The Poquessing Creek, a tidal tributary that flows into the Delaware River and also acts as a boundary between Philadelphia and Bucks County, was once used as a dump site for the residents of Glen Foerd. During low tide, old bottles, glass shards, and broken ceramic dishes will appear amongst the spatterdock. Some objects are completely preserved due to being buried under a sturdy cushion of silt for so many years. Other glass pieces are completely mangled from being burned, a common phenomenon seen at dump sites known as "bonfire glass." The rare marble or figurine may also appear, which adds an element of magic to the collection of long-forgotten refuse.

We can learn just as much about the previous residents of Glen Foerd from their trash as we can from the elegant collections that are now on display. While searching through the dump site, one can find remnants of liquor bottles, medicine and ointment jars, make-up containers, and pieces of fine china. These discoveries suggest that entertaining and appearances were very important to such wealthy residents. With wealth comes abundance, and there is no doubt that with the agitation caused by the tides, the dump site will continue to produce remnants from a life of excess. 

Cory Kram will be presenting a new installation showcasing multimedia artworks created by community members during seven workshops that she designed and facilitated as the 2025 Teaching Artist in Residence. At the heart of the exhibition is an ensemble of discarded objects—weathered river glass pieces, antique porcelain fragments, and century-old medicine bottles—collected from the Poquessing Creek and serving as the creative spark for each session.

On view are still-life drawings that capture the textures of found materials; ethereal cyanotype prints; dynamic scrap-wood sculptures; jewel-toned river glass suncatchers; and intricate shadow-box assemblages. Together, these works transform overlooked detritus into vibrant narratives of place and process.

Read more here about what inspired Cory’s project using found objects on Glen Foerd’s property

Cory Kram is a community teaching-artist living in Philadelphia who specializes in sculpture, painting, and fiber. She is greatly inspired by the ephemeral images and objects that lie on the everyday plane of modern existence and often incorporates found materials in her work. Kram has previously exhibited at galleries and venues in New York, Denmark, and Romania.

In Philadelphia, Cory actively contributes to the arts community through teaching workshops and curating art exhibits for non-profits such as The Kensington Storefront and Broad Street Ministry. She currently works for Mural Arts as a studio teaching artist for their same-day-pay program, Color Me Back.