For those of you who didn’t know about the Wharton Escheric Museum until reading this, I’m happy to introduce you to a quirky, striking and inspiring place for woodworkers and non-woodworkers alike. The museum preserves Wharton’s Esheric (1887-1970) home and studio, hand-built over the course of his 40 years on a hillside in Pennsylvania. Echerick’s studio displays his original furniture, sculptures, woodcuts, and other works of art. He was a leader in the studio furniture movement, and he considered himself an artist, which often blurred the lines between sculpture and furniture. Esheric’s motto is ‘If it’s not fun, it’s not worth doing’ and there’s no better way to describe his work and the buildings and spaces he creates.
As a Philadelphia-based studio furniture manufacturer, I can’t believe WEM is such an accessible source of inspiration and reflection. Over the past seven years, I have visited the studio countless times as a woodworking student and teacher, as a friend and craftsman, as a motivated maker, and now as a part-time staff member. As part of the WEM team, I found myself admiring all the little details that perhaps only a woodworker might notice while touring and visiting the archives. I’m here to share some of my favorite lesser-known details inside the Wharton Esheric studio.
door latch
Nearly every door in the studio has hand-made latches. Each of them is hand-shaped, and the mechanism that makes them work is simple but effective. Latches are functional sculptures used in incredibly utilitarian contexts, so it’s easy to open a door but never notice the work of art at your fingertips.
light plate
Like latches, Esherick’s light switch plates are so utilitarian that you might miss them if you’re not looking closely. Each light switch has a unique hand-carved wood plate around it. Some are patterned, while others have more organic shapes.
shallow drawer
Moving on to the furniture details, let’s admire the practicality and genius of Esheric’s drawer designs. Most drawers are shallow so you won’t lose your bottommost clothes or items. what? Why don’t we all do this? Even deep drawers in studios have sides that drop down to narrow drawer fronts, giving you a clear view of what’s inside.
pop of color
Echerich began his life and career as an artist studying impressionist painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Arts (PAFA). Although he was an accomplished painter, he acquired gouges and wood and it was not long before he adopted wood as a medium. The changes are huge, and the studio is mostly filled with wooden objects, with only a few paintings here and there. But look closer and you’ll find pops of color painted in fun places. For example, his cabinets, tongue-and-groove doors on his desk, and tongues on his panels are painted a bright, cheery blue. Inside Esheric’s kitchen cabinets, you can see the interior walls and shelves are bright green.
Just a few subtle details give a glimpse into Esheric’s work and spirit. A book could be written describing the lesser-known details inside Wharton Esherick’s studio. I appreciated his skill and artistic voice, but more than that, I appreciated him for being someone who built his surroundings and everyday objects the way he wanted to, without holding back on having fun.
The Wharton Esheric Museum is open to the public for guided tours, but advance reservations are required to enter the studios.visit www.whartonesherickmuseum.org Learn more or book a tour.
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