The Winslow Homer Studio: The Homer Teen Fellow Experience

At the beginning of our time at the PMA, the Homer High School Fellows took a trip to the Winslow Homer Studio. When first stepping out of the van, we were greeted by the smell of the sea and a beautiful summer day, even though the studio was set among the neighborhood of Prout’s Neck, it felt very secluded. Before even setting foot in the studio, PMA staff member Gabriel acquainted us with the landscape on which the studio was set, with a tour of the rocks on which Winslow Homer’s famous Weather-beaten painting was painted. Just as Winslow would have walked along the shore, we felt comfortable splitting into groups and taking off our shoes to wade in the water and look for crabs. Once our curiosity was somewhat satisfied, we shifted into a more studious mode and put our boots back on to be acquainted

with the studio inside, where Homer would have worked and lived. We first observed the relics of Homer’s life, his trophies from his hunting and fishing exploits, the books he would have read, his fire bucket from when he was part of the local volunteer fire department, contradictory to the rumors of his hermit-like tendencies. As we looked around, we heard barking. At first, we thought it was a dog outside, but then it was explained to us that there was an immersive sound experience to better connect visitors to how it would be if Homer and his dog, Sam, were still working in the studio. The longer we stayed, the more we noticed the more subtle details like the burn marks on the floor where Homer would light his home once evening rolled in, and the walls where Homer had written various notes and doodles. After a lunch on the rocks, we met Caroline Wllauer, a distant descendant of Homer, who taught us that Winslow wasn’t so much of a hermit as he was made out to be.

This experience taught us how this fellowship would be filled with unique and fun experiences like this one. Even though museums have a reputation for being a little stuffy and formal, this program would be pretty entertaining. Speaking of fun, we have an event on August 8th at the PMA for young people like us. It’ll have free food, music, and activities like guided tours and bracelet making. If you’re interested in coming, it’s 5-8 PM in the sculpture garden.