About Me

I am the Stanley and Polly Stone Professor in the Art History Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison where I teach American decorative arts and material culture and direct the interdisciplinary material culture program. Trained in history and anthropology at Duke University and later completing graduate work in early American history and material culture at the College of William and Mary, I began my career as a historical archaeologist at places such as St. Mary’s City Md,, Monticello, and Colonial Williamsburg. I later served as an assistant professor in the Winterthur Program in Early American History and Culture and as a research fellow at Colonial Williamsburg, joining the faculty at University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998. I am grateful that the Chipstone Foundation had the vision to build on the Stones' collection and legacy to make Wisconsin an important place to teach and practice material culture.

I have taught and written about object study for thirty years and am now especially interested in creative ideas and new voices. At Madison, I work with faculty across campus to build curriculum for an interdisciplinary material culture program that has hosted innovative conferences, significant scholars and important artists. For example in 2014, we brought to campus the award-winning filmmaker Guy Maddin for a screening and roundtable discussion of material culture in his films of memory and loss. Other previous guests and workshops include Fred Wilson and Theaster Gates, extraordinary artists, social critics and innovators in museum exhibition practice.

Quick Points
  • I value the histories and arts of “the edge” in terms of under-valued, under-studied objects, ideas or concepts. 
  • My teaching is built around key components of visual literacy, critical analysis, and interdisciplinary problem solving. i.e. learning to look closely, ask broadly and think creatively
  • My exhibition practice aims for evocative objects, compelling stories, clear themes, and innovative, sometimes “radical,” juxtapositions.
  • I try to be forward-thinking in multi-media and digital scholarly projects,
  • I have always valued the public humanities as the artifacts and objects I study are not traditionally found in academic places or collections and they are often most passionately valued at the local and regional level 
  •  I work to match student education and training with the needs of small, often volunteer-run local historical societies in what our university honors as the “Wisconsin idea” of public humanities.     

Personal Life
I am a native Virginian who relocated to Wisconsin 16 years ago. I live in Madison with my husband, dog, and two cats- relishing in the occasional visits of my college daughter.