PAW Page For Bill

Recently, Princeton Alumni Weekly magazine photographed Bill and his ceramic work which appeared this month on the prestigious "Princetonians" full bleed focus page. This is quite an honor and well deserved in my opinion of course. Ricardo Barros was the photographer whose work is professionally superb; also having photographed Bill's mentor and Princeton ceramic professor Toshiko Takaezu for his own book: "Facing Sculptures". Bill has now sold two large sculptures to museums in Kansas City and Brooklyn while shipping garden seats as far as Florida.

Although Bill is also busy bringing a drug-eluting heart balloon to market at work, his diligent artistic studio efforts have never waned with Princeton University providing him opportunity to study with the best in every way.  PAW page copy below. 




FIRED UP: Bill Baumbach '75 *87 took his first ceramics course at Princeton with Toshiko Takeazu while working toward his undergraduate degree in biochemistry. Before beginning his graduate studies in molecular biology, he spent a year as Takaezu's apprentice. Baumbach has pursued science in parallel with art ever since. "To me, the thought processes used in science and art are very much alike," he says. "Experimentation, creativity, and technical excellence are driving forces in both areas."

Maya Lin Stones

Maya Lin Stones were introduced in 1998 to celebrate Knoll's 60th Anniversary, it's roots in the Bauhaus, and the middle ground between art and design. They celebrate Lin's love for the land and when one discovers the earth is round; exploring it to find the curve. Molded of polyethylene and 100% recycled product, they come in a variety of colors for outdoor or indoor use. I found a pair in blue to use in and around the barns here where the big barn roof is "slate blue". Maya Lin is well known for her design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC, selected while a freshman at Yale. She is presently installing two grand commissions adjacent to the new Lewis Center for the Arts Complex at Princeton University.

 Top image from DWR.

A 302 Yr. Old Ceiling

Bill has finally finished repairing and replacing attic beams at Old Farm. They look sculptural to me with so much whittling, notching and customized work done to very old; dense wood. Lovely to look at while lying in bed here. The original roof planks above them are up to 2' wide like the original floors in this old farmhouse which was built by a true Pilgrim's son. Old Farm sits on Barnstable land bought from the Indian's by one of 12 followers of Reverend John Lathrop before he actually arrived, and when land became scarce in the first Pymouth Colony. George Lewis and his son from Kent, England (weavers) bought a large land parcel and a next generation son; Benjamin built Old Farm on the prettiest piece of this property near large Lake Wequaquet. Original beams and floor boards downstairs, below. House history researched at Sturgis Library; Barnstable, MA.

Old Farm used to host Harvard's Girl's Rowing Team

who slept in the loft, stored their boats on the lawn, 

and trained on the lake in summertime.

Fall Planting

There is a rock garden with a carpet of flowering grasses and Annabelle Hydrangeas planted behind the back deck of this early farmhouse with a sculpture of Bill's in front of a layered stone wall. I recently bought and planted the hydrangeas on sale with a "skirt" of ornamental grasses in back of the garden while the grasses in front are now attracting honeybees and butterflies. I have ordered bulk bags of Giant White Allium 4' tall with 6"-8" flowers to plant in October here.
Below are examples of Annabelle Hydrangeas with Fountain Grasses and I hope our garden looks as lovely next Spring.

Images below via Pinterest.

Building A Barn Window

The back window in this 18th century barn was built in with a window sash at some point and we have rebuilt the frame from which it hangs; swinging open to an interior hook. "Z Flashing" was used above the new frame to keep it water-tight as well as window-surrounding inch and 1/2" wood trim.

Old paint was stripped and torched off the window with all glass panes removed and cleaned. A two inch thick poison ivy vine had been growing in front of this window for years and it's great to see it like new again.