Brandywine Valley

• Museums, gardens, mansions, historic sites, wineries, and art galleries • Outdoor activities and family fun • Hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, and restaurants The Brandywine Valley, west of Philadelphia, where southeastern Pennsylvania meets northern Delaware, is an increasingly popular tourist destination offering a wide variety of attractions. This full-color insider's guide covers the region's rich history, natural beauty, and cultural diversity. Information on things to do, places to stay, where to eat, and special events make this an essential companion for anyone visiting the area. For more information about this book and Sharon Hernes Silverman's appearances and interviews please check out the Website: www.brandywinevalley.com

Explorer's Guide Philadelphia, Brandywine Valley, and Bucks County: A Great Destination takes readers on a whirlwind tour of the many pleasures to be found in the Delaware Valley, a region famous for its rich history and natural beauty. It explores greater Philadelphia’s under-appreciated attributes, including its first rate dining scene, diverse architecture, and recreational opportunities, and includes chapters on lodging, dining, transportation, history, shopping, recreation;a section packed with practical information, such as lists of banks, hospitals, post offices, laundromats, numbers for police, fire, and rescue, and other relevant information; maps of regions and locales; and more.

The Brandywine River Valley, located in south-eastern Pennsylvania, is home to the late Andrew Wyeth and birthplace of an important art movement known as the Brandywine Tradition. As this comprehensive guide unfolds, you see that this scenic valley near Philadelphia is also a microcosm of major art trends in America. Explore works and lives of 100 contemporary painters, sculptors, and photographers that include magic realists, impressionists, modernists, and more. With more than 400 images, the book features nationally known artists, graduates of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (the nation's oldest art school), and self-taught artists who have built successful careers with compelling, story-filled paintings.

Describes hotels, historic sites, museums, events, shopping areas, and night life in Philadelphia, and looks at the highlights of the surrounding area, including Brandywine Valley, Bucks County, Lancaster County, and Valley Forge

Describes hotels, historic sites, museums, events, shopping areas, and night life in Philadelphia, and looks at the highlights of the surrounding area, including Brandywine Valley, Bucks County, Lancaster County, and Valley Forge

In his foreword, John Schoonover, dean of Wilmington's storied art community, explains why Bayard Berndt was one of its leaders from 1950 until his death in 1987. In his introductory comments, Charles Allmond, Wilmington sculptor and friend of the artist, remembers Bayard's life-long interest in history and art and explains how Wilmington became a center for art. The artist's son, David Berndt, remembers his father in a charming narrative before discussing his art, which he presents in thirteen thematic collections. Bayard Berndt was taught to paint by Howard Pyle-trained illustrators: Thornton Oakley, Stanley Arthurs, N.C. Wyeth, and Frank Schoonover. His early works reflect his interaction with these illustrators while teaching at the Wilmington Academy of Art. Soon after marrying one of his students in 1935, Bayard and his wife Rita moved ten miles north of Wilmington to Fairville, Pennsylvania where they lived for the rest of their lives. David notices the transition that took place in his father's art after moving to the rolling hills of Chester County. Over the next 50 years, he painted hundreds of plein aire scenes along Brandywine Creek and in its surrounding countryside. After WWII Bayard became the proprietor of Wilmington's most popular art supply and framing shop. His freedom to paint was limited by his responsibilities as a businessman. During the following decade he developed two artistic styles fitting with his double career. He became colorist and brush virtuoso painting rapidly to capture fleeting outdoor light. His works in this genre are reminiscent of Charles Woodbury and George Bellows, and N.C. Wyeth. In his studio, he painted mural-like scenes of historic Wilmington. His works in this genre are reminiscent of Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood. The book contains many wonderful examples of both genres. David introduces each collection of paintings with maps that show where they were painted. Many paintings are accompanied by "asides" which highlight the forgotten past of a Brandywine Valley landmark. The book is thus an artistic travelogue through the Brandywine Valley. It is perfect for browsing and a delightful memorial to Bayard Berndt's love of art and history.