Betsy Bray offers presentations on the various roles played by Beatrix Potter over the 77 years of her life, from young adulthood as author and illustrator of 23 children’s books to her later life as Lake District sheep farmer, land conservationist, and community activist.
Betsy is uniquely qualified to offer these presentations:
She was elected the first overseas Trustee of the London-based Beatrix Potter Society and has been a Member of the Society since 1984.
She has spoken at several of the Society’s International Study Conferences and given illustrated talks to various groups in the US, UK, Africa, and Australia.
She gave a series of lectures on a transatlantic voyage of the Queen Mary 2.
Her talks are geared towards adults and last about 45 minutes, followed by a question-and-answer period.
Bridging Tradition and Innovation: The Story of Modern Architecture on Cape Cod
Betsy’s 45-minute illustrated talk emphasizes the story of modern architecture on Cape Cod. Betsy loves sharing her enthusiasm for these little-known houses nestled in the woods of Cape Cod. She works with Cape Cod Modern House Trust as a tour guide and coordinator.
Frank Lloyd Wright: My Passion
Frank Lloyd Wright said, “A good building does not hurt the landscape, but one which makes the landscape more beautiful than it was before the building was built.” He also said: “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.” These words resonate with Betsy, a self-described Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiast. She has visited at least 100 of his public and private buildings throughout the United States. She has volunteered for the Chicago-based Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy over the last ten years. She was the recipient of the Conservancy Award in 2019. Betsy is excited to share her passion for this architectural genius. Her illustrated talk lasts about 45 minutes.
My Friend, Maurice Sendak In this illustrated talk, Betsy Bray presents “My Friend, Maurice Sendak.” Sendak was famous for writing and illustrating the book: Where the Wild Things Are”. During his life, he illustrated over 150 books. Betsy will talk about how she and Maurice became friends. She will also talk about his long, impressive career as a writer and artist.