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After a five-year period of restoration, East Hampton’s first artist’s studio is open once again.
The charming cottage called Moran Studio, built by painter Thomas Moran in 1884, is not only a local landmark, but a nationally designated one as well. While it served as workshop for Moran and his wife, Mary Nimmo Moran, the studio was also a family home with a flourishing garden.
The home was occupied by the Moran family until Thomas’s death in 1926. It was privately owned until 2004, when it was given to Guild Hall, the theater and museum in East Hampton Village. Then in 2008, the Moran Studio was given to the Thomas Moran Trust Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of the studio, to undertake the restoration of the building, which began in 2012 and is set to be complete next June.
Five years after beginning the project, plaster is now being put up on the studio walls, something that Moran Trust Fund Executive Director Jill Malusky said people have been dreaming about. The studio will be open to the public for the first time in several years at the Moran Trust’s gala on Saturday, August 5, when all proceeds will aid the final stage of restoration.
“To be in the final phase is meaningful,” Ms. Malusky said. “For people who are aware that Thomas had a studio—even when the studio was in private hands—they always had an interest in it because they knew how important Moran was as an artist, and the fact that he lived in East Hampton was very special.”
The restoration will bring the home back to how it appeared in the 1800s and debut a 19th century garden—inspired by Mary Nimmo Moran—created by the Garden Club of East Hampton.
The Moran Trust raised the necessary funds through annual benefits and appeals and received help from individuals interested in art who are passionate about the studio.
On their journey, the members of the restoration team found more than they bargained for. Just a couple of weeks ago, they came across a giant piece of well-preserved fabric wallpaper that Moran had put up himself.
Ms. Malusky and the Moran Trust also witnessed first hand how much Moran loved to salvage items throughout his home. For years, there was a wooden panel above the fireplace that was missing, explained Ms. Malusky. As it turned out, Moran had taken that panel and used it as a door. “The missing piece was right there all along,” she said.
Once the studio is complete, the Moran Trust is planning on working with the National Park Service to display an art exhibition including Moran’s paintings of Yellowstone Park, which helped push the site toward becoming a national park. The trust is also set on using the building as a museum and educational arts center, which will feature classes, workshops, tours and lectures.
The Thomas Moran Trust Party will be held on Saturday, August 5, from 6 to 8 p.m., and will feature the unveiling of the Mary Nimmo Moran-inspired garden. Tickets start at $150. Free walking tours of the studio will be held on Friday, August 11, Friday, August 18, and Sunday, August 27. For tickets and more information, call 631-324-0100 or visit thomasmorantrust.org.
on Jul 31, 2017