This past Saturday Maira Kalman and Rick Meyerowitz (below top) gave their own first inaugural at Chesterwood, outside of Stockbridge, Mass., the home and studio of Daniel Chester French (1850-1931), sculptor of the Abraham Lincoln statue in the Memorial in Washington, D.C., and The Minute Man in Concord, Mass.
In February, Kalman published “And the Pursuit of Happiness: In Love with A. Lincoln” (above) for her NYTimes.com blog — becoming in her own way a rival to Mary Todd Lincoln. The verdant Chesterwood, nestled in this Berkshires, was perfect for sharing her passion for Abe with others. The illustrated “reading” was wonderful, and the grounds and buildings (studio below bottom) sublime.
If you are ever in the area, a visit to the home, studio, gardens and sculpture park is well worth the admission price of $15. Only a few short miles away is The Nornan Rockwell Museum, which regularly hosts events devoted to the art of illustration.
And don’t forget to read Kalman’s warm and witty visual essays about other founding fathers (and mothers) and characters here.
About Steven Heller
Steven Heller is the co-chair of the SVA MFA Designer /Designer as Author + Entrepreneur program, writes frequently for Wired and Design Observer. He is also the author of over 170 books on design and visual culture. He received the 1999 AIGA Medal and is the 2011 recipient of the Smithsonian National Design Award.View all posts by Steven Heller →