A NEW SEASON OF ARTIST STUDIO TOURS AT THE BRANDYWINE

For visitors to the Brandywine Museum of Art, experiencing original works of art and learning about their creation doesn’t end in the galleries. From April through November, Brandywine has three National Historic Landmark sites available to visit: the N. C. Wyeth House & Studio, the Andrew Wyeth Studio, and the Kuerner Farm. These sites present a rare opportunity to stand in the locations where art was made and to gain a deeper appreciation for the works on view inside of the Museum.

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. 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 sometimes unusual props they collected.

New this year at the Andrew Wyeth Studio will be a focus on the creation of Jamie Wyeth’s work, Draft Age (1965), which was painted in the young artist’s first studio space adjacent to his father’s. A highlight of the N. C. Wyeth Studio is the recently conserved birchbark canoe, which the artist purchased 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.

The Kuerner Farm 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 Andrew Wyeth for over 70 years. More information on these programs, offered seasonally throughout the year, is available on Brandywine’s website at www.brandywine.org/events.

Explore the Studios!

Now open for the season through November 19, 2023, guided tours of both studio properties are offered at select times on Wednesdays through Sundays. Kuerner Farm is also open for limited tours on two Fridays this year: May 5 and June 2. All tours depart from the Museum and tickets can be reserved in advance at www.brandywine.org/studios. n

Virtual Studio Tours

For those who are unable to visit in person or would like a preview of the studios, virtual tours are now available on Brandywine’s website at www.brandywine.org/virtual-studios