October 11, 2025
Saturday Open Studios
Free with Museum Admission
Saturday
October 11, 2025
1 - 4 pm
Bertucci Education Studio
Throughout Isabella Stewart Gardner’s diverse Historic Collection, there are many references to marble, be it as an architectural material, paper decoration, or pattern. In the Courtyard, Italian or Pentelic marble form Venetian columns and Roman grave altars, while within the Palace’s galleries, books bound in marbled paper translate the pattern into a wildly different medium.
On this Saturday Open Studio, we invite you to partake in a centuries-old artform and explore the Japanese technique of paper marbling, Suminagashi. A tradition that began in 12th-century Japan, this meditative practice pairs water and floating ink to create circular, repeating patterns and is the oldest known form of paper marbling.
Photo Credit: Matt Teuten
About the Artist
Photo courtesy of the artist
Bex Povill (she/they) is an interdisciplinary artist who creates drawings, paintings, zines, and animations exploring themes of connection to one’s inner child, community, and developing an understanding of self through meditative markmaking. They are currently studying child development and art at Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University and are excited by all opportunities to create with community through public programming and education.
TICKETS I MUSEUM ADMISSION
Open Studios are free with Museum admission, and participation is drop-in on a first-come, first-served basis. Advance registration for general admission is encouraged.
Purchase your ticket by clicking on the GET TICKETS button above.
Questions about accessibility? Please call the Box Office at 617 278 5156 to request accessible or companion seating, or to inquire about other accommodations in advance of the program.
Studio activities are made possible by the Polly Thayer Starr Charitable Trust. The Museum is also supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which receives support from the State of Massachusetts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Polly Thayer Starr (1904-2006) was an accomplished artist who captured the culture and whimsy of her native Boston with a unique combination of detail, emotion, and curiosity. For more, visit the Polly Thayer Starr Charitable Trust online at www.pollythayerstarr.org.
