WHARTON ESHERICK STUDIO IN VALLEY FORGE, PA

Built over a 40 year time period, the WHARTON ESHERICK STUDIO is a local GEM!!  Who knew?  Right in my own backyard (so to speak), in VALLEY FORGE, is a MARVELOUS, QUIRKY, COLORFUL STUDIO filled with SCULPTURES, WOODCUTS, POTTERY, FURNITURE and PAINTINGS.

The Admission Office is located in what looks like a garage. I fell in LOVE with this building the minute we walked up. So many ANGLES and COLORS and TEXTURES and FADED PAINT - I mean, what's not to love?

The actual STUDIO, where WHARTON lived and worked, is set back on the hillside. Architecturally interesting with a variety of textures and materials, he used wood, stone, cement, tin and glass.

Notice the hand-picked STONE that shows so many FABULOUS COLORS! This wall is truly a work of art in itself.

The door handles - UNIQUE, INTRICATE and EXQUISITE.

Once inside the house/studio, your eyes jump from one TREASURE to the next. The HOOKS on the wall - each one hand-carved - each representing a different animal or person that meant something to WHARTON.

I had to touch this CHAIR to confirm that there was NO LEATHER or FABRIC - it's 100% CARVED WOOD.

 

Handmade SPIRAL STAIRCASES lead to the bedroom and to the kitchen.....

I was fascinated by the BEDROOM. The bed is tucked into an alcove and surrounded by BOOKS. His clothing is folded absolutely perfectly to fit into the drawers he so brilliantly designed under his bed. 

Hand-laid FLOORS in the dining area were put together from WOOD SCRAPS - forming an impressionistic pattern under foot.

The tiny KITCHEN was also designed with optimum EFFICIENCY, such as you'd find in the close quarters of a ship.

One of my favorite sculptures was the face sculpture representing THE SCREAM, a painting by EDVARD MUNCH (1893).

And the WINNIE THE POOH stone sculpture on his deck......

Quite an enjoyable outing with my 13-yr old grandniece, GRACE (standing with our wonderful tour guide), during GRACE's 4-day stay with AUNT JOAN this summer. We sure have a lot of FUN together, don't you think?!!

JOAN