A guide to events in Palm Beach and vicinity
12 min read
Here’s a sampling of Palm Beach events and exhibits this season focusing on topics related to the home and garden and open to the public. Send items for this calendar to Darrell Hofheinz, [email protected].
HOLIDAY EVENTS
Christmas Tree-lighting at Whitehall, noon-5 p.m. Dec. 5, Flagler Museum, Cocoanut Row and Whitehall Way. All festivities follow the 1 p.m. tree-lighting. The afternoon includes choir performances and brief performances on the mansion’s original 1,249 pipe organ and 1902 Steinway art-case grand piano. Activities are free with museum admission: $18, adults; $10, ages 13-17; $3, ages 6-12; free, younger than age 6. Information: 655-2833 or FlaglerMuseum.us.
Holiday Evening Tours at Whitehall, Dec. 18-22, Flagler Museum, Cocoanut Row and Whitehall Way. Docent-led tours showcasing the holiday decorations at the museum will begin at 6:45 p.m. The museum will be lighted by the original 1902 light fixtures and fairy lights. There will also be trolling carolers in the Cocoanut Grove and guests will receive a festive party favor. Admission: $25, adults; $20, ages 17 and younger; advance ticket purchase required. Information: 655-2833, ext. 27, or FlaglerMuseum.us.
ANTIQUES, ART, JEWELRY AND CRAFTS SHOWS
Palm Beach Jewelry, Art and Antique Show, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Feb. 18-22; opening preview events 5-10 p.m. Feb. 17 (special tickets required), Palm Beach County Convention Center, 650 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. Show and sale features international exhibitors presenting jewelry, art and antiques in a wide range of prices. “Contemporary Focus” will be a special show within the show. Admission: $30, valid for all days. Information: 822-5440 or PalmBeachShow.com.
Palm Beach Fine Craft Show, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Feb. 18-20, Palm Beach County Convention Center, 650 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. Show and sale features artists presenting works in ceramics, glass, fiber (decorative and wearable art), wood, furniture, metalwork and jewelry. Admission: $30, valid all days. Information: 822-5440 or PalmBeachFineCraft.com.
The Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary Art Fair, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., March 25-26; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. March 27; opening preview party 5-9 p.m. March 24 (special ticket required), Palm Beach Convention Center, 650 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach. The fair will include vendors offering “investment-quality” works from the 20th and 21st centuries. Admission information: (800) 376-5850 or ArtPBFair.com.
DECORATOR SHOW HOUSE
Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach, March 5-April 3, 2022, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; preview event March 4 (special ticket required), 3001 Spruce Ave., Old Northwood Historic District, West Palm Beach. With rooms decorated by more than 15 designers, the show house will be open for tours under strict pandemic protocols at “The Mansion,” a 1923 house, with proceeds benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County and the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in New York City. Advance ticket purchase suggested. General admission: $40; virtual-tour tickets are $20. Information: (718) 893-8600, ext. 11236, or KipsBayDecoratorShowHouse.org/PBPlanYourVisit.
ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN, STYLE
MSW: Architect & Artist, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, Dec. 1-March 31, Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, 311 Peruvian Ave. Organized by the Preservation Foundation, the exhibit explores the late architect Marion Sims Wyeth’s career through his architectural drawings and photographs. Included and on view to the public for the first time will be watercolors from Wyeth’s travels as a young architect. The exhibit also will focus on Wyeth’s significant commissions in Palm Beach and abroad, complementing the recent publication of the book “From Palm Beach to Shangri-La: The Architecture of Marion Sims Wyeth” by Jane Day. Admission: Free. Information: 832-0731 or PalmBeachPreservation.org.
Conversations on Style with Steven Stolman, featuring Aerin Lauder, 3 p.m., Dec. 1, The Society of the Four Arts’ Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. Author and photojournalist Stolman will lead a master class with Lauder, discussing her work as founder of AERIN, a luxury lifestyle brand that launched in2012, and as Estée Lauder’s style and image director. Admission: $25. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
Flood Risk Workshop, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Dec. 3, Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, 311 Peruvian Ave. This outdoor workshop will explore how the risk of flooding will directly impact properties in Palm Beach. Topics to be discussed include new FEMA flood-plain maps and flood-insurance rates. Interactive stations will offer information about subjects ranging from “elevation certification” to different approaches to customize floodproofing plans for properties. The workshop will be followed by three virtual lectures featuring experts in flood science, insurance and specific neighborhood-by-neighborhood flooding solutions. The lectures will be available to stream live or to watch on demand through the foundation’s website. The event is being produced in partnership with the Town of Palm Beach and Resilient Enterprise Solutions; it will follow CDC guidelines for social distancing, with face coverings required. Admission: Free. Information: 832-0731 or PalmBeachPreservation.org.
Art After Dark at the Norton Featuring the Documentary Film “La Claridad,” 5-10 p.m., Dec. 17, Norton Museum of Art, 450 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach. The after-hours event, produced in partnership with the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, will focus on the work of the late architect Marion Sims Wyeth and include a screening of a documentary by Dave Simonds about the recent restoration of La Claridad, a landmarked house designed in 1924 by Wyeth on Golfview Road in Palm Beach. Admission: Free. Information: 832-0731 or PalmBeachPreservation.org.
Conversations on Style with Steven Stolman, featuring Elaine Wynn, 3 p.m., Jan. 5, The Society of the Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. Author and photojournalist Stolman will lead a master class with Wynn, a businesswoman, philanthropist and art collector. Admission: $25. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
“The Volk Walk” at Royal Poinciana Plaza, on view during regular business hours, Jan. 12-March 31, 340 Royal Poinciana Way. Produced in partnership with the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, this interactive exhibition within the courtyards of the shopping plaza will celebrate the life and work of the late Palm Beach architect John L. Volk.
Buckingham Palace: Its Art and Interiors with Desmond Shawe-Taylor, 3 p.m., Jan 27, The Society of the Four Arts’ Gubelmann Auditorium, 100 Four Arts Plaza. Shawe-Taylor, who recently retired as Surveyor of The Queen’s Pictures, will trace the history of Buckingham Palace from its acquisition in 1762 through subsequent transformations. The program will focus on the palace’s historic interiors, which are filled with exceptional examples of decorative art, and examine some of the masterpieces that have graced the building’s walls during centuries of royal ownership. Admission: $20. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
Saving Venice: Fifty Years On with Melissa Conn, 3 p.m., Jan. 31, The Society of the Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. Four Arts President and CEO Philip Rylands and Conn will interview Conn, director of the Venice office of Save Venice, a U.S. non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the artistic heritage of Venice. Conn is a longtime resident of Venice with 32 years of experience in the field of Venetian art history and conservation. Admission: $20. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
The History of the Grands Châteaux of the Loire Valley and Île-de-France with Russell Kelley, 11 a.m. Wednesdays, March 2, 9, 23 and 30; and April 6, The Society of the Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. In this series, Kelley will explore the link between architecture with history, tracing the evolution of the French château from the earliest stone donjons and châteaux forts of the Middle Ages, through the grand Renaissance châteaux built by the Valois kings in the Loire Valley, and on to the châteaux de plaisance built by the Bourbon kings and queens and their court in and around Paris. Kelley will conclude with a talk about the Château du Louvre. Kelley is the author of “The Making of Paris: The Story of How Paris Evolved from a Fishing Village into the World’s Most Beautiful City” and vice president of the Alliance Française Miami Metro. Admission: $100 for the series. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
Vaux-le-Vicomte: A Private Invitation with Alexandre de Vogüé, 3 p.m., March 10, The Society of the Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. De Vogüé, the fifth-generation owner of the château, will discuss the history of the estate, which inspired the design of the Palace of Versailles. He will present exclusive photography and archival documents to provide an insider’s look at the château, its furnishings and gardens. De Vogüe is overseeing a major restoration of the château. A book singing will follow the talk. Admission: $20. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
Collecting Antiquities: J.P. Getty and His Legacy with Silvia Beltrametti, 3 p.m., March 21, The Society of the Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. Beltrametti is a lecturer in the Department of Art History, Theory and Criticism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She will discuss financier J.P. Getty’s passion for ancient art, which culiminated in a prized collection of Roman and Greek marbles. Upon his death in 1976, the curators of the newly founded Getty Trust went on a buying spree, often without paying due attention to the provenance of artworks, resulting in the purchase of hundreds of looted antiquities, authorities say. Many of those items had to be returned to their source countries. Admission: $20. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
Conversations on Style with Steven Stolman, featuring Douglas Friedman, 3 p.m., March 23, The Society of the Four Arts’ Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. Author and photojournalist Stolman will lead a master class with photographer Friedman, discussing Friedman’s work involving subjects ranging from architecture and fashion to environmental portraiture. Admission: $25. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
Conversations on Style with Steven Stolman, featuring Alfredo Paredes, 3 p.m., April 6, The Society of the Four Arts’ Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. Author and photojournalist Stolman will lead a master class with Paredes, an interior designer with a multi-disciplinary studio commissioned for projects ranging from residential and hospitality design to special events and product development. Admission: $25. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
From Palm Beach to Shangri La: The Architecture of Marion Sims Wyeth with Jane Day, 3 p.m., April 18, The Society of the Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. Day will discuss the work of the late Palm Beach architect Marion Sims Wyeth, the subject of her new book produced by the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach. Wyeth’s projects range from Marjorie Merrie Weather Post’s grand Mar-a-Lago to socialite and heiress Doris Duke’s legendary Hawaiian retreat, Shangri La. Admission: $20. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
Documentary film screening: American Masters, Sketches of Frank Gehry, 5:30 p.m., April 29, The Society of the Four Arts’ Gubelmann Auditorium, 100 Four Arts Plaza. Produced in 2006, this documentary focuses on the contemporary-style work of California-based architect Frank Gehry, who has designed striking buildings worldwide that include Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. The film was directed by Gehry’s longtime friend and supporter, Academy Award-winner Sydney Pollack. Admission: $10. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
FOOD, WINE, ENTERTAINING
The Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival, Dec. 9-12, includes events, cooking demonstrations and more at a variety of restaurants and venues in Palm Beach and vicinity. Several ticket packages are available. Information: (800) 210-0689 or PBFoodWineFest.com.
Bite by Bite with Peter Callahan, 11 a.m., Jan. 12, The Society of the Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. The author of “Bite by Bite,” Callahan is a caterer whose client list included celebrities, politicians and Fortune 500 companies. His presentation will focus on his inventive hors d’ oeuvres along with tips to create and set a theme bar. Admission: $20. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
Jazz Up Home Delivered Food with Flavorings and Presentations with Peter Callahan, 10 a.m., Jan. 13, The Society of the Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. The celebrated caterer and author of “Bite by Bite” will share tips for personalizing restaurant meals at home. Admission: $95. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
GARDENING, LANDSCAPING
Techniques and Secrets of Botanical Arts Entries with Sarah Boynton, 3 p.m., Jan. 13, The Society of the Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. Presented in partnership with The Garden Club of Palm Beach, the program will feature Boynton, a flower-show award winner whose botanical arts creations have won first-place awards in major shows across the country. She will share techniques, secrets and planning ideas she uses to create award-winning entries. Admission: $20. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
Day trip to Archbold Biological Station, Venus, Florida, 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Jan. 17, a field trip sponsored by The Society of the Four Arts. Archbold Biological Station is known for its scientific discoveries, conservation leadership and history. This field trip is aimed at those who want to learn more about nature, conservation science, history and living green. Participants will explore the sights, sounds and scents of the Florida scrub, one of America’s most endangered ecosystems; and view the historic 1930s-era Roebling buildings and the 2010s-era environmentally sustainable architecture. Admission: $225; includes transportation, tour, and lunch. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
Peter Wirtz: Texture and Plant Knowledge in Building Landscapes with Character, 3 p.m., Feb. 3, The Society of the Four Arts’ Gubelmann Auditorium, 100 Four Arts Plaza. The Garden Club of Palm Beach’s annual lecture will feature Belgian landscape architect Wirtz of Wirtz International. He will discuss his firm’s design philosophy, which is “based in the classical elements of formal garden design with an intersection of modern sculpture as in the treatment of hedges.” Wirtz International has designed projects for private residences, large estates, public parks, museums, college campuses and corporate headquarters worldwide. Among its recent project is Dior’s Paris flagship store in a classic building with several garden areas on different levels that will showcase couture. Other clients have included Valentino, Catherine Deneuve and the Belgian royal family. Admission: Free, but reservations are required by calling 805-8562 or visiting FourArts.org. Information: 837-6635 or by email at [email protected].
Garden Club of Palm Beach House & Garden Day Boutique, 9:30-4 p.m., March 6, The Society of the Four Arts’ Mall in front of the O’Keeffe Building. Vendors will sell plants and products. Admission: Free. Information: 837-6635 or by email at [email protected]
Hudson Yards: The Public Square and Gardens with Thomas Woltz, 3 p.m., March 7, The Society of the Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. Wolts, principal of Nelson Byrd Woltz (NBW) Landscape Architects, will discuss his firm’s work on the Gardens at Hudson Yards in New York City, the largest public space to have been built in Manhattan in a century. Admission: $20. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
The Renaissance of Palm Beach Parks with Raymond Jungles, Jorge Sanchez and Keith Williams, 3 p.m., March 17, The Society of the Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. In a panel discussion led by Charles Birnbaum of the Cultural Landscape Foundation, the trio of landscape designers will discuss their work on three public Palm Beach parks: Bradley Park, the Lake Park and Phipps Ocean Park. The program is presented in partnership with The Garden Club of Palm Beach and the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach. Admission: $20. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
The Olmsted Legacy: Bringing Nature to the City and Creating Breathing Space for Democracy with Laurence Cotton, 3 p.m., March 28, The Society of the Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. The world celebrates in 2022 the 200th birthday of influential landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted, whose work included public parks, private estates and gardens, residential neighborhoods and institutional campuses. Cotton will present a travelogue of Olmsted-designed landscapes across North America. Cotton originated and served as consulting producer of a PBS film about Olmsted, which will be presented in a free screening at 3 p.m. March 30 at the Four Arts. Admission: $20. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
WORKSHOPS, CLASSES
Botanical Drawing Two-part Workshop with Hillary Parker, 10-4 p.m. Dec. 4 and Dec. 11, Pan’s Garden, 386 Hibiscus Ave. Award-winning botanical watercolor artist Hillary Parker will lead this two-day drawing workshop for beginners and advanced artists covering the basics of quick outdoor sketching as well as making concentrated detailed drawings, using the garden setting for inspiration. Techniques about how to create drawings in preparation for painting with watercolors will also be shared for those who already have made plans to attend Parker’s sold-out botanical watercolor workshop in the spring. Admission: $100 plus $30 supply fee. Information: 832-0731, ext. 110, or PalmBeachPreservation.org.
Shell Chic Designs, 10 a.m.-noon., Dec. 16 (“Wreaths”); Feb. 10 (“Sailors Valentines,” 10 a.m.-1 p.m.); March 17 (“Panels”); April 7 (“Urns”), The Society of the Four Arts’ Dixon Education Building, 240 Cocoanut Row. Robin Grubman will teach participants the craft of making items with shells. Admission: $150 per workshop. All materials included. Information: 805-8562 or FourArts.org.
Teen Workshop: Introduction to Macramé, 10:30 a.m., Jan 8, King Library, The Society of the Four Arts, 101 Four Arts Plaza. Amanda Kiernan leads a workshop for students ages 12-18 about knotting techniques with the goal of creating a hanging macramé plant holder. Following the workshop, participants and their families will be provided complimentary admission to the exhibit A Beautiful Mess: Weavers and Knotters of the Vanguard in the Esther B. O’Keefe Gallery. Admission: Free. Information: 655-2766 or FourArts.org.
