Wharton Esherick Birthday Bash

Bring your party hats and come up the hill to join us in celebrating Wharton Esherick’s 137th birthday on July 13, 2024, from 12:00 – 3:00 PM. Festivities include artist demonstrations, a pop-up exhibition of tools from the 1956 Workshop, timed walkthroughs of the Studio, and live music. We’ll be celebrating alongside our friends from the Dox Thrash House, Barnstone Art for Kids, and Nakashima Woodworkers. Enjoy hands-on activities exploring printmaking, textiles, and woodworking, and talks from Raul De Lara and Talia Drury, two artists featured in our 30th Annual Juried Woodworking Exhibition.

Guests will be able to enjoy special access to Esherick’s 1956 Workshop along with festive fare and refreshments. During the party, we’ll be hosting a raffle offering unique experiences, artworks and more from members of the Esherick Museum family. Grab your tickets now and celebrate your creative side! Happy 137th Birthday, Wharton!

Raffle items include:

» Six vouchers for a tour and refreshments in the Margaret Esherick House

» Original sketches by Amy Forsyth

» Collector’s Edition of Song of the Broad Axe

» Package of Wharton Esherick Museum books, books authored by WEM staff, and a voucher for the upcoming Crafted World of Wharton Esherick book

» Piece by WEM’s own woodworker extraordinaire, Larissa Huff

Our artist demonstrators for the day include:

Dana Meyer will be running a textile demonstration for visitors that highlights the wonderful and recently discovered weavings made by Letty Esherick.

Raul De Lara and Talia Drury will co-lead a demonstration in woodworking and milk paint. Both artists, who each have artworks on view in the Rhythms: WEM’s 30th Annual Juried Woodworking exhibition, will also join us for a talk about their pieces in the show and lead guests on a guided nature walk on the WEM grounds.

Jessica Barber from the Dox Thrash House will lead guests in a printmaking activity – and share more about efforts to preserve the historic Dox Thrash House.

Our friends from George Nakashima Woodworkers will join us with handmade goods and stories from their site.

Barnstone Art for Kids will join us with a hands-on art-making activity and to share more on how they use art-making as therapy for children facing adversity.

Live Music by Mike and Dave Biddison of the Llama Dalis!