Brilliant colors of red, white, green, and deep blues and purples stand out in this crown of flowers set against a monochrome backdrop. The flowers are supported via ceramic vase, as the flowers fawn out from the mouth of the vase; this whole arrangement supported by a small, light grey table that seems to blend the foreground into the background. The grey, monochromatic backdrop presents a calming effect as the eye is drawn to the bright flora. It is impossible to miss the South Western painted rooster that sits beside the vase, adding yet another element of character and culture to the piece. About the Author: Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, Mary Monrad came from an artistic family. She studied at the Académie Julian with Benjamin Constant and Jean-Paul Laurens, and with James Whistler. In 1906 she married Walter Ufer, a fellow painter, while both were living in Chicago. Thereafter her life was a struggle due to family finances, his alcoholism-fueled anger, and gender norms that forced her into a role supporting her husband. In 1914 the two moved to Taos, NM, and became influential figures in its nascent artists colony. In order to make ends meet she gave art lectures across the country, becoming a sought-after speaker and promoting the work of Taos artists. She was teaching art classes for the WPA art classes in Minneapolis, MN when her husband died in 1936; moving to New York forced her from the New Mexico relief rolls, and in New York she had trouble securing support because she was over 65 years of age. It is the state’s good fortune that eventually Federal Art Project support was granted. 1 work at the Harwood Museum. 11 more images at FAP. Sources Consulted: Dean Porter, Teresa Hayes Ebie and Suzan Campbell, Taos Artists and Their Patrons, 1898-1950 (University of New Mexico, 1999); Lonnie Pierson Dunbier, AskArt.com
Ufer, Mary Monrad (Frederikson), 1869-1947
We see a small chapel with terra cotta roof and a small bell. The only spots of color are the red roof tiles and the teal of bricks aroud the door. The rest of the painting is bleached, faded to hues of pale beige and blue. The door inside, framed by both the only vibrant blue in the painting, and by the circular arch of the chapel's portico, is made the focus of the painting. About the Artist: The son of Irish immigrants, Alger was born in Boston, MA and studied at the Lowell Institute of Design and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Around 1914, he began dividing his time between Massachusetts and showing his work in New York group exhibitions; a 1921 review of the Whitney Studio Club declared that its “chief interest centers about the technical novelty of John Alger. He has painted some sand dunes with a sweeping grace despite the fact that his colors, always modest, are laid down flatly and without accent” (New York Tribune 18 Dec. 1921: 50). Another admiring critic thought Alger had “developed a point of view which represents the utmost in simplification without, however, becoming in any sense of the word an abstractionist” (Brooklyn Daily Eagle 7 Mar. 1926: 66). Alger was a founding member of the Salons of America. In later years, he seems to have taught art lessons in addition to his painting. 5 more images at FAP.
A simple still life (perhaps deceptively so) includes as its ostensible objects a Grecian vase, flowers, and red grapes. Whether intentional or not, each element evokes a somewhat different artistic tradition: classical sculpture, informal nature in the form of daisies and zinnias, and European still life as represented by grapes. The entire arrangement sits upon a reflective surface. About the Artist:We haven’t located any reliable information about this artist. Please help us if you have any information. 2 more images at FAP.
A deft hand with tonal color renders Fastovsky's autumnal landscape somewhat different from what we expect in paintings of that season. We look down upon a valley whose brightest colors are literally marginalized--as borders between agricultural fields--except for blazing oranges at middle right. Houses and roads leading down a precipitous hillside, along with a mountain rising on the valley's other side, allow for an unusually large area for such a compact composition. About the Artist: Born in Chernobyl, Russia, Fastovsky studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts in Kiev before immigrating to the US in 1913 and becoming a citizen in 1921. He showed his work at Municipal Art Galleries, New York, in 1938. Fastovsky legally changed his name to Isaac Foster in 1946 and by 1955 was living in Tuscon, AZ, showing his paintings at local sites and restoring old canvases. Looking back upon his work for various federal art projects, he estimated that he had created 40-50 paintings during this period: “Someday I’m going to visit various state and federal buildings throughout the country and see if I can locate the pictures. I don’t have any idea where they’re hanging now” (Arizona Daily Star 16 Oct. 1955: 24). 9 more images at FAP.
Three women and one man are seen riding horses along a muddy trail; a younger rider with two braided pigtails leading them. A faded building is seen in the background--and we remind ourselves that this is New York City. There seem to be three distinct parts of this painting: the upper includes the building and the top parts of the trees; the middle includes the horses and the people. The bottom part of the painting is separated distinctly where the grass meets the trail, including the horses' feet and the muddy trail. About the Artist: We haven’t located much reliable information about this artist. As his NDG painting suggests, Dowling appears to have specialized in sporting art. He created an historical painting, “Saratoga, 1917” that showed Racing Association members living and deceased (New York Herald 6 Aug. 1918: 3). Nine years later Dowling was asked to add 13 additional figures on the strength of his reputation in England and the US, which had included a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt. He also ran a series of portraits in Town and Country depicting the opera singer Enrico Caruso, lawyer Paul D. Cravath, financier Otto H. Kahn, and broker Henry Rogers Winthrop (The Saratogian 15 Aug. 1927: 5).
New Deal Gallery, Genesee Valley Council on the Arts Object #FA18145
Ritz, Abigail (photography) Apthorpe, Jessica (biography) Cooper, Ken (biography)
Light pastels of white, red, green, and silver create a delicate and private image of an East Asian figurine behind a short pot of flowers, possibly lilies. The background is very bare and gray-scale, emphasizing the bright colors of the flowers. The white-to-red color transition of the flowers from left to right implies a period of change, more specifically from purity to maturity. About the Artist: Born in Syracuse, NY Bowler attended the Syracuse University College of Fine Arts and there received a postgraduate award for study in Paris. He was best known for painting official portraits of prominent political, military, and theatrical figures such as dancers Ruth St. Denis and Michel Fokine; humorist Will Rogers, actor Vincent Price, and explorer/author Richard Halliburton. Bowler also traveled to Washington, D.C. to paint portraits of Secretary of State Cordell Hull and Vice President John Nance Garner, among others. But Bowler also was passionate about landscapes and still lifes. A 1940 newspaper article implies that his two works at NDG were part of “a series of flower paintings done for all the tuberculosis hospitals in New York” (Allentown, PA Morning Call 31 Mar. 1940: 16). During World War II, Bowler served as Director of Design for a camouflage section of the 909th Air Force Engineers, organizing a 1943 show of their work at Macy’s Department store. It was after a 32-mile training hike that he painted a well-known image entitled “After the Hike”—a picture of his worn pair of army shoes—that was exhibited in the Library of Congress. Bowler also served as director of an arts program for the American Red Cross and as a USO portrait artist during the war (Syracuse Herald-Journal 23 July 1965: 14). After 1945 Bowler continued to live and work in Bucks County, PA. A critic attending the Phillips’ Mill Art Exhibition wrote that he had “all the majesty and power of great people who see great movements and think great things. A realist, his ‘Little Red Barn’ is characterized by a sensitive brush, a direct approach, rich colors and mellow overtones and an uninhibited technique — all contributing to the aching loveliness of this farm scene” (Muhlenberg Weekly 14 Oct. 1948: 2). In addition to producing many paintings, Bowler was an art teacher for much of his professional life. 1 work at Smithsonian American Art Museum. 3 works at Michener Art Museum. 2 more images at FAP.
Bowler uses fine strokes to create a vibrant display of red and pink tulips spiraling outwards amidst a mass of strong, green leaves in a unique, white cornucopia vase. The arrangement is placed directly in the daylight on a white window bench along with a a silver plate of two apples and a pear dangerously close to the edge of the bench.The bright colors of the natural items seem almost out of place in the starkly white surroundings. About the Artist: Born in Syracuse, NY Bowler attended the Syracuse University College of Fine Arts and there received a postgraduate award for study in Paris. He was best known for painting official portraits of prominent political, military, and theatrical figures such as dancers Ruth St. Denis and Michel Fokine; humorist Will Rogers, actor Vincent Price, and explorer/author Richard Halliburton. Bowler also traveled to Washington, D.C. to paint portraits of Secretary of State Cordell Hull and Vice President John Nance Garner, among others. But Bowler also was passionate about landscapes and still lifes. A 1940 newspaper article implies that his two works at NDG were part of “a series of flower paintings done for all the tuberculosis hospitals in New York” (Allentown, PA Morning Call 31 Mar. 1940: 16). During World War II, Bowler served as Director of Design for a camouflage section of the 909th Air Force Engineers, organizing a 1943 show of their work at Macy’s Department store. It was after a 32-mile training hike that he painted a well-known image entitled “After the Hike”—a picture of his worn pair of army shoes—that was exhibited in the Library of Congress. Bowler also served as director of an arts program for the American Red Cross and as a USO portrait artist during the war (Syracuse Herald-Journal 23 July 1965: 14). After 1945 Bowler continued to live and work in Bucks County, PA. A critic attending the Phillips’ Mill Art Exhibition wrote that he had “all the majesty and power of great people who see great movements and think great things. A realist, his ‘Little Red Barn’ is characterized by a sensitive brush, a direct approach, rich colors and mellow overtones and an uninhibited technique — all contributing to the aching loveliness of this farm scene” (Muhlenberg Weekly 14 Oct. 1948: 2). In addition to producing many paintings, Bowler was an art teacher for much of his professional life. 1 work at Smithsonian American Art Museum. 3 works at Michener Art Museum. 2 more images at FAP.
Cool blues and greens dominate much of Sharp’s landscape, creating a sharp contrast against the red of the barn and sails. A body of water surrounding the wharf clearly is too small for any boats and seems to be drying up. The rolling hills and mountains in the background make the area feel vast and somewhat empty. There are no people within the painting, although there are a few structures that could be houses—one of which has a gravestone—and what appears to be a church spire. Strangest of all is a fenced-in pasture with dinosaurs. About the Artist: Born in Galesburg, IL, Sharp grew up in Eldon, IA and showed a talent for art at an early age, matriculating at the University of Iowa in 1928. While a student he met curator Edward Rowan and painter Grant Wood, both of whom would become important figures in the regional art movement, co-founding the Stone City Art Colony. At age nineteen, taking Wood on a driving tour of Eldon, Sharp showed him the house that would figure in the iconic painting American Gothic. Sharp studied at the Stone City colony for a short period before relocating to New York, where he attended the Art Students League and the National Academy of Design. It was during this period in the early 1930s that Sharp met his lifelong partner, the painter Paul Crosthwaite. The two relocated to an established art scene in Buck’s County, PA. Besides his work in the WPA easel division, Sharp was chosen to create three murals for post offices in Iowa: “Autumn” (1940), in Bloomfield; “Summer” (1941), in Rockwell City; “Winter” (1942), in Haywarden. While all show the regionalist influence of Wood, Sharp also had a distinctive sense of humor. His painting “We All Hang Together” mashes up domestic folk art and a Benjamin Franklin epigram; his landscape painting at the NDG features what appears to be a herd of cows but actually is dinosaurs. Still, his taste for surreality did not stand in the way of commercial success. Sharp was called “a skillful factualist who loves the textures of barns, flowers, leaves, shells, and old roots” (Benson). He was commissioned to render portraits of New York theater actors; his paintings were chosen for a traveling Hallmark Art Award exhibition (1951) and appeared on the cover of Colliers magazine (“P.O. Mural”). Sharp and Crosthwaite moved to Florida full-time by the mid-1950s, continuing their work while instructing younger artists. 3 works at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. 3 post office murals for the Treasury Section of Fine Arts. 1 work at Chrysler Museum of Art. 1 work at Smithsonian American Art Museum. 2 works at the Michener Art Museum. 5 images at Stone City Art Colony. 6 more images at FAP. Works Consulted: Gertrude Benson, “Dynamic Oils and Sculpture at Academy,” Philadelphia Inquirer 25 Jan. 1953: 17; “P.O. Mural is Hung Tuesday,” Haywarden Independent 28 May 1942: 1; Kristy Raine, et al., “John Sharp,” Stone City Art Colony and School, web.
New Deal Gallery, Genesee Valley Council on the Arts Object #FA18268
Ritz, Abigail (photography) Schmeer, Samantha (biography) Cooper, Ken (biography)
Loosely translating as a "state of disuse," Fastovsky's title certainly applies to this rural scene. We see what appears to be a boarded-up chicken coop and other farm outbuildings inside a walled enclosure--although the abandonment seems recent given visible footpaths and a lack of overgrowth. Relatively high-key colors sidestep the dark tragedy of family farmers no longer present. In trial law, "desuetude" refers to statutes so long unenforced that they have become obsolete; perhaps in this case the intent is to link a particular farm to longer-term, systemic neglect that has resulted in many other farm abandonments. About the Painter: Born in Chernobyl, Russia, Fastovsky studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts in Kiev before immigrating to the US in 1913 and becoming a citizen in 1921. He showed his work at Municipal Art Galleries, New York, in 1938. Fastovsky legally changed his name to Isaac Foster in 1946 and by 1955 was living in Tuscon, AZ, showing his paintings at local sites and restoring old canvases. Looking back upon his work for various federal art projects, he estimated that he had created 40-50 paintings during this period: “Someday I’m going to visit various state and federal buildings throughout the country and see if I can locate the pictures. I don’t have any idea where they’re hanging now” (Arizona Daily Star 16 Oct. 1955: 24). 9 more images at FAP.
Three boys are deeply absorbed in the work of childhood, in this case perhaps the aquatic life beneath a stream's shimmering surface. Fastovsky's composition encloses the boys, unaware, beneath the arch of a viaduct yet with rolling parkland and trees in the distance. The effect is arcadian; a lack of facial features and even clothing renders the scene a fragile space of timelessness amidst an industrial world. We're beholding not a particular summer afternoon but a mythical one. About the Artist: Born in Chernobyl, Russia, Fastovsky studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts in Kiev before immigrating to the US in 1913 and becoming a citizen in 1921. He showed his work at Municipal Art Galleries, New York, in 1938. Fastovsky legally changed his name to Isaac Foster in 1946 and by 1955 was living in Tuscon, AZ, showing his paintings at local sites and restoring old canvases. Looking back upon his work for various federal art projects, he estimated that he had created 40-50 paintings during this period: “Someday I’m going to visit various state and federal buildings throughout the country and see if I can locate the pictures. I don’t have any idea where they’re hanging now” (Arizona Daily Star 16 Oct. 1955: 24). 9 more images at FAP.