About the Art Spirit Experience

The Art Spirit Tour is a two-day experience that will explore the concept and the practice of allowing a landscape or subject combined with your deepest emotions and ignite your imagination to allow for raw and true self-expression through something you create. Whether it be painting, poetry, music, dance, photography, or any other art form, the expression or creation embodies the Art Spirit.

One artist who embraced the Art Spirit is Chadds Ford artist, Andrew Wyeth. He and his father, N.C. Wyeth, his son Jamie Wyeth and his siblings - Henriette, Carolyn, and Ann all became fine artists in their own right. and all were from this tiny swath of land in Chadds Ford, PA that overlooked the historic Brandywine Valley.

This experience will follow the path of Andrew Wyeth and the Wyeth family and how they were inspired by the Brandywine Valley landscape and how they allowed their deepest emotions to inform their art.

Chadds Ford artist, Karl J. Kuerner who was mentored by Andrew and Carolyn Wyeth, and whose family farm - The Keurner Farm - was the subject of over 1000 works by Andrew Wyeth, will be a featured speaker and teacher in two separate sessions of this Art Spirit experience.

FOR COMPLETE DESCRIPTION
visit the Thin Places Mystical Tour website

What is the Art Spirit?

The Art Spirit is a soul awareness where landscape, emotion, and imagination connect to empower a unique capability for self-expression in every human being. The American artist, Robert Henri expanded this concept in his book, The Art Spirit published in 1923. The book is known to be a master class on creativity and inspiration, and this tour follows his inspiration.

This two-day experience, led by travel writer, Mindie Burgoyne will invite guests to explore the concepts of the Art Spirit as defined by Henri, and will take them on an inner journey as well as a physical journey that will awaken their own Art Spirit. Guests will immerse themselves in that magical landscape that inspired the art of Andrew Wyeth and his father, N.C. Wyeth as well as his siblings and his son, Jamie Wyeth. They will visit the Brandywine River Museum of Art, which houses the most extensive collection of Wyeth art in the world. Guests will also visit the places sacred to the Wyeth artists – the family home, art studios, and the Kuerner farm.

Not Just for Practicing Artists

Every human being has the Art Spirit within them. Whether you are a painter, writer, actor, musician or someone who doesn't practice a particular conventional form of art, everyone has the power of creativity and imagination within them. The Art Spirit Experience will help ignite that creativity within and aid in finding methods of self-expression. You don't have to be an artist to gain spiritual enrichment from this experience.

2 Private Group Sessions with Karl J. Kuerner

Guests will also have two sessions with Brandywine Valley artist, Karl J. Kuerner – a third-generation farmer, who has his studio on the famous "Kuerner Hill" overlooking that often captured white, square farmhouse, red barn and pond known as the Kuerner Farm.

One of the sessions Karl will give will be at the Kuerner Farm and he'll talk about the Art Spirit and coach artists on the work they produce at this event.

All Guests on this tour will receive a copy of Karl's book "Beyond the Art Spirit" published by Cedar Tree Press. (retail cost $45) Karl will sign the copies.

Read Karl J. Kuerner’s bio

Karl Kuerner Exhibition at the Brandywine

This tour is uniquely timed to coincide with a Karl Kuerner show at the Brandywine Museum of Art entitled "The Continuity of Creativity" which features nineteen original works by Karl J. Kuerner - some of which are on loan from private collections. Guests will have this exhibit as part of the Museum tour on day one.

REGISTRATION

Registration is a Two-Step Process

Step 1: Register here on this ThinPlaces Tour form to secure your spot on the tour and all of its activities.

• Registration fee is non-refundable after March 19, 2024
• This tour is limited to 14 guests

Step 2: HOTEL reservations.
The Art Spirit Experience begins at the Brandywine Museum of Art in Chadds Ford at 10 am on April 19th. There is a block of rooms reserved at the Hampton Inn Suites in Chadds Ford for this tour.
Not Just for Practicing Artists
Every human being has the Art Spirit within them. Whether you are a painter, writer, actor, musician or someone who doesn't practice a particular conventional form of art, everyone has the power of creativity and imagination within them. The Art Spirit Experience will help ignite that creativity within and aid in finding methods of self-expression. You don't have to be an artist to gain spiritual enrichment from this experience.

The tour starts at 10 am on April 19th at the Brandywine River Museum of Art and ends after breakfast on April 21st. For guests who may be flying in and getting an UBER or cab to the hotel, there will be an opportunity to carpool with other guests to the meeting place.

Guests will need to make arrangements for two nights - April 19 and 20, and may want to add April 18th if they are coming in the day before. There is a block of hotel rooms reserved at the Hampton Inn in Chadds Ford, PA. Guests can call the hotel at 610.358.9540 and make a reservation using the group code CHH503.The Reservation is under the company name Travel Hag Tours.

The cost of a room at the Hampton Inn is $186.49 per night for a single and $205.54 per night for a double. These prices include the 9% tax charged by the State of PA on hotel rooms. Please email us at contact@thinplaces.com if you'd like us to make the hotel reservation for you. There is no upcharge for that.

WHAT TO BRING - Guests will want to sketch pads, pencils, a journal or writing paper, or whatever he or she uses in the practice of art that is easily transportable. Weather permitting, there may be an opportunity for plein air.

What's Included?

• Brandywine Museum of Art Guided Tour including the Karl J. Kuerner show The Continuity of Creativity
• Andrew Wyeth Studio Guided Tour
• N.C. Wyeth Studio and Home Guided Tour
• Kuerner Farm Guided Tour
• 2 Private group Sessions with artist Karl Kuerner
• 2 Group Dinners
• Group Lunch (1st day) Studio Tours
• Plein Air Opportunity in river bank trails
• Welcome Reception (pre-night)
• Copy of Karl Kuerner's book, Beyond the Art Spirit
• Transportation from Museum to Studio and Farm tours.

Getting There

The Brandywine Museum of Art is conveniently located off Interstate Rt. 1 near the intersection of Rt. 202

Nearby …
Philadelphia Airport – 30-minute drive
Wilmington Airport – 30-minute drive
Amtrack SEPTA Station, 30 minutes

NOTE: Transport to and from Chadds Ford and Airports and Train stations must be via Uber, Lyft, or rental car. The drive is about 30-40 minutes. There is no easy-access public transportation from these locations.

EXTRA ACTIVITIES: There will be an opportunity to visit the Chadds Ford Winery on the afternoon of the second day - April 22nd.

GOODIES - Mindie always blesses her guests with little tokens of affection on each tour.

QUESTIONS:
Please email contact@thinplaces.com with any questions.