Spring/Summer 2021
Chadds Ford Life
Magazine
The Sanderson Museum Names from the Past Page 32
Inside: • The art of Ellen Catanzaro • Chadds Ford: Art, history, and conservation • The Maximalist Aesthetic of Lauren Francis
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Chadds Ford Life Spring/Summer 2021
Chadds Ford Life Table of Contents 8 Chadds Ford Life 16 Faunbrook: A contemporary bed & breakfast with 19th-century roots
24 West Chester University celebrates 150 years
32 Names from the past
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32
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36 Brinton Run Preserve 40 Lessons in theatre and life 48 Photo Essay: The Maximalist Aesthetic of Lauren Francis
54 ’Is that an Ellen?’:
The art of Ellen Catanzaro
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Chadds Ford Life Spring/Summer 2021 Letter from the Editor:
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The first story in this issue of Chadds Ford Life focuses on the art, history, and conservation efforts that make Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania a great place to visit—and an even better place to live. Chris Barber, a writer and photographer, takes readers on a quick tour of the historic village that is Chadds Ford. Writer Richard L. Gaw profiles Chadds Ford artist Ellen Catanzaro, whose paintings inspired by the turbulence of weather have led to her work -- which now includes pillows and wallpaper -- being displayed in homes from as near as Chadds Ford and the Main Line to as far away as California. This issue also features the work of Gene Pisasale, a local historian and author based in Kennett Square. Gene has written ten books and conducts an historic lecture series throughout the region. In his story in this issue, Gene writes about some of the famous people who have called this area home. Writer Natalie Smith explores a contemporary bed and breakfast—that has its roots in the 19th century. She talks to Lori Zytkowicz about what it’s like to run the Victorianera Faunbrook Bed and Breakfast. This issue also takes a look at how West Chester University is celebrating its sesquicentennial with numerous events throughout the year. The Chadds Ford Life photo essay features the maximalist aesthetic of Lauren Francis. We’re very pleased to be sharing the stories in this issue of Chadds Ford Life with you, and we hope you enjoy them as well. We always welcome your comments and suggestions for stories to be included in upcoming issues of the magazine. We’re already hard at working planning the next issue of Chadds Ford Life, which will arrive in the fall of 2021. Sincerely, Randy Lieberman, Publisher randyl@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553 Steve Hoffman, Editor editor@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553, Ext. 13 Cover Design: Tricia Hoadley Cover photo: Courtesy of the Christian Sanderson Museum. www.chestercounty.com | Spring/Summer 2021 | Chadds Ford Life
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|Around Chadds Ford|
Chadds Ford Life Chadds Ford offers art, history, and conservation
By Chris Barber Contributing Writer
D
All photos by Chris Barber
The original grist mill that formed the base of the Brandywine River Museum of Art has been expanded substantially since the transformation.
Green Meadows Florist in the shops has been praised for providing individualized service to its customers. 8
Chadds Ford Life | Spring/Summer 2021 | www.chestercounty.com
efining the place named Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, is a difficult task. For some, it is the historic village and crossroads along Route 1, 26 miles outside Philadelphia. For others, it is the municipality bearing the “Chadds Ford” name that skirts the Brandywine Creek in Delaware County. For still others, it is anywhere within or even near the 19317 postal zip code. With it all, it is safe to say that most people who find themselves in any of those locations are proud to announce that they “live in Chadds Ford.”
Barbara Moore Fine Art is filled with local and famous artworks. It also provides custom framing.
Anyone driving west out of Philadelphia along Route 1 becomes aware of their presence in Chadds Ford as they pass the Brandywine Battlefield, Hank’s Place and the entrance to the Brandywine River Museum of Art. Poking around, those travelers encounter a host of Revolutionary War-era buildings and shops that have been meticulously and artistically restored. Chadds Ford is the fortunate heir to a history that includes a Revolutionary War battle, the home of the world-famous Wyeth artist family and the conservation efforts of the Brandywine Conservancy, which has shielded the region from out-of-control development. Geographically at the center of the village alongside the Brandywine Creek at the intersection of Creek Road, the Brandywine River Museum of Art houses artwork by the Wyeth family and other regional artists. It has become a nationally renowned art museum and popular tourist destination. It also features a long list of programs and an impressive book shop and gift shop. Initially, this building was a grist mill built in the late 19th century. For years, it looked like a shabby barn alongside the road. In the late 1960s, however, it was restored to an art museum thanks to the efforts of the late local investors and artist/conservationist George “Frolic” Weymouth. A member of the du Pont family and an enthusiastic supporter of nature, an ardent fox hunter and a friend of the Wyeths, Weymouth became a founder of the conservancy and a cutting-edge driver of Chadds Ford preservation. Continued on Page 10
A statue by sculptor Charles Parks greets guests at the Brandywine River Museum of Art.
A brightly painted horse statue greets visitors at the barn shops.
The Brandywine River Museum of Art was once a humble grist mill beside the creek. www.chestercounty.com | Spring/Summer 2021 | Chadds Ford Life
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Chadds Ford Life Continued from Page 9
On the north side of Route 1 at Creek Road sits Hank’s Place, a small diner that attracts large crowds, especially for weekend breakfasts. Inside the diner, the spirit and artwork of the Wyeth family is unmistakable, with framed pictures on the wall and a huge, autographed print of Jamie Wyeth’s boyhood and young adult friend Jimmy Lynch in biker garb. Hank’s Place was founded in 1950 as a hamburger stand and was visited often by the Wyeths. Its popularity has Continued on Page 12
A biker stops by for lunch at Hank’s Place along Route 1.
While the land and shops of Chadds Ford conjure up memories of a peaceful past, U. S. Route 1 passes right through the middle and over the Brandywine Creek.
Hank’s owner Anthony Young thanks his customers for helping him make it through the COVID-19 closures.
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endured not only for its famous roots but also for its homestyle cooking. Owner Anthony Young praised the support by his frequent, loyal customers. “Thanks to the community, we’ve been able to weather the COVID-19 storm thanks to our regular clientele,” he said. East across Creek Road are the Chadds Ford Village and Barn Shops. Included there are the Brandywine Prime restaurant (formerly Chadds Ford Inn) and a string of small shops selling a variety of crafts and unique items. These shops are known among their customers as shining examples of artistic work and attention to the needs of those who shop there. Diane Baker, who works with sales at Barbara Moore Fine Art, a framing and fine art store, said of Moore, “She is a font of knowledge. She knows everybody and if she doesn’t have something people are looking for, she knows who does.” Rounding out the village corner on the south side is Leader’s Sunoco Station, which the Leader family – Jim, Ted, Kevin and Valerie -- has operated since 1986. They agreed that this is more than a simple gas station by
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A sign along Route 1 lets drivers know what can be found inside the barn shops.
In 1968, some local residents had the foresight to establish a historical society. It also sponsors the popular annual pumpkin carve event.
the side of the road. The business is a part of the community, and the Leader family has strong ties to the local residents. For years they have thrown an annual Christmas party at the station for their frequent customers. They are thankful for the loyal, local clientele. Continued on Page 14
The Brandywine Conservancy building directs the business of conservation and the art museum in the area.
Brandywine Prime restaurant (formerly Chadds Ford Inn) provides elegant formal dining in the village.
A restored house on Creek Road has been turned into a museum in honor of Chris Sanderson, a former author and historian in the village. www.chestercounty.com | Spring/Summer 2021 | Chadds Ford Life
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Chadds Ford Life Continued from Page 12
Spreading beyond the village center are sparkling points of interest and history that are preserved and invite visitation by the public. They include the Brandywine Battlefield, the Barns-Brinton House, the John Chadds House, the Chris Sanderson Museum and the Chadds Ford Historical Society. For an ample dose of historical information and plentiful handicrafts, Chadds Ford is worth the visit. Visit Hank’s for breakfast, and the pleasure will last the day. Visit the museum and the education will remain for a lifetime. Chadds Ford life is special.
Above: Chadds Ford Elementary School originally served the children of Pennsbury, Birmingham and Chadds Ford, but it is now a feeder elementary school for the UnionvilleChadds Ford School District.
Left: Leader Sunoco is more than a simple gas station. For 35 years they have been part of the community.
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|Local Spotlight|
The ‘experience’ of Faunbrook Bed & Breakfast By Natalie Smith Contributing Writer
E
ver dream about running a bed and breakfast? Lori Zytkowicz did. As owner of the Victorian-era Faunbrook Bed & Breakfast in nearby West Chester since 2008, she’s welcomed guests from across the world to her 19th-century inn. The B&B seed was sown when the personable Zytkowicz was growing up in the small Fairview Village neighborhood in Worcester, Montgomery County. “I read a book as a teenager that had a character who
All photos by Barry Schickling unless otherwise noted
The Edith Suite, also known as the bridal suite, features a large bathroom with a soaker tub, separate shower and water closet. The seven guestrooms in Faunbrook are named after members of the Darlington Family.
Faunbrook B&B, near the southwest corner of West Chester, is a Victorian estate that was the private home of the Smedley Darlington Family, built in the 1860s. 16
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This 19th-century inn plays host to special events in Victorian splendor
owned a B&B, and I thought that’s what I really wanted to do,” she said. Although her adult career path included varied jobs in publishing, marketing and with the Chester County Intermediate Unit, a chance hearing that Faunbrook was for sale enabled her to make the fervent girlhood wish a reality. It’s easy to see why the charming Faunbrook could fulfill many an aspiring B&B innkeeper’s dream. Formerly the home of Pocopson-born oil and banking entrepreneur Smedley Darlington and his family, the seven-guestroom house is set on two acres off West Rosedale Avenue, near the southwest corner of the borough. Surrounded by trees and flowers, the verdant setting makes it easy to imagine
Lori Zytkowicz has been owner/innkeeper of Faunbrook since she purchased the bed and breakfast in 2008.
the parties and entertaining for which Faunbrook was noted. The Italian Federal style-home built by William Baldwin and purchased by Darlington in 1867 was likely designed by prominent Philadelphia architect Samuel Sloan. A weathervane faun – the mythical half-human, half-goat creature – gracing the estate’s roof lent the property its name. Zytkowicz said that when Darlington was elected to Congress, he and his wife Mary eventually moved to Washington, D.C., but the house stayed in the family, remaining privately owned for more than a century. Faunbrook was vacant for a period in the 1970s, then
Photo courtesy of Lori Zytkowicz
Mary and Smedley Darlington (center) surrounded by their children, inlaws and grandchildren. Faunbrook stayed in the family for more than 100 years.
purchased in the 1980s when it was first turned into a bed and breakfast. “I’m the fourth owner of the house as a B&B,” she said. “When I took it over, it was literally turn-key. I walked in the day the previous owner walked out … it was fully furnished, decorated and operating. We even had guests that day.” Zytkowicz pointed out the downstairs rooms that are open for the guests’ leisure. The parlor has two Monticello windows, which open wide enough to easily walk through, leading out to the wrap-around porch and a view of the landscaped grounds. The appropriately appointed library and the winter porch make for relaxed lounging, as guests are surrounded by décor that’s not only appealing, but comfortable. “The bed-and-breakfast guests are welcome to use what we consider the common areas of the house. The whole first floor from the porch to patio is a great place to just hang out, have a glass of wine, or whatever you want to do.” Zytkowicz has an advantage in obtaining suitable furnishings. A licensed auctioneer, Zytkowicz has been working part-time for Briggs Auctions, Inc. since 2008. “Many of the current Faunbrook furnishings, china and décor were purchased through Briggs Auction,” she said. The inside/outside aspect of the first floor makes it a natural for events, particularly working under COVID-19 guidelines. The events run the gamut. ““We do everything, from weddings, wedding showers, rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, memorial services, graduations and retirement parties, “ she said. “We hosted a tax dinner for the CPAs on April 15, celebrating the end of their season. “For weddings, if it’s a Friday or Saturday event, we require that they book the whole inn and then we will do smaller events on Sundays. And, of course, we’re a fully operating bed and breakfast.” As with most bed and breakfast operations, Zytkowics is not only the innkeeper but the chef. She makes full breakfasts every day and can accommodate allergies and dietary restrictions. “Today, for example, we had a raspberry cream cheese croissant, stuffed French toast, bacon, scrambled eggs and fruit cup,” she said. “We will switch the main entree from a sweet to a savory each day, and tomorrow will be spinach and cheese quiche, sage sausage, homemade coffee cake muffins and berry parfaits.” Ensuring the food is sourced from nearby is a priority. “We are as much farm-to-table as possible here. So that’s very important to me to support local and use the local Continued on Page 18
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Faunbrook B&B Continued from Page 17
food. Of course, the guests love the farm-to-table breakfast. “Our eggs are local from The Edge Farms in Chester Springs and are delivered here every other week,” she said. “The meats are all local and primarily purchased at Westtown Amish Market. When in season, we provide local fruits, as well, from Pete’s Produce or the Amish market. All baked goods are prepared in-house.” For eight years pre-COVID, Faunbrook has played host to its Harvest dinners. “We had three dinners a year, June, August and October. They’re open to the public. We used all of our local vendors and we picked a seasonal Harvest theme, so we would have, for instance, the pumpkin dinner, the apple dinner and the strawberry dinner. “Since the only food that we do on-site is breakfast, if we’re hosting an event, like a corporate lunch meeting or wedding, guests may bring in their own caterer or use one from the list of eight preferred caterers.” While events are Faunbrook’s mainstay, “We get a lot of people from this local area who are staying over, a lot of anniversary celebrations and that kind of thing. We do get a very big group of D.C. and New York travelers coming into the area.” The Brandywine Valley offers many enticements. “It’s beautiful, obviously,” she said. “It’s great for everything: the
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The stained glass was made by a friend of Faunbrook B&B owner/innkeeper Lori Zytkowicz. It’s on the front side of the wraparound porch.
wineries; Longwood Gardens; museums like Winterthur and Nemours. They’re big draws, now especially and over the holidays.” Faunbrook has partnered with Longwood, offering two complementary tickets to the gardens if guests book two nights during the week. The borough of West Chester itself, with its walkability, restaurants, shops and entertainment is very attractive to visitors.
The furnishings of Faunbrook, like those in the library, are actually from the Victorian era or Victorian-inspired.
For overnight guests, rooms and suites await. As a nod to the original family, the guestrooms, all with private bathrooms, are named after the Darlingtons: daughters Edith, Elizabeth, Isabel, Rose, May and son Percy. “We have three rooms that we consider our suites; they are a little bit larger,” she said. “Two of the suites [the Darlington and the Percy] have gas fireplaces and the one has a large soaking tub. The one with the tub is our Edith suite, typically the bridal suite. It has a separate shower and water closet. Brides love it.” Zytkowicz said the previous owners made a substantial financial investment in modernizing the rooms. “Between 2002 and 2007, they put a quarter of a million dollars into renovations, mostly adding bathrooms and central AC in the guestrooms.” The innkeeper admits to being partial to one of the rooms. “The Isabel Room is my favorite,” she said. “It has one of the original bathrooms in the house, with 1800s painted tile and a clawfoot tub.” Continued on Page 20
The winter porch at the front of Faunbrook is a cozy place to sit when the weather is too chilly to be outside. www.chestercounty.com | Spring/Summer 2021 | Chadds Ford Life
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Faunbrook B&B Continued from Page 19
Isabel Darlington herself was quite well known, Zytkowicz said. “She was a prominent attorney in her day, which of course was unusual for a woman. She was also the first female president of the Chester County Bar Association.” Isabel also helped establish a first important connection. “She was the attorney who helped [Pierre S.] du Pont acquire the land that is now Longwood Gardens. “There are actually 20 different species of trees on the Faunbrook property, and some of them came from Longwood,” Zytkowicz said. Another family member of note was grandson Smedley Butler, whose mother was Darlington daughter Maud Butler. Maj. Gen. Butler, a Marine who fought in both the Mexican Revolution and World War I, was, at the time of his death in 1940, the most decorated Marine in U.S. history. Considering the age and provenance of the house, Zytkowicz is often asked if it’s haunted. “Not that I’ve seen,” she said. “People seem to get ‘feelings’ about the Rose Room.” But, she confessed with a laugh, “sometimes the TV in the Darlington Suite turns on Continued on Page 22
The stained-glass window on the staircase landing between the second and third floors was installed sometime between 2002 and 2007. 20
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Faunbrook B&B Continued from Page 20
by itself. Even after we replaced it.” Zytkowicz loves her role as innkeeper, but despite two part-time employees and part-time bookkeeper, she admits it’s very hard work. Boyfriend Jon Gottier, a West Chester native with a background in auto mechanics, is the primary handyman, aids in kitchen duties and cleaning when needed. “The maintenance is expensive,” she said of the large, historic inn. And since 2020’s COVID-19 restrictions, “corporate travel has completely died off. It’s been a roller coaster.” But as people are eager to carefully ease up on some of the restraints of last year, Zytkowicz has seen bookings on the uptick. “I have rooms booked up in through fall. We are almost 100 percent booked on weekends, now through the end of June, mostly for weddings and that will be the same in September-October. This year it’s probably going to flow over with this big pent-up demand following last year’s catastrophes.” In reflecting on the most rewarding aspects of being the owner/innkeeper of Faunbrook B&B, this hostess, concierge, cook, and just about everything-else handler said, “I love that when people come here, they are almost always celebrating something. Staying here should be an experience, not just a place to stay.” Contact Natalie Smith at natalie@DoubleSMedia.com
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|In the Spotlight|
A Sesquicentennial should be special West Chester University marks 150 years with a celebration and numerous events
A class photo of the 1910 West Chester Normal School. 24
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All photos Courtesy of West Chester University
By Natalie Smith Contributing Writer
I
n the cumulative annals of human history, 150 years may not seem like a lot, but if it is applied to the length of time a university has been educating its students, it is a number that is cause for celebration. West Chester University of Pennsylvania has been marking its sesquicentennial in various ways all year, including collecting former student, staff and instructor memories online and through video; sharing highlights of its history (including Banana Day); and even issuing 150th anniversary swag, like caps, T-shirts and hoodies. In the thick of this year-long celebration and its planning are Vice President for University Affairs and Chief of Staff Dr. John Villella and Director of Events Mary Beth Henley,
who are co-chairs of the Sesquicentennial Committee. The committee is made up of faculty, staff, students and members of the West Chester University Foundation. The breadth of the group is typical of the way WCU handles events and projects, said Villella. “I think that’s part of the culture here at West Chester University, what we call shared governance. We want to make sure we’re as inclusive as we can be,” he said. Central to the WCU story they want to tell, say the committee co-chairs, is the school’s willingness and ability to adapt. A lot has happened since 1871, when the former West Chester Academy for training elementary school teachers opened its doors to students as the West Chester Normal School, a state-recognized facility, Villella said. Continued on Page 26
A contemporary photo of the freshman class of West Chester University during a Purple & Gold Admissions event. Purple and gold are the school’s colors. www.chestercounty.com | Spring/Summer 2021 | Chadds Ford Life
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West Chester University Continued from Page 25
“Let’s start with the fact that this is an institution that has really transformed itself over that period of time, starting as a Normal School,” he said. “And then it was basically a state Teachers College. The state itself created the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education back in 1983 and we became a part of that piece. Then shortly after that we went to university status. “This institution has continued to grow and change over time. Even over the course of the last, I’d say, 10 years, there’s been significant change, both in our enrollment and the kinds of programming that we’ve been able to offer. We now have four different doctoral degrees that we offer, and that was a major change.” Villella speaks with the knowledge of someone who has deep roots in WCU. His 38-year affiliation with WCU began when he earned undergraduate and master’s degrees in music education there, being invited to become a faculty member and continuing to this day as part of the university’s administration. “So there are a lot of really good things that have been happening here. And this is a great time for us to celebrate,” he said, noting that the launch of a capital campaign will also be part of the celebration. Recognizing the tongue-twister that is 150 years, Henley, director of events for the West Chester University
The Philips Arch, taken sometime between 1930 and 1940. 26
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Foundation, said with a laugh, “It’s just fun to ask people to say, ‘sesquicentennial.’” The co-chair said she “jumped into” the project with enthusiasm. “This campus is so innovative and it’s so active. They do so many things already. We’re just trying to focus on and celebrate just how we do things normally to kind of elevate what everybody has going on.” During the week leading up to the anniversary date (Sept. 25), Villella said there are “a multitude of different opportunities for all aspects of this campus to show what they’re doing and what’s been historically significant for them.” One of the events, Henley said, includes the work of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Dr. Tracey Robinson. “We’ve been working with Tracey and her coordination across campus on diversity and kind of coming together to create a diversity speaker series,” she said. “We’re really excited about just bringing voices to campus that can kind of help the campus grow and evolve -- just making everything a little bit bigger.” The 150th Anniversary website, wcupa.edu / wcu150, has among its features historical photos, a timeline and stories. Those connected in some way with the university are encouraged to contribute. “What our intent is, is to sort of make this a living document over this next year, that will grow and change as time goes on,” Villella said. Henley said they will continue to post profiles on the website. They are currently working on one about Continued on Page 28
A contemporary photo of the Philips Arch.
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West Chester University Continued from Page 27
Dr. Sandra Pritchard Mather, an alumna and retired professor in the Department of Geology & Astronomy. In 2013, Mather donated half the funds to update the university’s planetarium that bears her name. A current profile posted is about Lawrence Alfred “Larry” Dowdy, alumnus and retired executive deputy to the president. Dowdy was among the first Black students at WCU in the 1970s, and the profile shares how he and his fellow minority students dealt with the racism they encountered. “That’s a great profile,” Henley said of the Dowdy piece. “His involvement as a student and administrator, and how he changed the campus the way he has. So we’re really excited that it’s is all kind of working together and that the timeline we have on the website is a resource for the students.” Another sesquicentennial highlight will be something that Villella hopes will is seen by many, particularly former WCU graduates.
T L
The band from the Normal School in 1910.
“We just partnered with our Anthropology Department and they’re going to put together a 150th Anniversary Museum or living museum that will be in our library from the fall through the spring semester,” he said. “Then our intent is to be able to take that on the road, so we can show it Continued on Page 30
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West Chester University Continued from Page 28
to community organizations and to our alumni who may not be close to campus anymore.” Villella said WCU alumni may live in as many as 60 countries. “There are 17,000 alums out there and the majority of them are in a [southeastern Pennsylvania] five-county area close to here,”
The West Chester University Marching Band on parade.
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he said. “But we are spread out and we want to make sure that we try to give a give people a reason to reconnect with West Chester.” When asked to recall, Villella does have his own favorite West Chester University memory. Although he later earned his doctorate from Widener University, Villella had been offered a job at WCU after finishing his master’s there in music education. “They were way too kind to invite me back to be a faculty member, something they don’t do too often these days (before obtaining the more advanced degree).” While on staff, he was assistant marching band director from 1983 to 1992 and director from 1993 to 2007. “My best memory has been watching the faces of the first-year students, the first time they received a reaction from the crowd,” he said. “To this day, even though I am not the band director anymore, that’s probably one of my best feelings, because I have watched those students come off the field after that first performance and tell me that the feeling was unbelievable.” Natalie Smith may be contacted at natalie@ DoubleSMedia.com.
|Chadds Ford History|
Names from the past By Gene Pisasale Contributing Writer
His passion for medicine prompted him to form the Medical Society of Chester f you remember the somCounty. Darlington passed ber music in the film away on April 23, 1863; he’s Platoon, you’ve heard an buried in Oaklands Cemetery orchestral piece by a local in West Chester. native son. If your grandfaThe decade of the 1920s ther served in the Marines, was for many one of wealth he would have known about and decadence--and Joseph another long-time resident. Hergesheimer’s novels porIf anyone in your family is a trayed the “aesthetic life” history buff, a fan of sports, during that period. Born in or early 20th century novels, Philadelphia on February 15, they’re likely familiar with 1880, he later lived in West some other denizens who Photo courtesy of the Christian Sanderson Museum. Chester. His novel “Three spent years in West Chester Anyone who drives north past Hank’s Place in Chadds Ford has gone Black Pennys” was the first by the Christian Sanderson Museum. Chris Sanderson was the village one printed by the new and Chadds Ford. It’s not often that a man historian for many years, and he helped people understand the heritage Alfred A. Knopf publishing of the area, including its role in the Battle of the Brandywine. achieves success in three house. He produced sevcareers; William Darlington eral works, including “Java did. Born on April 28, 1782 at Birmingham in Chester Head”(1919), “Cytherea” (1922) and “The Limestone Tree” County, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania (1929). His style fell out of favor in the 1930s; he died on with a medical degree. He was a Navy ship’s surgeon in the April 25, 1954 and was buried at Oaklands Cemetery. East Indies in 1806, returning to West Chester the following Smedley Butler was born on July 30, 1881 and later year. Darlington raised a company of volunteers during the give new meaning to the words “Semper Fi.” Butler was War of 1812, made a Major for his efforts. schooled in West Chester, enlisting in the Marine Corps at Darlington was elected as a U.S. Congressman in 1814 age 16. He served in the Phillippines, Central America and and served a total of three terms, taking a stance against the Caribbean during the “Banana Wars” and Veracruz, slavery. When the canal craze swept the nation, he became Mexico during their move toward revolution, which earned a member of the Board of Canal Commissioners. Darlington him his first Medal of Honor. His efforts in a 1915 uprishad a strong interest in botany and helped organize the ing in Haiti got him a second Medal of Honor. In World Chester County Cabinet of Natural Sciences, publishing War I Butler was awarded both the Army and the Navy Cestrica, a catalogue of native plants in the Borough of West Distinguished Service Medal. At his passing on June 21, Chester. He had interactions with Humphry Marshall and 1940, he was one of the most decorated soldiers in U.S. John Bartram, two of the most famous botanists in America. history, the only Marine to win the Brevet Medal and two
I
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Jim Furyk in 2017.
Smedley Butler
Medals of Honor. His grave is also at Oaklands Cemetery; Butler’s home has been maintained by his family as a museum. While he was studying music, Samuel Barber didn’t know that a composition by him would become one of the most famous orchestral pieces in American history. Born in West Chester on March 9, 1910, he played piano at age six, composing his first piece the next year, a solo piano work
Joseph Hergesheimer
‘William Darlington’ by John Neagle circa 1825.
called Sadness. Its title foreshadowed what would be his legacy. In 1931 at age 21, Barber created an overture to The School for Scandal, with a successful premier two years later by the Philadelphia Orchestra. At 26 he composed Adagio for Strings, a somber, haunting piece which brings the listener feelings of deep sadness. The conductor Arturo Toscanini performed it in 1938 with the NBC Symphony Continued on Page 34
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Names from the past Continued from Page 33
Orchestra. After the first rehearsal, he said “Semplice e bella” (“Simple and beautiful”). The recording from this performance was included in the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress. It was broadcast over radio at the death of President Franklin Roosevelt. Adagio for Strings was one of President Kennedy’s favorite pieces of music. It’s in the repertoire of orchestras around the world. Barber died on January 23, 1981 after receiving numerous awards, including two Pulitzer Prizes. Anyone who drives north past Hank’s Place in Chadds Ford has gone by the Christian Sanderson Museum. Chris Sanderson (1882-1966) was the “village historian” for many years. He helped people understand the heritage of the area, including its role in the Battle of the Brandywine. Sanderson had an indirect tie to the battlehe lived in the Benjamin Ring House (Washington’s headquarters) at Brandywine Battlefield Park from 19061922. His later home--now a museum- holds more than 18,000 artifacts and pieces of Americana from the 1700s through the 1960s. If you’re a golfer, you’ve probably heard of Jim Furyk.
Born in West Chester on May 12, 1970, Furyk won the U.S. Open in 2003 and was ranked the #2 golfer in the world in 2006. Furyk was FedEx Cup Champion Samuel Barber and Player of the Year in 2010. His unusual golf swing has gained him followers, who applaud his 17 PGA Tour wins and 28 victories overall. All these men had notable impacts on our society. By focusing on their achievements, they “come alive” within us, helping us to better understand their significance. We should never forget those who made important contributions- and how they have created a richer, more productive nation through their efforts. Gene Pisasale is an historian and author who lives in Kennett Square. He has written ten books and conducts an historical lecture series throughout the region. His latest work is “Forgotten Founding Fathers: Pennsylvania and Delaware in the American Revolution.” His website is www.GenePisasale.com. He can be reached at Gene@ GenePisasale.com.
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|Chadds Ford conservation|
Brandywine Battlefield property purchased for conservation
North American Land Trust and partners raise $3.85 million to acquire 72 acres in Delaware County for a public preserve
N
orth American Land Trust (NALT) has acquired a historic Brandywine Battlefield property — located on Oakland Road in Delaware County — with the intent to protect the land forever under conservation easement before ultimately opening its 72 acres to the public as Brinton Run Preserve. The acquisition was announced on March 25. Originally considered for development, the property’s diverse array of plant and wildlife species and its historic significance will be forever preserved, and NALT plans to create opportunities for passive public recreation and education for the community. The effort to save this property began in 2019 when owner Mrs. Frank Baldino, Jr., Ph.D., in her preparation to sell the homestead, approached NALT to discuss open space protection as an alternative to development. “I was familiar with NALT’s mission and reputation in the field of conservation and was particularly delighted to learn of their interest in acquiring the property for a public preserve,” said Sandra Baldino. “I’m especially appreciative that through partnerships with funders and local organizations, the historical and ecological value of the land will be protected, shared and enjoyed by its neighbors and the community alike.” NALT, a national nonprofit organization known for holding conservation easements on properties — including East Bradford Township’s parks — recognized the unique significance of the land and began working diligently to not only protect it, but purchase it. “We are thrilled to finally acquire and ultimately open 36
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NALT’s very first public preserve here in our local community of Chadds Ford, especially during a time when public open space is extremely important for safe gatherings, and maintaining mental and physical health,” said NALT president Steven Carter. “NALT could not have succeeded in such a short amount of time without our incredibly generous and collaborative partners who believed in our vision enough to support it, and we are forever grateful for them.” NALT was able to raise $3.85 million to purchase the property with financial support from the American Battlefield Trust, Chadds Ford Township, Delaware County’s Open Space and Recreation Grant Program, Mt. Cuba Center, the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program, and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “Mt. Cuba Center is dedicated to preserving open spaces and native flora throughout the Brandywine Valley and surrounding region,” said Ann Rose, Mt. Cuba Center’s president. “Natural habitats of high ecological value are found at Brinton Run Preserve, including the forested areas along the southwest border of the property. We thank North American Land Trust for their leadership in this important conservation project and are gratified that our support will help protect the many species that call it home.” Located across from the historic Brinton 1704 House and just down the road from Dilworthtown Village and Historic District, Brinton Run Preserve will add to the rich history of the Brandywine Valley. The American Battlefield Trust identified Brinton Run Preserve as one of the most important unprotected tracts on the Brandywine Battlefield to be
protected, thanks to the role it played in the Battle of the Brandywine; on that fateful day of September 11, 1777, a final fight took place at Brinton Run Preserve, which allowed George Washington and the Continental Army to retreat to safety and avoid suffering more losses. “With so much of the Brandywine Battlefield now lost to development, the American Battlefield Trust was proud to contribute financially to the protection of Brinton Run Preserve and to help facilitate a matching grant through the federal American Battlefield Protection Program,” said American Battlefield Trust President David Duncan. At $1.8 million, that battlefield land acquisition grant is one of the largest yet awarded by the program for a Revolutionary War site. A Conservation Easement held by Chadds Ford Township will soon permanently protect the property and its natural resources, including 92 native plant species, natural habitat for a variety of pollinators, a large pond, and a tributary of Brandywine Creek that expands on the Brandywine Conservancy’s protected area of the Brandywine Creek Greenway Corridor. “Not only does Brinton Run Preserve fulfill a need for more open space in Chadds Ford Township, but its permanent protection prevents any future development,” said Frank Murphy, chairman of Chadds Ford Township Board of Supervisors. “I have no doubt it will become a treasured community resource.” Chadds Ford Township and Sandra Baldino have committed additional substantial support to establish an operating fund, and NALT continues to raise support for this fund. “This department is pleased to partner with the North American Land Trust and other project funders in protecting this important Brandywine Greenway and Battlefield property,” said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. “We applaud NALT’s ambitious plans for property restoration and connecting people to nature.” In addition to removing a modern home, NALT plans to reintroduce native plant species across the property, undertake riparian maintenance, implement a trail system and create opportunities for community programming with a variety of local partners. Interpretive opportunities to help passive recreational users better understand the history of the Battle of Brandywine are also in the works. Through local partnerships with the Brinton 1704 House, Chadds Ford Township and other groups, NALT hopes to create a community space where everyone is welcome to enjoy nature and appreciate the unique history of Brinton Run Preserve. Brinton Run Preserve is not yet open to the public, but to learn more and stay updated on progress, visit www. northamericanlandtrust.org/explore/brintonrunpreserve. Continued on Page 38
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Brinton Run Preserve Continued from Page 37
About the American Battlefield Trust The American Battlefield Trust is dedicated to preserving America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educating the public about what happened there and why it matters today. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization has protected more than 53,000 acres in 24 states associated with the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War. Learn more at www.battlefields.org.
About Mt. Cuba Center Mt. Cuba Center is a botanic garden that highlights the beauty and value of native plants to inspire conservation. Once the private estate of Pamela and Lammot du Pont Copeland, the public garden opened for general admission in 2013 and now spans more than 1,000 acres. It features captivating blooms along garden pathways in formal and woodland settings, picturesque meadows and ponds with stunning vistas, and more than two miles of scenic trails throughout its natural lands. Mt. Cuba is recognized as a leader in native plant research and open space preservation, having protected more than 13,000 acres in the mid-Atlantic region. Learn more at mtcubacenter.org. About North American Land Trust
In 1992, a small group of professionals established North American Land Trust (NALT) with the primary purpose of preserving and managing open space with ecological, agricultural or historical significance. Today, the nonprofit has protected over 135,000 acres with over 550 conservation easements across the country, thanks to a variety of partners. NALT Conservation Areas protect wetlands, grasslands, coastlines, forests and fresh water habitat and the species that depend on them. The majority of these acres are privately owned, but many are dedicated to public use. Learn more at www.nalt.org.
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|Entertainment and the arts|
Lessons in the ‘Theatre’ and in life Pennsylvania Theatre Institute reimagines its summer camps
By Ken Mammarella Contributing writer
L
shy, and who has emerged with a victorious grin of ‘Hey, I did that, I can do that.’ ” Fritz, the camp’s managing director, and DelMarcelle, its program director, met (and fell in love) while teaching at Summer on Stage at the Delaware Theatre Company in Wilmington. When DelMarcelle was hired at West Chester, they concluded that campus facilities, basically empty all summer, would be ideal for a performing arts camp.
ove, happiness and fear are some of the most important emotions for the Pennsylvania Theatre Institute, which runs summer camps at West Chester University. The love comes from how founders Charlie DelMarcelle, an associate professor, and Katherine Fritz, his wife, feel about working in theater and nurturing talent. It also comes Creatively energized from the camps’ other faculty members and WCU students working as apprentices and sharing their love of theatre. “We both work as professors and professional theatre artThe happiness comes, hopefully, in the reaction of camp- ists during the year, but we’ve also both felt for a long time ers having fun. that we are the most The fear comes from creatively energized what so many people when we work with felt during the panyoung people over the demic and from what summer,” she said. so many performers “It kind of fuels and feel when they are recharges our batteries auditioning, which is to go back to workwhy one camp this ing with adults and year has an audition college-aged people focus. during the academic “Every single peryear.” son on the planet has In 2018, the couple to deal with fear, in began their dream some capacity, and project of buildtheatre is an amazing their own camp. ing tool to confront They started with a fear,” Fritz said. “I am two-week Young so proud of every sinCompany camp and All photos courtesy Rob Keller at Rob K Design gle kid who has ever In 2018, Charlie DelMarcelle (center) and his wife, Katherine Fritz, founded the a three-week Prestepped onstage feel- Pennsylvania Theatre Institute, which runs two summer camps using West Chester College Intensive ing a bit nervous and University facilities. camp.
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The Young Company of the camp this summer will still present a show on the final day, but pandemic guidelines mean there will be no audience or a very small one.
In 2019, urged by the department chair, the Pre-College camp went overnight, with teens living in dorms, eating meals in dining halls, taking courses and performing with university apprentices. In 2020, the pandemic shut it down. This year, it’s all rethought with pandemic guidelines in mind, starting fewer participants (36 in the Young Company and 16 in the PreCollege Intensive) and a tent that can be used to host activities outside. Details are at www.pennsylvaniatheatreinstitute.com. The camp lists five faculty members, in addition to DelMarcelle, who teaches acting, and Fritz, with WCU theatre students as apprentices. Rob Cutler, the improvisation instructor and puppetry expert, developed what he called “some pretty great chemistry” when he worked with DelMarcelle and Fritz at Summer on Stage. “I let [campers] play while sneakily reinforcing their acting lessons,” he said, noting that simplified puppetry “can personalize their education” and allow campers to explore theatre through a different discipline. “There’s so much serious stuff going on in their lives, like college auditions, that it’s important to make sure that kids have lots of fun.” New this year are Emily Fernandez, voice and movement instructor; Ezra J. Ali-Dow, design instructor; Rachel Camp, voice and movement instructor: and Tai Verley, classical text instructor.
DelMarcelle teaches acting at the camp.
The Young Company The Young Company, $570 for participants 8-14, runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 2-13. Campers will have morning classes in acting, voice, movement, improv and theatre design, and they will largely stay in their age-based pods in the afternoons when they develop their own shows. Theatre design encompasses important elements beyond acting, such as costumes, set, sound, lighting and props.
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“I’m a professional costume designer by trade” Fritz said, “so it’s really thrilling for me not just to share my knowledge about my own discipline, but also to dive into the other aspects of design with the kids and see what makes them light up.” The public performance that used to end camp has been canceled, and they’re looking at live-streaming or having a very small audience, perhaps of professionals who could offer critiques. “This program is really about training, about skills-building, and about ensemble,” she said. “The performance should feel like a joyful celebration of all the classroom and social learning that camp has facilitated.” Phoebe and Annabelle Browns have been attending Young Company camps since their 2018 debut. “I am excited to see everyone again this summer,” Phoebe said. “I’m also excited to meet new people and take the classes again. The teachers are all awesome, and the play we create in the end is always fun.” The Pre-College Intensive The Pre-College Intensive is $735 and runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 26-30. Most participants are 15-18. “We’re really proud of what we built, and now we have to start up again, safely,” Fritz said.
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DelMarcelle uses balls to help performers find rhythm, synchronize breath and develop teamwork. Pandemic cautions, however, have scotched this exercise this year.
In the first – and so far only – overnight camp, campers’ days averaged 12 hours, with classes, rehearsals, meals, field trips and other activities. “We threw out everything we had built to consider what we could best do after a year of fear,” and the decision was to focus on audition preparation. Auditions are largely solo activities, which is good for reducing contact. Continued on Page 44
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Pennsylvania Theatre Institute Continued from Page 42
Auditions are important. Many students need to audition to apply to college performing arts programs. “It’s terrifying and scary,” Fritz said. “The stakes are raised.” And even though auditions are often short, they are complex. Performers need to master several forms, including monologues, classical texts and music selections. Lessons in life Fritz called theatre “a boundlessly rich discipline” with core skills applicable for life, including listening, sharing space, working together and overcoming failure. “Things go wrong in theatre all the time, and it’s such a safe toolbox for learning that when mistakes happen, the show really does go on – it’s about how you pick yourself up and keep going that counts,” she said. “Improv teaches you the importance of flexibility, sharing, not taking yourself too seriously. Design teaches you problem-solving, creativity, ingenuity, engineering. Acting teaches you introspection, text analysis, creativity, and how to work in an ensemble. Voice and movement teaches you about connection to your body and your breath, which is
Campers learn about theatrical design elements, such as sets (those pipe cleaners represent fireworks) and costumes (those concepts taped to the wall).
actually so often about confidence in moving about the world and confidence in yourself.” Yet every day of camp starts optimistically. “We have this motto that we say together every morning: ‘An artist is generous, curious, playful, and kind. An artist
A movement rehearsal in 2019. 44
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works hard, and I am an artist.’ Giving specific language to this stuff is so helpful because once you step out of the summer camp bubble, you’re back to ‘real life,’ and having that framework to lean back on is so, so helpful. When asked about anecdotes that camp staffers share,
Fritz said, “most of our anecdotes are basically versions of times in the professional environment when we weren’t as generous or curious or playful or kind or hardworking as we could have been, and how we can connect that to whatever the kids are navigating in the moment.”
The 2019 Pre-College Intensive camp finale: a production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’
Phoebe and Annabelle Browns (shown with their father) have attended Young Company camps since their 2018 opening.
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The Cecil County Fair Board has been working on creating a plan for the 2021 Cecil County Fair. At this point in time we are planning on having a Fair in some capacity. We will be adhering to local, state and CDC guidelines. Please be patient with us as we continue to make any necessary adjustments. No matter what adjustments we have to make, we look forward to seeing you at the Cecil County Fair, July 23rd-July 31st.
|Chadds Ford Life Photo Essay|
The Maximalist Aesthetic of Lauren Francis Text by Richard L. Gaw
The creative journey of interior designer and curator Lauren Francis is descendent from the matriarchs on her mother’s side of the family, and it is this handed-down gift that all came together in the home she lived in for seven years. When she first walked into the 2,035-square-foot house in the Borough of West Chester -- originally built in 1912 – Francis saw past the badlyneeded renovations to the canvas she wished to create, and over time, transformed neglect into beauty. Rooms became reflections of her love for design, for food and for friendships, and on every wall and in every crevice rested the patchwork quilt of art that she had collected from places as far away as Germany and London to as close as a thrift shop in Bryn Mawr. There it was; the delicate balance between the choice of a wallpaper and the vases against the vanity mirror, and in the unlikely and eclectic marriage of a 1930s oil painting to a Crate and Barrel coffee table. Within the old house, she became the self-driven DIY curator of her wildest dreams, manifested in what she calls Maximalist Aesthetic. “Maximalism in design is about extravagance, excess, and redundancy in the best possible way,” said Francis, who was raised in Chadds Ford. “It is about layering patterns, color and a texture in a space to tell a unique story.” * * * * Continued on Page 50
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Lauren Francis Continued from Page 48
Francis was raised on the arm of influences and developed her artistic vision through the osmosis of visiting places. As a child, she would join her mother – the artist Lorraine Thorpe, who owned Lorraine’s Frame Cellar in Unionville – on trips to museums, art galleries, antique stores and through the fur department at Bloomingdale’s. Throughout her upbringing, her mother’s side of the family - aunts and cousins from the Italian neighborhoods of South Philadelphia – would arrive at family events dressed impeccably in a fashion that spoke of flair, boldness and originality. “A lot of the Italian culture is maximalist in nature, and while it’s also old school and proper and over the top in some instances, it is always rooted in love and experience,”
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Francis said. “I use a lot of textured metal, marble and art, and all of those are reminiscent of those matriarchs.” As Francis grew older, her passion for art, paintings and found objects intensified, and she purchased her first oil painting at a thrift store in Bryn Mawr for the price of $26. In terms of preference, she gravitates toward pre-1950s Impressionistic art, and in her current collection of 60 pieces there is a wide variety of pastels, watercolors, pencil drawings and oil paintings. Francis credits her position in corporate America with helping to cultivate her off-hours work in design and curation. “I work for an incredible company that has given me the Continued on Page 52
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Lauren Francis Continued from Page 50
resources to really indulge and cultivate that which makes me feel full of light in my personal life,” she said. “My career has taken me around the country and throughout Europe, from where I draw a lot of my influences. What happens in the spaces I design and curate derives a lot from those travels and experiences in living among those other cultures.” *
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The future may hold a full-time curation and design business for Francis, but for now, she has a day job and a 1900s lake house renovation to keep her busy, as well as select clients she provides specialized consulting services for. Meanwhile, Francis’ life’s passion has already gone 24/7, and led her to a life that finds the beauty of art in all of the non-traditional places, preserves the life of the art she purchases and illuminates the vision of the artist. “Certainly, I have creatives in my lineage and my memories with them inspire me everyday. The other piece is just innately who I am I suppose – someone who flourishes in a meaningful environment that feels safe and beautiful, and perhaps somewhat like an art museum. “It’s more than just hanging the paintings on the walls,” she added. “It’s more than simply aesthetics. It’s telling the story of the artist. It’s about achieving some level of legacy, not just for me and how I render space, but in making that art and that artist live on in a new way.” To learn more about Lauren Francis and to see examples of her interior design, visit her on Instagram @francis_sky_inspired_interiors or e-mail her at francisskyii@outlook.com.
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|Chadds Ford People|
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Carved from experiences, travels and her love of turbulent skies, Chadds Ford artist Ellen Catanzaro’s signature style of painting is textural, ethereal and bursting with colors. It’s a style that is now also reflected in her pillows and wallpaper, and in homes from Chester County to California
‘Is that an Ellen?’ By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
V
ery few artists truly worth their weight in canvases and paintbrushes are able to pinpoint to absolute accuracy the moment their work made that gargantuan leap from mere pleasantry to a bold and original statement that says absolutely everything about them. Continued on Page 56
Photo by Heather Schaen. All other photos courtesy of Ellen Catanzaro
Artist Ellen Catanzaro.
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Ellen Catanzaro Continued from Page 55
Rarely, it arrives in the form a “crack-the-code” accident, such as the seconds after Jackson Pollock took a break from painting in his East Hampton, Long Island studio in the 1940s to notice that the hand that held his brush could not stop shaking. When he looked down at his canvas to see the mess he had made, he knew immediately that it was a new form of art, never seen before, and it would soon make him the highest-paid avant garde artist in America. Often though, it is a series of slow progressions, seen and felt in the toil that moves the brush from its once stilted use as a tool at the end of a hand to an almost subconscious marriage between it and the person moving its handle. In order to closely explore the artistic journey that has led Chadds Ford artist Ellen Catanzaro to establish the signature strokes of her talent over the past several years is to open up a dozen boxes of influence and try to solve it like a mystery. Maybe it comes from her being the youngest of three children growing up in New York and New Jersey, when she loved looking at her father’s doodles of Greek soldiers. Maybe it was from growing up in the tight-knit Venetis family, where annual trips to Greece fed her with the flavors and colors of her family’s homeland. Maybe it was the time several years ago when she gave a painting of a dog to a friend who’d experienced the loss of the dear pet, leading another friend – Andrea Petrillo of Hoffmann Designs -- to tell her, “The dog looks nice, but look at what you have done with the sky in the background.” Let’s land there. Let’s acknowledge all of the other influences that have made Catanzaro a leading commercial artist whose work is in homes all over the nation, but stop at the sky in the background of her paintings, the clashing alchemy of nonperfect weather that comes flying off out of Catanzaro’s imagination in the form cloudbursts. It is turbulence, set in motion. It has led Catanzaro to become a highly sought-after commercial artist. It has expanded her product line to include specialized pillows and wallpaper. It has become her signature, her style, the expanding imprint of her imagination. “When it is a stormy day, I get my camera out, because I need to see some sort of storm brewing, which I find ironic, given that I am a very even-keeled, pretty happy person,” she said. “My art is all about the color and the energy of the earth. The feel of the water has color to me. The smell in the air has color to me. “That is how I have been able to translate what I sense onto the canvas.” 56
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Getting to know someone and figuring out what they love Over the last few years, the continuing development of Catanzaro’s personal and commercial portfolio has been in lockstep with her aspirations. Together, they have placed her paintings, her pillows and her wallpaper in homes from Chadds Ford to the Main Line to Maryland to New Jersey to Virginia to Illinois to North Carolina and all the way out to California. Four years ago, as she began to explore the potential of expanding her creative and commercial outreach, Catanzaro circled an area that is for those in Chadds Ford less than an hour away. “I was trying to break into the Main Line, where I feel that homeowners are looking more for the big and bold in the interior design of their homes, which is conducive to my work,” she said. “It was really where I felt I needed to be.” During her online research of the area, Catanzaro discovered and later met interior designer Larina Kase of Larina Kase Interior Design, an award-winning full-service interior design company serving the Main Line and Western suburbs of Philadelphia. Catanzaro’s portfolio quickly caught
Catanzaro often collaborates with interior designers to compliment the fluidity of their home designs.
The designs seen in Catanzaro’s pillows are reminiscent of the bright and animated colors found in her paintings.
Catanzaro’s signature paintings are prominently displayed in several homes from Chadds Ford to California.
Kase’s eye, and soon after, Catanzaro’s portfolio began to be seen in homes all over the Main Line. Remember Andrea Petrillo, who complimented Catanzaro about the turbulent sky in the painting of the dog? She commissioned Catanzaro to create a painting for above the mantle in her home, another for her stairwell, and a third for her home in Wrightsville Beach, N.C. She also began referring Catanzaro to her clients. As the popularity of her large paintings grew, so did the offshoots of Catanzaro’s talents, beginning with her personalized pillows and has since expanded to wallpaper. “So many people have helped me along the way,” she said. “I went to Marché in Kennett Square with a pillow and a dream, and [owner] Deanna Johnson took me in. I also became more visible on social media as well, which has led to several of my clients telling me that they originally stumbled across one of my photo posts on Instagram.” For those who look to create an interior design for their home through the use of accessories, paintings and apparel, the finished design often comes after the art arrives, which forces the homeowner – and interior designer – to create “around” the art itself.
In welcome contrast, when Catanzaro meets with a client and an interior designer, she arrives not as an artist, but as a listener armed with a portfolio of options. “It becomes a whole process of getting to know someone and figuring out what they love, so I guess that makes me different than artists who paint first, for themselves,” she said. “I always paint from the standpoint of ‘Would I have this in my home?’ The paintings are from my soul, but they also come from the standpoint of a business perspective. “I listen to what people tell me what they want, and then I figure out how to get there,” she added. “I see their interior, the fabrics that are going into their home, and I tell them to erase any preconceived notions of how the eventual painting I will create will look, because the truth is that I don’t even know how it’s going to look.” ‘Is that an Ellen?’ It has been proven repeatedly that true talent can only survive in solitude for just so long. Sooner or later, it will emerge from its bunker of self-preservation and become a known entity, and for every new home where Catanzaro’s Continued on Page 58
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Ellen Catanzaro Continued from Page 57
work now resides is one more step removed from the whispers of private creation. That sensation – where the breadth of her artistic reach is beyond her ability to harness it – has already begun. For starters, one of her paintings was featured recently in The Wall Street Journal. Her signature style is barely a secret anymore, and sometimes, it even has its own name. “I have gotten texts from people who show me a photo of a painting of mine and underneath the photo, they write, ‘Is this one of yours?’” she said. “My husband Mike and I recently had some work done on our home, and the architect of the project looked around my home at some of my paintings and pillows and told me, ‘I recognize your paintings from Marché,’ and ended up purchasing one of my paintings for her home. “Weeks after, the architect hosted a dinner party at her home, and a mutual friend of ours who was at the party pointed to the painting and asked her, ‘Is that an Ellen?’” For now, however, Catanzaro still gets to frolic in the polite and controlled environment of her home in Chadds Ford, an organic and sacred space that invites playfulness
and experimentation and time for the creative answers to arrive. It allows her the anonymity of approaching every project as an extension of her own imagination, in collaboration with others. As she works, she soaks up the music she has playing, and sometimes song lyrics end up being the titles of her big and broad brushstroke paintings, and pillows end up being named after women. “I would eventually love to get to the point where my pillows and my wallpaper become as recognizable as my paintings, and to see the entire catalog of my work and outreach expand,” she said. “The truth is, however, that those whose homes I have created art for love my work because it can’t be found everywhere, and it has allowed me to retain the uniqueness of my art. “I also think that many of my clients also like the fact that what they have from me – whether it is one of my paintings, a pillow or two, or if they have a room that is designed with my wallpaper – is a secret that they get to keep to themselves.” To learn more about Ellen Catanzaro, visit www.ellencatanzaro.com.
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