Tag Archives: All Things Fulfilling

American Decorative Arts: Winterthur

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“Well, while we’re here, let’s do it!” My twin sister and I agreed wholeheartedly that we may as well check one off on the bucket list while in the Brandywine Valley.

After an informal lunch on a patio at a Main Street local eats place in Centreville, Delaware, onward we went to Winterthur “America’s artistic, cultural, social, and intellectual history and home to the DuPonts, a dynasty of entrepreneurs, engineers, collectors, and horticulturalists.”

Even though I already knew a little about the home/museum, library and gardens of Henry Francis du Pont (1880–1969), and his two succeeding generations. I was overwhelmed by the property’s expansiveness. The mansion has 190 rooms and on the 2600 acres, at one time they had their own post office, dairy and butcher, gardens and orchards which fed 250 workers who also resided there. I was completely astonished at the overwhelming spans of the grounds, home and library which houses over 100,000 volumes of “rare books, trade catalogs, manuscripts, ephemera, and photographs related to the study of art, decorative arts and design, everyday life in America, and Winterthur’s estate history.”

The estate has 25 miles of walking trails through woodlands which spring forth with seasonal blooms such as azaleas, dogwoods, hellebores, daffodils, trilliums and redbuds. But that is only some of the most notables in spring. There are stars in every season. Rather than spend the day walking, we opted for the garden tram which took us all over the estate and it is included in the admission price.

The museum has furniture, china, silverware and fine art paintings befitting and collected by the influential, wealthy family of DuPont industrialists who saw it as their civic duty to drive industry for the prosperity of our country.

Photos – Two distant views of DuPont Dynasty’s 190 room mansion at Winterthur.

The DuPont’s legacy story continues with each generation of DuPonts who have a variety of interests and passions. We only touched part of what was there to see at Winterthur, and there is so much more in the Brandywine Valley for next time I visit. I’ll return for a tour of artists N.C. and Andrew Wyeth’s home and studios, and the Nemours Estate and Hagley Museum, also DuPont properties. I’ll keep an eye on upcoming art exhibits which strike my fancy at the Somerville Manning Gallery and will draw me back to the Brandywine Valley so very willingly.

Photos from through the lens of a cellphone could never capture the expansiveness of Winterthur so I’ve posted a small glimpse. Visit their website for more information and for professional images, taken by their professional photographers.

2023 American Impressionistic Society Show

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Thanks to some artist friends and acquaintances, our second stop in the Brandywine Valley was on our list of things to do and places to go before we even left home. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

The location of the 24th Annual National Juried Exhibition of AIS was just a short trip from the Brandywine River Art Museum into Delaware on a gorgeous country road, winding alongside the river. I had an idea of what to expect to see at the show – exquisite art from artists all over the country who have reached top levels. The Somerville-Manning Gallery’s fabulous location in the small stone settlement of Brecks Mill – Henry Clay historic district is what I wasn’t expecting. In 1813 the settlement was the home to Alfred Victor du Pont’s early 19th century woolen mill. The stone gallery shares building space with the village’s Post Office and the Brandywine River runs through the settlement tripping over the stones lining the stream bed.

Photo: The host of the 2023 AIS National Juried Exhibition was the Somerville-Manning Gallery located on the second floor of this fabulous historical stone building in Montchanin, DE.

The gallery assistant was both welcoming and knowledgeable. I could have stood in front of each and every painting for a whole afternoon. Too many words are needed to describe the quality of the work and all that I was seeing in each painting. My twin sister summed it up by saying “I have never been exposed to fine art like this in an exhibit anywhere.” But, our life-time experiences have been different even though we are twins.

What else was of great surprise to me, was to come across Chula Beauregard‘s painting “Winter Gathering” which won 2023 Artist’s Choice Award! I met Chula while living in Steamboat Springs, Colorado for ten years (her home town). At the time she was represented by Wild Horse Gallery, a place where I worked. I had the great honor of writing a book about one of her earliest art mentors, Richard Galusha. Chula and I became nice art acquaintances when I interviewed her in November 2011 for a post about her vision for her art career on this website AllThingsFulfilling.com. Wow! Has her command of her art ever grown since then and her collectors list has too!

I share photos of just a few more images of the many, many paintings included in the 2023 American Impressionistic Society‘s Show. My apologies for the poor photography. The paintings were many, and getting good photos with corresponding attribute labels was difficult. Outstanding images of all paintings, and of AIS Masters, including Quang Ho, are in the show catalogue. It may still be available by contacting the Somerville-Manning Gallery.

(Photo: The building which housed du Pont’s woolen mill can be seen across the Brandywine River.)

Before you leave this post, check out the Somerville-Manning Gallery website, too, for more information about the exhibit.

In a few day’s time, I will share more about our Magical Day in the Brandywine. We hit one of our regional bucket list items. It was quite overwhelming!

Magic of the Brandywine

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“Something waits beneath it. The whole story doesn’t show.” ~ Andrew Wyeth

Photo: View of the Brandywine River from the Museum

In the dog days of summer, it’s hard to find the “bony structure” of the Brandywine Valley that was often described and seen in the canvases of the Wyeth Family paintings. The density of trees and leafy greens prevents it. This August the art at the Brandywine River Art Museum was full of contrasts.

Abstract Flash: Unseen Andrew Wyeth exhibit was as stark as the winter landscape in the Brandywine devoid of the lush trees and foliage which is abundant in the summer. The collection is color-limited and as brittle as the gnarled hands of old Man Winter and the tree branches. That is not to say I did not enjoy it. Such is what makes much of Wyeth art distinguishable and identifiable immediately.

Book covers by N.C. Wyeth which are still seen today on many of the classics was also included in the Wyeth art displayed at the museum located in Chadd’s Ford, Pennsylvania, often referred to as “Wyeth country.” This author/book-lover appreciated revisiting many of the images I saw on front covers of the books which sat on my bookshelf in my childhood bedroom.

Mysterious Island by Jules Verne. Book Cover Illustration (1918) by N.C. Wyeth

In the second exhibit, the art of Joseph Stella is in sharp contrast. Saturated with bright color, top to bottom. Nature is seen in a most visionary way – full of energy, both magical and imaginary. Like a tropical floral environment ramped up to the nth degree.

One of many of Joseph Stella’s floral paintings

My stop at the Brandywine River Art Museum was our first in a day filled with art, history and all things fulfilling. My twin sister and I love to see and experience museums and other cultural places together. Do return to this website. I will have more about our visit to the Brandywine Valley in my next post a few days from now.

Swaying and Sultry on Palm Sunday Afternoon

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A band whose privilege has been to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. came to perform at the last concert of the winter/spring series at “Music at the Mansion” in Bel Air, Maryland. Seth Kibel, an accomplished woodwind musician and his band have won 28 Washington Area Music awards and deservedly so! Vocalist Flo Anito’s voice is beautifully suited to the genre of music – swing and jazz. Several 1920’s era tunes were played with instrumentals by Kibel on the clarinet, saxophone and flute. Michael Raitcyk accompanied on the guitar, Bob Abbott on double bass and Wes Crawford on the drums.

Here are just some of the recognizable favorites – I Take You with Anything But Love, Blue Skies, Bye-Bye Blackbird and Dance with Me. The artists drew selections from The Great American Songbook such as Dream a Little Dream. A song made famous in the Big Band era by Ann Renelle called Willow Weep for Me were in the mix.

An element of the unexpected were in a few Yiddish classics, one which was sung long ago by the Andrews Sisters. Seth Kibel and his band also included fast-paced European Folk Music often played at weddings, as well as a Brazilian bossa nova.

Of course, Billie Holiday an American jazz and swing music singer, raised in Baltimore, was not left out. Her slow, dreamy composition “God Bless the Child” came at the end of the concert.

What an enjoyable Palm Sunday afternoon it was at the Liriodendron Mansion. Keep your eye on the Liriodendron website for a great line up of performers coming this summer. “Music at the Mansion is made possible in part by a grant from Maryland State Arts Council through Harford County Cultural Arts Board, by Harford County, by Music Land, and by supporters like you!“

Shaping a Future

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The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory.” ~ Corinthians 15:41

One of the pleasures of being an author is the encounters and conversations I have with other book enthusiasts and other authors. I recently participated in an Author Showcase at Perry Hall branch of Baltimore County Library. A nine year old boy, a fourth grader, approached my display with his Dad. I asked him if he’d come to the library just to see the author showcase. “No,” he said, “I came to get a book” and he held out the book he had checked out for loan. It was age appropriately written for youth about Copernicus. The conversation so quickly led to his interests which included astronomy, engineering, science, math. He was without doubt a child wise and learned beyond his years. But the most beautiful thing was how evident it was from our conversation that his Dad was very quietly and thoughtfully introducing his son, who had a very bright mind, to a multitude of experiences which will foster and support his development. I knew after visiting with this young boy, he will probably be among the stars in his generation. I did not take his photo or get his name, instead, I just enjoyed our conversation.

As serendipity would have it, the next day when I attended Sunday service at Bel Air United Methodist Church, there was a guest singer, named Ian who played the piano and sang the lyrics of Stars from the Broadway musical Les Mis. Ian’s voice was magnificent and the images of the Universe, captured by the Webb telescope, projected on a big screen were astonishing.

This has left me pondering, how many stars of God’s creation are there out in the Universe that no one yet even knows about? Someday we might see their bright light in unexpected ways we hadn’t even considered.

Featured Artists: Beijing Guitar Duo

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In a limited seating venue, we were a fortunate group of people who were able to enjoy The Beijing Guitar Duo last night at Liriodendron Mansion.

These high caliper artists usually play at venues around the world that seat many, many people. In fact beginning in May 2023 the duo will be traveling to entertain in Germany and hold a residency and and concert in Spain. They’ve played at The Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and the National Theatre in Beijing.

So, about the instrumental music last evening of these two Grammy-nominated musicians. Some of the compositions were so delicately played their musical artistry seemed more fitting to be played in a small, intimate setting, such as Liriodendron Mansion rather than in big venues which seat hundreds of people.

As with any instrumentals only music, it is up to the listener to find their own interpretation of what they are hearing. To pull off the range of stories I heard being told in the music, it takes very accomplished strumming guitar skills. In the course of one evening, I saw in my mind two people leisurely strolling along des Champs-Elysees in Paris, at times slowing and stopping briefly to discuss what they were seeing. I envisioned a young girl idling the afternoon away in a hammock, perhaps reading a book and I heard a playfulness in some of the compositions.

There were two surprising compositions which were a bit discordant with the others, one you could hear the “giddy-up” of horses hooves through their strumming and well-controlled accoustic slaps on the wood of the instrument. And in another, I heard perhaps a bit of heartbreak through some sharp, commanding chords.

Some of the music played was their own writing and others, the artists said, were changed more to their liking just a little bit. The entire evening was delightful and thanks to the Harford County Cultural Arts Board, Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), Harford County and Music Land, for bringing this and other high quality entertainment to Liriodendron in their Music at the Mansion series.

A Musical Canvas

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St. Ignatius Church, Hickory, MD

A beautiful venue always adds to the experience when art of any kind is on display. St. Ignatius Church in Hickory, MD did not disappoint. It was where The Deer Creek Chorale, a multi-generational choral group exhibited their vocal talents late last Sunday afternoon. The singers, comprised of more than eighty members, from Baltimore and Harford County as well as a few voices from southern Pennsylvania have entertained not only in Maryland but at The Forbidden City Concert Hall in Bejing and Carnegie Hall and other impressive venues.

The non-profit organization is under the direction of Martha Banghart and her artistic staff which includes Julie Culotta, who founded the Deer Creek Youth Group nearly seven years ago. Now, youngsters age fifteen and over can have their interests and talents in the musical arts nurtured through the multi-aged group. As the audience “walked the rainbow trail” with the youth singers, lyrics encouraged others to be colorful, be bold and powerful, but most of all BE YOU! The youngsters are not just walking the walk, they are talking the talk as they learn by doing and being involved with what strikes their passions, choral singing.

The music of the evening brought a broad spectrum of compositions, many of which had colors in their titles such as Bein’ Green and Orange Colored Sky, sung by the youth. Deep Purple and A Red, Red Rose, True Colors and The Blue Ridge were a only a few sung by the adults. There were a few lively songs, but never riotous, such as Build Me Up Buttercup and a Big Yellow Taxi, sung by The Lady’s Six +1.

Susan Zantop, who is also a member of Deer Creek Chorale and Cultural Events Coordinator for the Maryland Center for the Arts, did a fine job of narrating which brought context to the music and how it tied into the visual arts portion of the program. Two award-winning artists, Joan Hodous and Bill Rothenbach presented their two paintings for silent auction, a oil and acrylic on canvas, respectively. The painters also provided commentary on their vision of what they brought to the canvas. Joan Hodous’ landscape was of Blue Ridge Mountains in the background flowing down to a hilly pastoral scene in the foreground. The colors on the canvas were subdued autumn hues. On the contrary, Bill Rothenbach who is a painter of abstract impressionism, his painting looked like a clash of fireworks of red, white and blue, which was a foretelling of what was to come next in the program – a patriotic melody of tunes. I was particularly struck by the masterful selection of voices which at one point sounded like fifes playing in the background of a 4th of July parade.

My impressions of “The Musical Canvas” were many but they can be summed up in just a few more words, “the concert was a wonderful respite before the busy winter holiday season sets in.”

As if the evening was not enough, when I walked out into the blustery air, the bells of the church pealed out “Amazing Grace” and it was indeed, a beautiful ending to Sunday performance of a fabulous community chorus, The Deer Creek Chorale. Thank you to the Maryland State Arts Council and the Harford County Cultural Arts Board for making the evening possible through their generous grants.

Expanding the Art Narrative – Part 2

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Welcome back! Today we are going to step in the door of Danforth Gallery in Livingston, Montana, where my son and I encountered an exhibit on Ledger Art. The art form has evolved from sketches of symbolism on cave walls to modern day ledger artists who draw on antique journal pages which long ago recorded information about land use and sale, acreage, harvest productions, weather and the like.

As my son and I made our way around the walls of the Danforth Gallery in Livingston, the town said to be “The Heart of Art in Montana,” looking at the images, he turned to me and said, “Mom, I feel like you and I have come full circle together.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Don’t you remember the book you bought me when I was a little guy that we used to pour over? It was an example of ledger art. “

“Ah yes, it was. How could I forget? One of our legendary favorites! But Marc, I can’t remember the full name of it.” We both batted around different titles getting close but not quite right. Then of course, he pulled out his cellphone and looked it up.

“Here it is,” he said, as he showed me the cover of the book on his cellphone. “Hey, whatever happened to that book, we spent so much time looking at it?”

“Don’t you remember?” I did!

“Oh, yeah, I loaned it to someone and never got it back.”

“It’s too bad. It would have been a great book to pass down to your daughter!” He loved it so.

I’m a very blessed Mom! When I am with him, my son shares my passions with me, and is almost always game for going to art galleries and art exhibitions, visiting libraries, and even discussing my faith beliefs. From the time he was a little guy he has had a very curious, active mind who tunes in well to other people’s stories.

Expanding the Art Narrative – Part 1

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This summer I visited a town which is referred to as “The Gateway to Yellowstone.” Never one to pass by an art gallery that seems as if it has the kind of art I truly enjoy, my son and I stopped into two galleries in Livingston, Montana on South Main Street. The first was Medicine Bird Gallery. Unfortunately, our time was limited so I may not have captured the best images of what I explain below, but, the gallery became food for thought.

Plein Air Painting of downtown Livingston, MT. On display at Medicine Bird Gallery.

The way in which the art was displayed was so uniquely different. Gallery Director Jinny Lee Story has made little narratives within the space, which in my mind helps tell the tale of early settlers heading west to the great unknown through the vignettes of carefully curated vintage items and antiques which are perfectly placed throughout the gallery. The accessories such as antique suitcases, antique globes, vintage cash registers and bellows cameras typically found in the Victorian portrait studio expands the whole narrative of what the art represents. The items accentuated the art and looked like scenes in old western movies. Fascinating! Draws you right in. Well, well done.

Medicine Bird Gallery, Livingston

Medicine Bird Gallery

Medicine Bird Gallery

Jinny Lee Story, it was a pleasure to meet you! The gallery was indeed medicine for my soul and it offered a great deal of what I like in art and culture.

This painting is titled “Susan’s house.”

Come on back on October 15, 2022. The second of this two part series about art in the “Gateway to Yellowstone” will be posted.