Nativity Scenes @ Lincoln Center Gallery Through December
For the CIty-Times
Nativity scenes from the collection of Ruth Steffen and Thomas Nast Christmas prints from the collection of Emily Betinis will be featured at the Lincoln Center Gallery in December. In addition, art by students from Ben Franklin Junior High, Noah Calhoun, teacher, will be on display in the dining room.
Steffen’s collection began when her husband Dick saw a creche at a craft show. She now has 400 of them. The oldest pieces are from the homes of her parents and in-laws. Several were purchased from SERRV, a program that provides products from developing countries around the world. Many have been gifts from family and friends, and she’s made some of them in needlepoint, cross-stitch or crochet.
Thomas Nast was an illustrator for Harper’s Weekly in the 19th Century, known for his now familiar Democratic donkey, Republican elephant, and Uncle Sam. His most famous creation was the image of Santa Claus modeled after St. Nick in Clement Moore’s poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”
Lincoln Center, 1519 Water St., is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.