Sylvia DeWolf Ostrander is the subject of the John Brown House Museum’s latest exhibit, The Girl of My Dreams, Sylvia: A 19th Century Life. But who was Sylvia and what is her connection to Rhode Island history? On Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 5:30pm, Stacy Renee Morrison will explore this question when she shares her research and related artwork that The Girl of My Dreams is based upon. She will discuss her detective-like role in tracing Sylvia DeWolf Ostrander’s life across the 19th century and her contemporary artistic interpretations of Sylvia’s world through photography today. The talk will combine the biographical aspects of Sylvia DeWolf Ostrander with how she became Morrison’s muse.
Stacy Renee Morrison is a visual artist who often forgets which century she is in. She finds herself haunted by women who lived their lives well before her own and creates visual biographies of them. When fully present in the 21st century, Stacy teaches in the MFA Visual Narrative, BFA Photography and Video, and Humanities and Sciences Departments at School of Visual Arts in New York City.
Doors open at 4:30pm for a reception and the chance to view The Girl of My Dreams exhibit. Advance tickets are recommended as space is limited to 30 attendees. The John Brown House Museum is located at 52 Power Street in Providence, parking is available off Charlesfield Street.
Registration is required. Guests can purchase tickets here.