The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick tour

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Eoin O’Neill/courtesy Wharton Esherick Museum

Wharton Esherick, "The Race," 1925.

Wharton Esherick, "The Race," 1925.

Isthmus pick: 20th century artist Wharton Esherick worked in a variety of mediums, from painting to printmaking to sculpture, but is best known for making furniture that blends function and an artistic vision (which is why he is often considered the “father” of the studio furniture movement). Esherick’s home and studio in Malvern, Pennsylvania, is now a museum housing almost 3,000 of his art works, and it is from that collection that the exhibition “The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick” is drawn. A reception takes place at 5:30 p.m. on March 19; for more related events, visit chazen.wisc.edu.

media release Join Steven Ricks from The Joinery for a special tour of The Craft World of Wharton Esherick from the perspective of a woodworker. This tour will open up an understanding of Esherick’s practice by looking closely at his materials, process, joinery, and mark making—focusing on how he constructed the intricate sculptures and furniture on view.

Advanced registration encouraged. Walk-ins will be welcome as space allows.

About The Joinery and Steven Ricks:

The Joinery is a local, shared shop facility with the mission to grow the craft of woodworking and making. Steven Ricks, co-founder, has over 30 years of woodworking experience with a master’s certificate in furniture building. When Steven’s not in the woodshop, he is the Rigging Development Manager for Electronic Theatre Controls in Middleton.

more on the exhibit:

Feb 17–May 18, 2025

This exhibition explores the interdisciplinary creativity of Wharton Esherick (1887–1970), the famed American artist best known as the father of the Studio Furniture Movement. Esherick considered his hillside home and studio, now the Wharton Esherick Museum (WEM), the best representation of his iconoclastic vision, calling it “an autobiography in three dimensions.” Built between 1926 and 1966, his unconventional escape on the verdant slopes of Valley Forge Mountain near Philadelphia houses almost three thousand iconic works of art from across Esherick’s seven decades of artistic practice.

The Crafted World brings selections from this rich and rarely loaned collection to a broader public, including many objects never before seen except in Esherick’s home and studio. Detailing the artist’s career from his early woodcut illustrations for books by members of the avant-garde literati to his revolutionary re-imagining of furniture forms as organic sculpture, works will be presented in thematic vignettes that invite visitors into Esherick’s story and bring the essence of his creative world into the gallery.

Events:

‘The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick’ Exhibition Celebration, Mar 19, 2025 | 5:30 p.m.: This event will include a special hand carving demonstration by Katie Hudnall, the Head of UW-Madison’s Woodworking and Furniture Program, who will showcase techniques inspired by Esherick’s innovative approach to woodworking. Guests will enjoy an array of hosted appetizers, a cash bar, and the chance to connect with fellow art enthusiasts. Registration encouraged, but not required to attend.

Architecture of Art: A Wharton Esherick Panel Discussion, Apr 25, 2025 | 4 p.m. Panelists: Emily Zilber, director of curatorial affairs and strategic partnerships, Wharton Esherick Museum; Tom Loeser, former head of UW–Madison Woodworking and Furniture Program, Art Department; Katie Hudnall, head of UW–Madison Woodworking and Furniture Program, Art Department; Moderator: Jodi Throckmorton, chief curator,  John Michael Kohler Arts Center. Registration encouraged, but not required.

Sunday Tour: The Crafted World of Wharton Esherick, Mar 9, 2025 | 12 p.m. Advanced reservation encouraged. Walk-ins will be welcome as space allows.

Hands-On Woodblock Printmaking Workshops with UW Prof. John Hitchcock 3-13-2025 or 4-17-2025, 5–6 p.m.  Bring an apron or wear clothes you don’t mind getting inky. Register to save a spot: