Moran Studio to Open to Public
The East Hampton Historical Society, the new stewards of the Thomas & Mary Nimmo Moran Studio, will hold an Opening Celebration on the evening of Friday, July 6.
Located on East Hampton’s Main Street Historic District, this charming turreted Queen Anne shingled piece of Victorian architectural is a local gem that also has the honor of being registered as a National Historic Landmark.
Through a meticulous five-year restoration project, the Moran Studio has been salvaged from dilapidation, and the Historical Society is proud to open its doors to the public this summer.
The opening benefit, from 6 to 8 p.m. on July 6, will celebrate the opening of the Moran Studio Exhibition, a collaborative effort that has brought the “World of Moran” to life. All proceeds from celebration support educational programs, exhibitions, and museum programming, and tickets start at $150.
This house, across from swan-filled Town Pond, was built in 1884, and its garden and contents will open the eyes of visitors into the world of one of America’s power art couples: Thomas Moran, known for his awe-inspiring Western landscapes, which were pivotal in the founding of the National Parks, and his wife, Mary Nimmo Moran, an internationally known etcher, innovator and master of the medium.
The Moran Studio is widely recognized as one of the first stand-alone artist’s studios built on the East End of Long Island.
The East Hampton Historical Society is committed to making the Moran Studio once again become a beacon of art and culture – as it was in its heyday – a site that serves the community, educates, and enlightens through interpretive exhibitions.
The Studio and recreated 19th Century garden invoke not only the spirits of both Thomas and Mary Nimmo Moran – but create a bridge between the founding members of the East End summer artist colony and today’s contemporary and emerging young art community.
“The vision of the Moran Studio,” said Maria Vann, Executive Director of the East Hampton Historical Society, “is to provide visitors ‘an experience of place’ that holds historic, artistic, and cultural value.”
“The significance of the Morans and their role locally and nationally is of great importance to the world of art, but in a broader sense because of Thomas Moran’s role in the founding of our National Parks,” Ms. Vann added.
The Moran Studio is also expected to be a site of diversified educational programs for students and families to learn and experience topics such as art, landscape, architecture, local history, and science.
“Having visitors experience a place where history actually happened can be a very powerful tool for imagination and understanding,” said Ms. Vann.
The 2018 inaugural exhibitions comprises several galleries in Moran Studio. The main studio room will present an introduction into the life and works of both Morans. Using state-of-the-art museum wizardry, the “World of Moran” will come alive with video, artifacts, and artworks – from oil paintings by both Thomas and Mary Nimmo Moran to early photographs, exotic original furnishings and textiles.
There will also be a small orientation theatre and touch-screen overviews, all within the Moran’s two-story high, light-filled painting room.
A special exhibition, “Acid & Ink: The Etchings of Thomas & Mary Nimmo Moran,” will cover the walls of the balcony and gallery space behind the main studio room.
More than 50 original prints, selected from museums, libraries and private collectors, will create a visual record of the places the Morans loved most. From the hills of New Jersey to the wilderness of the Delaware Water Gap, the monumental Rockies to East Hampton’s own Hook Pond, this is a rare opportunity to see these exceptionally detailed images.
There will also be a late 19th Century etching press on display, along with an original Thomas Moran copper printing plate.
The opening week of the Moran Studio will be brimming with educational events, including the Thomas & Mary Nimmo Moran Victorian Garden Tours, hosted by the Garden Club of East Hampton, as well as children’s studio and garden tours, led by the newly appointed Director of Education, Stacy Myers.
Registration is required and space is limited. To reserve a spot, email info@easthamptonhistory.org or call 631.324-.6850.
For tickets to the opening celebration, call the East Hampton Historical Society at 631.324.6850 Ext. 1, or e-mail at info@easthamptonhistory.org. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting the Events page on the East Hampton Historical Society’s website at www.easthamptonhistory.org.
