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This installation marks the start of an ambitious five-year master plan for the renovation and renewal of many of the galleries and period rooms in the departments of American paintings and sculpture and American decorative arts. Click here to read the complete article.
Passion, persistence, patience and perfection. Whether working on a single fireplace restoration in a local home, or on his massive preservation project for the Metropolitan Museum of Fine Art, these qualities define each job that Michael Kelley undertakes -- and, quite literally, the contractor/consultant himself. Click here to read the complete article.
For years, Michael Kelley had driven past a Bethlehem house and never given it a second thought. "From the outside, it appeared to be probably an early 20th century, cheaply constructed farmhouse," Kelley said. He had no idea what an architectural gem the ramshackle exterior was hiding until a friend phoned him urgently one day in 2002. As attorney for the buyer of the property, Kelley's friend had gotten a glimpse of the interior and knew there was something unique about its construction. Click here to read the complete article.
In the days of futures past, art and technology are collaborating to bring things back. Preservationists of history like Michael Kelley, of Niskayuna, NY, are not merely preserving but restoring it with the help of the latest technologies. Click here to read the complete article.
Those who are regular readers of this magazine may remember an article titled "Art House" in April of 2003 about the finding and dismantling of the David Winne House, an early-to-mid 18th century Dutch farmhouse in Bethlehem, NY, and its projected rebuilding in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, as part of the American Wing. For those who don't recall, a brief recap: in 2002 an excavating contractor bought a piece of land in Bethlehem, NY, a few miles south of Albany. He wanted to use the land for equipment and materials storage. It had an existing dwelling on it and he had to decide whether to renovate the building and rent it or to demolish it. He brought his lawyer, who had some experience with real estate, to take a look at it. Click here to read the complete article.
When is a house not a house? When it is a piece of art. This amazing transformation, from humble farm dwelling to museum-quality exhibit, is currently being undergone by an antique Dutch house from the first half of the 18th Century in the town of Bethlehem. The Daniel Peter Winne (pronounced Winnie) House is currently being carefully documented, dismantled and prepared for shipment to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, where it will grace the newly remodeled American Wing, as a fitting background for the Museum's collection of art and objects from the period. Click here to read the complete article.
A large piece of Bethlehem history that was almost demolished will find a new home at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art. This week the 18th century, two-story Dutch house, which had been hidden amid decade's worth of additions, is being dismantled and shipped to the museum in Manhattan. By Friday, barring unforeseen weather, the last beams will be stacked in a shipping trailer. Curators hope to include it in an overhaul of the museum's American Wing in the next five years to 10 years. Click here to read the complete article.
As I pulled onto the dirt road I came upon an old house wrapped in plastic - like a body on its way to the morgue. This old house, however, was not about to be buried. It was destined to be raised from the dead, brought back to life by a master of his trade, a man who restores old houses for a living Michael Kelley of Niskayuna. "There's nothing like taking a building apart from its tiny component pieces to learn how it's built," says Kelley, who¹s been fascinated with old houses since he helped restore an 18th century farmhouse when he was 16. Click here to read the complete article.
Over the past few years, there has been an increasing awareness of the wide array of wonderful period buildings available for reuse as houses or parts of houses. you may have found the perfect Greek Revival gem that is about to have a new highway put through the main entrance, or you may feel that the hewn texture and beautiful honey brown color of an 18th century barn would make the perfect family room for your new house. Maybe you just want to have the ultimate recycling experience! Click here to read the complete article. |
A New York Dutch Interior for the American Wing
Making History with Masterful Restorations
Hidden Treasure Rebuilt Piece By Piece
Hudson Valley History Restored
Art House II
Sleuthing Reveals a Dutch Master
Preserving a Piece of History
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 J.M. Kelley Ltd., 394 Vly Road, Niskayuna, NY 12309 (518) 386-0754 |
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