Andrew Wyeth at Kuerner Farm: The Eye of the Earth
Brandywine Flood Study
Research Center Goes Digital
Recreating a Mansion
Events
In Memoriam
Memorials & Tributes
Catalyst is published semi-annually by the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art, a public charity founded in 1967. It is sent free to all members. Questions may be directed to Marketing & Communications, P.O. Box 141, Chadds Ford, PA 19317.
Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art is registered with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania under the provision of Act No. 1990-202. Solicitation of Funds for Charitable Purposes Act. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within PA (800) 732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
Photo by: Mark Gormel
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
A member for nearly 15 years, Marlou Gregory joined the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art after learning about our conservation work through the steeplechase community and from her time carriaging—including with our co-founder George “Frolic” Weymouth. Quickly, she became involved in many different aspects of both the Conservancy and the Museum, including serving on our Conservancy Committee, supporting the Radnor Hunt Races, and most recently joining our Brandywine Circle membership program.
Marlou has been passionate about conservation for most of her life and prioritized environmental protection throughout her career. She spent 10 years working for a nature conservancy where she developed an international water program and has worked as a senior advisor for the Water Environment Federation. She now works as a sustainability developer.
Horse racing and the steeplechase community have also long been a large part of her life, beginning when she was a child growing up in Saratoga Springs with a father in racing. Combining her dual passions of conservation and horse racing, the Radnor Hunt Races proved a perfect combination of the two as the event has been
raising funds and awareness for the Brandywine Conservancy’s open space and clean water programs for the last 45 years.
In addition to racing her own horses, she is a member of our Radnor Executive Committee and leads the Horse and Track Subcommittee. Her work on these committees concerns all things horse related, including owner/trainer/rider hospitality, managing volunteers for the barn and track, working on the jockey tents, and so much more. She is also an avid supporter of carriaging at the Races and is a sponsor for the “Best Turned Out” award. When asked about her favorite part of the Radnor Hunt Races, she replied, “the races themselves…I love nothing more than watching the horses run. It’s like ballet on four legs.”
In 2024, Marlou and her husband, John, joined the Brandywine’s Circle membership program, connecting them with like-minded individuals interested in supporting our dual mission. Marlou’s favorite part of the program is experiencing the art side of the Brandywine, as she also has extensive training in American Art History from her time as a docent at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. As a longtime member, Marlou has many fond memories of her time at Brandywine. She mentioned
her love of the atmosphere, stating that it always is a “big warm fuzzy hug” when she stops by or meets with other members and staff.
For Marlou, Brandywine represents the culmination of her interests in conservation, horse racing, and American Art, mentioning how she deeply identifies with the work being done across the organization. “Brandywine is a gem, and we are so lucky to have a world-class organization in our backyard.” n
Want to share the spotlight? Contact our Membership department for details on how you can be featured in our next issue of Catalyst . Email us at membership@brandywine.org.
5,277
TOTAL MEMBERSHIPS
1,287
NEW MEMBERS IN 2024
54 years
LONGEST ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP
42 STATES REPRESENTED
2,058
MEMBERS OF THE MUSEUM FOR 10 YEARS OR MORE
17,620
MEMBER VISITS TO THE MUSEUM IN 2024
PLANT THE SEEDS FOR BRANDYWINE'S FUTURE
There’s a well-known proverb about planting trees under whose shade you will never sit. Like trees, a planned gift from your estate is a legacy…philanthropy for future impact.
There are many meaningful ways to make a lasting impact through a planned gift to the Brandywine.
Here are just a few options:
Bequests from a Will or Trust
A bequest allows you to include a charitable gift in your will, ensuring your legacy lives on and supports the causes that are close to your heart while you preserve assets during your lifetime.
Life-Income Gifts
Charitable remainder trusts and charitable gift annuities allow you to make a gift to Brandywine now while retaining income for yourself or your loved ones for a set period of time.
Beneficiary Designations
By naming Brandywine as a beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k), or other qualified retirement plan, you can continue to make withdrawals during your lifetime and direct the remaining assets to support our mission.
Contact Jane Allsopp, Chief Development Officer today, at jallsopp@brandywine.org or 610–388–8361, to learn about these and other vehicles that can provide vital future support for Brandywine’s mission as you choose your legacy.
If you’ve already planted a seed that will provide future shade by including Brandywine in your estate plans, please let us know so that we can welcome you into the Brandywine Heritage Society and thank you now for your forethought.
DESIGN YOUR DREAM GARDEN WITH THE BRANDYWINE NATIVE GARDEN HUB
Whether you’re a beginning gardener or a seasoned pro, incorporating native plants into your landscape is about to get a lot easier with a brand-new online resource now available from the Brandywine Conservancy. The Brandywine Native Garden Hub is a free, interactive website to help you find and learn more about native plants and bookmark the ones that are perfect for your home landscape. Designed to inspire gardeners of all levels and skillsets, the Native Garden Hub is your go-to guide for getting started with native plants in Pennsylvania and northern Delaware.
A One-Stop Destination for All Gardeners
The Native Garden Hub contains information on more than 250 native plant species found in our region. Each plant profile contains everything you need to know about the plant—from growing conditions to key attributes and wildlife benefits—along with photos that show different
growth stages. Users can also personalize their searches by filtering for plants according to their garden’s specific growing conditions, including sunlight exposure, soil type, and soil moisture. Plants can even be sorted by your preferred attributes and benefits, including plant type, height/ width, peak bloom time, bloom color, deer resistance, fragrance, and more.
Plan and Visualize your Garden
In addition to finding the perfect natives for your space, you can also create personalized Garden Boards to help you plan and visualize your dream garden. Simply sign up for a free account and start creating! Build one or multiple Garden Boards that are customized to your growing spaces—whether you have a few feet on an apartment balcony, a yard in need of landscaping, or several acres to work with. You can also curate boards for future garden inspiration that you can refer back to
at any time. Once you set up your Garden Boards, you can “pin” your favorite plants while browsing to save them to your account. Pro tip: your pinned favorites also double as an easily referenced shopping list that you can pull up on your phone and take with you to your local native plant sale or nursery!
Discover Tips & Tricks
To equip users with even more tools for success during their gardening journeys, the Native Garden Hub also features a wealth of educational resources. Dive into our beginner's guide for getting started with native plants or browse through other articles, including topics on how to prep a container garden, tackling invasive species, and seasonal gardening tips. Additional articles will be published throughout the year for continued learning.
The Importance of Choosing Natives
Native plants are those that have naturally occurred in a specific region, ecosystem, or habitat without human intervention, which means they have evolved and adapted to the climate, soil, and other environmental conditions over a long period of time. Unlike non-native species, which frequently require more care such as water and nutrients, natives tend to flourish with little effort. They also directly benefit birds, bees, and butterflies; strengthen our local ecology; and help preserve the character of our regional landscape. By choosing native plants, you can make a meaningful impact on the environment while also enjoying a low-maintenance and resilient garden that is both beautiful and beneficial to biodiversity.
For more than five decades, the Brandywine has been a trusted leader in growing and promoting the use, preservation, and appreciation of native plants in our region. From incorporating natives into the gardens around our Chadds Ford campus and in our Preserves, to our thriving native seed collection and propagation program (and annual Native Plant Sale!), and our educational programs offered to the public throughout the year, we’re passionate about empowering our community with the tools they need to get started with native plants. The Native Garden Hub is the latest extension of this work, providing a digital platform to help gardeners bring the benefits of native plants to their own landscapes.
We hope the Brandywine Native Garden Hub will become your go-to guide for all things native plants, whether you’re designing a brand-new garden, enhancing an existing one, or simply looking for inspiration. n
To get started today, visit www.NativeGardenHub.org or scan the QR code below:
The Brandywine Native Garden Hub is made possible through a generous grant from the Allegheny Foundation.
Page 6,7, 8 & 9: Photos by Mark Gormel
GARDENING FOR MOTHS
Chances are, you probably haven’t given much thought to building a garden for moths. With the majority of moth species performing their duties at night when most humans are sleeping, it’s no surprise that we tend not to think of them as pollinators, hustling to collect nectar and pollen from our gardens under the cover of darkness. We should begin considering moths, though, when landscaping for wildlife. In addition to outnumbering butterflies tento-one, moths are efficient pollinators, owing their fuzzy appearance to thick scales that cover their bodies and wings, allowing pollen to easily adhere. Read on for five tips to keep in mind when gardening for these underappreciated pollinators.
Plant native plants
Native plants and moths co-evolved, with many moth species becoming specialized to overcome a plant’s natural defenses. Using resources like the Brandywine’s Native Garden Hub to determine what plants are native to your region and are suitable for moths, you can install plants that support a high number of Lepidoptera (an order of winged insects that includes butterflies and moths). Search for fragrant, light-colored flowers that are easier to find in the dark, such as common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and common yarrow (Achillea millefolium). Then plant your flowers close together to add a big pop of color and so insects can efficiently feed and be sheltered.
Stop use of chemicals
As with other insects, moth populations can be greatly diminished by use of insecticides and herbicides that target insects or native “weeds.”
Leave the leaves
Many species of Lepidoptera overwinter in leaf litter. Come fall, be sure to provide shelter by “leaving the leaves.” As seasons change, resist chopping up leaves, as you could be mincing cocoons or even adult moths that spend the winter and spring in the leaves.
Turn off the lights
Outdoor, artificial lights can essentially trap moths and impede their flight patterns. Moths typically keep the brightest object in the night sky—the moon—to their backs, but the glow of artificial lights confuse them. Consider turning off your lights or installing motion sensors.
Observe your garden at night
Armed with a flashlight, peruse your landscaping at night to see what is fluttering about. For added fun, use a UV blacklight to inspect trees, shrubs, perennials, and the ground as you look for caterpillars and adult moths, which will fluoresce in the UV light! While you could set up mothing sheets and lights, the easiest thing to do is just shine a light on your plants, making sure to check the tops and bottoms of leaves. Consider documenting your finds in a Community Science application like iNaturalist. n
FAVORITE NATIVE PERENNIALS FOR MOTHS
Convinced you should add some natives to your garden with moths in mind? Here are six of our favorite perennials to consider.
Sunflowers: Species of Helianthus like Maximilian Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani) or Oxeye Sunflower (Helianthus helianthoides) are “power plants” for all species of Lepidoptera and are known to support over 120 species.
Goldenrods: Solidago species support over 75 species of Lepidoptera, and their late season flowering is vital to many insects.
Bonesets: Common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) adds a splash of white, which enhances the color of other flowers, and supports of over 30 species of Lepidoptera.
Milkweeds: Not just for monarch butterflies, milkweeds are in the Dogbane (Apocynaceae) family and, according to the USDA Plants Database, there are 11 varieties native to Pennsylvania.
Violets: With several of species to consider, including the Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia), violets support over a dozen moth species and are also known as a host plant for the Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly (Speyeria Cybele).
Evening Primroses: Most evening primroses (Oenothera biennis) open at dusk and bloom overnight before their blossoms wither by day, indicating that their primary pollinators are those insects that are most active at night.
Looking for more inspiration? Check out our Brandywine Native Garden Hub and filter your search by "Butterflies and Moths" to narrow down your results. Visit today at: www.NativeGardenHub.org
Page 10: Photo by Michael Palko
Above: Photo by Melissa Reckner
Below: Photo by Andrea Halfhill
RECENT ACQUISITIONS AT THE BRANDYWINE
As the Brandywine collection continues to expand, deepening our holdings of beloved artists such as Andrew Wyeth, we are also adding new and important names to the collection. Here are some of our most recent and exciting acquisitions.
One of the few women artists of the Harlem Renaissance, Laura Wheeler Waring attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, graduating in 1914. Her post-graduate studies in Europe were cut short with the outbreak of World War I. Upon her return, she began a 30-year career teaching at Cheyney University, where she was instrumental in founding the art and music departments. Her inspiring travels to Europe immersed her in the modern art world, exposing her to many avant-garde styles, even as her own work remained relatively realistic. In her later years, she was sought after for her portraits of respected Black figures including Marian Anderson, Alice Dunbar Nelson, and W.E.B. Du Bois.
Administration. During that time, he developed an interest in Social Realism and representing racial struggles and the fight for social justice. Working for a short time as an art teacher at a historically Black college, Lee-Smith was drafted in 1943 and joined the Navy. His talents were put to use when he was commissioned to paint a morale-building mural entitled The History of the Negro in the U.S. Navy. The Brandywine’s new painting dates from a pivotal year in his life, when he earned a degree in art education on the G.I. Bill and won an award at the Detroit Institute of Art.
sensitively rendered portrait, the artist displays his mastery of the painstaking technique of tempera, rendering a variety of textures from the crumbling surface of the wall to the strands of hair that fall on her face, to the downy surfaces of the cat’s fur. This magnificent painting reveals Wyeth’s skill in conveying the psychological states of his models and in creating complex effects of light. The painting’s intimacy and sensitivity have made it a favorite among visitors to the Museum, and we are profoundly grateful to Alida Messinger for ensuring that it will be available to future generations of visitors. n
Left:
From a young age Hughie Lee-Smith was interested in art, attending specialized schools in Cleveland and Detroit. Upon graduation, he was hired by the Federal Art Project of the Works Progress
One of the most important gifts in the Museum’s history, Miss Olson appeared in the Brandywine’s major Andrew Wyeth retrospective in 2017 and has been on loan here since that time. Wyeth was inspired by Christina Olson, a resident of Cushing, Maine, who he depicted in his now iconic Christina’s World in 1948. Though his longterm collaboration with Olson is typical of Wyeth’s practice with models, the deep connection between artist and model is unusual in the history of American art. In this
Still Life with Fruit and Flowers by Laura Wheeler Waring
Portrait of a Child by Hughie Lee-Smith
Miss Olson by Andrew Wyeth
THIS EARTHEN DOOR: NATURE AS MUSE AND MATERIAL
May 24–September 7, 2025
Opening at the Brandywine this spring, This Earthen Door: Nature as Muse and Material is a cross-disciplinary, photo-based exhibition of lyrical beauty that explores the pure color found in plants and the symbolism of flowers in art and literature. Inspired by an herbarium created by renowned poet Emily Dickinson—who was known in her lifetime as an accomplished gardener and student of botany—and her deep connection to the natural world, artists Amanda Marchand and Leah Sobsey worked with pure pigment drawn directly from plants to create a vibrant series of anthotypes. This plant-based photographic process was invented during Dickinson’s era just as photography was being born. In the interview below with the artists, learn more about their process and what inspired them to create this body of work, including two site-specific commissions based on plant specimens from the Brandywine’s Preserves.
How did your collaboration come about, and what got you both interested in exploring Emily Dickinson’s work in this way?
We met during graduate studies in photography at the San Francisco Art Institute, and our friendship grew with mutual interests in ecology, experimental photography, archives, and bookmaking. We knew that we wanted to collaborate on a project centering the natural world and feminism, and very quickly we decided to work with Emily Dickinson’s herbarium—a book of pressed plants the poet made as a teenager. Emily’s book of flowers was an object
we had both come to know at different points and both secretly coveted. It had, one way or another, moved and inspired us. Dickinson’s herbarium lives in a temperature-controlled vault at the Houghton Library at Harvard University and crumbles if handled, so it is off-limits to even the most accomplished scientists. We wanted to see or hold this special object—a forgotten treasure at the intersection of art and science—and knew we never could. As creatives we decided, why not make it for ourselves—and the world?
How did you go about creating the prints in the exhibition?
This Earthen Door reanimates Dickinson’s herbarium with an early-photographic plant-based process, known as an anthotype. After taking an online class to learn about the process, we selected different species of plants from the 424 specimens in Dickinson’s herbarium, growing them in our own gardens in Canada and North Carolina. To make each print, we used a mortar and pestle, creating a flower/plant emulsion, coating it on paper through a wet “wash” tincture or dry “rubbing.” This alternate rubbing preparation gave us, ultimately, two different colors per plant. We then exposed the coated papers to UV sunlight. Anthotypes are slow, taking days to months to expose properly. While it may look like we picked and laid actual living flowers down on paper, we did not. Instead, we used large, black & white photographic negatives of Dickinson’s herbarium for each exposure on top of the coated paper—so that each page is
Page 14: Photo of Leah Sobsey and Amanda Marchand, courtesy Rick Wester Fine Art, NYC
a color facsimile of the original. Our process is a mix of old and new, combining early, exploratory, photographic alchemy with new digital technologies. Gradually, as we worked coating papers many times to build up color and exposing them to the sun over that first summer and fall—then winter—the project evolved.
What is the meaning behind the title "This Earthen Door" and the titles of the works in the exhibition?
What we have loved in this project, is how a word, a poem, a flower, even a color, is never one thing but many things branching out into a web of associations, ideas and stories, crossing geographies and time. Our aim was, first, to reanimate Dickinson’s book of flowers—as a book. And what is a book, if not a door? Our title, “This Earthen Door,” is taken from a Dickinson poem that alludes to her own garden of earthen delights—a door to mortality—and immortality.
Did you have any unexpected discoveries while researching or working on this project?
There were many rabbit holes and amazing discoveries along the way! We
continued to fall in love with the incredible hues that each plant makes, especially with surprises like a pansy, which turned almost black-purple as a “rubbing” but when mixed with alcohol as a “wash” it became robin’s egg blue.
We also discovered how a geographical region makes an enormous difference in anthotype exposure time (as do fast summer exposures versus slow exposures at any other time of year). We were usually working in different locations—Leah in North Carolina and Amanda, for the bulk of the project, in Quebec—which influenced and produced different results. Leah’s exposures galloped along in the middle of her hot and humid southern summers; Amanda’s were slow during that first grey, chilly summer in Canada.
What inspired your site-specific work at Brandywine’s Waterloo Mills Preserve?
Our site-specific pieces were inspired by the Brandywine Conservancy’s mission and environmental stewardship. Everyone is introduced to the stunning Museum grounds, but we were fascinated to learn of the two neighboring Brandywine sites,
Above: Installation view from PhotoFairs New York. Courtesy Rick Wester Fine Art, NYC
the incredibly bucolic Waterloo Mills and Laurels Preserve, which we visited several times with two of Brandywine’s Preserve staff members, Kevin Fryberger and Caleb Meredith. Their knowledge, guardianship, and conservation efforts, and those of the Museum and volunteers, inspired us to extend the working process of This Earthen Door , using native Brandywine species that cross over with Dickinson’s herbarium.
Talk not to me of Summer Trees speaks to the large tree repopulation efforts of both sites, but especially the Laurels Preserve, an area of almost 500 acres of hardwood forest that was badly hit by flooding a few years ago. The mission of tree restoration at the Brandywine is ongoing as climate chaos and habitat disruption continues. Large areas have been reforested with multiple tree species. Our piece incorporates 13 tree species found in Dickinson’s herbarium at both Waterloo Mills and the Laurels. Highlighting Brandywine efforts to keep native tree species thriving, this piece honors the Brandywine mission, history, and future.
Estranged from Beauty—None Can Be, our second commission, consists of a group of invasive species made as plant-based anthotype portraits. This piece points to an ongoing and long-term Brandywine eradication effort of invasive-introduced species, which outcompete native flora. Like our tree piece, each of these plants was collected at Waterloo Mills and can be found in Dickinson’s herbarium. n
Support for this exhibition is provided by The Arcadia Foundation. Programming support is provided by PNC Foundation
Above: Courtesy of the artists
ANDREW WYETH AT KUERNER FARM: THE EYE OF THE EARTH
June 22–September 28, 2025
Opening at the Brandywine this June, Andrew Wyeth at Kuerner Farm: The Eye of the Earth is an exciting, nationally traveling exhibition that has been years in the making. This exhibition surveys the artist’s sustained engagement with Kuerner Farm through major works of art loaned from public and private collections nationwide, alongside the strength of the Brandywine and Wyeth Foundation collections. Through this remarkable assemblage of objects, from the iconic to the unseen, visitors will take away a more nuanced understanding of Andrew Wyeth’s complex response to this site, which spanned seven decades, resulting in nearly 1,000 artworks.
Visitors will be immersed in the multi-decade story of Wyeth’s journey with the landscape, buildings, people, and unseen layers of Kuerner Farm. Highlights include the temperas Karl (1948) and Groundhog Day (1959) and the enigmatic watercolor Loden Coat (1978). Rarely loaned, the latter two are exclusive to the Brandywine’s dates in the traveling show, so it will be a special privilege for Brandywine members to see them in our spaces. Through this journey, it becomes apparent that Kuerner Farm was the place where key tenets of Wyeth’s practice crystallized, including
the self-limited palette and geographic range that served as gateways to his distinct mode of modernism.
The exhibition was inspired by a significant but little-known Kuerner watercolor of the pond on the property, the mysterious feature that the artist once called “the eye of the earth,” giving us our title, and marks 25 years of public access to Kuerner Farm through the Brandywine.
Above:
Photo by Above Ground Level Droneworks
Page 18:
Andrew Wyeth, Loden Coat, 1975, watercolor on paper, 30 x 22 in.
Collection of Linda P. deRoulet
While major Wyeth exhibitions are only getting more difficult to achieve due to the challenges of traveling valuable and often fragile tempera paintings, the Brandywine’s unique partnership with the Wyeth Foundation makes ambitious projects of this kind possible—both from the essential core of the works on view that are drawn from the Wyeth Foundation’s collection and through the generous financial support they provide for our work. This nationally traveling exhibition with a substantial, scholarly catalogue realizes a shared goal of the Brandywine and Wyeth Foundation to bring new insights into this beloved creative legacy to audiences across the country.
Andrew Wyeth at Kuerner Farm: The Eye of the Earth is co-organized by the Brandywine Museum of Art and Reynolda House Museum of American Art. It is co-curated by Allison Slaby of Reynolda
and William L. Coleman, Ph.D. of the Brandywine’s Andrew & Betsy Wyeth Study Center, with essential contributions from the Brandywine’s Karen Baumgartner, Bethany Engel, Daniel Krull, and Joshua Schnapf, along with Katie Womack at Reynolda. Lead support comes from Wells Fargo, with additional support for the exhibition and its publication from the Wyeth Foundation for American Art. n
February 15–May 25, 2025: Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem, NC
June 22–September 28, 2025: Brandywine Museum of Art
October 25, 2025–February 15, 2026: Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, Jacksonville, FL
Above left: Andrew Wyeth, Karl, 1948, egg tempera on panel, 30 1/2 × 23 1/2 in. Albuquerque Museum, gift of Hope Aldrich, PC2023.29.1
Above right: Andrew Wyeth, Groundhog Day, 1959, egg tempera on panel, 31 3/8 × 32 1/8 in. Philadelphia Museum of Art. Gift of Henry F. DuPont and Mrs. John Wintersteen, 1959
WHAT'S IN STORE...
Eye of the Earth is accompanied by a hardcover, 160-page book published and nationally distributed by Rizzoli Electa. The first dedicated study of the genesis, contexts, and afterlives of Andrew Wyeth’s defining work at Kuerner Farm, it includes essays on aspects of this practice from the co-curators, a deep dive on who Karl and Anna Kuerner really were by the Brandywine’s Karen Baumgartner, and a firsthand perspective on the ongoing inspiration of the Farm’s evocative buildings and landscape from artist James Welling. It will serve as the definitive study of this creative chapter, with illustrations not only of the full checklist across the exhibition’s three venues but also a comprehensive representation of all Wyeth’s major Kuerner temperas, regardless of their current location. This publication was generously supported by the Wyeth Foundation for American Art and is available now through the Brandywine Museum of Art’s gift shop.
Purchase a copy in person or at www.BrandywineMuseumShop.org.
Andrew Wyeth: Human Nature
Now on view at the Brandywine through June 15, Andrew Wyeth: Human Nature tells the story of Wyeth as a figure painter, including early studies made in his father’s studio, self- and commissioned portraits, intimate depictions of close family members, major figural temperas and watercolors, and nudes. Drawn from the Brandywine and Wyeth Foundation collections, this exhibition also includes one exciting loan from a private collection—a portrait of Professor Joyce Hill Stoner, a leading art conservator who shares in the exhibition’s wall texts some firsthand reflection on the process of being painted by Wyeth.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE: Brandywine Conservancy Releases Final Flood Study Report
Following a year-long study period, with a series of public meetings and community engagement efforts, the Brandywine Conservancy is thrilled to share the final report of the Brandywine Flood Study. Conducted in partnership with the Chester County Water Resources Authority (CCWRA) and the University of Delaware Water Resources Center (UDWRC), the Flood Study was launched in response to more frequent and extreme flooding events impacting communities along the Brandywine Creek in both Pennsylvania and Delaware. This coordinated effort sought to better understand where and why flooding occurs in our watershed in order to identify the best approaches to protect our communities during future severe flooding events.
The Flood Study offers a broader analysis of flood risk in the Brandywine watershed, including historic flooding, projections for future floods, and potential impacts of future precipitation, storm events, and land use based on the Brandywine watershed’s projected population in the year 2100. It also provides an actionable suite of proposed flood mitigation recommendations throughout the watershed, presented in two distinct categories: structural and non-structural improvements.
Structural mitigation measures are often the most visible, like the five major flood control dams and reservoirs that were built after extreme flood events during the early- and mid-20th century, which collective-
ly provide over six billion gallons of flood storage capacity. Study partners analyzed numerous structural project opportunities, including upgrades to existing flood control infrastructure, bridge and culvert replacements, low-head dam removal, floodplain restoration, and stormwater basin retrofits. Ultimately, of the more than 300 individual sites evaluated, 16 were prioritized for their potential to reduce regional and localized flood risks, including 10 bridge replacements, four low-head dam removals, one floodplain restoration project on the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art’s campus, and upgrades to the existing Barneston Dam flood control structure.
The Flood Study also includes more than a dozen non-structural recommendations related to emergency planning, early warning systems, public education campaigns, and more robust road closure measures. For developed areas within the 100-year floodplain, it outlines strategies for enhanced floodplain management, flood insurance, and structural elevations, floodproofing, and voluntary buyouts. The Study also calls for increased land preservation to ensure the long-term functionality of natural floodplains and open space, which act as sponges during storm events.
Anywhere there is water, there is the potential for flooding. Even with unlimited financial and technological resources, it would be impossible to eliminate all flood risks. However, the Flood Study partners are confident that implementation of the recommendations laid out in this report can meaningfully reduce future flood risks to communities throughout the Brandywine watershed. The implementation recommendations include both collaborative action and individual stakeholder projects. The Brandywine Flood Study partners are committed to supporting municipalities, stakeholders, and others in the implementation of these strategies, and to continually assess new opportunities to reduce localized and regional flooding in the future. n
To view the Brandywine Flood Study report, visit www.brandywine.org/flood-study
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
Tucked away on the second floor of the Museum, the Walter & Leonore Annenberg Research Center is a treasure trove of scholarship, books, and special collections. The collection includes unique resources related to a variety of American art and artists, with special emphasis on illustration, the Wyeth family, and the Brandywine School. The Research Center’s Archives and Special Collections contain materials such as manuscripts, photographs, scrapbooks, and audiovisual materials pertaining to the Museum’s collection of fine art. Special Collections also preserve rare, illustrated books and periodicals that provide evidence of the historical record of illustrators’ published works.
To make these holdings more accessible to the public, the Research Center recently launched two new online databases for its collections: a library-centric catalog for books and other monographs; as well as ArchivesSpace for its archival collections and finding aids. The library catalog, known as Koha, functions in the same way many other public-access library databases do, offering researchers the ability to search the Research Center’s collection of art books, exhibition catalogues, and rare books. This database is web-based, enabling anyone to search from anywhere in the world.
Brandywine’s Research Center Goes Digital
ArchivesSpace is also a web-based information management system, but it focuses on archival material within the Research Center’s Special Collections. These archives are cataloged with detailed finding aids to help researchers locate information more readily. Both databases are a stepping-stone in our strategic goal of raising the profile of Brandywine’s Research Center and increasing the discoverability of the truly unique items we steward.
This is the first time that Brandywine has published online catalogs of its library collections or its finding aids to the public. These resources greatly increase the opportunities for scholars to utilize the collections in the advancement of research— from Maxfield Parrish’s home “The Oaks,”
to the card file collection of Charles Scribner’s Sons Manhattan offices, to Carolyn Wyeth’s childhood drawings—all of these and more are topics that the databases help to unlock for study. While the physical collection does not circulate to outside patrons, all materials are available to view by appointment. Researchers can make an appointment by either filling out an appointment scheduling form through Brandywine’s website or by contacting the Research Center Manager. Both catalogs are still “works in progress," so keep an eye on them as we continue to upload more rare book collections, process archival backlog, and add new acquisitions. n
For more information, please contact the Research Center Manager at research@brandywine.org
Scan the QR codes below to access these online catalogs or visit www.brandywine.org/research
RECREATING A MANSION
The Brandywine’s Penguin Court Preserve in Westmoreland County, PA was once home to a 67-room mansion situated in its fairytale landscape. Today, only a few remnants of the home can be found on the property. Now, with a new virtual reality tool, visitors to the property will be able to envision what once was.
In 1939, construction of Alan and Sarah Scaife’s residence at Penguin Court was completed, beginning its life as a country home for the couple and their two children, Cordelia and Richard. The mansion was an impressive structure with separate bedroom suites for all four members of the Scaife family and a five-car attached garage with servant quarters above it.
After his mother passed away in 1965, Richard Scaife inherited the property, and because both he and his sister already had their own homes—and because neither Richard nor his mother particularly cared for the house—Richard had the structure torn down in the late 1960s. Today, all that remains are a few courtyard walls, patios, cobblestone driveways, and the changing rooms adjacent to the former inground pool.
To visualize how the mansion sat on the grounds and to provide an interactive viewing opportunity for visitors to the property, Brandywine Conservancy contracted True Interactive of Murrysville, PA, to recreate the mansion’s exterior in Augmented Reality (AR). Later this spring, after downloading the TrueAR app to their phone or tablet, Penguin Court guests will be able to visualize the mansion as they walk around the site, with AR visuals that will show the exterior of the house, to scale, from near and far.
“This is a great way to marry nature and art, which Brandywine continually seeks to do,” said Penguin Court Program Manager, Melissa Reckner. “I have a hard time imagining how a four-story mansion fit within the space we now see, and so I’m excited to bring this project to reality and breathe ‘life’ into that old house again.” n
This project was made possible through a generous grant from the Allegheny Foundation.
Left: Aerial view of Penguin Court Preserve. Below: Previews of Penguin Court virtual reality tool.
EVENTS CALENDAR
Spring–Summer 2025
May 2025
2
Photography Walk at Kuerner Farm
9:30–11: 30 a.m.
Explore Kuerner Farm, a National Historic Landmark, during this photography walk.
4
Plein Air Workshop with Randall Graham at the N.C. House & Studio
9:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
Paint or sketch at one of our iconic historic properties, including demonstration and instruction by artist Randall Graham.
4
Free First Sunday at Brandywine
9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. + Enjoy free all-day admission to the Museum and join creative art activities for all ages.
7
ARTZ-Connect at Brandywine
11 a.m.–12 p.m. + A welcoming virtual program for visitors with dementia and their caregivers.
9
Wildflower, Native Plant & Seed Sale: Member Preview
1:30–4:30 p.m.
10 & 11
Wildflower, Native Plant & Seed Sale
9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
16 & 18
Plein Air Day at Kuerner Farm
9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Artists working in all media are invited to sketch or paint this iconic setting
17
Radnor Hunt Races
Benefiting the Brandywine Conservancy
20
Behind the Scenes of This Earthen Door
2 p.m.
Join the artists to discuss this fascinating upcoming exhibition featuring poet Emily Dickinson’s connections to the natural world and the pure colors of nature.
21
Trails & Tales at Shaw’s Bridge Park
5:30–6:30 p.m.
A walk at Shaw’s Bridge Park in East Bradford Township to discuss trail building partnerships.
23
Member Day for This Earthen Door
9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
31
T’ai Chi Chih
9–10 a.m.
A mindful moving meditation in the courtyard.
Event Information
Children & Family
Virtual Event
Tours & Talks
Workshops & Classes
Members Only
Special Events
Unless otherwise noted, all programs and events are ticketed and/or require advance registration.
For more information, program descriptions or to register, please visit brandywine.org/events
+ Registration required, but free admission
* Free; no registration required
^ Free with Museum admission; no registration required
June 2025
1
Free First Sunday at Brandywine 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. +
Enjoy free all-day admission to the Museum and join creative art activities for all ages.
4
ARTZ @ the Museum
1–2 p.m. +
A welcoming in-person gallery discussion for visitors with dementia and their caregivers.
8
Nature Sketch & Stroll
9:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
An art and nature-themed walk and sketch program for all drawing abilities.
13
Concerts in the Courtyard: Noggin Hill
6 p.m.
Enjoy a concert under the stars in the Museum’s outdoor courtyard.
14
Yoga on the Brandywine 10–11 a.m.
An inclusive and beginner-friendly yoga class designed for practitioners of all levels.
16
Plein Air Evening at Kuerner Farm 4–8 p.m.
Artists working in all media are invited to sketch or paint this iconic setting.
21
Member Day for Andrew Wyeth at Kuerner Farm
9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
22
Plein Air Workshop with Randall Graham at the Andrew Wyeth Studio
9:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
25
Creative Escape: Native Plant Painting
5:30–8 p.m.
Join Native Roots Farm Foundation to learn more about native plants that can be deconstructed into colorful inks for creative expression.
94 th
27–30
Ikebana arrangements by the Sogetsu Philadelphia Main Line Branch
9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. ^
28
T’ai Chi Chih 9–10 a.m.
A mindful moving meditation in the courtyard.
29
Stewardship Walk at the Laurels Preserve 9–11 a.m. +
Join Preserve Steward Caleb Meredith on a leisurely hike around the Laurels Preserve.
Radnor Hunt Races May 17, 2025
Celebrate 94 years of horseracing on the Main Line. With everything from amazing tailgates and fancy hats, to the parade of antique carriages and thoroughbreds racing for the finish, Radnor Hunt Races is a day filled with excitement and fun. It’s also about Racing for Open Space as all proceeds benefit the clean water and open space programs of the Brandywine Conservancy. Reserve your tickets now!
July 2025
9
Summer Garden Tour
10–11 a.m.
Join garden staff for a tour of the native plant gardens around the Brandywine Museum of Art.
17
Plein Air Evening at Kuerner Farm
4–8 p.m.
18
Concerts in the Courtyard:
Parlour Noir
6 p.m.
Enjoy a concert under the stars in the Museum’s outdoor courtyard.
19
Watercolor Workshop with Vessna Scheff
9:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
Explore painting botanicals and playing with the medium of watercolor
23
ARTZ-Connect at Brandywine
11 a.m.–12 p.m. +
A welcoming virtual program for visitors with dementia and their caregivers.
24
Salsa Lessons in the Courtyard
6 p.m.
Learn to salsa dance with instruction by Salsa in the Suburbs. Ages 21+
27
Stewardship Walk at the Laurels Preserve
9–11 a.m. +
Join Preserve Steward Caleb
Meredith on a leisurely hike around the Laurels Preserve.
Museum Explorers Family Workshops
July 10, 17, 24 and 31
10 a.m. & 11 a.m.
Creative workshops for children ages 3 to 10 accompanied by their grownups.
Enjoy a summer of outdoor fun in the Brandywine's newly renovated courtyard!
We can't wait for this transformed space to come alive once again for another summer season of Courtyard Concerts, plus NEW events like salsa dancing lessons and T'ai Chi Chih.
To purchase your tickets to the upcoming courtyard events, and to stay tuned for more additions to come, visit www.brandywine.org/events.
Concerts in the Courtyard
June 13: Noggin Hill
July 18: Parlour Noir
August 1: Jump City 8
August 15: Wicked Sycamore
Salsa Dancing Lessons
July 24
T'ai Chi Chih
May 31 & June 28
RETURNING THIS FALL:
Barks & Brews, an Oktoberfest Celebration
October 4
1
Concerts in the Courtyard: Jump City 8
6 p.m.
Enjoy a concert under the stars in the Museum’s outdoor courtyard.
3
Free First Sunday at Brandywine 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. +
Enjoy free all-day admission to the Museum and join creative art activities for all ages.
6
ARTZ-Connect at Brandywine 11 a.m.–12 p.m. +
A welcoming virtual program for visitors with dementia and their caregivers.
9
Yoga on the Brandywine 10–11 a.m.
September 2025 August 2025
3
ARTZ @ the Museum
1–2 p.m. +
A welcoming in-person gallery discussion for visitors with dementia and their caregivers.
6
Yoga on the Brandywine 10–11 a.m.
An inclusive and beginner-friendly yoga class designed for practitioners of all levels.
14
Plein Air Evening at Kuerner Farm
4–8 p.m.
Artists working in all media are invited to sketch or paint this iconic setting
15
Concerts in the Courtyard: Wicked Sycamore
6 p.m.
10
Autumn Garden Tour 10–11 a.m.
Join garden staff for a tour of the native plant gardens around the Brandywine Museum of Art.
20
Bike the Brandywine
6:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
A fully supported scenic bike ride through southern Chester County.
24
Stewardship Walk at the Laurels Preserve
9–11 a.m. +
Join Preserve Steward Caleb Meredith on a leisurely hike around the Laurels Preserve.
28
Stewardship Walk at the Laurels Preserve
9–11 a.m. +
Join Preserve Steward Caleb Meredith on a leisurely hike around the Laurels Preserve.
October 2025
4
Barks & Brews
12–4 p.m.
An Oktoberfest celebration in the courtyard—canine friends welcome! 5
Free First Sunday at Brandywine 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. +
Enjoy free all-day admission to the Museum and join creative art activities for all ages.
11
Yoga on the Brandywine 10–11 a.m.
An inclusive and beginner-friendly yoga class designed for practitioners of all levels.
26
Stewardship Walk at the Laurels Preserve
9–11 a.m. +
IN MEMORIAM
Frederick L. Meserve Jr. first joined Brandywine’s board in 1981 and became our organization’s third Treasurer in 1983. Fred served as a fund portfolio manager and Managing Director at Brown Trust for many years and published a number of investment strategy reports on growth stocks. With a keen business acumen, Fred was a key voice during his tenure as a Brandywine trustee, using his expertise to help our organization navigate its finances through both good and challenging times. Believing deeply in Brandywine’s mission, he encouraged the board to be bold and move forward, even in the face of financial uncertainty. He also played a significant role in the planning and fundraising for the Museum’s first major expansion in 1984. After his board tenure ended, Fred continued as treasurer for several years and as a member of the Finance & Investment Committee for another decade, during which he helped to create a strong financial foundation that continues to this day.
He was a man of great intelligence and character, well read, and affable. He was also a terrific tennis player whose opponents are known to have had fun even in defeat, thanks in large part to his spirit of sportsmanship. Our thoughts are with his wife, Patty, and their family.
Rodman W. Moorhead III was deeply engaged with the Brandywine, serving more than seven full terms as a trustee. He was also an active member of our Conservancy, Investment, and Museum Committees. Rod had a successful career in private equity and served as a General Partner and Managing Director at Warburg Pincus & Co., as well as a Member of the Advisory Board of New Providence Asset Management LLC. At Brandywine, he was an engaged trustee and committee member, always challenging his peers and our staff to strive for excellence. He and his wife, Alice, gave generously to our organization over the years, supporting general operations, capital campaigns, and a variety of special environmental projects.
UPDATED
In addition to providing critical financial support, the Moorheads made other donations that furthered the respective missions of the Conservancy and Museum. They permanently protected more than 250 acres of their property in Chester County with easements held by the Conservancy and the County. They also fully funded the purchase of six important paintings for the Museum’s collection— including works by Wolf Kahn, Edwin Dickinson, and Anna Mary Robertson (“Grandma”) Moses—and inspired others to give by issuing a challenge grant that led to the purchase of Marsden Hartley’s still life Petunias from Lachaise’s Garden.
Rod’s leadership and guidance will be missed, but the legacy of excellence and philanthropy that he leaves at Brandywine and the many other organizations that benefited from his involvement will be remembered for decades to come.
Photo courtesy of Stroud Water Research Center
MEMORIALS & TRIBUTES
The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art gratefully accepts and acknowledges gifts in honor or in memory of family and special friends, and in appreciation of our staff and volunteers. Recent gifts include:
IN MEMORY OF RUTH BASSETT
(IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Mr. & Mrs. Albert L. Mayer Jr.
IN MEMORY OF BETTY ANN BRADLEY
Ann C. Dotsey
IN HONOR OF AMANDA C. BURDAN
(IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Indian Valley Public Library
Diane D. Jacobsen
IN MEMORY OF ANNE D. CANNON
David Delduco & Laurie La Montagne
The Diehl Family
Audrey F. Donohue
Mark & Patricia Hovde
Ralph & Darlene Pratola
IN MEMORY OF GEORGE P. CAULKINS JR.
(IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Eleanor Caulkins
IN HONOR OF MRS. ROBIN CAVALLON
Mr. William Cokas
IN HONOR OF ROSEMARY CLARK
(IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
The Clark Family
IN MEMORY OF MATTHEW JAMES DAVIS
(IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Mr. & Mrs. James Davis
IN HONOR OF THEODORE DEHNE & VICTORIA PROFY
Nancy Myers
IN MEMORY OF DAVID DIMARZIO
Danform Shoes
Reading & English Department, Delaware Valley High School, Milford, PA
Ciro and Felicita Matrecano
Mostone Family
IN MEMORY OF KAY DIXON
Marie Dalton-Meyer & Les Meyer
IN MEMORY OF FORD B. DRAPER JR.
(IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Dr. Constance Chiasson
Victoria & John Manning
Dorothy K. Scarlett
Margaretta K. Stabler
IN MEMORY OF DR. JAMES M. ELLIS
Dorinda Scharff Hawkins
Roland & Donna Heck
IN HONOR OF MARY PAGE EVANS
(IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Mary Hathaway
IN HONOR OF MARTHA FREIBOTT
(IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Linda Handling
IN HONOR OF MARY CRONIN & DONNA GORMEL
(IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Elizabeth Buckley
IN HONOR OF MARK & DONNA GORMEL
(IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Alan & Devara Goodman
John & Rita Razze
IN HONOR OF RENEE KEMMERER & MARK GORMEL
Wild Ones Southeastern PA
IN MEMORY OF JANE BROWN GRIMES
(IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Heather R. Evans
IN MEMORY OF HOWARD HARRIS
Harris Family
IN HONOR OF PAUL D. HOERNER
Peter Van Pelt
IN HONOR OF VIRGINIA A. LOGAN
(IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Bill & Kay Iredale
IN HONOR OF DD MATZ
(IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Emory Hamilton
IN HONOR OF CB & KATHE MCCOY
HBKS Wealth Advisors
IN MEMORY OF FREDERICK L. MESERVE JR.
Cuyler H. Walker
IN MEMORY OF RODMAN W. MOORHEAD III
Cuyler H. Walker
IN MEMORY OF VIRGINIA STRONG NEWLIN
Carey Cheyney
IN MEMORY OF RANCE O’BRIEN
Elizabeth O'Brien
IN HONOR OF BRIAN O’LEARY
Charles and Blair Fleischmann
IN HONOR OF THOMAS PADON (IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Michael Roediger
IN HONOR OF SUZANNE M. REGNIER (IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Joanna A. Bush
Peter Van Pelt
IN MEMORY OF MARY ELLA RUGGERI-LOUCKS
Mr. Bruce Bartman
Furman Home for Funerals
Michael McGinley
John & Mary Lou Voge
IN MEMORY OF BILL SELLERS
(IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Deborah L. Sellers
IN HONOR OF W. DONALD SPARKS II, ESQ.
The LeFrak Trust Company
IN HONOR OF MORRIS W. STROUD (IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Stephen Milliken
IN MEMORY OF PATRICIA ANN STULL
Jack Musser & Terry O’Bryan
IN MEMORY OF SHIRLEY ANN SWEET
Faith Gefvert
Kevin & Jeanine Mooren
Sandra Sweet
IN MEMORY OF LOUIS C. AND BARBARA R. WASHBURN (IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
Ms. Elizabeth W. Pesce
Washburn Family Foundation
IN MEMORY OF GEORGE A. “FROLIC” WEYMOUTH (IN ADDITION TO PREVIOUS GIFTS)
John & Marlou Gregory
Meemie Sullivan
IN APPRECIATION OF THE WEYMOUTH FAMILY
Heather Coyne
Stephanie W. Dahne
Jamie Guiberson
P.O. Box 141, Route 1
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
MUSEUM HOURS
Visit www.brandywine.org/hours
INFORMATION brandywine.org/museum information@brandywine.org 610.388.2700
FOLLOW THE MUSEUM @brandywinemuseum @brandywinemuseum
EXHIBITIONS
Tell Me a Story Where the Bad Girl Wins: The Life and Art of Barbara Shermund Through June 1, 2025
Andrew Wyeth: Human Nature Through June 15, 2025
This Earthen Door: Nature as Muse and Material
May 24, 2025–September 7, 2025
Andrew Wyeth at Kuerner Farm: The Eye of the Earth
June 22, 2025–September 28, 2025
PRESERVE HOURS
The Laurels, Waterloo Mills & Birmingham Hill Preserves Visit www.brandywine.org/preserves
INFORMATION brandywine.org/conservancy information@brandywine.org 610.388.8340
FOLLOW THE CONSERVANCY @brandywineconservancy @brandywineconservancy
