A funny thing happens in this issue of Wissahickon. It’s a celebration of beauty and bounty, sure, but that’s not all. In these stories we find locals of differing disciplines, ages, neighborhoods and even eras, making the most of what they have, from humble to high end.

Painter Violet Oakley demanded recognition, taking the raw materials of her Victorian society and illustrating its ideals with vigor and sweeping grace. Her humanistic message was aimed at everyone, from those inside the private walls of magnates’ homes to the public halls of the Pennsylvania State Capitol. 

At the other end of the spectrum, sculptor Kambel Smith uses his prosaic medium, plain old cardboard, to recreate in miniature the architectural landmarks we see every day. He democratizes the Roundhouse, Philadelphia Museum of Art and more, by giving people the prominence usually held by these imposing buildings. 

These artists have little in common besides a singular vision and the desire to elevate humanity in their own way.

And what can span the stretch from low-to-highbrow better than food and drink? Ask Amanda Staples, who looked at a garbage-strewn lot on Germantown Avenue and saw a blossoming urban farmstead. Or try the Quigley brothers, who got in trouble for building a still in their parents’ Fort Washington basement and ended up creating Philly’s Stateside Vodka empire. 

Making the reverse journey is longtime much-adored chef Al Paris, who steered his career from headline-grabbing Center City restaurants to harvesting his own knowledge as a coach for up-and-coming restaurateurs and host of farm-to-table special events. 

It wouldn’t be a summer issue without going outdoors, and this issue covers kids doing what they’ve likely done for thousands of years: investigating ways to have fun around the Wissahickon. Whether on the water or the trails, learning mountain biking etiquette or trying not to be tempted by Devil’s Pool, these stories remind us to enjoy the gorgeous parkland that surrounds us.

Finally, making the most of what we have means keeping our public transit not only viable, but also humane, creating places where commuters gather for the ride and then stay in the community. Developer Ken Weinstein hopes that by turning abandoned rail stations into gathering places, he can accomplish this goal, and make the most of what we have right here, just waiting to be brought back to life.

We hope you have the opportunity to look around our beautiful region, see Oakley’s and Smith’s works in person, eat, drink, be merry, dive in a (safe, sanctioned) pool, bike down a trail, ride a train or whatever else helps you make the most of what you have all around you this summer.

Wendy Rosenfield