Starfield is a local treasure with international significance.

Once Paul Manship’s summer residence and studio, the Starfield estate has been saved and repurposed with a mission and in the spirit envisioned by the original artist who first developed this natural retreat.

Preservation

Restoring the property

Conservation

Preserving the land

Environmental conservation and respect for the land and water are a central part of the Manship Artists Residency‘s mission, and they were guiding principles as Paul Manship developed Starfield. Paul Manship left sections of the property wild, appreciating the native flora and fauna, and wanting to ensure they had sustainable and self-supporting habitats.

Paul Manship was especially interested in preserving the firefly population on his property. Indeed, the very name of the property comes from the experience of walking through the grounds at night and its effective transformation into a “starfield” as the fireflies twinkle all around. Manship refused to mow the meadow until the end of July so that the fireflies’ natural habitat would not be disturbed. However, over time, this practice was forgotten and the firefly population dwindled.

In 2021, the Manship Artists Residency reestablished the practice of not mowing until the end of July as part of ongoing efforts to restore Starfield and its habitat. Thanks to a grant from New England Biolabs Foundation, the Manship Artists Residency is working with three imminent biologists to develop a plan for this restoration project.

As part of this project, the Patron Program and other donors will create a path into the Pine Forest at Starfield so that residents and guests can safely explore this firefly arboreal habitat and the viewshed from a side of the property that is currently inaccessible.