Decorative Arts Society announces 2022-23 Speaker Series

Decorative Arts Society (DARTS), a Newport Beach-based philanthropic organization dedicated to arts appreciation and supporting local non-profits that primarily benefit women, families and children in need, has announced its 2022-23 Speaker Series.

Featuring a line-up of renowned interior designers and authors, the annual Speaker Series returns this fall on Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 9:15 a.m. at Regal Edwards Big Newport. Attendance is free for DARTS members and $75 for non-members.

“We’re excited for this season’s Speaker Series, where we’ll bring the community a respected array of experts in art and interior design,” said DARTS president Madeline Hayward. “These inspiring speakers are nationally and even internationally known for their style, design, and the books they’ve authored, so we look forward to hearing their stories and insights.”

Membership fees for DARTS help fund their grant program, which has provided more than $3.6 million to women, family and children’s charities in Orange County since its inception more than 25 years ago. DARTS recently announced donations of $275,000 in grants to Orange County non-profits.

DARTS 2022-23 Speaker Series:

Photos courtesy of DARTS

Philip Mitchell

Tuesday, Oct. 11 – Philip Mitchell has made a name for himself as a modern maximalist master. Renowned for his passion and energy, Mitchell’s approach to design is contemporary with a distinctive, casually elegant, layered style. His almost encyclopedic knowledge of design, architecture, art, textiles and historical reference, becomes an unforgettable journey for clients all over the world as they collaborate on projects of any scale.

Mitchell has been honored twice as one of the Top 100 Designers of the World by Andrew Martin Awards and is continuously named one of the Top 25 Designers by House & Home Magazine. His passion for restoration has been recognized with numerous historic preservation awards and he has been invited twice to participate in the Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Mitchell’s work has been widely celebrated in magazines, newspapers, books and online, including Veranda, Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and others. He established his design firm in 2002, which now has locations in New York City, Toronto, and on the east coast of Canada.

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Suzanne Tucker

Tuesday, Nov. 8 – Suzanne Tucker is recognized as one of the country’s leading interior designers. Tucker is known for her personal approach, enduring style, attention to detail, and passion for architecture and decorative arts. She believes that by surrounding ourselves with the authenticity of thoughtful design and timeless architecture, we can enrich and enhance the quality of our lives.

Architectural Digest has honored Tucker repeatedly on the AD100 list of top designers and she is included in the Elle Décor A-list and the Luxe Gold List. Having worked under the legendary Michael Taylor and often referenced as his protégée, she and her husband/partner Timothy F. Marks, founded Tucker & Marks in 1986. Suzanne Tucker Home was launched in 2010 with her textile, tabletop and home furnishings line. She has published two books with the third, Suzanne Tucker – Extraordinary Interiors, being published this fall. Tucker has been given multiple awards over the years, and in 2020, she was honored with a Doctorate of Humane Letters from the Academy of Art University. Tucker is one of the four founding directors of the Northern California Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art and is currently director emeritus, having served on the board for 14 years.

Lisa Fine

Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 – Lisa Fine is a former contributing editor at Elle Décor and House Beautiful and is an internationally established textile designer specializing in hand-printed linens. Fine produces a range of both exotic and traditional designs, influenced by her extensive travels and a particular passion for India and Eastern culture. Her coveted designs are used by many of the world’s leading interior designers. She has launched three Indian-inspired collections: her namesake textiles line; Irving & Fine, a fashion label in collaboration with Carolina Irving and Langham & Fine Rugs, a limited edition of dhurries she designed with Richard Keith Langham.

 Fine is also the author of Near & Far, which showcases her homes in New York, Dallas and Paris, as well as many other designers and style icons. As long as she can remember, she has had a passion for color, pattern, old-world ambience and exotic elements that kindle the romance of faraway lands. “I love pretty, layered rooms that draw you in and make you want to stay,” Fine said. “As a little girl in Hattiesburg, MS, my favorite activity was going on house tours. I’m not a decorator, but I’ve always been obsessed with decorating my own homes.” Professional training would have been beside the point. Fine has an innate flair for pulling off everything she does with that je ne sais quoi that can’t be taught.

Frances Schultz

Tuesday, March 14, 2023 – Frances Schultz is a writer and artist who pivoted during the pandemic to become a certified Martha Beck Wayfinder life coach and master coach. Ever the enthusiast of decoration and design, food and entertaining, travel and style, Schultz hosts workshops and retreats in creativity and personal development at her home in California and around the world. Her mission is to bring light to the world and to guide others to do the same in whatever way that brings meaning, purpose and joy.

Schultz is the author of several books, including The Bee Cottage Story – How I Made a Muddle of Things and Decorated My Way Back to Happiness, and California Cooking and Southern Style. She is also the West Coast contributing editor for Flower magazine and a contributor to Veranda magazine. Schultz has written also for House Beautiful, The Wall Street Journal, Town & Country and others. She was the on-air host of the award-winning cable television show Southern Living Presents for six years and was named to the 2019 Salonnierre 100 top party hosts in the country. She serves on multiple boards, including the Horticultural Society of New York and divides her time between the coasts.

Aldous Bertram

Tuesday, April 11, 2023 – Aldous Bertram is an artist, illustrator, author and interior designer based in Charleston, SC. His interiors have been featured in House Beautiful and other design publications. He received his Ph.D. from Cambridge University, specializing in the historical influence of China on English garden design and architecture.

As an art historian and artist, Bertram has long been captivated by chinoiserie, a term for Western art and design inspired by a largely invented vision of China. Marco Polo’s sensational account of his visit to the exotic East in the 13th century sparked a fascination with China that reached a fever pitch in the 18th century and continues to this day. Bertram’s book, Dragons & Pagodas: A Celebration of Chinoiserie, is a nod to his appreciation of this style of design.

For more information on the Decorative Arts Society and membership opportunities, visit www.decorativeartssociety.net and follow the organization on Instagram or Facebook at @decorativeartssociety.