Andrew Smith 11/19/24 Andrew Smith 11/19/24

Pennsylvania Farms — In Clay

Thanks to the Brandywine Museum of Art staff for the opportunity to attend a plein air day in October (2024) at the historic Kuerner Farm in Chadds Ford.

*“Chadds Ford Barn” — Clay Monoprint & Acrylic © Andrew T. Smith of Visual Realia, LLC.*

*“Farm Field with Flowers” — Clay Monoprint, Watercolor, Colored Pencil, and Acrylic Marker © Andrew T. Smith of Visual Realia, LLC.*

Thanks to the Brandywine Museum of Art staff for the opportunity to attend a plein air day in October (2024) at the historic Kuerner Farm in Chadds Ford. Andrew Wyeth created over 1,000 works based on people, places, items, and scenes from the farm over a seven-decade period, including over two hundred works with images of Helga Testorf, who was employed at the farm.

A new exhibit focusing on images from the farm is scheduled to open at the Brandywine in June 2025.

I did not take my clay monoprint materials but captured many photographs during the day. While not an attempt to capture the farm literally, the two clay monoprint mixed media works shown here were inspired by the visit. They are currently on display and available for purchase at York, Pennsylvania’s Creatives on King, located at 104 E. King Street, York, PA.

*Kuerner Farm, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Photograph © Andrew T. Smith of Visual Realia, LLC.*

All works copyright Andrew T. Smith

Andrew Smith 8/21/24 Andrew Smith 8/21/24

Lyons' Share Exhibit Opens September 5th at the Chester County Art Association

*Culture On The Line article screenshot - © Culture On The Line and Andrew T. Smith*

The Chester County Art Association shares the works of four active clay monoprint artists in their upcoming exhibit, “Lyons’ Share,” running from September 8th through the 24th. Learn more, including insights from the artists, in the Culture On The Line article linked here.

"The Lyons' Share"
Chester County Art Association
100 N Bradford Ave, West Chester, PA
Parking Available On-Site.
chestercountyarts.org

September Gallery Hours:
Monday-Friday: 10 AM - 5 PM
Saturday: 10 AM - 4 PM
Closed Sundays

Artists:

Steve Koelsch (skoelsch3@yahoo.com)
Robin Sesan (www.robinsesanart.com)
Andrew Smith (visualrealia.com)
Meredith Wakefield (mitchlyonsstudio.com)
Works by Mitch Lyons (mitchlyonsstudio.com)

"The Lyons' Share" opens on Thursday, September 5th, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, at the Chester County Art Association in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The exhibit, featuring four clay monoprint artists plus representative works of Lyons, runs through September 24th. The Art Association is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that has served the region since 1931.

Andrew Smith 5/30/22 Andrew Smith 5/30/22

Culture On The Line Website Follows Regional Creatives

A new member of the Visual Realia family is online, Culture On The Line, a curated look at the culture of south central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland. I hope you bookmark it and follow its corresponding Facebook page.

Andrew Smith 7/3/21 Andrew Smith 7/3/21

"Under the Ridge" Up for Auction

“Under the Ridge” by Andrew Smith of Visual Realia

In 2018, Hanover Against Hunger packed close to 120,000 meals to be distributed worldwide where needed. This amazing local group raises funds for the project locally, including a silent auction of fourteen artworks.

My entry is "Under the Ridge," a 24" x 20" look down toward the town of Gettysburg from Seminary Ridge. (The building shown is part of the United Lutheran Seminary.)

To bid on the work or see the others available via auction, visit:

https://hanoverareaarts.com/auction-gallery/

You may also view the works in person at the Hanover Area Arts Guild, located at 32 Carlisle Street, Hanover.

To learn more about Hanover Against Hunger, visit their website at:

https://hanoveragainsthunger.org

It's a wonderful organization with an impressive reach. Volunteer or place a bid!

Andrew Smith 8/26/16 Andrew Smith 8/26/16

Vanishing Village

Nestled between Hanover and McSherrystown is a small village with a vanishing name.

Entering Adams County from the York County Line, Pennsylvania

There was a time when drivers traveling between Hanover and McSherrytown on Route 116 would pass small signs noting the village name of Midway. Businesses noted the name. Today, visual remnants of the name are seldom found.

Midway, located in Conewago Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, borders Hanover (in York County) and McSherrystown. It is considered an unincorporated census-designated place, or a CDP. The United States Census Bureau considers CDPs to be a concentration of population for statistical purposes only. This areas have boundaries that tend to be softly defined and have no legal status. The 2010 census determined that Midway has a population of 2,125, which includes members of my family.

The signs noting your entrance to the area have been removed, and very few signs noting the name can still be spotted. As time goes on, explaining the location of your house as being "in Midway" has become less helpful. Midway, it seems, is a bit of a vanishing village.