Historic documentation of old architecture tends to show buildings in black and white drawings or photographs.  It is hard to appreciate how these buildings actually looked when they were new. Color played an important role in the appearance of these buildings, just as it does now. Most buildings have been updated to follow color fashions, so their original appearance may be surprising to us now. Join us for a lively, fast-paced review of American architectural styles, and the colors that enriched those styles.

The lecture will be approximately 50 minutes with time for questions to follow.

Presenter Janet W. Foster is a New Jersey-based architectural historian, with years of experience in researching, writing about, and lecturing on the buildings of The Garden State.  She has a particular specialization in the paints and finishes of American architecture, and carried out scientific paint analysis for many important buildings including the Tenement Museum in New York, the Ballantine House at the Newark Museum, and the Lafayette Square townhouses that have been renovated to serve as diplomatic housing in Washington, DC.  She is currently a board member of the NJ Historic Trust and a member of the NJ Review Board for Historic Sites.