The Wharton Esherick Museum

THE WHARTON ESCHERICK MUSEUM'S PURPOSE IS TO PRESERVE, MAINTAIN AND MAKE (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) ACCESSIBLE FOR PUBLIC VIEWING THE STUDIO, RESIDENCE AND WORK OF WHARTON ESHERICK.

AFTER A CLOSURE OF MORE THAN A YEAR, THE MUSEUM REOPENED IN JUNE OF 2021. WE CONTINUED OUR ESTABLISHED AND POPULAR ONLINE PROGRAM SERIES AND ENDED OUR 2021 SEASON WITH 1,263 IN-PERSON VISITORS TO THE SITE AND 2,270 VIRTUAL ATTENDEES TO ONLINE PROGRAMS. OUR EXHIBITIONS FOR 2021 MOVED PRIMARILY ONLINE, WITH OUR ANNUAL IMPRINT (MARCH THROUGH MAY) STUDENT PRINTMAKING EXHIBIT MOVING ENTIRELY ONLINE FOR 2021 AND INCORPORATING NEW PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING LESSON PLANS, PRESENTATIONS FOR STUDENTS BY PROFESSIONAL PRINTMAKERS, AND A VIRTUAL OPENING. THE 2021 ANNUAL JURIED WOODWORKING EXHIBITION (MAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER '21) WILL BE A HYBRID VIRTUAL/PHYSICAL MODEL IN WHICH WE WILL HAVE 3-6 PIECES (AWARD WINNERS) IN THE VISITOR CENTER, EXHIBITED ALONG WITH SOME ESHERICK PIECES WHICH EMBODY THE THEME OF THE SHOW. THE REMAINING 20-25 WORKS, FROM A TOTAL SUBMISSION POOL OF 117, WILL BE SHOWN IN A VIRTUAL EXHIBITION THAT INCLUDES IMAGES AND VIDEO OF THE WORK. THIS HYBRID VIRTUAL/IN-PERSON MODEL ALLOWS US TO MOUNT A MORE THOUGHTFUL SHOW OF WORKS BETTER SUITED TO THE SMALL GALLERY SPACE WHICH ALSO SERVES AS THE MUSEUM STORE AND SALES DESK AND ULTIMATELY HAS THE CAPACITY TO REACH MANY MORE PEOPLE AND PROVIDE MORE VISIBILITY AND SUPPORT TO THE ARTISTS WHO HAVE ENTERED THE SHOW. OTHER BENEFITS ARE BEING ABLE TO INCLUDE PIECES WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE PHYSICALLY FIT IN THE VISITOR CENTER GALLERY SPACE, OR WOULD HAVE BEEN COST PROHIBITIVE TO SHIP, AND THE ABILITY TO DO MORE VIA SOCIAL MEDIA AND ONLINE PROGRAMS TO CELEBRATE THE ARTISTS AND THE EXHIBITION ITSELF. THE EXHIBITION JURORS WERE: EMILY ZILBER, DIRECTOR OF CURATORIAL AFFAIRS AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, AT THE WHARTON ESHERICK MUSEUM BRINGS OVER 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BUILDING CURATORIAL PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON CONTEMPORARY ART AND CRAFT FOR INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING THE RENWICK GALLERY OF THE SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM, THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON, AND CRANBROOK ACADEMY OF ART AND ART MUSEUM; TEACHING IN THE GRADUATE PROGRAM AT TYLER SCHOOL OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE; AND BOARD SERVICE FOR CRAFTNOW PHILADELPHIA AND THE CENTER FOR CRAFT, A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ADVANCING THE FIELD OF CRAFT THROUGH FOSTERING NEW IDEAS AND BACKING THE NEXT GENERATION OF MAKERS, CURATORS, AND CRITICS. MIGUEL GMEZ-IBEZ SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE NORTH BENNET STREET SCHOOL (NBSS), A RENOWNED SCHOOL OF CRAFTSMANSHIP IN BOSTON, FROM 2006-2019. HE CURRENTLY SERVES AS PRESIDENT EMERITUS. MIGUEL IS THE FIRST NBSS GRADUATE (CABINET AND FURNITURE MAKING, 1999) TO LEAD THE INSTITUTION. MIGUEL HOLDS A MASTER'S DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA AND AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE FROM WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY. BEFORE ENROLLING AT NBSS, HE WORKED AS AN ARCHITECT FOR 26 YEARS. HIS FURNITURE HAS BEEN FEATURED IN HOUSE AND GARDEN, AMERICAN CRAFT, AND OTHER MAGAZINES, GALLERIES, AND MUSEUMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SAMANTHA DE TILLIO IS A CURATOR AND WRITER SPECIALIZING IN MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY CRAFT. SHE IS ASSISTANT CURATOR AT THE MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN, WHERE HER UPCOMING EXHIBITION BETH LIPMAN: COLLECTIVE ELEGY (MAY 14, 2020 TO MARCH 28, 2021) IS THE ARTIST'S FIRST MID-CAREER SURVEY. SHE IS ALSO A CONTRIBUTING EDITOR FOR GLASS: THE URBANGLASS ART QUARTERLY AND HER ONGOING PERSONAL RESEARCH INCLUDES THE FIRST IN-DEPTH STUDY OF THE LIFE AND FIBER SCULPTURE OF DORIAN ZACHAI (1932-2015). DE TILLIO HAS AN MA IN THE HISTORY OF DECORATIVE ARTS FROM THE SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATES WITH GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY, AND A BA IN HISTORY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBANY. SHE HAS WORKED AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY, THE THOMAS COLE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, AND THE ALBANY INSTITUTE OF HISTORY AND ART IN VARIOUS CURATORIAL AND RESEARCH CAPACITIES.IN 2021 WE COMPLETED A NUMBER OF MAJOR PRESERVATION PROJECTS AROUND THE SITE, INCLUDING STRUCTURALLY STABILIZING THE WOODSHED BUILDING, REPAIRING AND PAINTING WINDOW TRIM ON THE STUDIO, REPAIRING AND PAINTING SECTIONS OF THE 1965 STUDIO DECK, AND A MAJOR PLUMBING REPAIR IN THE 1956 WORKSHOP BUILDING. WE CONSULTED WITH AN ARBORIST IN THE SUMMER OF 2021 AND IN JANUARY OF 2022 WILL BE REMOVING SEVERAL TREES SITUATED WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE OF THE MUSEUM BUILDINGS.