“If Wharton Esherick’s life and work have meaning for us, could it be this? That this man, pinpointed on a hillside…is able to reconcile his work and art to modern life – to do more than reconcile to use his gifts, his resources at hand, and enrich and beautify everyday life and living. Art is not only to be found on museum walls or churches – it can be all about in our houses and gardens, we can live with it. Wharton Esherick shows us that we need not put up with the mediocre, the shoddy, the copy, but that we can refine our taste in our day-to-day life – use art, live with it, and eventually have it become part of us.”In 1955, Esherick’s friend and neighbor Gertrude Almy, penned these beautiful words in an article for The Main Line News. Esherick had changed the Almy family’s understanding of art, where it could be found, and how we engage with it. We hope every guest to the Wharton Esherick Museum takes away this inspiration. It could mean jumping into that creative project of your own that you’ve been putting off, or it could mean rethinking the objects and materials with which you surround yourself. In that spirit we invite you to explore the artist-made goods featured in the WEM Store. Through our museum shop we offer handmade objects – art to live with as Gertrude said – that give a daily dose of joy and enrich our lives. Below you’ll find just a few highlights of what’s new and waiting to be discovered by you.
- Gertrude Almy
Esherick Prints
In 2024, we partnered with a Philadelphia-based print artist and educator Katie Garth to produce a limited series of three Esherick prints: Of a Great City, Harrowing, and The Croquet Game. These prints were struck from Wharton Esherick’s original woodblocks in limited editions of 25 prints each and offer a treasured opportunity to enjoy Esherick’s artwork in your own home. Several of Esherick’s other beloved woodblock prints can also be found in our shop as digitally printed fine art prints, notecards, and even tea towels.
For Home
For inviting artful living into your kitchen look no further than Sonja Bergquist’s free standing walnut spatulas. A self-taught maker, Bergquist credits her family’s history of craftsmanship and ability to make the everyday beautiful with drawing her towards woodworking. Her skillful hand and design sensibilities ring through in these sculptural yet functional works. Also for the home – Miriam’s Martini Mixer, a cherry wood replica of the dual martini mixer by Esherick on view in the Studio kitchen.
To Wear
Among the great selections of wearable art in the WEM store are a variety of carved and painted wood earrings by artist Sara Tabbert. Tabbert is a printmaker and mixed media artist from Fairbanks, Alaska whose work was featured as an Honorable Mention in Renewal: WEM’s 31st Annual Juried Woodworking Exhibition. We’re always eager to deepen our engagement with artists featured in our juried woodworking exhibitions or other artists with close ties to the Studio. For more stunning accessories from past exhibiting artists check out Rainy Lehrman’s bent wood jewelry or Stacey Lee Webber’s penny lapel pins.