J. Delancey Estate c. 1936

Gilbert Sackerman made this estate plan, J. Delancey Estate, using watercolour and graphite on paper. I love how much detail he puts into this piece. You can tell that he must have enjoyed making it. The composition is divided into various geometric shapes filled with colourful plants and trees. Looking at all the care that Sackerman took to create this estate plan makes me wonder about his process, about being in the world, observing nature and trying to capture it. He’s inviting us to reflect on the art of landscaping and its possibilities. Maybe he was a landscape designer himself! Artists don't exist in a vacuum; we are all in conversation with each other through time. We may not know it, but we are always learning from and building upon the ideas of those who came before us, whether they were making art, designing gardens, or planning estates.