March 26, 2015 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Sharon Silverman's vibrant yarn creations, inspired by a historic rug, spotlight the Hagley Museum entrance.

At Hagley Museum, explosion of color, history

It’s not the kind of explosion one might associate with the historic Hagley Museum, the former home of the DuPont Company’s powder yards on the banks of the Brandywine Creek.

Lilies are among the crocheted flowers adorning the Hagley Museum entrance that drew their inspiration from a rug on display inside.

In conjunction with the Hagley’s “Unraveling Stories” exhibit, a Birmingham Township crochet artist on Thursday, March 26, put the finishing touches on her latest example of yarn bombing – a trend of using vibrant fiber art to make public spaces explode with color.

Inspired by a large hooked rug on view in the exhibit, Sharon Silverman designed the yarn installation based on the rug’s themes. “I wanted to create something colorful and inviting that connects with the history Nancy du Pont Reynolds Cooch depicted in her incredible piece,” Silverman said. “These items are significant to the du Pont family and the site, including fleur-de-lis, flowers, and animals.”

Toward that end, Silverman has adorned the iron gates and brick pillars at the entrance to the museum with twining yarn creations based on images from the rug: cattails, lilies, daffodils, morning glories, and more.

“Unraveling Stories” is an experimental exhibition that explores a single object: the largest hooked rug in the museum’s collection. “Unraveling Stories” will share four stories through the rug: the story of the artistic tradition from which it came, the narrative story depicted in its images, the scientific story behind the experimental materials used in its making, and the personal story of the artist who made it. The exhibit runs through Sunday, July 26.

Crochet expert Sharon Silverman shows an illustration of the intricately detailed rug that inspired they yarn display outside the Hagley Museum. — Crochet expert Sharon Silverman shows an illustration of the intricately detailed rug that inspired they yarn display she created outside the Hagley Museum.

The yarn installation is also an opportunity to promote the fiber arts and encourage people of all ages to visit Hagley, Silverman said. “The site is a Brandywine Valley treasure—so much more than the word `museum’ implies,” said Silverman, who became a fan of Hagley when she was writing a travel book, Brandywine Valley: The Informed Traveler’s Guide.

“Hagley is so excited about partnering with Sharon Silverman to bring attention to our new experimental exhibition, while also providing a canvas for public arts on the Brandywine,” said Hagley Director of Museum Services Joan Hoge-North.

Silverman said she was grateful to Hoge-North, for her openness to the project and support. “I also owe a huge thank you to Hagley’s handwork volunteers,” Silverman said. “The group embraced the yarn art concept and made many of the pieces that are incorporated into the artwork. Their help was invaluable.”

The installation also includes fleur-de-lis panels on the stone entrance pillars of the Hagley Museum.

A professional member of the Crochet Guild of America (CGOA) and a design member of The National NeedleArts Association (TNNA), Silverman last displayed a yarn bomb exhibition in December at the Delaware Museum of Natural History.

The Hagley Museum is located on Route 141 in Wilmington. The GPS address is 200 Hagley Creek Road, Wilmington, De., 19807. Admission is $14 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, $5 for children 6 to 14, and free for members and children 5 and under. Exhibition-only admission is $6 for adults, seniors, and students, $2 for children 6 to 14, and free for members and children 5 and under.

For more information on the Hagley Museum, call 302-658-2400 on weekdays or visit www.hagley.org. To learn more about Silverman’s work, visit www.SharonSilverman.com.

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GSC hears from finance director

Members of the Concord Township Government Study Commission were told unequivocally that departments in the township are working well.

That was the word from Concord’s Finance Director/Treasurer JoAnne Demnicki during the group’s March 25 meeting.

Demnicki said the township has been extremely busy with developments during the last decade and that growth has been “amazing.”

“All [township] departments are busy, but everything is being done correctly,” she said toward the end of her presentation.

The commission — charged with exploring a possible change in the township’s government structure — requested that she give a briefing on her duties. Demnicki came prepared with written responses to several questions.

She said that while sewer bills and property tax payments might come directly to the township office, all receipts are recorded before being sent to the appropriate person, be it the Sewer Department administrator or the assistant tax collector.

Demnicki added that no tax money goes to the Sewer Department and that all tax accounts are in the township name, not that of the tax collector or assistant.

She added that the historical non-collection of taxes is 2 percent, something she said is, “pretty good.”

Demnicki said part of her responsibility is to oversee seven different funds, including general obligation, capital reserve, escrow and open space funds.

She also explained the different responsibilities of the professional auditor and the elected auditors.

The paid auditors conduct the actual audit while the elected auditors review reports provided, then summarize those reports and give presentations.

Commission President James Gray said the commission is to come up with an initial recommendation by July.

The group is studying the current township organization and looking at other forms of structure, such as a home rule charter, before making a recommendation. If that recommendation is for Concord to remain a township of the second class, the commission’s work is done.

If, however, the commissioners recommend adopting one of four optional plans listed in the state’s Home Charter and Optional Plan Law, that recommendation is placed on the ballot of the next election for voters to accept or reject.

If the commission recommends that Concord develop its own home rule charter, the group then has another nine months to develop the charter before that goes to the voters.

The GSC has already heard the difference between townships of the first class and second class from the assistant executive director of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, and on home rule options from the program manager of the Governor’s Center of Community and Economic Development.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.