The Saint-Gaudens Memorial presents “Preserving Creative Spaces: Photographs of Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios” on view from July 3 to Aug. 29 at the Saint-Gaudens gallery, 139 Saint-Gaudens Road in Cornish.
It is an exhibition of photographs of the artists whose homes, studios, and landscapes, now open as public sites, comprise the membership of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s national consortium, the Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios Program (artistshomes.org).
From photographer Alice Austen’s 19th-century picturesque homestead in Staten Island, N.Y., to furniture designer Sam Maloof’s 20th-century rustic residence and studio in Alta Loma, Calif., these extraordinary sites introduce more than one million visitors annually to the living and workspaces of American artists across the country.
These images of artists at home, working in their studios, in the landscape, or on their travels tell visual stories that deepen our understanding of their lives, their creative processes, and their art. Through them the viewer gains access to the artists’ private worlds – and allows entry into the act of artmaking, and in some instances the ability to see the objects, landscapes, and surrounding viewsheds that inspired these artists.
“It is especially fitting that an exhibition that celebrates the strong legacy of our county’s art through preserved spaces be shown at one of the very first artistic studios preserved in the nation, more than 100 years ago, through the trailblazing efforts of the Saint-Gaudens Memorial,” said Valerie Balint, senior manager of the Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios program.
Park passes are available for purchase at recreation.gov. For more information on hours and fees, visit nps.gov/saga.