For over 25 years, Ms. Richardson has worked with numerous private and institutional clients to appraise, conserve, and exhibit historic clothing and textiles, including tapestries, quilts, samplers, wedding and baptismal garments, and clothing dating from the 18th to 20th centuries. Newbie’s training in costume design and couture sewing allows her to outfit museum displays and living history interpreters with authentic period reproduction clothing. Newbie is affiliated with the American Society of Appraisers and active in professional organizations including the Costume Society of America and the Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums.
Newbie received her BS from Northwestern University, completed MFA graduate course work in costume design for the joint program of George Washington and Catholic Universities, and completed the Appraisal Studies Program at GWU. Newbie keeps abreast of developments in textile conservation by attending seminars held at institutions such as the Winterthur Museum, the University of Rhode Island, the Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center, and the American Quilt Study Center.
Ms. Callahan is a costume and textile historian with experience in conservation and as a theatrical costumer. In 2003, the Valentine Richmond History Center, designated Colleen as curator emeritus of costumes and textiles.
While at the Valentine, Colleen managed the museum’s 40,000-piece internationally known collection and curated over twenty art and social history-themed exhibitions. Colleen consults with large and small institutions nationwide on exhibition, collection management and documentation, conservation, and reproduction
clothing projects. She is a sought after lecturer and contributor to popular and scholarly publications. Colleen is active in professional organizations including the Virginia Association of Museums and the Costume Society of America, for which she served a term as president.
Colleen received her BA in Theatre from Smith College and her MA in Arts Administration: Costume Studies from New York University under a joint program with the Costume Institute of Metropolitan Museum of Art.
