Discover the history of wood carvings at the former Ursuline Convent

Beautiful carved wood doors and seating owned by the Ursulines of Brown County will be celebrated at the Dragonfly Village during a presentation by the Cincinnati Art Museum.

Former UC Professor Benn Pittman was a noted wood carver who taught the Ursuline nuns how to use native cherry and oak from the convent grounds to create intricately carved items that today are more than 150 years old. The nuns shared their wood crafting skills with students who attended the School of the Brown County Ursulines.

Amy Dehan, curator of Decorative Arts and Design at the museum, will discuss the Cincinnati Art Carved Furniture Movement of the mid-1800s using the Ursuline pieces as examples. Pittman was one of the movement’s leaders.

This program is at 2 p.m. Friday, August 1, at 20860 Route 251, St. Martin, Ohio 45118. This is the former Ursuline property and former home of Chatfield College/Edge. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. The program is presented by The Ursuline Archives.

UPCOMING: Mark your calendar for Pulling Out All the Stops, featuring the Roosevelt organ in Sacred heart Chapel owned by the Ursulines. The program will be conducted by Thea Tjepkema, a Friends of Music Hall historian, at 1 p.m. Saturday, November 1.