Friday, November 13th
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Free and open to the public
Thanks to a generous grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission, we are holding a free historical presentation on the historic art of Victorian Hairwork. Join us and learn the intricate history of hairwork, enjoy a behind-the-ropes tour of Oaklands Mansion, and see historical hairwork examples and demonstrations.
This presentation explores the history, social impact, and craftsmanship of Victorian hair work, a misunderstood 19th-century art form. Led by Oaklands Mansion staff member Jody Johnson, the presentation examines how nineteenth-century society viewed human hair as a sentimental and durable art medium, looking past modern stereotypes. The presentation starts with a historical overview of hair’s many uses. It then explores the lives of the era’s hair artists—including their footprint in Tennessee—and explains how this craft provided Victorian women with a respected path toward independent artistry and entrepreneurship.
In addition to the historical lecture, Jody will bring a showcase of original, antique examples of hair art, historical reading materials, and perform live demonstrations of traditional table-braiding and wirework methods using specialized tools.
Along with being a staff member at Oaklands Mansion, Jody is an independent researcher and demonstrator specializing in the art, history, and restoration of Victorian hair work. Over the past four years, she has dedicated herself to collecting antique hair art and mastering traditional techniques. Her formal training includes studying Swedish hair work at the North House Folk School with Karen & Britta Keenan, coursework at Leila’s Hair Museum with Zen Hansen, and co-hosting a specialized workshop alongside Zen of Hair Anthropology. Passionate about historical preservation, Jody actively restores antique pieces and educates audiences on the rich local, national, and international history of this intricate, nearly lost 19th-century craft.
What better way to tell the world you support the arts than with a TN Arts Commission Arts plate. Just take your old plate to your county clerk and swap it—they will prorate your tag fees, so you don’t have to wait until your tag renewal is due. Learn more: http://tnspecialtyplates.org/