Sixth Slow Art Day at Glen Foerd in Pennsylvania

Glen Foerd, a historic estate and public park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, hosted its sixth annual Slow Art Day on April 11, 2026. Executive Director Ross Mitchell guided participants through a facilitated discussion focused on close observation of art.

The event began with participants welcomed to the second-floor art gallery, where they sat before three historic paintings displayed on easels. Ross Mitchell introduced the Barnes Method, priming the audience to observe art through specific lenses such as color, light, line, and space. He encouraged attendees to approach art with the painstaking appreciation a surgeon might have for anatomy, considering each interlocking part of a living structure. Following this introduction, he invited the group to spend several silent minutes with the first painting before guiding a discussion. This process was repeated for each artwork, with audience members sharing their findings and connections. This exercise prepared the group to apply the same level of analysis to a contemporary multimedia installation located in a separate part of the mansion. Prompts included vocabulary like “creative distortion,” “local & nonlocal color,” and discussions of illustrative, decorative, and expressive aspects, all designed to deepen appreciation for the artists’ strategies.

Featured Works:

• “Threadbare and Tarnished: Tales from a Gilded Age,” 2017, Mixed Media by Talia Eve Greene
• “Village and Calvary,” c. mid-1930s, Oil on canvas by Luigi Setanni
• “Head of a Young woman in a Black Feathered Hat,” 1862, Oil on Panel by Thomas Sully
• “The Madonna Lily,” c. 1925, Oil on canvas by Edith Emerson

These pieces were chosen for their wide breadth of creative devices and subjects, which allowed for more creative and dynamic comparison during the facilitated discussions. Participants reflected on the peaceful feeling of paying slow, close attention to art, finding it an unintentional respite from screens and the many demands of modern life. One regular volunteer and visitor shared that she gained a new appreciation for paintings she had seen many times before (we hear that a lot from docents, curators, and educators).

We at Slow Art Day HQ are grateful to Ross Mitchell and the team at Glen Foerd for their continued dedication to the principles of our movement. Their thoughtful approach provides a unique and enriching experience for participants. We look forward to seeing what they design for Slow Art Day 2027.

— Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

P.S. Learn more about Glen Foerd on their website and Instagram.