Brushstrokes of Community

Updated: Sep 1

As summer begins to wind down, we look forward to an event that has quickly become one of our favorite ways to experience the charm of our village. Now in its third year, Art in Marshallton: En Plein Air Painting Event returns this September, offering a weekend to immerse ourselves in the beauty, creativity, and community that make the Village of Marshallton so special. With artists capturing open fields, historic barns, and quiet corners of our village in real time, it’s a celebration not just of art, but of place.

This month’s newsletter also features the final article in our light pollution series, focusing on how nighttime lighting affects the delicate balance of our ecosystems. From pollinators and plants to nocturnal animals, we explore what’s at stake and how we can help protect the natural rhythms of our shared landscape.

Read on to get involved, get inspired, and savor the last golden days of summer in our village.

Community Spotlight:

Art in Marshallton

Celebrate art, nature, and community in the heart of Chester County! Join us for the 3rd Annual Art in Marshallton: En Plein Air Painting Event, taking place September 26 - 28 at six scenic locations around the Village of Marshallton. Enjoy two full days of outdoor painting, a lively Quick Draw competition on Saturday evening, and a festive Art Show & Reception on Sunday afternoon featuring juried awards by Margaret Winslow, Chief Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art at the Delaware Art Museum. A portion of the proceeds benefits the all-volunteer West Bradford Fire Company—so your support helps keep both creativity and our community thriving.

This event would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Heartfelt thanks to Patrick McCoy and John Cigler, Warren Claytor Architects, Graham Painting Studio, Ms. Pamela Toppi, The Marshalton Inn / Four Dogs Tavern, and The Merchant of Menace, for helping to bring this celebration of art, nature, and community to life.

Art in Marshallton

History Spotlight:

West Bradford Fire Horn

Recently, Former West Bradford Fire Company Chief Jack Hines uncovered a fascinating piece of local history—a copy of the West Bradford Fire Horn newsletter from the summer of 1977. This community publication offered fire safety tips for the home and reflected a time before the days of 911 and even area codes. While much of the advice may be outdated, it serves as a reminder of how far fire safety—and communication—have progressed. Remember: in the case of any emergency today, always call 911.

Conservation Corner:

Light Pollution

When we think about outdoor lighting, it’s easy to see it as a convenience or a security feature—but for the natural world, even small amounts of artificial light at night can have far-reaching consequences.

Excessive or poorly directed lighting disrupts the delicate balance of entire ecosystems. Nocturnal animals rely on darkness to forage, hunt, mate, and migrate. When light intrudes on their habitats, it can alter feeding patterns, expose prey to predators, and interrupt reproduction cycles. Insects, which are drawn to artificial lights, can become trapped in endless circles around fixtures, leading to exhaustion, vulnerability, and death. This disrupts the food chain, affecting birds, bats, amphibians, and even plant pollination.

The good news? Small, mindful changes—shielding outdoor fixtures, using warmer bulbs, or turning lights off when not needed—can make a meaningful difference. In doing so, we preserve not just the view of the stars, but the hidden rhythms of life that unfold each night in our gardens, woodlands, and fields.

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