Attend
Detail of a silver epergne by Benjamin II and James III, London, 1809-10; and Benjamin Smith III, 1829-30. Royal Ontario Museum
The Canadian Society of Decorative Arts/Cercle canadien des arts décoratifs (CSDA/CCAD) hosts in-person and online programs year-round, including lectures, panel discussions, symposia, maker demonstrations, and tours.
Ornamentum Lecture Series
Since 2022, the CSDA/CCAD invites a contributor to Ornamentum magazine to present an online lecture. Recordings of past lectures are available at csda-ccad.org/Ornamentum-Lecture-Series.
Upcoming Lecture:
Stepping out of a Painting: A Look at Historical Costuming
Kelly Arlene Grant
Thursday, 1 May 2025, 7:00pm ET
If you’ve ever travelled to a living museum or historic property, chances are you’ve encountered a staff member or volunteer dressed in period garb, demonstrating an activity of the time. Historical commemoration has a long history, but it wasn’t until the early 20th century that living history came into being and only since the 1970s that it became a trade or discipline. One of the keys to delivering credible living history programs is historically accurate clothing and accessories, involving the use of natural fabrics and materials available – and affordable – at the time.
We are fortunate that one of North America’s foremost practitioners in the field, consultant and maker Kelly Arlene Grant, will be giving the Ornamentum lecture this year. Please join us for a fascinating glimpse into the world of living history and the skilled practitioners who make it come to life.
Kelly Arlene Grant has spent her entire career consulting on historically accurate attire worn by people from all walks of life. She is also a maker of historical clothing and, through hands-on experience, has developed an appreciation of the differences between historically made garments and modern reproductions. In addition to various Parks Canada sites, her clients have included Colonial Williamsburg and Boston’s Minute Man National Historic Park. Dr. Grant also contributes to the development of best practices standards in the field of historical costuming. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from NSCAD University and a Ph.D. from Concordia University.
Not sure you can attend live? We've got you covered! A video recording of this presentation will be made available to all those who reserve/purchase tickets.
Register on Eventbrite.
Previous Lectures:
Sensing Musical Landscapes: Boni's 1620 Single-Manual Harpsichord with Nolan Sprangers, who is completing a PhD in Musicology with a collaborative specialization in Environmental Studies
October 10, 2024
Biting Towards Our Future with Diane Blunt, an artist, birch-bark biter, and member of the Kawartha Nishnawbe Nation
April 25, 2024
Where do the Children Play? with Alex Smith, the founder and editor of the award-winning blog, Playgroundology
October 26, 2023
Craftivism Since 2001 with Mary Callahan (MC) Baumstark, a craftivism scholar, art administrator, and artist in Lewistown, Montana
April 13th, 2023
Retailing Radio: How the T. Eaton Company Sold the Idea of Radio in 1920s-1930s Canada with Dr. Michael Windover, Associate Professor of Art and Architectural History and Assistant Director of the School for Studies in Art and Culture at Carleton University
October 20, 2022
Cultural Vessels - When 1960s Mi’kmaq Design and Stories Met Traditional English Bone China with Emma Hassencahl-Perly a Wolastoqey artist, curator and educator from Negotiuk (Tobique First Nation) and John Leroux, manager of collections and exhibitions at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery
March 24, 2022