Biggs Museum’s Tom Wilson book launch party set Sept. 7

The Back Porch Café will host a launch party for the Biggs Museum’s book, ”Tom Wilson: Super-realist/Surrealist,” from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 59 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach.

The book release coincides with the Biggs exhibit, Tom Wilson: Super-Realist/Surrealist, on display through Sunday, Oct. 16, at 406 Federal St., Dover.

Feel free to judge this book by its cover. Why? Because the cover is literally a work of art – a feature on a beloved local artist that grew into a rich and vibrant feast for the eyes. In the dead of summer, just as the initial book was set to print, the opportunity to showcase more struck in the most unlikely of places: a storage unit on Route 1.    

The story begins with the legacy of Tom Wilson's artwork gracing the walls of so many beach houses in the area. Former Biggs Museum curator Ryan Grover recognized the need for Wilson to have the show he’d earned. He began the process of identifying notable works and gathering contacts. Before the impressive show could meet the public, Grover transitioned to the role of director at Wilmington’s Rockwood Park. Fast forward to 2022, when the Biggs’ new curator Laura Fravel steps in to take the lead, working closely with Grover to bring the show to the finish line. Through this collaboration, an impressive exhibition at the Biggs Museum was born. With so many works thoughtfully chosen, this exhibition called for a publication to formally archive Wilson’s impressive career.

Wilson’s stunning Hopper-esque work had hung in the foyers, atriums and great rooms of lovely homes across the region. Fravel had traveled the Sussex County highways and byways to visit 22 local collectors of Wilson’s art. Ultimately, 50 pieces were taken down, wrapped and assembled at the Biggs. 

Yet, it was a run-of-the mill storage unit that stopped the presses on the book.  

"The moment Keith opened the climate-controlled storage unit and reached for Tom Wilson's handwritten notes and all his original color charts, I knew these enriching details could not be left out of the publication,” said Fravel. Fitzgerald had worked hand in glove with her throughout the summer.   

Wilson's lifelong dear friend Peggy Raley-Ward was positively elated. "Thank heaven for Keith's cubicle and his love for Tom! Tom's handwriting still gives me goosebumps, and now we can tell the love story of Wilson and Leo Medisch, legendary chef at the Back Porch. The story now feels complete,” she said.

Michael Dudich, the new director of the Biggs Museum, couldn’t agree more. "When we publish literary works, we are not simply showcasing interesting artwork, we are telling someone’s story. Discovering Tom’s artist studies and sketches helped further develop all of the fascinating nuances that told who Tom was as a person and as an artist,” he said. 

Fitzgerald, who introduced Wilson to Medisch, is amused at the irony. "First off, Tom and Leo would be floored by the exhibition. It's the ultimate curated museum event Tom so richly deserved. Now, the book weaves the Back Porch into the story in a very unique way. As Marilyn and I transitioned ownership over to Dmitry Shubich, I was delighted to see the tradition holds,” he said. 

Having a treasure trove of his studies, sketches and handwritten notes found nearly 30 years after his passing would surely entertain Wilson. One gets the sense that if he were still here, Wilson would grab his easel and go paint the storage unit. The dulcet tones of Etta James would waft through the air on Route 1. It would be another Wilson masterpiece, and Raley-Ward and Fitzgerald would attempt to outbid each other at the imaginary Back Porch auction.

To confirm attendance, email RSVP@BiggsMuseum.org. Copies of the book will also be available at Browseabout Books starting Thursday, Sept. 8.

To learn more, go to biggsmuseum.org.