From Farmer's Market to Follies

I love day trips. Last week I visited one of my favorite areas for day tripping, the Delaware Valley and Chadd's Ford, PA area with a good friend who is also and artist and educator.  It seemed all day the theme of the basic Elements of Art and Principles of Design kept coming up.  As we meandered through the countryside to lunch we stopped at a Farmer's Market.  It was wonderful to explore all the color, shape, textures, and forms.

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Next stop was lunch at one of our favorite diners in Chadds Ford.  It was hard not to think of Wayne Thiebaud's Pies, Pies, Pies from 1961 while we were there!

Our destination was Winterthur to see the new folly exhibit.  Follies have there origins in the late 18th century French and British garden traditions.  They can be objects in the landscape, providing a focal point or destination.  Follies can symbolic, fantasies, or simply spaces for relaxation, contemplation, or spots to enjoy a view.  They exist in nearly every culture's garden tradition in some form and are still popular today.   Winterthur's new exhibit has more than a dozen follies.  We made a day of it and visited them all.  What I found most interesting is that there are really three different experiences for each folly: the approach, the space of the folly itself, and of course, the view from the folly.  Each one acts as a different kind of "mood maker" for the landscape it inhabits and indeed, frames the landscape differently from its interior.  I think our favorite was the Ottoman Tent, not only for approach (which was thrilling to see this lovely little colorful tent billowing in the gentle summer breeze), but its "genie bottle" interior which was magical and the wonderful views framed by its fabulous drapery!  Below is a sampling of the Wnterthur Follies.  Please do go and see them yourself!  I recommend walking through the garden to each if you can for the full experience of each!

A Few Views from Follies: