United States of America -- Pennsylvania -- Chester County -- Berwyn
White Leopard Garden (Berwyn, Pennsylvania)
Scope and Contents:
26 digital images (2021-2023) and 1 file folder
General:
The design of the 1.25-acre property including the Cotswold style house was the work of landscape architect Thomas Warren Sears (1880-1966) for a previous owner, circa 1930s to 1940s. The streetside house on a corner lot was originally a stable that had been converted into a studio. Sears added tall walls along the streets and fenced the entire property. The current owner bought the property in 1953, adding and enlarging rooms and the terrace. There have not been many changes to Sears' garden design since then. That design includes a tennis court, a swimming pool and pool house, a cobblestone parking area, a small greenhouse, and a large well in the middle of the garden that had to be rebuilt. A thorny hawthorn next to the terrace was removed and a gingko that died was replaced with a zelkova. The rhododendron Sears planted along a sunny wall did not thrive and were replaced with leather leaf viburnum. There was a cutting garden with cold frames below the tennis court that was replanted with bulbs. A cherry tree and two ilex were planted by the front door to the house along with camelias, white azaleas and native rhododendron.
The owner prefers a green landscape of trees, shrubs, bulbs and ground covers to a flower garden, and has punctuated the landscape with sculpture. Featured in this garden are a large kinetic sculpture "Three Moons Rising" by Jeff Kahn and a bronze and gold leaf sculpture "Mantle II" by David Harber. Four pillars with carved heads depict the seasons and two statues of a Victorian man and woman are placed with Victorian garden furniture. Animalia include a leopard on the roof of the greenhouse, a lead dog outside the pool house, and frogs atop the well. On the terrace there is a Victorian bird bath and a lead water nymph playing a pipe next to the greenhouse. The owner is a member of the International Dendrology Society.
Persons associated with the garden's design: Brooks Bromley, former owner (1930s-1940s) and Thomas Warren Sears (landscape architect, circa 1930s-1940s).
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
United States of America -- Michigan -- Wayne -- Grosse Pointe
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets, a planting list and a garden features plan.
General:
This riparian garden is characterized by a contrast of sweeping central vistas towards the lake and a series of intimate spaces both around the house and along the progression down to the shore of Lake St. Clair. A long swath of gently descending lawn is framed by naturalistic plantings of trees and shrubs reminiscent of Jens Jensen's landscape designs of the Midwest. The garden features many hardscape elements which serve to define 'outdoor rooms' and dining spaces as well as to create level terraced areas on sloping ground. Natural materials such as stone, rocks, and gravel predominate the design. On the east side, a slender formal garden is formed between the house and the property line. Geometric patterns, linear and curvilinear, are created along a brick and block lined gravel path defined by boxwood hedges. On the lake side a large flagstone patio extends nearly the width of the house creating a large outdoor dining and relaxing space. The formal fountain is centered along the house wall. A low brick wall borders the patio beyond which a hedge of shrub rose softens the transition from patio to lawn. The sloping lawn leads to stone steps and a flagstone patio by a curved pool.
The lot, on which the garden is situated, is a large trapezoidal area measuring 103' x 496' x 102' x 540'. The dimensions of this lot reflect the cultural and economic history of the Detroit area. Farms in the 18th and 19th centuries were laid out on long narrow strips of land called 'ribbon farms.' This was due to the need for proximity to water to sustain farm life. The placement of the residence in the middle distance of the lot provides a physical and visual stopping point. The entry drive features a hedge of arborvitae. The driveway guides the eye up to the circular front entrance. Four river birch trees act as a focal point to the center of the circle. On the lake side of the property the strict geometric form of the narrow lot is balanced by the organic curvilinear beds and water features. Different textures and layers of plant materials as well as subtle mounding of the lawn soften the hard contours of the site.
Water features in various forms provide the dominant theme and design interest in this garden. The main focus of the design is the long view toward Lake St. Clair. The wetland corner of the property provides a natural riparian element unique to this coastal area in which seawalls define the extended shoreline. Other water features include a rill of circulated water which splashes down along the descending west edge of the property over a rocky bed and occasionally overflows into the wetlands. A more formal waterfall gently cascades over a semi-circle of rocks from a raised warm water pool into a cool water pool. The kinetic sculpture above the pools repeats the rhythmic movement of the water. Two fountains, one formal on the terrace and one more intimate in the walled garden provide focal points to the area.
Persons associated with the garden include Ruth W. Prescott (former owner, 1941), Mr. and Mrs. Henry E. Bodman, (former owner, 1956), Mr. and Mrs. Henry Taylor Bodman, (former owners, 1964), Keith Dessinger, (landscape designer, 2009), and Larry Smith (landscape designer, 2011).
Related Materials:
The Birches related holdings consist of 1 folder (20 digital images)
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Use of archival audiovisual recordings with no duplicate copies requires advance notice.
Collection Rights:
Authorization to publish, quote, or reproduce requires written permission from Juliet Kepes Stone or Imre Kepes. Contact Reference Services for more information.
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Gyorgy Kepes papers, 1909-2003, bulk 1935-1985. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
The papers of sculptor and painter Fletcher Benton measure 8.2 linear feet and 1.47 GB and date from 1934 to 2014. They document his career as a sculptor with international presence through certificates, personal photographs, legal papers, correspondence, exhibition and commission documentation, clippings, exhibition-related printed materials, broadcast materials, publications about his work, an editioned kinetic Christmas card, and photographs, sound and video recordings, and motion picture film documenting his work and career.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of sculptor and painter Fletcher Benton measure 8.2 linear feet and 1.47 GB and date from 1934 to 2014. They document his career through personal photographs, legal papers, correspondence, exhibition and commission documentation, clippings, exhibition-related printed materials, broadcast materials, publications about his work, an editioned kinetic Christmas card, photographs, sound and video recordings motion picture film, some of which also appears in digitized form.
Biographical Materials include personal photographs, legal documents related to a court case with book designer Ed Marquand, biographical texts, interview transcripts, and a home video made by the artist. Correspondence is with other artists, friends, galleries, museums and other institutions, including George W. Neubert, André Emmerich Gallery, Pieter Sanders, Pol Bury, George Rickey, Ulfert Wilke, Marlene Louchheim, DeWain Valentine, Lillian E. Jones, and Edward Lucie-Smith. Interviews include sound recordings of interviews with Benton by academics and journalists, including Edward Lucie-Smith, Dan Tooker, and Dan De Wilde.
Exhibition and Commission Files consist of correspondence with galleries, museums and commission patrons; financial records; shipping and subcontracting documentation; motion picture film, video, and sound recordings related to exhibitions and installations; and planning and design materials. Series includes a significant amount of oversized drawings and plans for site-specific work. There is a large volume documentation from the Folded Circle-Arc commission by Stanley Consultants, Inc. in Muscatine, Iowa; the California/International Arts Foundation Traveling Sculpture Exhibition; Double Folded Circle Ring in Brussels and Double Circle Folded by Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Printed Materials include news clippings related to Benton's career, as well as brochures, exhibition catalogs, posters and other printed materials related to exhibitions and commissions. Broadcast materials include television news footage, radio and television interviews, documentaries, and promotional materials made by galleries and other cultural institutions.
Photographic and Moving Image Materials include art-related images showing Benton in his studio and images of exhibitions, installations and inaugurations. Also found are still photographs and motion picture films of artworks, including paintings, sculptures, and kinetic drawings, and a series of photographs of sculptures taken by David Finn.
Artwork consists of an editioned art Christmas card created by Benton for Galeria Bonino in New York from 1969. An American Artist Moving Image Materials consist of 13 videocassettes (VHS) which document the production process of the documentaryFletcher Benton: An American Artist by Morgan Cavett. There is footage from interviews with Benton and with curator George W. Neubert, footage of San Francisco with comments from Benton about his time there, interviews with the artist's studio assistants, images of his studio in Dore street and a couple of almost finished rough versions of the documentary.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged as nine series.
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Material (0.3 linear feet; boxes 1, 9)
Series 2: Correspondence (1 linear foot; boxes 1, 2, OV 10)
Series 3: Interviews (0.3 linear feet; box 2)
Series 4: Exhibition and Commission Files (2 linear feet, 0.50 GB; boxes 2-4, OV 11-13, RD 14, FC 15, ER01)
Series 5: Printed Materials (2.3 linear feet; boxes 4-6, OV 10)
Series 6: Broadcast Materials (1.1 linear foot; boxes 6-7)
Series 7: Photographic and Moving Image Materials (0.5 linear feet, 0.97 GB; boxes 7, 9, FC 16-17, ER02)
Series 8: Artwork (1 item; box 7)
Series 9: -- An American Artist -- Video Recordings (0.6 linear feet; boxes 7-8)
Biographical / Historical:
Fletcher Benton was born in Jackson, Ohio in 1931 to Fletcher and Nell Cavett Benton and was the oldest of three children. Benton graduated from Jackson High School in 1949. After serving in the Navy he graduated from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) in 1956 and moved to San Francisco, where he started working as an instructor at the California College of Arts and Crafts in 1959. He was in San Francisco during the flourishing of the Beat generation, where he had a studio in the North beach area and exhibited at coffee house galleries.
After travelling around Europe in 1960, Benton moved to New York City where he tried to make his living through painting and teaching privately. During those years he was supported by Jackson's local arts patron and family friend, Lillian E. Jones. In 1960 he had his first solo exhibition at Gump's gallery in San Francisco, but his work was taken down after one day because it was considered obscene for including female nudes. He returned to San Francisco in late 1961.
In 1966 Fletcher started teaching at the San Francisco Art Institute and established himself as a primary figure of American kinetic art. In 1966, Peter Selz included his work in the exhibition Directions in Kinetic Sculpture at the University Art Gallery in Berkeley, CA. During the exhibition Benton met the artists Pol Bury and George Rickey with whom he became friends. The exhibition, along with an article "The Movement Movement" that appeared in Time magazine the same year, established Benton's reputation as a significant American Kinetic artist. He also started teaching at the California State University in San José in 1967 where he continued working until 1986.
By 1974 Benton abandoned kinetic art to continue exploring sculpture in three dimensions in a style that became known as "new constructivism." The artworks were conceived in the series Folded Circles and Folded Square Alphabets and were produced in bronze, aluminum and steel. It was also during the 1970s that he started doing large-scale commissions such as the 1977 IBM commission.
Between 1981 and 1984 Benton constructed his studio in Dore Street in the Market district of San Francisco where he continues to work today. During the 1980s Benton started his Balanced/Unbalanced series, which introduced the idea of gravity using geometric forms in different formats and sizes.
From 1984 he began to show more work in Europe, especially in Germany, where in 1993 he got a major commission to create a colossal public sculpture in Cologne entitled Steel Watercolor Triangle Ring. It was also in Germany where Benton encountered the work of Wassily Kandinsky and Kazimir Malevich, and he began work on his Construct Relief series in reponse, which he dedicated to Kandinsky. These geometric constructions are flat, canvas-like steel structures that combine features of painting and sculpture. As the series evolved, the work became more like painting, constructed to hang on the wall without a back piece, so they seem to be floating in the space.
Benton continues to live and work in San Francisco and is represented by multiple galleries in the United States and Germany.
Related Materials:
Also found in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview with Fletcher Benton conducted by Paul J. Karlstrom, 1989 May 2-4 is available on the Archives of American Art website.
Provenance:
Donated 2005-2006 and 2014 by Fletcher Benton. Benton's wife, Bobbie Benton, organized the material by subject matter and date.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment. Use of audiovisual material without a duplicate copy requires advanced notice.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Occupation:
Painters -- California -- San Francisco Search this
Sculptors -- California -- San Francisco Search this
Fletcher Benton papers, 1934-2014. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered through the Council on Library and Information Resources' Hidden Collections grant program.
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Collection Citation:
Claire Falkenstein papers, circa 1914-1997, bulk 1940-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Getty Foundation.
Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Robert Breer, 1973 July 10. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
United States of America -- Arizona -- Maricopa County -- Paradise Valley
Date:
1994 May.
Varying Form:
Ventana, now known as.
General:
A five acre retreat is a collection of differently landscaped areas that reflect the four seasons. The garden contains a gazebo for entertaining, vegetable and herb garden, formal fountain and sculpture garden, cactus garden swimming pool, children's playground, guest house and amphitheater. Kinetic sculpture with gazebo in background.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.