Guided tours of the Wyeth artist studios to reopen for the season, April 5–November 19
Chadds Ford, PA, March 22, 2023 — Beginning April 5, the Brandywine Museum of Art will kick off a new season of public tours of the N. C. Wyeth House & Studio and Andrew Wyeth Studio—both National Historic Landmarks owned and operated by the Museum. Guided tours of these properties will be offered to the public on select times, Wednesday–Sunday, through November 19, 2023. These historic sites present a rare opportunity to stand in the locations where art was made by these legendary artists, as well as to gain a deeper appreciation for the works by both artists on view inside of the Museum.
New to tours this year at the Andrew Wyeth Studio will be a special focus on Jamie Wyeth, the artist’s son, whose first studio space as a young artist was adjacent to his father’s working area. Jamie Wyeth recently returned to this formative space to restage his creation of Draft Age (1965), a work in the Brandywine’s permanent collection that the artist painted at this location. At the N. C. Wyeth Studio, a recently conserved birchbark canoe is one of many highlighted objects on view this year. The artist purchased the canoe in 1938 from an antiques dealer in Maine. Over 18-feet long, the canoe is believed to be the product of the Penobscot nation, of the Wabanaki Confederacy. It dates from the early nineteenth century, making it one of the oldest known birchbark canoes in existence.
Limited tours of the nearby Kuerner Farm—also a National Historic Landmark owned by the Brandywine, where Andrew Wyeth found inspiration for more than 70 years—will be offered on two dates this year: May 5 and June 2. Throughout the year, the Kuerner Farm also remains a place of continuing inspiration with an ongoing series of plein air classes offered by the Brandywine. These programs enable artists across media to respond to the historic landscape and buildings which were significant subjects for Wyeth. Upcoming plein air programs can be found on the Brandywine’s website at www.brandywine.org/events.
Tours of these properties also enhance visits to the Brandywine’s current special exhibition, Andrew Wyeth: Home Places, now on view through July 16, 2023. This exhibition presents nearly 50 paintings and drawings of local buildings that inspired Wyeth time and again over seven decades of his career—including the Kuerner Farm. The artworks in this exhibition are drawn exclusively from Andrew and Betsy Wyeth Collection of the Wyeth Foundation for American Art, now managed by the Brandywine, which contains more 7,000 works by the artist—the majority of which have never before been exhibited. Home Places offers a first glimpse at this significant treasure trove that sheds new light on the collaborative creative process of Andrew and Betsy Wyeth.
All guided tours depart from the Brandywine Museum of Art, and advance reservations are strongly recommended. Tour tickets include general admission to the Museum and can be purchased online at www.brandywine.org/studios. The artists’ studios are members of the Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a coalition of 55 historic sites that were the homes and working studios of American artists. The Brandywine is fortunate to have two of these sites of creative expression, which allow visitors to peek into artists’ personal spaces and explore their tools and techniques, along with the props they collected.
About the Brandywine Museum of Art:
The Brandywine Museum of Art features an outstanding collection of American art housed in a 19th-century Mill building with a dramatic steel and glass addition overlooking the banks of the Brandywine River. The Museum is located on Route 1 in Chadds Ford, PA. Admission is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors ages 65 and over, $6 for students and children ages 6 and up; free for children 5 and younger and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art members. Current hours of operation can be found at www.brandywine.org/hours. Guided tours of the Andrew Wyeth Studio, N. C. Wyeth House & Studio, and the Kuerner Farm—all National Historic Landmarks—are available seasonally (for an additional fee); advance reservations are recommended. For more information, call 610.388.2700 or visit brandywine.org/museum. The Museum is one of the two programs of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.
About the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art:
The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art preserves and promotes the natural and cultural connections between the area’s beautiful landscape, historic sites, and important artists. The Conservancy protects the lands and waters throughout the Brandywine Valley and other priority conservation areas, developing sustainable approaches to emerging needs and assuring preservation of majestic open spaces and protection of natural resources for generations to come. The Museum of Art presents and collects historic and contemporary works of American art, engaging and exciting visitors of all ages through an array of exhibitions and programs. The Brandywine unites the inspiring experiences of art and nature, enhancing the quality of life in its community and among its diverse audiences.
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