Over the past five years, we have heard many stories about how our Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors magazine has been Bringing People Together in our community. We consider our work incredibly rewarding because whenever we hear of a new connection or a renewed relationship, it feels like we receive a gift.
That was the case again last month when we featured world-renowned sculptor Terry Jones. For most of us, we enjoyed learning about the process of designing and creating coins and statues, never realizing that Terry designed and created some of the world’s most iconic monuments right here in our hometown.
When it came time to schedule a photo shoot with Terry and his wife, Maggie Murphy-Jones, we called on our amazing photographer, Crissy Everhart. Crissy’s portfolio is extensive, photographing for families, friends, corporations, weddings and business professionals in her Malvern studio in Historic Sugartown, so we knew she would understand “the assignment”—To capture Terry and his unique works of art. Little did we know that Crissy had much more knowledge of the lost wax process of sculpting than we could ever guess.
That’s because Crissy’s father, Don Everhart, is a retired world-renowned sculptor who just happened to spend a few years working alongside Terry Jones at The Franklin Mint. Crissy explained, “My dad and Terry overlapped briefly at the Mint. When I asked him if he remembered Terry, he said Terry was always the guy with the sparkly green bellbottoms and flashy clothing.” He remembered both Terry and his wife, Maggie, and spoke highly of them as friendly people and talented artists.
Terry chuckled when he heard about how Don described him. “Well, it was the 1970s, and we were a department full of artists, so we certainly dressed the part,” he explained. “I have fond memories of working with Don. He was a nice fellow and very talented.” Terry said meeting his daughter Crissy was like taking a nice walk down memory lane.
“When I went to the shoot, I already knew that Terry worked with my dad,” Crissy said. “When I got to his home studio, I saw it with a different eye than most because I grew up in that environment—clay busts, plaster casts, rubber molds and pieces of previous artworks tucked into every available space. I wasn’t amazed like the average person learning for the first time how these works of art are created; I was more amazed to experience a different artist’s workspace and see Terry’s portfolio and path to success.”
Crissy said they did the photo shoot, and then she stayed for a bit to chat about art, sculpture, and photography, commiserating on the ups and downs of a career in the arts.
Stories like this remind us that our hometown connections run deep. Let’s continue to share, reconnect and cherish our incredible community.