At the beginning of October, Heritage Conservancy staff members helped welcome attendees to the Gratz Gallery’s exhibit opening of “The Beauty of Bucks County.” Over 200 community members entered the gallery to gaze upon paintings from Edward Redfield, Daniel Garber, George Sotter, and the likes.
With renowned names like those, it is a truly special exhibit. What makes it even more special is that this exhibit is giving back to Heritage Conservancy with a portion of the proceeds. Paul Gratz, owner of the Gratz Gallery, recognizes that Heritage Conservancy protects the natural and historic treasures that provide the inspiration behind many of Bucks County’s impressionist paintings.
Read on to learn more from the Gratz Gallery about the rich history of creative imagination in this region and the reason behind supporting Heritage Conservancy’s mission…
1889 was the year painter William Lathrop came to Bucks County and founded an artist colony that would later be known as the New Hope School of Pennsylvania Impressionism. Bucks County, its inimitable light qualities and spirited scenery of all seasons attracted artists from far and wide. Painters like Henry Snell, Edward Redfield , Daniel Garber, George Sotter, John Folinsbee, Harry Leith-Ross, Antonio Martino, Fern Coppedge, Rae Sloan Bredin, Kenneth Nunamaker, Walter Baum and many more came to paint, to settle, and to contribute their magic to the evolution of Bucks County’s thriving artistic and intellectual culture that remains vibrant to this day.
“The Beauty of Bucks County,” an exhibition of Pennsylvania Impressionism, was inspired by preservation efforts of the land, the history, and the cultural heritage of Bucks County. One local organization’s dedication to the protection of significant open spaces, natural resources, and our historic heritage has resulted in the preservation of nearly 15,000 acres of open space, farmland, wildlife habitat, and important watershed areas in Bucks and Montgomery counties. It seemed like a natural choice to partner with Heritage Conservancy of Bucks County in this special exhibition and dedicate a portion of the proceeds to their mission. After all, it was the abundance of open space, the brightly colored barns and houses, the bucolic scenery, and endless vistas that caught the attention and inspired so many artists to come to Bucks County in the first place.
“The Beauty of Bucks County” runs through the end of December. We welcome you to check it out! Click HERE to visit the Gratz Gallery website and to see business hours.