After a delay due to the pandemic, Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is now open for the 2020 season. The season theme, Winds of Change, is an exploration of the expansive social transformation in America in the aftermath of World War I. In the gardens, a sculpture exhibit celebrates the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage. The new exhibit in the Gate Lodge Henrietta Seiberling: a Spark for a Movement will be completed in early July.
To create a safer environment, social distancing practices have been put in place, and all tours are currently self-guided. On Tuesdays, the estate opens one hour earlier at 9 am, to accommodate seniors and immune-compromised guests. Stan Hywet is located at 714 North Portage Path in Akron, Ohio.
In the Manor House, Winds of Change immerses guests in a display that is both educational and relevant. Through a lens of “then vs. now,” guests will learn about the changing social and political attitudes of the 1920s – suffrage, immigration, prohibition, technology & communication, fashion & hygiene and cost of living – and be able to compare these changes with today’s social and political climate. On display throughout the gardens is an exhibit of the same name featuring kinetic sculptures created solely by female artists (see information at the end of this news release) in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, guaranteeing American women the right to vote.
Henrietta Seiberling: a Spark for a Movement has new information from significant research, this exhibit focuses on Henrietta Buckler Seiberling’s pivotal role in the formation of Alcoholics Anonymous. Her living space in the Gate Lodge has been recreated, with key rooms in the house furnished as they were in the 1930s when she lived there with her three children. The kitchen, previously off-limits to visitors, has been restored to its appearance during that time and is part of the exhibit.
Due to the pandemic and specific requirements for large gatherings on the estate, public program information is updated frequently. The most up-to-date information on all public programs and events may be found at stanhywet.org
HOURS OF OPERATION
* Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is open for self-guided tours Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am-6 pm; the last admission is at 4:30 pm.
* Special Tuesday hours: The estate opens on Tuesday at 9 am for seniors and guests with compromised immune systems.
* The estate is closed to the public on Mondays.
WINDS OF CHANGE GARDEN EXHIBIT
Each installation incorporates a kinetic component, using wind or motion as a core element of the design -playing off the title of this year’s theme, Winds of Change. The sculptures have been designed by five local artists, including Shelley Funai, Kimmy Henderson, Nicole Schwan, Michelle Wilson, and Jennifer Winkler. See artist bios next page. Most sculptures in the exhibit are for sale through Molly’s Shop.
PARTICIPATING ARTISTS & SCULPTURE DESCRIPTIONS
Shelley Funai Ravenna, Ohio | [email protected]
Shelley is the grounds manager at Stan Hywet. In addition to her talents in horticulture, she enjoys working and experimenting with other media, including ceramics and glass. Her installation, Dunlin Pond in the Carriage House Courtyard pulls from both sides of her personality as she incorporates artwork into a cohesive garden design.
Kimmy Henderson Stow, Ohio | Makikisart.com
Kimmy is a self-taught artist, who first picked up a paintbrush after becoming a mom. Inspired by her personal battle with bipolar I and generalized anxiety disorder, she uses her art to raise awareness and end the stigma of mental illness with public installations for the Bipolar Butterfly Project. Bipolar Butterfly is on display in the Great Garden. Autoschediastic and Kaleidoscope are on display near the Corbin Conservatory.
Nicole Schwan Akron, Ohio | etsy.com/shop/PlayfulSquirrelC
Nicole is a metal artist who specializes in using recycled materials and is always working to make the world a bit more playful, as evidenced in her sculptures on display in the Great Garden: Birds of Ohio-Cardinal, Birds of Ohio-Hummingbird, and Birds of Ohio- Woodpecker.
Jennifer Winkler West Salem, Ohio | [email protected]
Jennifer has been a working sculptor since 2010, specializing in steel fabrication and warm glasswork, and has worked on projects around the world. She teaches middle school and high school art in Smithville, Ohio. Prohibition Inhibition is on display near the Drying Yard; Scavenger Hunt and Call of the Ethanol are on display in the Great Garden.
Michelle Wilson Akron, Ohio | globaltiesakron.org
Michelle is the executive director of Global Ties Akron. She has sent her origami art in the form of peace cranes around the world. Carousel of Peace is on display in the Elliptical Garden. Doves in Flight is on display near the Breakfast Room Garden, and Wings of Hope is across from the South Terrace.
