"There's More to Lime Mortar," another in the Newburyport Preservation Trust's "Do It Ye Self" series, will be held Saturday, April 16, 1:00-3:15 p.m., at the Perkins Mint building (Museum of Old Newbury) on Fruit Street, Newburyport.
In the first half of the program, presenter Fabio Bardini will introduce attendees to the theory, evolution, composition, and application of various masonry mortars dating back to the time of the Roman Empire. After his presentation on the background and rationale for using lime mortar, participants can learn from the hands-on experience of mixing their own mortar, and repointing brickwork on a demonstration template.
Fabio Bardini, principal of Florentine Renaissance Masonry in Salem, Mass., is a native of Florence, Italy, where he attended the Istituto d'Arte di Firenze and Palazzo Spinelli Design School. Living in Tuscany, surrounded by historic buildings and the work of past masters, inspired him to take his designs beyond the drawing board. Combining the art, design, and architecture background with a passion for stonework, he established his business, Florentine Renaissance Masonry. He has been engaged as a designer and stone mason for projects throughout New England since 1990.
Registration for the two-hour "There's More to Lime Mortar" program is just $20 per person for members of the Newburyport Preservation Trust, and $25 for non-members. Registration (online only) is limited to 15 attendees. Register at the "Events" page of the Newburyport Preservation Trust website: www.nbptpreservationtrust.org. For additional information, contact "Do It Ye Self" program coordinator Matt Blanchette at 978-697-5135 (email: bchette@gmail.com).
The April 16 program wraps up the first season of the Newburyport Preservation Trust's well-received "Do It Ye Self" sessions. The Saturday sessions this winter included hands-on programs on restoring windows, repairing rotten wood, and cooking in beehive ovens. The crowd was standing-room-only at the February 20 "Cooking in Beehive Ovens" program presented by restoration mason Richard Irons, as he deftly coordinated baked scallops and homemade pizza in the twin ovens of a Georgian-era fireplace. Unlike previous sessions, attendees were eager to eat the results of that afternoon's demonstration. Future programs in the “Do It Ye Self” series are already in the planning stages, and coordinator Matt Blanchette welcomes program suggestions at 978-697-5135 (email: bchette@gmail.com).
