LECTURE DESCRIPTION Beatrix Potter was a woman of many interests and ambitions, however we often come to know only one, her children’s books. Renowned for her fabulous Peter Rabbit storybook illustrations at the turn of the Century, Potter during this period was also involved in mycology and, later in life, land conservancy efforts in Britain.  Join lecturer Spencer W. Stuart as he explores three facets of Potter’s life. Beginning with her extraordinarily successful children’s tales, of which she published twenty-three, he will delve into Potter’s lesser-known involvement with the study of fungi through scientific illustration as well as writing. Now housed in the Armitt Museum in England and Perth Museum in Scotland, these beautifully executed and famously accurate watercolours continue to serve as reference to both amateur and expert mycologists alike. Finally, he will discuss her enduring legacy to the conservation of the historic Lake District of North West England, revealing not only the familiar figure we have all come to know of imagination and fairy tale but also an enthusiastic, down-to-earth Naturalist caught up in the debates of the day. BIO Spencer Stuart holds a master’s degree in the History of Art from the Courtauld Institute in London, England (recipient of […]