Irish Tea at Edwards Place

Wear your green and join us for a "cupan tae" (cup of tea) in the beautiful parlors of historic Edwards Place on March 5, from 2 to 3:30!

The Tea Ladies will be on hand with a presentation that celebrates the history and culture of Irish immigrants during the Victorian era. Enjoy the stories of the brave men and women who crossed the ocean to start new lives in a new country, and learn about domestic service in the 19th century from an "Irish maid"!

Guests will be served delicious sandwiches and sweet treats from Cafe Moxo, as well as the ever-popular PG Tips tea - the Queen's favorite! An event not to be missed!

Tickets are $25 and can be reserved by calling 217-523-2631 or emailing collections@springfieldart.org. Deadline to reserve is February 28.

Edwards Place presents the Lincolns' Love Story

Abraham and Mary Lincoln's relationship is legendary - and not for its romance. Stormy from the start, this famous couple broke off their first engagement for reasons no one has ever uncovered, reconciled in secret, and married so abruptly that their guests only had a day's notice.

Was their marriage a happy one? Scholars have been arguing that question for more than a century. Some maintain that Lincoln's life was a domestic hell on earth, citing recollections from friends and neighbors that Mary threw frequent tantrums during which she screamed at her husband, chased him down the street with a knife, poured hot coffee on him, and whapped him in the nose with a piece of kindling, among other instances of misbehavior.

Others cite recollections from different friends and neighbors that Lincoln would rush home to his wife during thunderstorms to comfort her, missed her terribly when he was travelling, and was thoroughly devoted to his wife.

So which version is more accurate? Decide for yourself at Edwards Place on February 5, 2011 from 2 to 3:30 p.m! Curator of Collections Erika Holst will draw upon her experience as a research associate with the Papers of Abraham Lincoln to discuss the Lincolns' courtship and marriage. Afterwards, stick around for tea and cake with Mary Lincoln herself, who will be happy to answer questions about what her marriage to Lincoln was like!

Tickets are $5 per person. Call 217-523-2631 or email collections@springfieldart.org to reserve by January 31.

The Threads of History's Lore: Illinois Folk Tales at Edwards Place

Join us on January 22 at 2 p.m. as acclaimed storyteller Cathy Mosley presents "The Threads of History's Lore," a rendition of Illinois folk tales. Sure to appeal to lovers both of history and good stories, these tales come to us across centuries from immigrants who first brought their unique cultures to Illinois in the 18th and 19th centuries. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public!

Holiday Tours of Edwards Place

Step back in time to 1867 this holiday season at Edwards Place! Peek into the world of Helen and Benjamin Edwards and their daughters as they prepare to celebrate the holidays. You'll see the house decorated for Christmas, 19th century style - lots of greenery, but no electric lights! As you move through the house, you'll learn fascinating tidbits about early Victorian holidays - how the Christmas tree became a tradition, how Santa Claus became popular, why people exchanged presents on New Year's Day rather than Christmas, and why nothing said Victorian Christmas like a head cheese boiled from your very own pig's head.

After the tour, be sure to stick around for some shopping at Holiday Hall, where arts and crafts from more than 50 artists are on display. Find the perfect something for that special someone, and rest assured that your purchase is one-of-a-kind!

Holiday tours of Edwards Place are offered on Saturday, December 4 and Wednesday, December 15 at 6, 7, and 8 p.m. These tours are free and open to the public.

Helen Edwards Condell's dress comes home to Edwards Place

A chance conversation between two strangers led to the Springfield Art Association's acquisition of Helen Maria Edwards's Civil War-era day dress on long-term loan.

Curator of Collections Erika Holst went to the Dana-Thomas House in late October for that site's Halloween event. While there, Erika began chatting with a volunteer, Mrs. Manning, and happened to mention that she worked at the Art Association. In a happy burst of serendipity, Mrs. Manning declared that she had a dress in her closet which had belonged to Helen Maria Edwards Condell during the Civil War.

Helen Maria was the daughter of Benjamin and Helen Edwards. She moved to Edwards Place in 1843 as a three-year-old child and lived there until her marriage to Moses Condell in the summer of 1861, at which point she moved into a house her parents had given her as a wedding present, just across Fourth Street from Edwards Place. She was a frequent visitor to her parents' house throughout the Civil War, and it is easy to imagine the brown taffeta of her skirts spread out over the Edwards's parlor sofa as she took tea with her mother.

Helen Maria went on to have six children, including a daughter named Eliza Condell. Eliza, born in 1872, lived to be 103 years old. Mrs. Manning became acquainted with Eliza Condell in the 1950s. At one point, when Mrs. Manning needed a Civil War-era dress for a school performance, Eliza Condell loaned her one that had belonged to her mother. Eliza then insisted she keep the dress, and Mrs. Manning had it ever since.

Just before leaving for the Dana-Thomas House, Mrs. Manning happened to glance at Helen's dress in her closet and think to herself that she really should do something with it. Lo and behold, a few hours later she crossed paths with Erika, and the rest is history!

The dress will be displayed throughout the Christmas season. Be sure and come by for a tour to see this piece of family history!

The Heart of Enos Park

The Springfield Art Association, located north of downtown Springfield, is in the Enos Park neighborhood. What used to be the "Jewel of Springfield" now hosts more than 88 vacant lots, boarded-up homes, and many of the properties are in poor condition. That's not to say there aren't some incredible improvements made and maintained by the Enos Park residents, including drastic renovations, community parks, and wonderfully-restored homes throughout the neighborhood.

There has been a significant amount of press regarding the Enos Park neighborhood, including the transformation of the current campus to become a Cultural campus for the entire city, with a proposed three-to-four-story building for educational space and administrative offices.

Learn more: Read the SJ-R article for more information and where to attend tonight's master plan unveiling meeting.

Join us for a Victorian Seance at Edwards Place!

People holding hands around a table...mysterious rappings and tappings...tables shaking...messages from beyond the grave...these eerie and possibly supernatural occurrences were going on in dining rooms throughout the United States in the 19th century, and millions of Americans dabbled with Spiritualism.

Spiritualism is a religious philosophy that believes, among other things, that the human spirit survives after death and is able to communicate with the living through use of a medium. This philosophy became incredibly popular in America in the wake of the Civil War, in which millions of people mourned lost husbands, brothers, fathers, sons, and sweethearts. Mary Lincoln was known to have hosted seances in the White House during her husband's presidency.

On November 20 and 21, Edwards Place will host a theatrical recreation of an authentic Victorian seance. Noted hypnotist and licensed clairvoyant Amye Scharlau of Minneapolis will be the "medium", who will lead participants in trying to contact the spirits of the dearly departed, including the Lillie Judd, whose portrait hangs in the dining room. Will Ms. Scharlau be successful? You'll have to join us to find out!

Tickets are $25 per person. Price includes participation in the seance, a professional palm reading by Ms. Scharlau, wine, and hors d'oeuvres. Seating is limited to 10 people per session, and both sessions on November 20 are sold out. However, seats are still available for November 21 and 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. - call 217-523-2631 or email collections@springfieldart.org to register!

SAA in the News, part two!

Just a couple of weeks ago, the SAA was on the cover of the Illinois Times, with the article "Renaissance at the Art Association." Although it was a wonderful piece that followed Betsy Dollar, our Director, around for the week as she documented the different facets of our organization...there was a mistake made about the Edwards Place Historic Home.

The article states the following about the house:
"Edwards Place...is an elegant Italianate mansion once a center for social activity in Springfield...it is said that Lincoln courted his future wife, Mary Todd, at Edwards Place."

Well, not exactly...

Our Curator of Collections, Erika Holst, sets the record straight in the article "Lincoln Didn't Sleep Here," which was featured in the October 14 issue of the Illinois Times. To read the article, click here.

Haunted Nights of History

Hear voices from beyond the grave on October 21 and 22 as Edwards Place is haunted by the "ghosts" of the Edwards family and friends! These dearly departed 19th century Springfield citizens will share the often fascinating, occasionally macabre, and sometimes tragic stories of their lives and deaths.

The people you'll meet include the Edwards' friend Mary Jane Welles and her twin sister Julia Homes, who each lost five children as well as her husband; family friend Bettie Stuart, who died of dysentery at age 30; Elizabeth Edwards, who was Mary Lincoln's older sister and Benjamin Edwards' sister-in-law, and many more!

You will have a chance to sign up for tours of Oak Ridge Cemetery on Saturday October 23, where a guide will take you to the actual graves of the people portrayed at Edwards Place.

Refreshments and Halloween-themed craft activities will also be available.

Tickets are $4 per person and no reservations are required. Tours begin at 7 p.m. and are offered every 15 minutes, with the last tour at 9 p.m. Cemetery tours are an additional $3 per person and will be offered at 1, 2, and 3 p.m. on October 23.

SAA in the Media

The Springfield Art Association has been in the headlines recently, and we'd like to promote these articles, and where you can visit to frequently stay up-to-date with your favorite art club.

The Illinois Times
The SAA was a recent cover story of the Illinois Times, a weekly publication that delivers cultural, visual and performing arts news of the city. The article, "Renaissance at the Art Association," chronicles SAA's Executive Director Betsy Dollar hopes and dreams for the organization, as well as documenting the day-to-day of the Springfield Art Association, including tours of Historic Edwards Place and various art classes in our studios.



The State Journal-Register
After making headlines of its own earlier this year, Travis Taylor's "Sybia" sculpture has a new home--the SAA Sculpture Garden! Taylor's piece, a ten-foot sculpture made of found objects and welded pieces, was considered a traffic hazard by the city of Springfield. Taylor even mentioned the SAA as a destination for artists in the September 1st article, which sparked the SAA's involvement to serve as sanctuary for the work.

The sculpture is now on display along the SAA Administrative Building, between 4th & 5th Streets. It joins the buffalo sculpture, and the recently-installed Butterfly, made by our 2010 Summer Art Campers.

Holiday Workshops at the SAA!

Although the Springfield Art Association is surrounded by the wonderful changing leaves on the trees throughout the Edwards Place grounds, we are already in full holiday mode! We have some upcoming events that are sure to add a lot of extra holiday sparkle in your Winter Calendar. (Please note: All workshops and teas require advanced registration; please contact the SAA Office to register.)

Pumpkin Decorating Workshop.
Saturday, October 23rd, 10:30 to Noon.
Love Halloween, but prefer not to have gooey pumpkin seeds on your kitchen floor? Make a mess in the SAA's Condell Studio! We’ll supply the pumpkins & embellishments—just bring your friends and creativity to make your pumpkin a defright…er, delight!

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Wonderful Wreathes!
Saturday, November 20, 10:30am to 12:30pm.
There will be plenty of festive foliage, berries and other decorative embellishments that are sure to add a joyful addition to any door.

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Holiday Cards & Paper!
Saturday, December 4, 10:30am to 12:30pm.
Make and marble holiday cards, and use stamping techniques to create your own wrapping paper!

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Incredible Ornaments!
Saturday, December 11, 10:30am to 12:30pm.
From your first fold to the final finish, glitter to garland, you'll leave with plenty of tree-mendous trimmings!

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Groovy Gingerbread Houses!
Saturday, December 18, 10:30am to 12:30pm.
Gum drops and licorice and red hots, oh my! Each workshop participant will be given their own house, an decorative fixings, to make a splendid scene!

Again, for questions, tuition information or to register for any (or all!) of these programs, please contact the Education Department of the Springfield Art Association: 523-2631.

Tea-riffic Time at Edwards Place!

Edwards Place held its first Victorian Tea on Saturday, October 2, and by all accounts a delightful time was had by all!

Twenty-nine guests joined us in the sitting and dining rooms for tea and treats - the same room where Helen Edwards entertained prominent Springfield citizens such as Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Douglas, Stephen Logan, and John T. Stuart more than a century and a half ago!

P.G. Tips tea (a favorite in England) was served in china teapots and teacups. The menu included curried chicken salad sandwiches on croissants; cream cheese, cucumber, and mint sandwiches on white bread; apple butter and cheddar sandwiches on wheat; and cream cheese sandwiches on zucchini bread, along with a tasty selection of fruit and desserts.

The Tea Ladies of Bloomington were on hand in their Victorian finery to present an interactive program on outrageous etiquette of the 19th century. Guests learned arcane but amusing tidbits such as why it was improper to chew on the end of one's umbrella and why one should secure one's baby in the carriage rather than bring it in when making a social call.

If you missed the fun on October 2, there is good news - Edwards Place is hosting a Christmas Tea on December 11 at 2 p.m. and there is still plenty of time to sign up! This tea will focus on the splendor of Victorian Christmas traditions, and the Tea Ladies will be back share details of holiday preparations in the 19th century, right down to the tradition of eating chocolate cockroaches! Afterwards, guests will have an opportunity to shop at the Art Association's annual Holiday Hall event, where local artists and artisans will sell their one-of-a-kind wares.

Tickets are $25 per person. Call 217-523-2631 or email collections@springfieldart.org to reserve your spot before November 29.

Edwards Place reveals hidden secrets

The Art Association has owned Edwards Place for nearly 100 years, and all traces of the Edwards family's use of the house have long since disappeared under new layers of wallpaper and carpeting...or have they?

Funded in part by a generous grant from the Jeffris Heartland Fund, Edwards Place has hired the architectural firm of Sullivan Preservation of Chicago to create an Historic Interior Finishes and Furnishings Plan. Anne Sullivan and her colleague Robert Fitzgerald made their first official visit to Edwards Place on September 21, and in just a few hours' time they had brought to light several fascinating details about the construction and use of the house that had previously been lost to time.

Perhaps most exciting was Fitzgerald's discovery of a call bell in one of the rooms in the attic. There has long been an oral tradition that the Edwards family's servants slept in one of the two finished rooms in the attic, but now we have conclusive proof that this is the case. We shudder to think of that bell waking up poor Mary Sage on a freezing winter morning or in the middle of a sweltering summer night!

They also investigated the basement under the children's playroom at the far north end of the house and found evidence of a large masonry structure which led them to believe that the playroom was originally an outbuilding, perhaps a summer kitchen, that was connected to the rest of the house by the addition of the library.

At the end of their visit Buraski Builders showed up to remove the pier mirror in the family sitting room to reveal the original scrap of wallpaper behind it.

The ornate Rococo style suggests that it might have graced the walls as early as the late 1850s, when the Edwards family put on their major addition to the house.

Another discovery was made behind the shelf under the pier mirror in the formal parlor:

We will have to wait for scientific analysis before the true age of these papers can be determined. Nevertheless, it is thrilling to see this scrap of the past emerge, and to imagine what the house must have looked like and what must have been going on within its walls when these papers graced the walls.

Stay tuned for more discoveries as the architects continue to unearth the past at Edwards Place!

Help Build a Community Playground!

This summer, a representative from KaBoom! Playground (kaboom.org), visited the Springfield Art Association's Summer Art Camp to facilitate a specific art exercise.

The project? To draw an answer to the question, "What is your dream playground?"

Our Campers were incredibly enthusiastic about this project; the group visited Gehrmann Park (on 2nd & Calhoun Streets in Springfield's Enos Park neighborhood), chosen as the designated space for a brand-new playground.


On Saturday, September 25, their image on paper will be turned into reality. The Springfield Park District, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, and the Enos Park Neighborhood Association need your help to build this playground.

The State-Journal Register article can be read here.

Spotlight on the Collection: Lillie Parker Judd Portrait

Walking into the dining room of Edwards Place, the first thing that commands your attention is the massive portrait of the child in blue. She is perched sideways on a chair, dressed in the full skirt, jacket, and "Swiss belt" typical of young girls' attire in the 1860s. The expression on her face is gentle, almost wistful.

Her name is Lillie Parker Judd. She was born in 1856, the only daughter of George and Lucy Judd of Springfield. Her father was an attorney and railroad lobbyist, and the Judd family were almost certainly acquaintances of the Edwardses.

The Judds were a prosperous family, but all the money in the world would not have prevented the tragedies that befell them during the 1860s. On December 27, 1862, Lucy gave birth to her second child. This little boy was named George after his father, but he would not live to follow in his father's footsteps: he died the same day he was born.

Then, on July 26, 1865, tragedy struck again: Lillie died at age 9, most likely of disease, leaving the Judds childless. She was buried at Oak Ridge Cemetery, where her brother's remains had been transferred from the old Hutchinson Cemetery just two months earlier.

Her portrait was painted by George P. A. Healy, was one of the most prominent and in-demand portrait artists of the 19th century. His clients included every president from John Quincy Adams to Ulysses S. Grant, and a host of prominent military, political and business figures besides.

It is not known when Healy painted the massive portrait of Lillie, or even if the portrait was painted from life. The possibility exists that it was painted from a photograph after Lillie died - its remarkable dimension (64.5" x 53.5") - and what was undoubtedly a remarkable expense - suggest the kind of investment that bereaved parents might make in a stunning memorial of their lost child.

To learn more about Healy and the Judds, come by Edwards Place for a tour!

I-Spy "Young at Art"

Look for this banner at the 22nd Annual Edwards Place Fine Art Fair this weekend! This will lead you to the Children's Tent, fully equipped with creativity and plenty of crafty art projects!

Fall into Art...

School Supplies? Check.
New Backpack and lunch box? Check. Check.
Young Artist Studio?...

Be sure to 'check' art classes off your little Picasso's to-do list this fall.

Click to see our line up of Fall Classes...

For more information on registration, and scholARTship applications, please contact the SAA Office by phone (523-2631) or e-mail, education@springfieldart.org.

Edwards Place Art Fair

The Edwards Place Fine Art Fair has been the city's premiere fall art festival for the past 22 years.

Eight years ago, the SAA moved the Fair to the the third weekend in September, and it has since become the not-to-be-missed event of the season.

The 22nd Annual Edwards Place Fine Art Fair. Ranked Best by:
Abraham Lincoln,
Vincent van Gogh,
Uncle Sam and Mona Lisa,
and Ron Burgundy...

...It's science.*

[*Note: Alright, alright, these individuals haven't actively submitted any sort of quantitative information regarding their affection for the Fine Art Fair, but let's pretend. I mean, who needs rankings when you Abraham Lincoln on your side?!]

September 18 and 19. Art. Music. Food. All weekend. Come see it!

Volunteers Needed for Haunted Nights of History

It's September, which means fall is just around the corner! Time for leaves to change, the temperature to get colder...and ghosts to take up residence at Edwards Place!

The seventh annual Haunted Nights of History will take place on October 21 and 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. Each room of the house will be haunted by a "ghost" of an Edwards family member or friend, who will share his or her tragic tale with visitors on the tour. These ghosts will include Captain Benjamin Ferguson, Alice Edwards's husband, who survived the siege at Vicksburg only to drop dead at his desk in the Springfield Marine Bank; Mary Welles, who lost her husband and five of her six children to cholera and scarlet fever; Bettie Stuart Brown, wife and daughter of Benjamin Edwards's two law partners, who died of dysentery at age 30; Ninian Edwards Condell, who drowned at age 19, and many more.

Volunteers are needed to portray these ghosts (costumes will be provided), as well as to assist visitors through the home during the tours. Everyone interested in participating is invited to attend an informational meeting on September 13, 2010 at 7 p.m. at the Springfield Art Association.

If unable to attend or for more information about the tours or event volunteer opportunities, call 217-523-2631 or email collections@springfieldart.org.

Celebrate Labor Day with Paper...

...yes, paper.



It was only after confirming a Thursday morning appointment that I realized, September's almost here. Like, in-twenty-four-hours here. I don't understand how three months vanished in (what seemed to be) three minutes...wasn't it just Memorial Day?!

For those that aren't quite ready to give in to Fall, the Springfield Art Association is the place to enjoy what some consider the last weekend of summer. This Labor Day, celebrate the work of artists from around the country in the Gallery's latest exhibition, "PULP: Fact, Fiction and Fantasy." This show had an incredible turnout for its opening last Friday, and we know why: It is an incredible array of work that defies everything you think you know about paper. From chambers to dresses, curling sculptures to artist books, "PULP" is a multidimensional must-see of handmade paper. The exhibition runs through October 2nd. Contact the SAA Office for more information and hours.

See our article, an IT! Pick, in the Illinois Times' Fall Guide here.