An Artistic Friendship: Howard Gardiner Cushing & Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney

Join Cushing descendant and scholar Alexandra Howard and art historian Fiona Donovan for a compelling conversation about the enduring friendship between Howard Gardiner Cushing and Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney inspired by Howard Gardiner Cushing: A Harmony of Line and Color. Moderated by Vogue art world correspondent and founding director of Art&Newport Dodie Kazanjian, the discussion will explore the creative worlds of these two influential figures, the pivotal role of the Whitney Studio, and the vibrant circle of artists who gathered there at the dawn of American modernism.

Fiona Donovan is a New York-based writer and art historian, currently working on a book on the American artist and patron, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. She received her B.A. from Barnard College and Ph.D. from Columbia University in art history, and has worked as a teacher and curator. Donovan is the author of Jasper Johns: Pictures within Pictures, 1980-2015 (Thames & Hudson, 2017; a New York Times Best Art Book of 2017) and Rubens and England (Yale University Press, 2004), as well as numerous essays and articles, including “The Whitney’s Founder and Her Spanish Statue,” New York
Times, Oct. 13, 2019. She serves on the board of the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.

Alexandra Howard holds a master’s degree in Architectural History from the University of Virginia, an MBA from Columbia University, and is a graduate from Sarah Lawrence College. A descendant of the artist Howard Gardiner Cushing, Alexandra has devoted herself to documenting his life and preserving his legacy. She initiated the conservation and removal of theWhitney Studio Mural, and sought funding for the project. She is also a docent at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Dodie Kazanjian is an American writer, editor, and curator known for her influential voice in the contemporary art world. A longtime contributing editor at Vogue magazine, she has written extensively about leading artists, emerging talent, and the evolving relationship between art, fashion, and culture. Her work has helped bring contemporary art into the mainstream conversation, offering accessible and insightful profiles of some of the most important cultural figures of our time. Born and raised in Newport, Rhode Island, Kazanjian began her career in journalism and public affairs. She worked in Washington, D.C., including a role as assistant press secretary to First Lady Nancy Reagan and later as communications director for the National Endowment for the Arts. Her early experience in public service laid the groundwork for her lifelong commitment to the arts and cultural advocacy. In 2017, Kazanjian founded Art & Newport, a nonprofit arts initiative that brings contemporary art installations and programming to historic sites across Newport, Rhode Island. The project continues today, reflecting her passion for making art more accessible and creating dialogues between contemporary artists and historic architecture and landscapes.