Portland, OR. A holiday exhibit called ‘Critters Make Merry’ is on view now through January 4th at the Pittock Mansion. One room, seen above, is called Festive Flamingos. It was decorated by Dani Christine and Beth Clark. From reindeer and polar bears to lions and mice and a few in between, volunteer decorators transform the Mansion’s rooms into enchanting animal havens.
“Every year over 70 volunteer decorators have just two days to transform the Mansion for the holiday event,” Interim Executive Director John Miller explains. “It is exciting to watch it come together knowing that this is a much-anticipated annual tradition for so many in our community.”
Tickets for this year’s event are limited. Purchasing timed tickets online in advance is recommended.
Face masks are required for the duration of a visit. The Mansion is open daily 10am-4pm, opening at noon on Tuesdays.
Timed tickets are available at pittockmansion.org/events. Admission is $13 for adults, $11 for seniors, $9 for youth, and children 5 and under are free.
Here’s a look at some of the Christmas displays of the past:
Henry Pittock’s Bathroom in 2015. (Photo credit Michael Henley)
Mansion Library in 2012. (Photo credit Michael Henley)
Pittock Mansion Music Room in 1967. (Photo credit Pittock Mansion Society.)
Pittock Mansion stairs in 2011. (Photo credit Michael Henley)
From Pittock Mansion:
Henry Pittock (c.1834-1919) was born in London, England but grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1853, when Henry was 19, he headed west on the Oregon Trail to seek his fortune. A year later, his future wife Georgiana Burton (c.1845-1918) left Missouri with her family and headed west as well. When Henry and Georgiana arrived in the area, Portland was a frontier “stumptown” competing with Oregon City to become the major trade and industrial center for the region.
Henry found work as a typesetter at The Oregonian at a time when the newspaper industry was financially risky and fiercely competitive. More than 30 newspapers were launched in Portland during this period. On June 20, 1860, Henry and Georgiana married and five months later, he was given ownership of the paper in exchange for back wages. Henry went on to transform The Oregonian into a successful daily newspaper that is still printed today.
Portland, OR. Pittock Mansion’s current exhibit, Mount Hood Perspectives, is now available to view online. The exhibit is a juried community art show featuring the artistic interpretations of Portland’s most famous natural focal point by local photographers and artists. The gallery features photographs, like Joe Whittington‘s The Pearly Gates, which can be purchased through the site’s secure web store.
You can also take an interesting and educational virtual tour of the Pittock Mansion, which includes some “off-limit” staff areas. Check out this link: Pittock Mansion Virtual Tour.
Supporters hope the tour will whet your appetite for an in-person visit when the historic mansion reopens.
Pittock Mansion’s Mount Hood Perspectives was created by curators to draw visitors. Outreach for the exhibit includes this explanation: Mount Hood is a key part of Portland’s skyline, seated atop the Cascade Range to the east of the city. Residents and visitors alike look forward to when the clouds part and the mountain is visible, admiring how its snowy slopes vary from hour to hour, season to season. Discover artistic interpretations of this Portland icon by local artists. Click through the artists’ names below for more information and to view their online portfolios.
“It was particularly hard to close the Mansion during this exhibit because the art show features the work of local artists,” Curator Patti Larkin explains. “So we are excited that this exhibit is now available online for people to enjoy, while also providing an opportunity for individuals to support a section of our community that has been hit hard by the current situation.”
All the artwork is on display at the mansion, but the COVID19 closure has made viewing impossible right now.
Jarred Decker’s “St. Johns Fog” is an Aluminum chromaprint.
Harley Talkington’s “Bloom With A View” was created with Soft Pastels.
The exhibit is scheduled to be on view both online and when the Pittock Mansion reopens. Any artwork that is purchased will be available for pick-up after the exhibit closes. Shipping options are also available.
From Pittock Mansion:
With picture-perfect views of rivers, forests, bridges, and mountaintops – and 23 treasure-filled rooms – no other place in town offers a more breathtaking view and more revealing glimpse of Portland’s past. Portland pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock built Pittock Mansion in 1914 and it now stands as a living memorial of the family’s contributions to the blossoming city of Portland and its people. Situated on 46 acres of land almost 1,000 feet atop downtown Portland, the Pittock celebrated its centennial year in 2014.
Portland, OR. Harry Potter’s in the house at the Pittock Mansion this holiday season. The theme of this year’s Pittock Mansion Christmas display is a Wonderful World of Books. The exhibit runs through January 5th, from 10:00 am-4:00 pm daily. From children’s classics to modern-day mysteries, this year’s display is a book lovers dream. Organizers invite you to experience the literary visions of local decorators as they transform the Mansion’s rooms into magical storybook settings. Here’s a look inside:
The wizarding world of Harry Potter
The dining room features A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens.
The fairytale of Cinderella features little birds and mice.
It’s made complete with Cinderella’s glass slippers.
There’s a display for Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It the novella by Truman Capote published in 1958 upon which the famous film was based.
For the gourmets, Irma S. Rombauer’s The Joy of Cooking is a favorite.
The Joy of Cooking series is one of the world’s most widely read cookbooks series. It’s on display in the Pittock Mansion kitchen.
One table is set using The Tale of Peter Rabbit as a theme. The children’s book was written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter
Madeline is on display. The 1939 book was written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans,
“We were excited with this year’s theme because it gave the decorators an opportunity to highlight old favorites, like Beatrix Potter, as well as to be inspired by new favorites, such as Harry Potter,” Curator Patti Larkin explains. “While much of our content today arrives electronically there’s still a strong connection to printed books. Whether it’s a classic or just a light tale that piques our personal interest, the stories in books continue to resonate.”
Over 70 volunteers began developing their designs for 18 rooms of the Mansion last January. During the exhibit, volunteer musicians will be playing in the Music Room providing Christmas carols and festive music.
This year Pittock Mansion will be hosting a book drive from Monday, November 25 through Sunday, December 8 in collaboration with Community Action for Head Start children, aged 0-5. Full donation guidelines can be found here.
Tickets are available both online and onsite. Admission is $13 for adults, $11 for seniors, $9 for youth and children 5 and under are free. More info at: http://pittockmansion.org/exhibits/
Pittock Mansion is a historic house museum in Portland, Oregon operated by the Pittock Mansion Society in collaboration with Portland Parks & Recreation.
The Pittock Mansion Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The mission of the Pittock Mansion Society is to inspire understanding and stewardship of Portland history through Pittock Mansion, its collections, and programs.
Address: 3229 NW Pittock Drive, Portland, OR 97210
Portland, OR. Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! The Pittock Mansion has been decorated every winter for nearly a half-century. Each year the grand staircase is festooned with red and green ribbons. This year, for “A Pittock Mansion Christmas” the theme is Hobbies and Pastimes. The exhibit is on view through December 31st (closed Christmas). Museum hours are 10am-4pm and tickets for adults are $12. From opera to knitting to beekeeping, the display highlights some familiar and not-so-familiar hobbies and pastimes. See the Mansion in a whole new light as volunteer decorators creatively transform rooms into a holiday extravaganza.
“Our annual holiday event is always popular. We love seeing new and returning visitors come up and experience something different and amazing, while still being able to engage the history of the Mansion as well,” Executive Director Marta Bones states. “We are so grateful to the many volunteers who help us make this event such a success.”
The West Bedroom decorated in the theme of Family Game Night, Circa 1914 by Sabrina Lang Stoffregen in partnership with the Portland Children’s Museum. The West Wing was home to Lucy and Edward Gantenbein, and their children, Rhoda, Georgiana, and Peter.
From Pittock Mansion:
Parking is limited and visitors are encouraged to use a ride share service. Pittock Mansion is a historic house museum in Portland, Oregon operated by Pittock Mansion Society in collaboration with Portland Parks & Recreation.
Pittock Mansion Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The mission of the Pittock Mansion Society is to inspire understanding and stewardship of Portland history through Pittock Mansion, its collections, and programs.
Portland, OR. There’s a Darcelle-themed Turkish smoking room at the Pittock Mansion’s special Christmas display this year. The theme is “A Very Portland Christmas” and the display is on through December 31st. You can explore 20 decorated rooms, and see over 30 Christmas trees large and small. Iconic places, people, and events of Portland are featured like Powell’s Books, Packy the elephant, and Peacock Lane.
From the Pittock Mansion:
PTTOCK MANSION | With picture-perfect views of rivers, forests, bridges, and mountaintops — and 23 treasure-filled rooms — no other place in town offers a more breathtaking view and more revealing glimpse of Portland’s past. Portland pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock built Pittock Mansion in 1914 and it now stands as a living memorial of the family’s contributions to the blossoming city of Portland and its people. Situated on 46 acres of land almost 1,000 feet atop downtown Portland, the Pittock celebrated its centennial year in 2014.
Volunteers have always been key to Pittock Mansion’s holiday season. Over the years hundreds of people have donated their time and talents into transforming the Mansion into a festive wonderland.
Thank you to A Very Portland Christmas‘s volunteer decorators for all their creativity and hard work!
Room themes and decorators in tour order:
Library “Forest Park,” Anne Runde, Anne Runde Interiors, and Angie Morse, The Room Stylers.
Formal Entry “Bud Clark,” Nancy Kurkinen and Alison Chapman. Thanks for help from: Annie Bottinelli, Beard’s Framing Downtown, City of Portland Archives, John Helmer Haberdasher, Linda Jensen, and Mayor Bud Clark.
Music Room “Mount Hood,” Rosanne Sachson, The Sachson Group Architectural Interior Design.
Turkish Smoking Room “Darcelle,” Alison Chapman and Nancy Kurkinen. Thank you to Darcelle XV for loaning artifacts.
Dining Room “Celebrating 100 Years of Portland’s International Rose Test Garden,” Suzanne Barthelmess. Special thanks to Kim Foren, Kimberly Bown, Mary Suzanne Garvey, Marla Kazell, Harry Landers, and Rex Sustello.
Kitchen “Dragons of Portland,” Cate Anderson, Lee Brixius, Elaine Durst, Yoko Fukuta, Louise Jones, Judy Lyons, MaryAnne Nance, Jeannie Prindle, Burt Reif, Sue Reif, Caroleigh Robinson, Lewis Sprunger, Jean Weigant, Mary Ann Wish, and Sally Woolley. Special thanks: Larry Titensor, Portland Kaohsiung Sister City Association, DragonSports USA, Fire Breathing Blowfish, Tom & Cara Lee Crowder, and Marla Baker.
Breakfast Room “Rose Festival,” Barbara Masterson. Thanks to Jill Hrdlicka.
Writing Room “Adventure Bound: Find Your Favorite Book at Powell’s,” Cheryl Kennedy, Patt Lewis, & Jessie Smith. Special thanks to Powell’s Books, Leah Kohlenberg, Chris Quevedo, Christy Simon, and Jerry “Woody” Woodbury.
South Bedroom “Portland’s Iconic Transportation,” Portland Rose Society.
South Sleeping Porch “Meier & Frank,” Claudine Stock, Rita Devlin, Holly Fowler, Gayl Hauzenberger (26 years at Meier & Frank), and Tommie West (24 years at Meier & Frank).
Nieces’ Bedroom “Packy the Elephant,” Denise Chapman and Michelle Lamorie.
Henry’s Bathroom “Peacock Lane,” Eileen Giskaas.
Sewing Room “Two Portland Icons,” Gúy Holady, Holady and Holady Designs and Productions. Assisted by Kim Baggett, Jill Holady-Rauch, Kaye Holady, Patti Diebel, Barbara Zink, and Pamela Miller.
Georgiana’s Bedroom “Portland Art Museum,” Beth Clark of B. Clark Interior Design, LLC; Deb Zsori with Fabius Grange; and Framed By Design, Lake Oswego.
West Bedroom “Bridgetown: Portland, Oregon,” Jennifer Ballard, Jennifer Ballard Interiors.
Social Room Car Nooks “Postcards: Celebrating Portland Landmarks,” The American Sewing Guild – Columbia River Sewing, Sharon Sink, Lynn Towers, and Megan Garvey.
Social Room Display Cases “Mary Suzanne Garvey: Muse on the Loose,” Suzanne Barthelmess. Special thanks to Kim Foren, Kimberly Bown, Marla Kazell, Harry Landers, and Rex Sustello.
Grand Staircase & Landing Eileen Giskaas.
Grand Hallway Console Table Anne Dewing, DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen.
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