If you love that which is handmade, homemade, made with love, you are probably drawn to collections of folk art. There are lots of people, however, who turn their noses up at items made by untrained makers and at “craft,” in general.
The wealthy parents of Electra Havemeyer Webb were just those kinds of people. They collected “real” art of Europe and Asia and brought their daughter up to appreciate the best of the best.
Electra Havemeyer Webb
But what Electra thought was best didn’t follow her parents’ tastes. Electra was drawn to art in unusual places. In the early 1900s, this pioneer collected American quilts and samplers. Figureheads of ships. Decoys and advertising art. And historic New England structures that she had brought to the museum she founded, the Shelburne Museum.
This fine museum of folk art and Americana is the Shelburne Museum, located just south of Burlington, Vermont.
The museum is made up of the 18th and 19th century buildings that Electra found and had moved to the museum grounds. These buildings, as well as more traditional galleries, serve as home to the thousands of items in the collection.
Today, at the Shelburne Museum “impressionist paintings, folk art, quilts and textiles, decorative arts, furniture, American paintings, and a dazzling array of 17th-to 20th-century artifacts are on view.”
If you visit New England, and there are dozens of excellent reasons to do so, treat yourself to a visit to Shelburne Museum. Go in the summer or fall, when the whole museum is open and you can wander the campus and spend time. You’ll be amazed at the art you see there, both old and new:
Folk Art
The buildings themselves are beautiful examples of craftsmanship and the range of folk art is stunning.
Textiles
The museum has more than 400 early quilts, as well as hooked rugs, coverlets and samplers.
This current exhibit features the work of John Bisbee, a Maine artist who makes all of his work with nothing but 12-inch nails!
The other current exhibit combines old glass from the museum collection with newer pieces by contemporary artists.
What that man can do with nails is amazing!
It truly was and my photos do not do it justice!
What a wonderful collection of things. I couldn’t help but think how close the name Electra is to eclectic 🙂 I think I’d like “Seed 2013” on my shelf.
Well, since “Seed” is about 4 feet wide and 3 feet tall, you better have a sturdy shelf! It was so wonderful to touch!
Wow. I would love to visit this museum! The buildings are beautiful and all those gorgeous quilts, and folk art.
It really is a special place–it is quintessentially New England but the collections are from all over the US and so gorgeous and varied.
What beautiful objects! Thank you for beaming their images across the world!
I’m glad you enjoyed them! This is what New England looks like!
The folk art is wonderful. I always find round barns to be very intriguing. It’s awesome that this one has become a museum.
I remember a round barn in central PA–in Centre Hall, I think. Gorgeous–they all deserve to become museums!
wow.. what amazing textile arts.. love the sampler pictures.. thank you for sharing some history with me.. enjoy reading this. 😀
There are dozens of samplers, all framed and lit as art–so beautiful!
What a marvellous collection. I also love it when old and new collection pieces are combined.
It really is a wonderful place. We go a couple of times a year and see new things every time.
How wonderful. Bless Electra for her vision and persistence.
And for standing up to her parents, who probably wanted to perform an exorcism!!
😀 😀
I’ve always wanted to visit the Shelburne – we drove by once, when the kids were little and we were on the way to Somewhere Else, but have never been back…and those kids are all grown, now…
Thanks for the Virtual Visit – maybe we can get up there in the summer!
Make it happen! You won’t regret it, I promise–so much to see, both at the museum and in the area.
Loved your post, what an amazing collection, many thanks for taking the time to share, the photo’s are divine
Thanks so much! It’s fun to take photos of things that I love–it was hard to choose which ones to leave out!
The buildings alone look like they’re worth a visit! And the nailart looks amazing. I once went to an exhibition that had statues made out of iron clotheshangers, very cool and impressive. Thanks for sharing! I love to see museums across the world 🙂
The buildings really are worth the trip–they have a covered bridge, an old lighthouse where the keeper lived out in the sea, a church, a one-room schoolhouse, etc., etc. The museum represents this region of the US perfectly.
Lovely exhibits. I particularly love the textiles and the glass. Are those nails? omg they look spectacular! quite extraordinary!
They are nails–12 inch spikes. That is the only thing he uses in all his work! It was a really great exhibit but, then, everything is lovely at Shelburne!
Wow, the nail art is incredible! Of course I love the textiles! I’m probably the only one in my family who appreciates folk art…
Folk art is one of those things some people just don’t “get.” With your love of Frida Kahlo, I’m not surprised to hear you like it–her work seems very influenced by folk.
Can you imagine collecting eyeballs! And moving whole buildings to be part of your museum? She was a dedicated lady. I wonder how many 11 year olds can stitch a sampler like that these days?
You know, the eyeballs were oddly lovely–I know you think I’m very strange! The buildings she brought in are FAB–so typical of that region and moments in history.
Maybe you could start collecting them? I’m sure there’ll be some for sale on Etsy! Were you allowed to touch them? I wonder if they are super smooth?
Wow. Just wow. This collection is amazing.
Even more so in person! Vast and everything is impressive.
Thank you for sharing photos. I will likely never get to see such beauty as shown.
I think little treasures like this are in many museums, if you think to go looking. Shelburne is special in that there is so much all in one place.
I so love this post! I subscribe to lots of American magazines and have a love for Tramp and Folk Art. But the coverlets you featured took me by surprise. I have a collection of Welsh blankets and they are almost identical to those in your photos. It is amazing how many little threads exist which weave and bind us together, even across continents. -Karen.
Well, a lot of early Americans came from the British Isles and I know some of our music is definitely influenced by Scots-Irish traditions so it makes sense the fiber arts would be, too. But, you’re right, it is very moving to recognize the connections in such tangible ways!
So Beautiful. Through the eyes of the observer, the value is given. Best Regards from México. http://www.themexicanartisan.com
Thanks for stopping by and exploring a little of New England!
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