Weir Farm National Historic Site and the
Weir Farm Trust
Weir Farm, purchased in 1882 by the artist J. Alden Weir, occupies
a prominent place within the history of American art. The Farm’s
rocky pastures and dense woods were a source of inspiration
for some of Weir’s best work, securing his role as a major
and pioneering figure in the American Impressionist movement.
Museums across the country own numerous works of art that were
created at the Farm by Weir and his wide circle of friends including
Childe Hassam, Albert Pinkham Ryder, John Singer Sargent, and
John Twachtman to name a few. The home, studio, farm buildings
and landscape integral to Weir’s artistic vision have survived
intact, making it the finest remaining landscape of American
Impressionism.
In 1990, following a twenty-seven year preservation effort
that joined community and environmental activists, artists,
art historians, local, state and federal officials, Congress
established Weir Farm National Historic Site as Connecticut’s
first National Park and the only one in the country devoted
to American painting. The Farm included the 60-acre historic
core located in the towns of Ridgefield and Wilton.
Recognizing the importance of preserving this rich artistic
legacy, the Weir Farm Trust, a private, nonprofit organization,
grew out of a grassroots effort in the seventies to save the
Farm. The Trust has since worked in partnership with the National
Park Service to implement the long-range plan for development
and preservation of the Farm’s profoundly significant resources.
The Trust’s mission is to promote awareness of the Farm’s
history and artistic tradition, facilitate its use by contemporary
artists, provide educational opportunities, and preserve the
Farm’s unique environment. Through its innovative programs
and activities, the Trust brings artists and audiences to Weir
Farm and seeks to build community and financial support to help
ensure its success as a cultural, educational and creative center.
For more information about programs and activities at Weir
Farm, please call the Weir Farm Trust at (203) 761-9945 or the
National Park Service at (203) 834-1896 for information about
tours.
Or you can
visit the Weir Farm web site...
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Weir Farm Visiting Artists Program
Drawing inspiration from its magical landscape, artists have
lived and worked at Weir Farm for 120 years. Underlying the
significance of Weir Farm National Historic Site is the preservation
of an extraordinary facet of America’s artistic heritage.
Equally important, is the preservation of an environment where
contemporary artists can thrive. This environment includes not
only the physical landscape, but also an atmosphere in which
the creative spirit is both fostered and nurtured. Providing
outstanding opportunities for promising artists within the context
of this environment is a mandate of the Weir Farm Trust and
is critical to the success of the long-range management plan
of the Farm.
The Visual Artists Program including both resident and visiting
artists is the cornerstone of the Trust’s programs for
professional artists and is central to its mission. The Visiting
Artists component was originally envisioned as the first step
towards the development of the residency program. Artists apply
to the program in all visual art forms and are selected primarily
on the quality of their work through a competitive panel process.
These artists have reached a level of maturity in their work
and have thoughtfully considered why they would like to work
at the Farm. Using Weir Farm as an open air studio, participating
artists work over the course of a year to create a cohesive
body of work influenced by his or her own experiences of the
Farm’s cultural and natural resources.
Since its beginning in 1991, the program has attracted Guggenheim,
Fullbright, National Endowment of the Arts Fellows and Connecticut
Commission on the Arts grant recipients, as well as winners
of other national and international residency and fellowship
awards. We are very pleased with this year's outstanding visiting
artists Richard Lang Chandler, Maureen Cummins, Steven Dolbin,
Camille Eskell, Thomas Mezzanotte and Michael Torlen.
After the conclusion of the work period and as a key benefit
of the program, each group of visiting artists is presented
in a museum exhibition. We extend our deepest thanks to The
Housatonic Museum of Art and to Robbin Zella, Director, for
presenting this exhibition of the 2001 Weir Farm Visiting Artists.
J. Alden Weir had a lifelong commitment to nurturing other
artists. His spirit is alive and well at the Farm, due in great
part to the artists who come to immerse themselves in their
work, having been captured by the landscape that continues to
inspire.
Constance Evans
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
THE WEIR FARM TRUST
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