Lights, Cameras, Make-Up!

Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • November 30, 2020

If you have taken a stroll or drive-by, you may have noticed that the Mitchell House has been the center of attention on Vestal Street over the past few months!


Thanks to a generous matching grant from Preservation Massachusetts and the 1772 Foundation, in addition to the match from the  M. S. Worthington Foundation, the Mitchell House has had all of its historic sashes re-glazed and painted, as well as its doors and trim!  Some minor repairs had to be made to the front porch and an attic window sash but all in all, the House is in good shape and happy to be boasting a better paint job!


The painting was completed by island painter Jim Tyler and his crew – long-time painters at the MMA.  And the window sash was addressed by our carpenter who focuses on historic properties, Matthew Anderson.


If you think it looks a little darker than before, you are correct.  The paint had seriously faded.  This is the color the House has always been – well, at least for a hundred or more years.  At one point, it was brown but probably not during the William and Lydia Coleman Mitchell (Maria’s parents) ownership – likely the Peleg Mitchell Junior time or when his wife lived in the House just in the summers.  The curators before me had not tracked the color number and I did remember it being more grey – and we do have photographs – but I finally found a good paint chip while we were making some repairs to the roofwalk hatch!


Thank you to Preservation Massachusetts, the 1772 Foundation, the M. S. Worthington Foundation and the people who completed the work!  Mitchell House is ready for its close-up, Mr. DeMille.


JNLF

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NANTUCKET, MA— The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) announces Kike Calvo, award-winning photographer, journalist, and author, as its featured presenter for its July Speaker Series. Calvo’s presentation, "The Power of Creativity: A Journey Through Storytelling, Exploration, and Hope," will take place on Wednesday, July 23 at 7pm at the Nantucket Atheneum’s Great Hall. This event is free. Join the MMA for an engaging evening with award-winning photographer, journalist, and author, Kike (Kee-Keh) Calvo. A Fellow of both the Explorers Club and the Royal Geographical Society, he has traveled to over 120 countries, photographing everything from belugas in the Arctic to traditional dances in Vanuatu. His work has been featured in National Geographic Magazine, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and more. In this engaging presentation, Calvo explores how creativity can be a catalyst for connection, storytelling, and meaningful change. From documenting remote villages to diving with great white sharks, from defying the odds as an author to inspiring thousands of children in the Amazon, Calvo shares the invaluable lessons he has learned along the way. As a National Geographic Certified Educator and Safina Center Fellow (2020-2023), Calvo combines his passion for photography with teaching, having lectured at prestigious institutions such as Yale University. A pioneer in drone photography for art and conservation, he founded the “Little Explorer, Big World” initiative, which brings education to remote communities and has donated over 35,000 bilingual books. Described by anthropologist Wade Davis as, "a fresh voice in visual anthropology," Calvo has a gift for capturing the intersections of human existence. Calvo’s new book, Luminous: A Field Guide for Visual Explorers and Storytellers, isn’t just a book—it’s an invitation to slow down, look deeper, and photograph with soul. It’s a roadmap where photography meets presence, anthropology meets art, and storytelling becomes a path to connection.  Discover how creativity can illuminate pressing global issues—such as plastic pollution—and empower each of us to make a difference. This presentation is free and open to the public, graciously hosted for the MMA by the Nantucket Atheneum in the Great Hall. No registration required. About the Maria Mitchell Association: The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages. ###
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