I hope that you will allow me a slight divergence from my regular posts as I want to share some outstanding news about a museum with which I’m involved (and why) and offer a fitting recipe in tribute to its namesake, Wharton Esherick.
Last week the Wharton Esherick Museum announced publicly that the Windgate Foundation endowed it with a $10 million dollar gift. This is a true game changer for a museum of its size. For perspective, the annual revenue the museum will receive from this gift is the same as its current operating budget. This endowment will allow the museum the opportunity to realize its dreams of developing its campus and knowing that it has the operating budget to support it. Next step is for us to raise funds to execute this campus master plan.
I am fortunate to have served as a volunteer at the museum since 2006 when I trained to be a docent (tour guide). In 2014, I joined the board of directors and have served as president since 2017. Little did I know that I had been preparing for my work with the museum since I was little. My mom was an amateur artist and took (sometimes dragged) me to all kinds of museums as a child. To sweeten the deal, she would make sure I had chocolate cake at the end of our visits. My dad encouraged me to study what I wanted in college as long as I could find a job.
I took my first art history class my last semester of high school with one of my favorite teachers, Carmen Hill who provided me with a strong foundation in this discipline. I still have the book I created that semester of all the exercises and drawings she had us do (in true Immaculate Heart fashion). My first semester in college I took an art history survey course with Tyko Kihlstedt and he honored me by giving me an A on my first paper and asking for a copy (the latter was never again achieved in my time at Franklin & Marshall College!). Despite this, it took me a year or so to realize that I wanted to major in art history. When I discovered the museum on a visit with my mom, I finally felt I was putting my degree to good use.
More about the man behind this unique place. Wharton Esherick (1887-1970) was a painter turned woodworker who was bestowed the title Dean of the American Craftsman as he was largely responsible for keeping the American Craft movement alive from the 1920s to the 1960s. Taking a tour of the Studio (1926-1966) that Esherick built in Malvern, PA you see his stunning sculptures and furniture plus a glimpse of how he lived his life. The property also houses his Workshop (1956) that he designed with architect Louis Kahn and a garage (1928) that resembles an Expressionist inspired log cabin. Down the hill is the original farmhouse he and his wife, Letty, moved to in 1913.
In celebration of this amazing gift, I thought I would share Esherick’s favorite drink, a stirred martini. While I do not quite know how he liked his martinis, I have always assumed that it was made with gin given the time period. I do know that he used the original of the mixer pictured below to make a pitcher of martinis for his later in life love, Miriam Phillips (this one is known as “Miram’s” Martini Mixer). He had his own mixer that was a bit shorter. Both mixers are on display together in the Studio’s kitchen.
Now made a variety of ways, traditionally martinis consisted of either gin or vodka, dry vermouth, and olives or cocktail onions as garnish. I love blue cheese olives – that is what is pictured below.
A few years after Esherick died in 1970, his daughter, Ruth and her husband, Bob Bascom, opened the museum. They converted Esherick’s Workshop into their home. Ruth passed away in 2015 and Bob in October of this year. Thankfully, Bob learned of this tremendous gift before he died. When Julie Siglin, our fabulous Executive Director, shared the news with him, he was speechless. That was quite unusual for Bob.
Ready to visit? Sadly the museum is currently closed due to the pandemic. For anyone who is interested, I would be thrilled to give you a tour when it opens back up. Seeing it in person is a magical experience. Until then please enjoy a martini and toast to the Wharton Esherick Museum’s good fortune.
The Wharton Esherick Museum received some thoughtful coverage about this announcement:
- The Philadelphia Inquirer – Wharton Esherick Museum in Malvern gets a $10 million gift out of the blue
- WHYY (Philadelphia’s Public TV/Radio Station) – Tiny, hidden Wharton Esherick Museum gets $10M windfall
Photos: I took these photos on a late November afternoon as the sun was beginning to set. No matter the season, it is always beautiful at the Wharton Esherick Museum.
| A Martini for Wharton Esherick | Print |
- 2 ounces gin or vodka
- ¼ ounce dry vermouth
- Garnish with olives or cocktail onions
- Chill a martini glass by putting a few ice cubes in it and letting it sit for a few minutes.
- Once the glass is chilled, discard ice cubes.
- Pour dry vermouth in glass and gently swirl it around the glass. Drinker’s choice to discard vermouth at this point or leave it in the glass.
- Add gin or vodka to glass and gently stir.
- Skewer olives or cocktail onions and place in glass.
- Drink immediately.
Nicole, I especially enjoyed this post. Your references to your mom, my sister, are such a lovely memory. Your intertwining of time and place, food and drink, create some lovely stories and inspiration. Keep writing and cooking and mixing!
Aunt Jill – Thank you! I am so very happy you enjoyed this one. I was hoping to achieve just what you shared. Love you!