ANSG and Cultural Council Debut Exhibition

The Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens in West Palm Beach is collaborating with the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County to host “The Power and Pleasure of Artistic Place: Where Women Made History,” a special free exhibition on display at the Cultural Council’s Lake Worth Beach gallery to August 27.

The showcase features 15 images of women artists at home, working in their studios, or on their travels, including images of artist Ann Weaver Norton (the Gardens’ namesake). All of the homes, studios, and landscapes presented are part of the Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios (HAHS) program, part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The images were curated by the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens from its earlier “Artists at Home: Photography of Historic Artists’ Homes & Studios Program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation,” exhibition.

“HAHS is deeply committed to representing the full breadth and diversity of our country’s artistic legacy through preserved places nationwide,” said Valerie Balint, HAHS Senior Program Manager. “Historic places and sites reveal that women were present everywhere in essential and sometimes surprising roles that reflect women’s history and identity. Having a place like the Ann Norton Sculpture gives us an appreciation for the historic impact of women and how they shaped our country’s culture and experience.”

The Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios program is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the places where art was made. It is a coalition of independent museums that have come together to celebrate and investigate creativity. The Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens was invited to be a part of HAHS in 2019. Every place in the HAHS program was the home and working studio of an American artist. Since its establishment by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1999, HAHS has grown to encompass 48-member sites, across 22 states, that serve more than 1 million visitors annually.

“The Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens and the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County have a shared passion for bringing arts and culture to the community and we couldn’t be happier to be included among their other exhibitions,” said Margaret Horgan, Managing Director for the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens. “This exhibition captures the spirit of the National Trust’s larger initiative, “Where Women Made History,” a national campaign to identify, honor, and elevate places across the country where women have changed their communities and the world. We are grateful to the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens as a valued member of this distinguished program.”