The Great Depression gradually crept into
the local economy. the American people wee frightened. President
Hoover told them that there was no reason for fear. People stopped
buying. Men lost their jobs. Customers of The Round Table could
no longer afford to eat out. They either ate at home or went church-hopping.
The local churches, of which there were many in town, held suppers as money-raising
projects. With volunteers and little overhead, they were able to
furnish a meal to the public at a very small cost. Almost every night
of the week, one or two of the churches held a supper. The struggle
to keep the restaurant open continued for a year. After a total of
five years, The Round Table was sold to the chef at a loss.
Thanks to the Depression, too, art patrons could no longer
indulge in buying works of art. My dad requested I stay out of school
for a semester and be his helper around the studio, which was again at
the rear of our home.
Banks began to fail in large numbers as the frightened
customers withdrew their deposits. On the day of Roosevelt's inauguration,
a bank holiday was declared and all the banks in the country were closed.
After they were examined by Treasury officials and found to be in good
financial condition, they were allowed to open. Many banks remained
closed.
We almost lost our home. The government agency HOLC
(Home Owners Loan Corporation) can to our rescue. When Dad bought
the house, the previous owner held the mortgage. It was common at
the time to pay only the interest on the mortgage once or twice a year.
Amortizing a mortgage was unknown to us. HOLC made it mandatory.
Our mortgage holder was paid out and monthly payments to HOLC had to be
met.
Another government project, PWAP, was a lifesaver.
Public Works Art Project artists were given a small sum of money each month
in exchange for works of art. Sometimes they were sketches for original
murals in public places, or paintings depicting times or places in our
country. One of my responsibilities was to take the canvases by "L"
to the PWAP office in the Loop. The paintings by artists throughout
the country were to be placed in buildings in every state. (At this
time an investigation is going on in Washington to find out where all these
paintings are now located.)
During the Depression, we charged everything at local
stores, When a painting was sold, the money disappeared rapidly to
pay current bills. This helped our credit remain good so that we could
charge again. If a bill became too large, some merchants would take
a painting in trade. There were times when the amount of money received
from a buyer did not cover the expense of the canvas, stretcher, and frame.
Money was not available for recreation or nonessential
expenses. Shipping charges for crating and sending paintings out
of the city for exhibition were astronomical.
On Saturday and Sunday mornings, dad taught art
classes in the studio. This was the only income we could depend on.
It was not much, but five to ten dollars a week did help. My time
in the studio was spent in various ways. It was my job to stretch
canvases, clean palettes and brushes, aid Dad in making and printing etchings,
deliver and hang paintings for exhibition, and on occasions give talks
to various clubs on Art.
Dad trusted me to clean brushes, but when it came to talks
on art, he wrote the speeches. I expressed his opinions, thoughts,
and beliefs in my lectures. A typical speech would include:
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What to Look for in a Painting
"I know nothing about Art, but I know what
I like."
"I can tell an oil painting from a print,
because a print has a glass on it and an oil painting does not."
These and similar statements are often made to me. I have no intentions
to give a history of Art. Many books are available on that subject.
But for the average layperson, who has had no art education, there may
be a few hints to help in analyzing and choosing a painting.
"Why not a photograph of a scene instead
of a painting?" A photographer uses a camera to capture a view in
a split second. A painting of the scene requires skill, thought, techniques,
design, patterns of lines and shapes, balance, color tones, and perspective.
A work of art is the product of the artist's
intelligence and imagination. The addition of trees, figures, buildings
and elimination of unnecessary objects improves the composition.
Due to music lesson at home or at school
the public is more familiar with musical compositions than canvas compositions.
They are more acquainted with words such as staff, notes, measures, forte,
pianissimo and rhythm. All are necessary to create a musical work.
In a painting the canvas size, the lines, shapes, light and dark areas,
color and contrasts are used to build a composition. Turn a painting
upside down and study it. Subject matter is then of no importance.
As you view a painting, look at the style and
method of applying the paint. Is it done by brush, palette knife,
or other method? How are the brush marks used? Are they large,
wide and bold? Are the strokes visual or minute and detailed?
Is the paint applied thickly or thinly? Does the paint seem to be
mixed before applying to the canvas or afterwards? There are so many
ways of getting effects by the use of paint and color.
An artist's technique is like a person's
handwriting; it can be recognized at a glance.
A composition is the arrangement of essential
elements to acquire a pleasing effect. The term line refers to the
boundaries of shapes or masses. The picture should be
The composition is roughly sketched in as to
the placement of objects. The darks are blocked in with a deep shade
of color. A lighter wash is then applied to the halftones gradually
until the brightest highlights are added. The entire canvas is completely
covered with a color value. The paint is allowed to dry for a day
or so before continuing. At each session, some details are added.
The gradual changing of colors in the sky, the shape of objects to give
illusion of depth, the changing of color values to give perspective, and
the addition of the important details may take a month or so to complete.
A painting should be viewed with fresh eyes. Thus the artist may
et the canvas aside for a few days before continuing. Each one can
be considered a brainchild of the artist and until the child leaves home,
it can be corrected.
In purchasing a painting, beware of oilettes
or reproductions that are painted on a rough surface to resemble canvas.
Often a few brushmarks of oil paint are added so that the buyer believes
it is an original. These are mass-produced on an assembly line and
are sold for the profit in the frames. I have seen the appearance
of a room spoiled by a cheap $1.98 print over an expensive sofa.
Some so-called painters do the same scene but in different colors; all
in shades of blue, browns, purple, green or reds to satisfy some tastes
and interiors. These are not considered originals and are not good
investments. An original, the only one of its kind, can be an oil
painting, etching, woodblock, pencil or ink drawing, lithograph, water
color, pastel or other media signed by the artist.
An etching is a process of engraving lines
on a metal plate by means of an acid. A copper or zinc plate is covered
with an etching ground. This ground protects the metal from the action
of the acid except where the etcher scrapes away the ground. A design is
drawn on the ground with a tool resembling a needle. The needle marks
uncover the ground on the plate. Then the plat is submerged in a
nitric-acid bath for a few seconds for the very fine lines, which are then
covered with the acid-resistant compound. The plate is submerged
again for a little thicker line, which is then covered up or stopped out.
This process is continued until the very deepest or darkest lines are etched
into the plate. The depth of the grooves varies according to the
kind of line the artist or etcher wants to print. The plate is finished
and prints can now be made. A special ink is applied to the plate
which is then wiped with a cloth leaving the ink in the grooves and in
some areas of the plate for contrasting effects. The plate is then
placed on a damp paper and put into a press which produces one print.
Each print will be slightly different due to the wiping, inking, paper
or pressure applied by the press. Numbers such as 5/25 under a print
mean it is a limited edition and is the fifth of twenty-five prints.
A woodblock or woodcut print is a design
cut into hardwood but opposite that of an etching. The areas cut
away hold no ink. The relief or raised portion is printed on paper.
If more than one color is used, each color has its own block and when a
print is made, each color is printed on top of a previously colored print.
To develop appreciation, you should look
carefully at many good paintings. Practice stopping for a time in
front of each one. Study the composition, technique and detail.
Too often society waits until an artist
is dead before he becomes famous. Occasionally a relative may be
an art dealer. Vincent Van Gogh's brother was a dealer who influenced
the sale and popularity of Van Gogh's works after his death. An artist
does not have a public relations man or agent to promote his works.
Only by exhibitions and recognition of his canvases by jury shows at museums
and galleries, and by publicity by the art critics, can a painter become
known. The artist's name is most important if purchasing a work of
art as an investment.
Visit a museum, a reliable art dealer,
or an artists' studio. We must give the serious artist encouragement
and a chance to earn a good living while he is alive." |
My father was a very generous man to friends
in need. In fact, mother complained that he would give the shirt
off his back if she didn't stop him. He donated many paintings to
organizations for money-making projects. When the Grand Central Art
Gallery in New York was formed, dad was one of the original contributing
members.
The Chicago Art Institute assembled an exhibit
for the Century of Progress World's Fair in 1933. The museum contacted
my father wanting information on a painting they owned in the Martin A.
Ryerson Collection. Dad had no record of Mr. Ryerson, who was from
Chicago, purchasing a painting. He sent me to the art institute for
a description of it. The experience of going through vaults with
hundreds of paintings stored there due to lack of space in the galleries,
was an overwhelming and unforgettable event. The painting, Mississippi
River, was located. It had been donated to the Grant
Central Art Gallery in New York, where Mr. Ryerson purchased it and brought
it back to Chicago. Eventually his collection was donated to the
art institute.
The Chicago Galleries was organized in 1925
and established by the Municipal Art League for the local arts to have
a gallery as an outlet. My father donated several works for their
opening and other fund-raising exhibits.
After graduating from high school in 1932,
I continued to work for dad. Although I thought it would be best
to have an income for the family from a source outside of the studio, his
wishes superseded mine. Also, jobs were difficult to find.
He had several spells of illness which were
not fully explained to me, but which I considered nervous breakdowns.
We had no family medical doctor as there had been no need of one.
The old-fashion home remedies sufficed. Our dentist, Dr. William
Culp Brown, dispenses sugar-coated pills in different colors for different
ailments. He admitted that most of his patients had psychosomatic
problems and that his pills did as much good as a medical doctor's prescription.
Everyday I went out with several paintings
in the car and followed up leads to try to sell them. If a potential
customer was a bit interested, I would hang one or two canvases on approval.
The leads were friends of friends, who had shown some interest in art.
Occasionally I came home, elated, with a check for the entire price of
the painting. The majority of the time the artwork was paid for in
installments of five, ten, or fifteen dollars, or whatever could be afforded.
The prices of paintings were dropping at all the galleries. One-hundred-dollar
specials were advertised for canvasses which had been selling for much
more.
My joy at selling a painting was quickly deflated
when dad insisted I try someone else the next day. I was shy, naive,
and nervous when talking to strangers, and definitely not a high-pressure
salesperson. patrons reported to my father that they appreciated
my honesty. However, I hated the job. I received room and board which
was sufficient during those years.
Dad stayed at home more and finally refused
to leave the house and studio. He suffered from intense fear of leaving
the house, today called agoraphobia. One day he asked me to drive
him around the block. When I had gone two blocks, he became hysterical,
grabbed the wheel and forced me to turn the car around. He never
again asked me for a ride.
When company came to the house, he was a different
person. He enjoyed talking with potential buyers and showing his
latest work. He was a good conversationalist. When my friends
were over, he participated in our activities. He loved to play chess.
I complained when most of the evenings wee spent watching my date and him
playing chess. It was an inexpensive way to spend an evening and
win the approval of a future father-in-law.
During the 1920s, dad had a bit of financial
success. Now, art patrons and collectors were few and not able to
buy as before. A new style of art, the modern, came forward.
Mr. Bulliet, critic for the Chicago Daily
News, wrote of an exhibit:
Moderns made a clean sweep of prizes. It is practically
modern throughout as modernism is understood and painted in Chicago and
over all America. The modernism is a weak imitation of the French,
who invented it and use it with so much better effect than any of their
world copyists.
The general complexion of the Chicago shows changed
sharply after 1929. A younger modern crowd literally swarmed into
the place, crowding out the conservatives.
My father took up the challenge of the moderns
taking over, and painted two canvases very different in subject matter
from his well-known landscapes. They were submitted and accepted
by the jury at the Chicago Art Institute in 1933. The subject of
May Day was a scene from our backyard;
a neighbor's cherry tree in bloom, figures in the foreground hanging wash
on a clothes line. Businessmen's
Avocation was a satire on men's outdoor painting classes.
It has to be studied closely to observe the subtle, humorous aspects of
the subject matter.
"Intensity, tonal values and their relations
to masses and movement of line and composition are the prime factors in
his art. Technically his methods are less direct than those of the
moderns, but his planes are built up with greater deliberation and finer
texture," wrote Mr. Bulliet of dad's paintings.
Many canvases of this period have a thumbprint
over his name. He did forget to put it on all of them. The
reason was that in case of forgery the thumbprint would prove the authenticity.
Someone had told my father they had witnessed a person copying one of his
canvasses that was on display in the window of an art gallery.
We survived the lean years. Will Davies
and I were married by Rev. Adams, and kept it secret for over a year.
Six years previously, I had begun to date Will at dad's suggestion that
he seemed to be a very nice young man. I did not want my parents
to have the expense of a wedding. I knew of the money involved when
my sister had a small wedding a few years earlier. A petty quarrel
between dad and my sister and husband developed and for five years they
did not communicate. Mother and I had to sneak out of the house to
visit by sister.
I continued to work for dad. I took
care of the checking account and made sure a few dollars were hidden in
the balance to keep down the number of insufficient fund checks.
Prohibition was in force. However, local drug stores kept whiskey
on hand for medicinal purposes. If dad knew five dollars was left in the
checking account, it went for medicinal purposes.
My husband completed college and he accepted
a position in Minnesota. In June 1938, my baby daughter and I joined
him.
Dad's health faded rapidly. When I was
pregnant, we joked about our shapes as to which one of us was expecting.
He did not see a doctor until much later. In October, four months
after I moved away from home, dad died. Was he despondent at my leaving?
Did he depend too much on me? These questions haunted me.
Rev. Adams eulogized, "Death came at fifty-four,
very early as we now count time. But, who would dare to say that
his is an unfinished life? he has left us a legacy and tradition
of beauty which will grow more precious with the years. So, Carl
has stepped out into another landscape. It is not given to me to
describe the place in the other world to which he has gone, but I know
it is a place of beauty as befits the soul of one who paid homage at the
Shrine of Beauty."
A year later, my small family moved eat to
Connecticut. During our Sunday drives through the colorful, picturesque
countryside of New England, I would think of dad and his desires to locate
in that vicinity. I viewed the scenery as if I were looking through
his eyes at the beauties of nature.
My dear mother, whose only fault was her inability,
through lack of education, to create an environment to further dad's career,
was a very sweet considerate mother. After dad's death, she sold
her home at a loss, and moved back to the old neighborhood on the South
Side of Chicago to live with grandmother.
Page 42: Bess and Jess.
1926.
Page 43: Prelude. 1930.
Page 44: Businessmen's Association.
1933.
Page 45: Twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, August
1932. Standing are Lottie and Carl, and seated are Lal and Hazel.
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