Wyeth Studio Tours - Chadds Ford Live

The impact of the Wyeths through generations of artists has proven sweeping and profound. Not only upon the Brandywine Tradition of Art, but on the Brandywine Valley itself. The landscapes of the rolling hills have been painted, drawn, printed, replicated, and disseminated so often and so far that at times a simple drive to work on a pretty spring day can feel like a ride through a majestic en plein air mural.

Visitors can see the conserved locations where the Wyeths created, were inspired, and lived by booking a Studio Tour through the Brandywine River Museum. These popular excursions just reopened this past week, on April 5th, and the first buses to pull away from the museum were full of guests excited to be part of the experience.

“Seeing the studio is like being backstage at the theater or in the rehearsal studio for a singer or dancer,” says Amanda C. Burdan, Ph.D., the Senior Curator of the Brandywine Museum of Art. “It’s the space where the creative work takes place.” Two Studio Tours are available through the Museum: one of the N. C. Wyeth Studio, and one of the Andrew Wyeth Studio.

N. C. Wyeth Studio, Palladian Window. Photo by Daniel Jackson.

The tours include glimpses into the home life of the artists and their families, preserved, recreated, and considerately presented for the public. “The house and studio tours are special biographical experiences too, that explain, better than any label text in a gallery could, the lives of the artists,” Burdan says. “This can include what their private lives were like, where they drew inspiration from, what materials they used, and a sense of their personal style or aesthetic. Because we strive to keep the spaces historically accurate, it’s like stepping back in time and putting yourself in the artist’s shoes, even for a short while.”

The Museum has worked to create a unique experience for each Studio Tour, and even for each set of visitors. Unlike many other tours available to visit the places where artists worked, this is more than simply a chance to walk through the space and read placards. Instead, each tour is personally led by an “interpreter” who not only is extremely knowledgeable about their site, but passionate about their subjects.

I was lucky to meet Patty Boyd, the interpreter for the N. C. Wyeth Studio Tour, on my visit, who was a wealth of knowledge and also able to answer every question from visitors, adding her tips for visiting not only the Museum and Studio Tours, but other places where N. C. Wyeth’s artwork is on view around the country. Her passion for the work of N. C. Wyeth and also his dedication to creating an inspiring setting for his children was obvious, and made the history of the site come alive. At the Andrew Wyeth Studio, Joanne Goebel provided knowledge not only of the Studio and Andrew Wyeth, but also about the recent updates to include the work and history of Jamie Wyeth, who also worked at the site for many decades.

“Tours are personalized by our team of interpreters, so you will always have a different experience on each visit, but this year we’ve made a big change to the area of the Andrew Wyeth Studio that was used by his son Jamie,” says Burdan. “Previous visitors saw a recreation of the studio as it was when Jamie was working on his posthumous portrait of President Kennedy in 1967.”

Recently, this area of the Studio was updated, and a video added to give some context Jamie Wyeth’s use of the room. As Burdan explains, “A few weeks ago, with Jamie’s help, we re-set his area back to 1965, when he was working on Draft Age, a portrait of his close friend Jimmy Lynch. We’ve included a reproduction of the painting, as well as all of the surviving sketches for the work, and a very important prop that Jamie saved throughout the decades. In addition, we’ve filmed a new short welcome video with Jamie, in which he gives visitors some insights as to why he thinks preserving historic properties is so important.”

A lot of work goes into maintaining these properties and creating an enlightening experience for visitors. “The historic nature of the properties can sometimes be challenging to maintain,” Burdan says. “When repairs are made, the building still needs to retain its original look and character. Replacing a worn-out door can become difficult because we need the new door to look as much as possible like the original door, even if that original door was made a hundred years ago. It’s important to keep the historic look, though, so the experience of the visitor is as authentic as possible. The historic properties are much more intimate spaces and can only accommodate a small group of people, unlike the gallery, but I think this makes the visit all the more special and personal.”

Andrew Wyeth Studio, Jamie Wyeth Draft Age recreation. Photo Courtesy of the Brandywine River Museum.

On the day I went through the Studios, fellow guests had come from as far away as Germany and as close by as Ring Road to understand more about the Wyeths, their art, and their history. “I hope that visitors to the studio tours feel a connection to the artist and their creative process in a way that only looking at a finished painting can’t really convey,” says Burdan. “The artists are more fully fleshed out as people, not just names on a label. The historical context of the properties reminds us that art isn’t created in a vacuum and that artists are more than just the sum of their art works.”

When you see the sites where many of these masterpieces were created, you may feel inspired to make your own—or at least take a bit more care when taking a few photos with your phone.

Guided tours of the N. C. Wyeth House & Studio and the Andrew Wyeth Studio are available at select times, Wednesday through Sunday, through November 19th. Tours of Kuerner Farm will also be held on certain dates. Find all the information and reserve your tickets at Brandywine.org/studios. The Brandywine River Museum is located at 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road, Chadds Ford, PA. More information can be found online at Brandywine.org/Museum.

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.