The Wharton Esherick Museum is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibition by current Artist-in-Residence, Kelly Cobb; Working at a Joyous Creative Thing: Weaving, Making, and Material Culture in Letty Esherick’s Legacy, an exhibition highlighting Cobb’s ongoing research and creative work at WEM. New works by artist Kelly Cobb and collaborators inspired by historic textiles elevate Letty Esherick’s overlooked story of artistic ambition, gendered labor, and creative survival.
Working at a Joyous Creative Thing showcases original textiles by Letty Esherick discovered by WEM staff in 2022. They include garments, weaving samples, and works-in-progress, and likely date from the 1940s through her death in 1975. Cobb is among the first scholars to study these textiles.
This installation marks the first public presentation of Letty’s textiles in at least five decades. They are shown alongside new works by Cobb, as well as artworks across disciplines by a group of skilled collaborators that range from handmade garments to sound art to embroidery.
The exhibition will be on display in the Visitor Center beginning September 18th, which is open during WEM tour hours (Wednesday-Sunday 10-3). Please note, guests wishing to enter the Museum must make advance reservations for a tour.
Exhibition is on view September 18 – December 28, 2025, for more information: https://whartonesherickmuseum.org/
Photo: Letty Esherick, Halter Top and Pant Set, circa 1940s – 1960s. Handwoven and embroidered cotton. Wharton Esherick Museum Collection. Image courtesy of Kelly Cobb.
