Meet some of our amazing staff, volunteers, and supporters who help fulfill our mission. The New Canaan Museum & Historical Society is a cultural institution that focuses on preservation, modernism, education and community. Through exhibits, programs, library services and events, we celebrate history and explore its role in shaping the future.
CONSTANCE OLD: THE ART OF CONSUMER DETRITUS
SHOES
COMMON GROUND: IRWIN BY TORRANCE YORK
Constance Old’s work comes from a tradition of upcycling materials that began in Colonial America. Settlers were quick to adhere to the mantra of “waste not, want not.” Living in rural New England with little money, women did what they could to cover the cold floors in their homes. They took the burlap from empty seed sacks, cut strips of fabric out of old clothes, ribbons or scraps, pulled the fabric through the burlap and made floor coverings. Read more
Donna Gorman, board governor and owner of SeeDesign, Inc., conceived of, and curated, Shoes, an extensive exhibition of men’s, women’s and children’s shoes. Drawn from the Museum’s 400 pairs, she selected 200 based on a number of factors including age, condition, originality, and function. Read more
Common Ground: Irwin reflects York’s love of Irwin Park. “To me it feels like an outdoor museum with a rotating collection,” she says. “This park is a manageable size to circle completely on each visit so it is very satisfying to track changes in nature from one day to the next. There is a new discovery around each bend in your path.” Read more
COMMON GROUND: IRWIN BY TORRANCE YORK
Common Ground: Irwin reflects York’s love of Irwin Park. “To me it feels like an outdoor museum with a rotating collection,” she says. “This park is a manageable size to circle completely on each visit so it is very satisfying to track changes in nature from one day to the next. There is a new discovery around each bend in your path.” Read more
SHOES
Donna Gorman, board governor and owner of SeeDesign, Inc., conceived of, and curated, Shoes, an extensive exhibition of men’s, women’s and children’s shoes. Drawn from the Museum’s 400 pairs, she selected 200 based on a number of factors including age, condition, originality, and function. Read more
CONSTANCE OLD: THE ART OF CONSUMER DETRITUS
Constance Old’s work comes from a tradition of upcycling materials that began in Colonial America. Settlers were quick to adhere to the mantra of “waste not, want not.” Living in rural New England with little money, women did what they could to cover the cold floors in their homes. They took the burlap from empty seed sacks, cut strips of fabric out of old clothes, ribbons or scraps, pulled the fabric through the burlap and made floor coverings. Read more