Chesterwood, Stockbridge, MA
Garden Dialogues

Garden Dialogues 2017: MA - Chesterwood, Sept 16

Stockbridge, MA

Enjoy a unique and in-depth exploration of Chesterwood, the idyllic 122-acre Berkshire summer retreat of Daniel Chester French, the sculptor of the iconic Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.  This exclusive Garden Dialogue features Ellen McClelland Lesser, landscape architect and historic horticulturalist; Grigori Fateyev, architect and independent curator of Turn Park Sculpture Park (West Stockbridge, MA); and Sharon Bates, guest curator of Out of Site, Chesterwood’s 2017 outdoor contemporary sculpture exhibition. Facilitated by Executive Director Donna Hassler, the Dialogue will focus on the landscape as a place for respite and earnest art production, as well as a source of continued inspiration for contemporary artists.

Inspired by the spectacular view of nearby Monument Mountain, for more than three decades French perfected his vision for Chesterwood, a three-dimensional living masterpiece.  Its encompassing environs, like French’s sculpture, were his own creation, often tended by his own hands. Chesterwood conveys the artistic virtuosity present in French’s large-scale sculpture projects: thoughtful spatial organization, ease of circulation, and meticulous care for detail, proportion, and scale, all with a prevailing sense of harmonious beauty.

Ellen McClelland Lesser of Stuyvesant, New York specializes in 19th century American gardens.  She is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where she studied horticulture and landscape architecture.  An internship at Chesterwood followed by a summer position with the Central Park Conservancy working on the Central Park Master Plan had lasting influence her work.  She has done extensive research on the flower-gardens at Olana in Hudson, New York and is the author of the historic landscape report for the Mark Twain House in Hartford, Connecticut.  In addition to the study of museum gardens, she is involved in the design and construction of private gardens. She was the Gardening Editor of Victorian Homes Magazine for six years, and taught courses on historic landscapes at New York Botanical Garden for ten years.

Grigori Fateyev is the principal and owner of AF architecture based in Hillsdale, NY. He has designed multiple residential, commercial and municipal projects that have been built in Berkshire and Hudson Valley, including several contemporary artists’ studios. He recently completed construction of the visitor center and gallery at Turn Park Art Space sculpture park, where he now serves as independent curator. Fateyev is a graduate of Cooper Union School of Architecture. He grew up in St. Petersburg, Russia where he studied theater set design at The State Institute of Theater, Music and Cinematography.

Sharon Bates is an artist, curator and the founding director of the Albany International Airport Art & Culture Program, which has become a national model for public art.  For almost two decades she has curated rotating exhibitions, site-specific projects, and satellite museum exhibitions in the Airport’s gallery and throughout the 250,000-square-foot terminal. Bates serves as the guest curator of Out of Site, Chesterwood’s 2017 outdoor contemporary sculpture exhibition. She has also participated as an exhibiting artist and artist-in-residence.  Her work has been exhibited in Los Angeles (CA), Miami (FL) and throughout the Northeast.


2.0 LA CES™ Professional development hours will be available to attendees.

Thanks to the generosity of our hosts and sponsors, tickets for Garden Dialogues are tax deductible and proceeds benefit the educational programs of The Cultural Landscape Foundation.


Refund Policy:

Cancellations and Refunds will be granted according to the following schedule:
Up to two (2) weeks in advance: 90% (Deduction represents administrative processing fees)
Less than two (2) weeks in advance but up to seven (7) days prior: 70%
No refunds will be made for cancellations seven (7) days prior to event
No refunds will be made for “No Shows” (a person who registers for a program but who does not cancel registration or attend the program).
Refunds will be processed as they are received or after the conclusion of the program, depending on the program date and when cancellation occurs. Refunds may take five (5) to seven (7) business days to process.