The sartorial style of Stella Elkins Tyler takes center stage in “Seeing Stella: An Installation by Jen Blazina,” a new exhibition at Bucks County Community College’s Hicks Art Center Gallery that invites visitors to step directly into her world.
The free exhibition is on display from Sept. 9 to Oct. 17 at BCCC’s Newtown Campus. It examines the life and impact of Tyler (1884–1963), on whose former estate the college was founded more than 60 years ago. Philadelphia-based sculptor and printmaker Jen Blazina creates an immersive tableau of sculptures, reliefs, and 2D works inspired by Tyler’s 1930 Newtown mansion, her personal objects, and the surrounding flora and fauna.
The seeds of the show were planted two years ago when Blazina visited Tyler Hall to prepare for the 2024 group exhibition “Skull Sessions.” Her imagination was sparked by Tyler’s personal items on display—including a comb and brush set, crystal eau de parfum bottles, and a suitcase stamped from trans-Atlantic steamship travel over a century ago. Blazina recognized a kinship in Tyler’s belongings with her own curiosity about uniquely designed, utilitarian historical objects.
“Night Out in the 1920s,” a cast glass sculpture inspired by the personal belongings of Stella Elkins Tyler, is among the works on exhibit in “Seeing Stella: An Installation by Jen Blazina” Credit: Jen Blazina
“The exhibition continues the theme of cultural evolution in America’s history during this semiquincentennial year, following our highly successful ‘Visions of America’ show this summer,” said Clifford Eberly, the college’s senior manager of galleries and exhibitions.
Eberly noted that the serene exhibition subtly alludes to the peace Tyler found in nature and art—particularly following the loss of loved ones on the Titanic and living through two world wars. Tyler’s uncle and cousin died on the Titanic in 1912, while her husband, George Tyler, devoted himself to helping World War I veterans overcome “shell shock” (now known as PTSD).
This cast glass sculpture is a detail of “Through a Window Darkly” on exhibit in “Seeing Stella: An Installation by Jen Blazina” (PHOTO: Jen Blazina)
Through her installation, Blazina invites viewers to question the purpose of collected belongings. A cast glass perfume bottle poof, for example, no longer functions as a sprayer, but as art, it takes on new value as a symbol of transformation and nostalgia. While some view nostalgia in art as a shortcut to comfort, Blazina embraces it to signal memory, celebrate historical decorative design, and critique consumer culture, asking: “Can we find total happiness in the objects we make and collect?”
In an exhibition catalogue note to her mentor Boris Blai, Tyler once wrote: “To my Maestro and ‘Pupil’!! With all my thanks and deep appreciation for helping me to open the doors of Happiness.” While constant joy may be elusive, Tyler found her true happy place expanding her creative repertoire when she courageously began sculpting later in life.
“Opposites,” a cast glass sculpture inspired by the artist’s visit to Bucks County
Community College’s historic Tyler Hall, is on exhibit in “Seeing Stella: An Installation by Jen Blazina.” Credit: Jen Blazina
The public is invited to an opening reception on Wednesday, Sept. 9, from 5 to 7 p.m. with remarks at 6 p.m. Admission to the gallery and reception is free.