event, really fun,†said Mary Anne St. John, public relations director at the Bennington Museum. “We have a lively group of decorators this year and things have come together well. It’s fun to see how the different rooms take shape — each one has its own distinct style.â€
The showcase kicked off Sunday with an opening reception, where area antique dealers, artisans and collectors gave a tour and explanation of the different items in each room and their significance. Guests were treated to live entertainment by Charlotte Knighton and hors d’oeuvres.
More than a dozen designers from the region transformed the interior, incorporating both old and new styles throughout. Participating designers include Claire Murray and Thebault Design of Manchester, Vt.; Conway Antiques and Decor, Elizabeth’s Interiors and Tulle & Ivy of Rutland, Vt.; stone sculptor Edward P. Monti of Cavendish, Vt.; Roy Egg of West Pawlet, Vt.; Dragonfly Dry Goods of Brattleboro, Vt.; Israel Dimas, Panache, Bennington House of Tile, The Farmhouse and Occasional Flowers at Camelot Village, The Pea Pod, Bennington Potters Inc., Rehm-Brandt’s Design and Vail Farm of Bennington, Vt.; Cohen and Sons Oriental Rugs of Keene, N.H.; and The Old Stone Mill of Adams.
Event sponsors include Hemmings Motor News, R.T. Martins Associates, and R.K. Miles Inc.
This year’s showcase includes the option to spend lunch on the house’s back porch, at $8, provided by South Street Cafe. Choices include chicken curry or a marinated mozzarella wrap, with chips, a beverage and dessert. Panache, the popular gift and clothing shop on Main Street, will host a gift shop on the premises.
In addition, on Sunday, Sept. 16 a special Victorian Tea at the Showcase House will be held, featuring fine teas and finger foods, live music an a formal tour of the house. Seatings are at 2 and 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person.
The exhibit is scheduled to be open to guests from now until Sept. 29. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during weekdays, and Saturdays from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Tickets, available at the door, are priced at $10, with Bennington Museum members receiving a $2 discount. For more information, call (802) 447-1571.
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MCLA Announces Four Finalists for Next President
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts announced four finalists for the position of president, following a national search.
The finalists were selected by the MCLA Presidential Search Committee and will participate in on-campus visits scheduled for the weeks of April 6 and April 13.
The successful candidate will replace President James Birge, who is retiring at the end of the term.
The four finalists are David Jenemann, Michael J. Middleton, Sherri Givens Mylott, and Diana L. Rogers-Adkinson.
David Jenemann
David Jenemann is dean of the Patrick Leahy Honors College and professor of English and film and television studies at the University of Vermont, where he oversees recruitment, retention, curricular innovation, and advancement for an interdisciplinary college serving undergraduates from across the university, including UVM's campuswide Office of Fellowships, Opportunities, and Undergraduate Research.
An internationally recognized scholar, he has published three books and numerous articles, with research spanning intellectual and cultural history, mass media, and the intersection of sports and society.
He holds a doctor of philosophy from the University of Minnesota and completed the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
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