By John Chambless
Staff Writer

Taking another big step in preserving the legacy of the Wyeth family in Chadds Ford, the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art will celebrate its 50th anniversary this weekend with the opening of new walking trails on April 30.

A 1.5-mile loop winds through Potts Meadow, which the organization was created to preserve in 1967, over two bridges that span a small creek. An intersecting trail takes hikers to the Andrew Wyeth Studio and the N.C. Wyeth House and Studio, allowing visitors to literally walk in the footsteps of the artists.

The trails are marked with directional signs, but are not paved. There is an orientation sign on the edge of Potts Meadow, where walkers enter the trail. At the eastern end of the trail is the Chadds Ford Township building, which was once the summer studio where artist Howard Pyle taught a young N.C. Wyeth and other artists of the late 1800s and early 1900s. The location is just a short distance from Kuerner Farm, where Andrew Wyeth completed hundreds of artworks, as well as the iconic Kuerner Hill.

The year of celebration continues with a major retrospective exhibition of the work of Andrew Wyeth – the largest ever organized by the museum – plus programs and activities highlighting the organization’s commitment to art and the environment. In addition to a 50th Anniversary Gala on April 29, there will be ongoing events, including:

Andrew Wyeth: In Retrospect

June 24 to Sept. 17
This exhibition of iconic works commemorates the centennial of the artist’s birth. It will include more than 100 works spanning Wyeth’s entire career, from the early works that quickly established his reputation to his final painting, “Goodbye,” completed months before his death in 2009.

Andrew Wyeth 100th Birthday Celebration and Stamp First-Day-of-Issue

Wednesday, July 12

Free admission all day.
The U.S. Postal Service will host the official release party at the museum of a set of 12 stamps inspired by the art of Andrew Wyeth. The day’s events also feature special activities.

Native Plant Gardens Tour

July 23, noon to 5 p.m.
Discover six diverse gardens in the area that show how to use native plants in a home setting on this special tour sponsored by the Brandywine Conservancy. Ticket sales start May 13.

Bike the Brandywine

Sept. 30

The second annual event offers three distance loop choices (25, 50, and 100 miles), each highlighting the scenery, history and lure of the Brandywine Creek Greenway and surrounding countryside. Proceeds from the ride benefit the Conservancy’s clean water programs.

For more information, call 610-388-2700 or visit www.brandywine.org/conservancy.