Thomas Day Saturday Morning Symposium

Join us for an informative deep dive into the history and artisanry of Thomas Day. Learn not only about the life and social context of Thomas Day, his wife Aquilla, and their family, but learn about the identifying features and technology that typifies his furniture for clues on what might be – and might not be – Thomas Day furniture.

Historian Dr. Paul Baker will present a social and biographical history of Thomas Day and his family. Furniture designer and collector Scott Coley will share his observations related to the construction techniques and design features that are typical of Thomas Day’s pieces. The presentation will include a personal tour of Blandwood with insights on selected pieces provided by collector Scott Coley. This FREE event will be held in the Blandwood Carriage House.

Our Speakers
Dr. Paul Baker is a Professor and Director of the University Galleries at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro. Dr. Baker earned a BA in Studio Art at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and MA in History from North Carolina State University; and a PhD in Leadership Studies at North Carolina A&T State University. His work at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh brought him in close connection to the Thomas Day collection there where he worked with curator and historian Patricia Phillips Marshall. Today, Dr. Baker curates and promotes exhibits in the University Galleries, and teaches classes within topics of history and political science.

Scott Coley is a native North Carolinian and a freelance furniture designer with D. Scott Coley Designs. A graduate of the Kendall College of Art and Design in 1992 with a BFA in Furniture Design, he became interested in Historic Preservation through working with a family homeplace dated c.1850. He has served on the board of directors of the Historic Burke Foundation for many years, including the role as its President. He has also served in the past on the City of Morganton Preservation Commission for seven years. He has developed a passion for the furniture of Thomas Day and is recognized as a leading collector and connoisseur of Day’s work.

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