In 1903, Madeline Yale Wynne (1847-1918), a leader in the American Arts and Crafts movement, constructed an oak bride’s chest ornamented with hammered copper panels, wrought iron hinges, and semi-precious stones. Known as the Garden of Hearts for its carved and painted scene of three inverted heart-shaped trees standing alongside a winding river, the chest is a tour-de-force of Arts and Crafts design—which favored handcraftsmanship over mechanized production—and showcases Wynne’s many talents as a painter, metalsmith, and woodworker. Historic Deerfield will highlight her work in an exhibition at the Flynt Center of Early New England Life now through March 3, 2024. For more information visit https://www.historic-deerfield.org/events/
Registration is open for Historic Deerfield’s Fall Forum focused on the history of the Arts and Crafts movement in Deerfield and the Northeast. Visit the forum forum event page to see the program schedule and learn about a great scholarship opportunity provided by the The Decorative Arts Trust. Please note that the scholarship application deadline is August 28th.
Artists and architects in America’s northeast made significant contributions to the burgeoning Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, producing work that is still keenly studied. Arts and Crafts communities flourished not only in urban centers such as Boston and New York City, but also in regional communities including Rose Valley, Pennsylvania; East Aurora and Woodstock, New York; and Marblehead, Gardner, Worcester, and Deerfield, Massachusetts. In many of these locations, artists looked for inspiration not only in the work of their domestic and international contemporaries, but also in the early American or colonial past. In doing so, they produced original works of art that expanded the corpus of American Arts and Crafts design.
Historic Deerfield’s 2023 Fall Forum, The Arts and Crafts Movement in America’s Northeast, aims to address and celebrate this rich history by exploring the variety of artwork—from woodworking to metalwork—produced by urban and rural crafters of the northeast. The program features an impressive group of lecturers who will share new insights and information on a variety of topics, from the Marblehead Pottery of Marblehead, Massachusetts, to the Elverhoj Arts and Crafts colony of Milton-on-Hudson, New York. Keynote speaker Dr. Jonathan Clancy, Director of Collections and Preservation at The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms, will discuss the rise of Arts and Crafts metalwork. The forum will also offer optional special demonstrations in the areas of metalwork and bookbinding. Register at https://www.historic-deerfield.org/events/2023/fallforumartsandcrafts
The Arts and Crafts movement was noted for its nature-derived patterns. Elaine Searle is your guide in this Wellesley College Botanic Gardens fun expansion of your art. On the first Saturday, July 26, look at historical references and learn how to simplify a botanical form to make a pattern repeat. Work up your unique pattern in between classes. On the second Saturday, August 2, learn about restricted color palettes and use gouache paint (supplied) to work up your design. Elaine will offer an email critique of your final work. WCBG Friends – $225; non-members $280. Register at 781-283-3094, or email wcbgfriends@wellesley.edu.
We enjoyed author and noted garden historian Judith Tankard at our March meeting at the Wellesley College Botanic Garden, and we have the opportunity to hear her again on Sunday, June 7 at 2 pm, when she will give an illustrated lecture on The Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement, followed by a tea party and birthday cake celebrating Beatrix Farrand’s birthday. Judith will also be available to sign her books, and attendees will enjoy a plant sale and garden boutique. The lecture will be given at The Henry A. Wallace Visitor Center at the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt Historic Site and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, 4097 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, New York. There will be limited seating, so advance purchase of tickets is strongly recommended. For more information contact Anne Symmes: info@beatrixfarrandgarden.org, or call 845-229-9115, ext. 26. To learn more about Beatrix Farrand Garden Association visit www.beatrixfarrandgarden.org. Tickets are $25 ($20 for BFGA members).
