Image courtesy of Kelly Arlene Grant.

Stepping Out of a Painting: A Look at Historical Costuming

Thursday, May 1, 2025 - 7PM (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 was refined as a trade or discipline. One of the keys to delivering credible living history programs is to have 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.

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.

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 said 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.

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