Wharton Esherick: An Artistic Legacy Through Necessity

Exhibition Info
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School of Fine Arts Gallery: Gift of the Women’s Board
Tuttleman Sculpture Gallery
Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building
"Wharton Esherick: An Artistic Legacy Through Necessity" examines how the symbiotic connection of fine and applied arts is as relevant for artists today as it was for Esherick, and how artists have used fine art training to pursue creative careers in design, fabrication, and related fields.

Wharton Esherick (July 15, 1887-May 6, 1970) was a leading figure in the American Studio Crafts Movement which developed after 1945.  These artists used new techniques and non-traditional materials, embraced utilitarian aspects of craft, and produced unique art objects that fused abstract form with function.  

Wharton Esherick: An Artistic Legacy Through Necessity, explores the productive relationship between applied and fine arts within his work while placing the artist’s practice in conversation with recent alumni from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

Wharton Esherick attended the Philadelphia School of Industrial Art and then studied painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts from 1908 to 1910.  Following school, he had several painting exhibitions and worked various jobs as an illustrator.  In the 1920s, Esherick began to focus on sculpture, woodworking, and design in response to technological and economic changes, as well as his own changing artistic interests.  Maintaining his vision as an artist, Esherick considered his furniture to be works of art.

Featured Artists

  • Ben Jones (Cert. ‘12 ) - Weaving and Textiles
  • Marguerita Hagan (MFA ‘10) - Ceramics
  • Steven Dufala (Cert. ‘00) - Set Design
  • Thomas Pontone (MFA ’13) - Cement Furniture
  • Chelsea Kashan (BFA ’15, Cert. ’16) - Landscape Architecture Student

 

Wharton Chalking out Dannenberg Table
Wharton Chalking out Dannenberg Table
Long House Card Table
Long House Card Table
Esherick Three Legged Stool
Esherick Three Legged Stool
Alabama Pine
Alabama - Pine
Alabama - Magnolia
Alabama - Magnolia
News and Press

Wharton Esherick: The Art of Form and Function

Step into the exhibition "Wharton Esherick: An Artistic Legacy Through Necessity," in PAFA's Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building, and you'll be greeted by an object that you might not expect to see in a fine art gallery. Esherick studied painting at PAFA in the early 20th century, but he is best known for wooden sculptural work and furniture design. John Greig, the exhibition's curator, sees Esherick as an example of an artist who was able to adapt to economic challenges, and put his artistic training to use in a context outside of what might be considered a traditional career in the fine arts.
Related Events
Exhibition Reception

Opening Reception | Wharton Esherick: An Artistic Legacy Through Necessity

Join us for the opening reception of our exhibition, "Wharton Esherick: An Artistic Legacy Through Necessity".
Canceled
Art At Noon

John Grieg: Wharton Esherick

Hailed as the Dean of American craftsmen, Wharton Esherick pioneered what was once seen as a utilitarian craft—wood-working—into an art form. The exhibition, Wharton Esherick: An Artistic Legacy Through Necessity, highlights how after training as a sculptor at PAFA, he dedicated his talent and aesthetic vision to handcrafting every material part of his personal and professional life, from furniture to architecture, from utensils to painting frames.

Exhibition curator John Greig tells the story of this influential artist and how his unique philosophy—“If it isn’t fun, it isn’t worth doing”— is evident in the joyful expression of his works.