Thriving Art in Chester County

Posted by Victoria Rose on January 20, 2022

Lonely Girl Room 4732, photo by Rick Davis

There is so much more than meets the eye in Chester County. No one knows that better than Constance McBride, who for the past two years wrote the Art Live column for Chadds Ford Live. A ceramic sculptor herself, McBride was surprised to find a thriving art scene when she moved to the area. “Aside from the Wyeths, I wasn’t familiar with the Brandywine Valley art scene,” McBride says. “I started visiting galleries in West Chester and was very happy to notice that the arts are alive and well in Chester County.”

McBride’s experience is a common one for people unfamiliar with the rich artistic tradition of the area. Even lifelong residents may not have experienced more than a school visit to the Brandywine River Museum of Art or passing familiarity with the works of Andrew Wyeth. However, you don’t have to look hard to find more. “I learned a lot about what was going in the area by writing for Chadds Ford Live,” McBride says. “It was all new to me. I would come across a tiny shop in a street mall, walk in and find fine art!”

The Lonely Girls at Tubbs Gallery - Rehoboth Art League - photo by Karen Hahn

This is a common refrain I have heard from many visitors and new arrivals to Chester County over the years. Those who have only seen the most famous representations of local art can be surprised to find more than they expect. “It isn’t all snow on rooftops, cows, and landscapes,” McBride says. “There are so many contemporary artists and active studios all over Chester County.”

McBride herself is one of those artists, as well as an active member of the local art community. Her most recent show, The Lonely Girls, expanded upon a project started in 2011. After her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, McBride was inspired by both her and the women she lived with. The original collection of seven ceramic portraits was completed in 2013/2014. When the pandemic hit in 2020, McBride revisited the project and created several more sculptures. Each bust bursts with emotion, with expressive faces that range from curious to thoughtful to lost. The series explores both the disease and representation, as “a gendered issue of dementia engaged from a female point of view.” The project was most recently shown in late 2021 at the Tubbs Gallery at Rehoboth Art League in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

McBride got into ceramics as many do: through a local class. “I took a class at Abington Arts Center to make clay tiles. The moment I touched it, there was something about the material that drew me in.” She developed a passion for the medium that lasted. “Once I realized how I could sculpt figures in clay, I was hooked.”

McBride shares her passion by teaching hand building to students. She taught at Chester County Arts Association prior to the shutdown, and now is an instructor at Clay on Main in Oley, Pennsylvania. The studio has continued to thrive through the pandemic, with safety measures in place. “I have students well versed in clay, and students who received a gift certificate and just want to get out of the house. But once they get going, it is a way to escape and shut off all the noise.” Many have found such an activity soothing, especially over the past few years. “Working with your hands is a meditative process, whether molding clay, knitting, or crocheting.” The many new bakers who have discovered a love of kneading and baking homemade bread since 2020 would agree.

The pandemic has provided many challenges for those who rely on sharing their craft, but McBride notes that some changes have been positive. “As challenging as it has been, the pandemic has brought more of us online, where you can reach a wider audience,” McBride muses. “Artists are watching from other areas, noticing the events in our region, and getting interested in showing here.” This is a boon to the many galleries throughout Chester County. Exhibits and shows are returning rapidly, and this will be an exciting year in the art community.

“In all mediums, people need to have a purpose again,” McBride says. For her, clay has provided that in a variety of ways. “It is of the earth, and we are of the earth. For me it’s life and our experiences over time.”

About Victoria Rose

Victoria Rose (she/her) is an editor, writer, avid reader, self-described geek, and fan of all things creative. Her passion for words has led to her current career as a freelance editor, and she is the owner of Flickering Words, an editing service. When not wielding a red pen (or cursor), she loves reading books of all genres, playing video, board, and word games, baking ridiculous creations to show off on the internet, or enjoying the gorgeous outdoors. She is a board member of the West Chester Film Festival and part of the Thirsty Monsters, a team of streamers from around the world who fundraise for various charities supporting LGBTQIA+ and accessibility rights. She can be found online @WordsFlickering or the Brandywine Art Guide @BrandywineArtGuide.