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Many years ago, I attended one of Edward Tufte’s one day courses on the topic of his self published book The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. At the time, I was pursuing a career in graphic design, and also worked as a presentation specialist and designer, so I was very interested in learning about his perspective.

Edward Tufte (ET) is a statistician, writer and artist, and Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Statistics, and Computer Science at Yale University. He wrote, designed, and self-published five classic books about data visualization.

Even before we started dating, my husband had attended ET’s courses as well. By the time we moved in together, we discovered we had two sets of three of his books. (We still have both sets; they are beautifully designed books.)

During our recent visit to Hogpen Hill Farms, ET’s 234-acre tree farm and sculpture park, located in the Litchfield County town of Woodbury, Connecticut, we noticed he was roaming the grounds nearby, in a small farm utility vehicle. To my surprise, just as I was about to take a picture of one of the sculptures in the park, ET stopped his vehicle in front of us and asked if we’d like a photo with the author. Of course I said yes! I wasn’t expecting him to be so accessible.

I mentioned that my husband and I had both attended some of his courses, and that I had been a PowerPoint designer and specialist at the time. I shared that one of my goals back then had been to make the presentations I worked on better. My husband added that PowerPoint could definitely stand to be improved.

If you are familiar with Edward Tufte’s work, you will know that he abhors everything PowerPoint. He replied that it’s not about PowerPoint being revised into a better program, but rather,

ET then told us that through his influence, the presentation of information at several major companies has radically changed, and that Jeff Bezos eliminated the use of PowerPoint at Amazon. Meetings begin in silence, while attendees read information provided in the form of a six page report written in sentences (no bullets).

As recommended on the Hogpen Hill Farms website, we picked up some provisions for a picnic beforehand, at the wonderful New Morning Market nearby. We didn’t see any tables near the parking area, so we ‘tailgated’ from the trunk of the car, before starting our exploration.

The Sculpture Garden is located within a 1.5 mile walkable loop on the farm, which sounds manageable, but it is challenging. Many of the outdoor sculptures are located at the top of a rather steep hill, and the terrain is uneven, so good walking shoes are a must. It was a beautiful day, but there are few shaded areas, so I was grateful it wasn’t too hot or humid.

Below are some of the photos I took of the outdoor sculptures and some of the models inside the studio gallery, facetiously titled ‘World Headquarters’:

I appreciated the technical and engineering skill on display — camper mounted on top of a telephone pole, anyone? — and all the imaginative and whimsical art pieces in the sculpture garden, but the Celestial Dancer with Calipers and her DNA was the most memorable to me. I love the freedom it evokes, and the way it blends the joy of movement and science.

We both enjoyed our excursion, and were also pleased we had the serendipitous chance to interact with the entertaining ET.

Click here to view a clip from NBC CT Live, which offers fascinating insights into ET’s future plans for Hogpen Hill Farms.

Hogpen Hill Farms is open to the public Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, usually from early September to early November. Check current dates and get tickets here. (Note: As of this writing, the best ticket rate is on Fridays.)