March 28, 2011 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Bookwright cured his own dyslexia

moser with student — Bookwright cured his own dyslexia

Barry Moser metamorphosed from a celebrated artist to a storyteller this weekend at the Brandywine River Museum.Members of the Brandywine River Museum previewed the “Barry Moser, Bookwright” exhibit Friday night. After the exhibit opened to the public, Moser told his life story to a room full of people.

The exhibit begins with a wood engraving “And the Sea Stopped Raging” one of his illustrations for the Pennyroyal Caxton “The Holy Bible.” The engravings evoke the story’s drama not unlike another illustrator known to that gallery, NC Wyeth.

A series of portraits including those of Walt Whitman, Eudora Welty, Mark Twain portray visages from history. Books on display are the two volumes of the above mentioned bible, “Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland” and “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” The exhibit ends with a series of watercolor illustrations “Blessings of the Beast” and “Bear from “Through the Mickle Woods.” See below.

Assistant Curator Lee Wierenga traveled to Moser’s studio in North Hampton, Mass. more than a year ago. She selected works which showed the “fullness of his career” and some of those illustrations for which he had received awards. The 75 works in the current exhibit are mostly from his personal collection combined with a two works that are part of the collection of the Brandywine River Museum.

Moser’s personal story starts in Tennessee. He was put in military school and discouraged from art because it didn’t fit his family’s image of what a male should do. Drawing was his constant companion. Academics, specifically reading, proved almost impossible. Not until dyslexia was diagnosed in his daughter did Moser realize that his reading problems might have had the same basis.

Moser’s journey detoured from art during a period when he was a Methodist preacher. Decades later, that experience would bring the depth and passion to his illustration of “The Holy Bible.” He describes the “courage, discipline and stamina” that were ever present for four years to produce the work as a “gift” which is to be given away.

The need for artistic development and the abhorrence to racial intolerance led him to New England, he said. Mentors Harold McGrath and Leonard Baskin led him ultimately to becoming a bookwright and, in many of his works, controlling every facet of book design. Moser attributes his cure of dyslexia to typesetting. Putting letters upside down and backwards in preparation for printing eventually enabled him to read the traditionally printed page.

Moser is Professor-in-Residence in Art & Printer to the College at Smith College.

The exhibit continues through May 22.

About Emily Myers

Emily Myers has lived and worked in Chadds Ford for over thirty five years. She founded the parent company of Chadds Ford Live, Decision Design Research, Inc., in 1982. ChaddsFordLive.com represents the confluence of Myers' long time, deep involvement in technology and community. Myers was a founding member of the Chadds Ford Business Association and currently serves on its board of directors. Her hobbies include bridge, golf, photography and Tai Chi. She lives with her husband, Jim Lebedda, in Chadds Ford Township.

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62nd Annual Art Show Chadds Ford Elementary

souperintendant — 62nd Annual Art Show Chadds Ford Elementary

Proceeds from the 62nd Annual Art Show will generate more than half of the Chadds Ford Elementary School PTO budget that provides educational enrichment programs.

Hiver McKnight, Kathleen Vasko and Kristen Goodman chaired this year’s event.

Artists don’t pay a fee to display at the show, but 30 percent of every sale goes to the PTO, McKnight said.

She said proceeds from last year’s show went to buy Smartboards©, that the teachers and students have “used to provide technologic learning experiences of their core subject materials. Previously, the PTO purchased playground equipment, many classroom teaching aids, and the Art in Action program.”

The Art in Action enrichment program, sponsored by the PTO, taught “hands on” impressionism. Future art enrichment programs funded by the annual art sale include abstract art and photography.

The Art Sale & Show opened on Friday evening, March 25 with a complimentary reception where patrons met the artists while enjoying live classical music and complimentary hors d’oeuvres from prominent local restaurants. More than 70 professional artists from the Brandywine Valley and beyond displayed their art in the Chadds Ford Elementary gymnasium.

According to McKnight, “Sixty-five of the show’s artists have participated in the show in past years. The artists discussed their works with hundreds of patrons, many of whom had visited the art show for many years.”

This year’s West Chester-based featured artist, Richard Bollinger, returned for his 32nd Chadds Ford Elementary art show. This was his sixth time as the Art Sale’s “Featured Artist”. Bollinger’s 2011 featured watercolor piece was a painting entitled “Evening at North Farm.”

West Chester artist John Hannafin was the Art Sale’s donating artist. Hannafin donated an oil canvas of the historic Birmingham Schoolhouse which was valued at $1,000. This painting and a dozen prints donated by other regional artists and local art businesses were raffled by the Chadds Ford PTO.

Artist Len “Leonardo” Geron from Arlington, Va. has participated in more than 20 Chadds Ford Art Shows. Geron is widely known for his America’s cup series and tennis paintings. He has been honored as the Chadds Ford Art Show featured artist in past years. Len said he enjoyed the enthusiasm of the PTO parents and their tireless efforts to make the show so successful for the Chadds Ford community and the hundreds of artists he has met at the annual show.

The art show concluded on Saturday afternoon, March 26. The Saturday exhibit and sale event featured jazz music and fourth grade Chadds Ford Elementary student Andrew Vogts playing the violin.

Betsy Wyeth started the popular art show in 1949 while her son, Jamie Wyeth, was a student at Chadds Ford Elementary.

About Jim Phreaner

After 41 years of auditing large NYSE global corporations, former IRS Agent Jim Phreaner was looking for a project in retirement with fewer regulations and more people. He joined the staff at Chadds Ford Live more than a year ago. James Edward “Jim” Phreaner, 64, died suddenly in his Birmingham Township home on Dec.17, 2012. Jim was a devoted husband, son, father, friend, and neighbor.