A half circular table is placed against the wall. On top of the table is a pile of fruits,pairs, apples and lemons, spilling out of a wooden basket that is sideways. To the left of the basket and behind the fruit is a potted plant that appears to be a cactus. There is a clear reflection in the table of the objects on the table creating a shine to the table. There are visible brush strokes on the canvas which indicates that the painter had impressionist influences. About the Artist: The son of Lithuanian immigrants, Copen grew up in Coney Island, NY and worked in the family business. He showed his art at a 1939 WPA show at Federal Extension Gallery, Long Beach, NY with a theme of farms and country life; his watercolor was entitled “Curb Market.” Along with NDG artists Fred Adler and Ben Delman, Copen was chosen for a 1941 exhibit at the USDA’s Surplus Marketing Department, in New York City called “Market Scenes”; his paintings were entitled “Street Scene” and “City Markets.” At his death in 2002, Copen donated 2,700 pieces of African art to Colgate University’s Longyear Museum of Anthropology that he had collected during 1960s-90. 1 more image at FAP.
It's likely that Cheney's painting depicts the Virginia Canyon Road near Idaho Springs, Colorado, also known as the "Oh My God Highway" for its hairpin turns and precipitous cliffs. It had been created in the 1800s to access dozens of gold mines in the area; three of those mine shafts (and their tailings) can be seen in an idealized red. Mountains emerge in the distance, creating the perspective of a viewer standing upon a hill overlooking the landscape. The addition of roads throughout the mountain dates to a time when transportation was becoming a vital part of American society. The painting’s impressionist style and proper use of perspective illuminate the artist’s academic training. If one looks closely, one may see the brush strokes used to paint in a muddled yet meticulous way. The style of painting may have easily been influenced by the previous impressionist movement in Europe. Cheney's use of greens and his ability to paint shadows gives viewers a truly natural and realistic portrayal of a mountainous landscape. About the Artist: Born in Brookline, MA, Cheney attended Harvard University, where he trained with the Harvard ROTC. During 1918-19 he enlisted as a pilot specializing in aerial navigation, a background that seems to have influenced his art’s sometimes creative vantage points. Most of Cheney’s work was in lithography, often of western landscapes. He exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, City Art Museum of St. Louis, National Academy of Design, Los Angeles Museum, Paris Salon, and the Society of Independent Artists. In 1940 his lithograph “Winter Afternoon” was chosen to represent Vermont in the traveling exhibit “Contemporary Art of the United States,” which included contributions by artists Grant Wood, Georgia O’Keefe and N. C. Wyeth. 10 works at the National Gallery of Art. 7 works at Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. 1 work at Detroit Institute of Arts. 1 work at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. 2 more images at FAP.
New Deal Gallery, Genesee Valley Council on the Arts Object #FA18132
Ritz, Abigail (photography) Evenden, Elana (biography) Cooper, Ken (biography)
We see a table with a satin table cloth covering it; on it there is a vase of flowers, all with bright warm colors--red, yellow, and orange. To the left of the vase is a single blue book while on the right there is a pile of brown books. In the foreground of the painting to the right of the vase is a bookcase with neatly filed bound books. In the foreground, on the right side of the vase, is a reflection of the scene in a mirror. The mirror seems to be resting on the table and through the mirror the viewer or the painting is able to see the other part of the room. This painting invokes a feeling of an appreciation for art as it has many books and paintings within the scene. About the Artist: Born in Gardony, Hungary, Csoka—his name sometimes spelled as Csóka István—studied at the Budapest Royal Academy of Art (1922-27) before immigrating to the US in 1934 and then working his first seven years as a house painter. Gradually he gained recognition via awards at various exhibitions, including the Society of American Etchers, Library of Congress, Corcoran Gallery, and Art Institute of Chicago. Beginning in 1935 and continuing for fifty anniversaries he gave a painting to his wife, Margaret, about the “Marital Milestones” of that year. He taught at the National Academy of Design, Hunter College and the Fashion Institute of Technology. In 1962 Csoka published an instructional book entitled Pastel Painting. Get ahold of Endless is the Way Leading Home. 3 works at the Whitney Museum of American Art. 1 work at New York State Historical Society. 3 works at the Chrysler Museum of Art. 1 more image at FAP. His papers are at the Archives of American Art.
The Old North Church towers over a dismal, darkened street. A break of sunlight gradually illuminates the peaks of the buildings, sidewalk near the church, and the almost nonvisible side of the church’s steeple. There is a hazy quality to the painting; it blurs the figures moving down the road, who appear to be shadowy splotches blending in with the sidewalks and cold, bland buildings. Each structure is simple; the only discernible details are the spires, lantern, and belfry of the steeple. About the Artist: Born in Staatsburg-on-Hudson, NY, Cole was named after two renowned painters of the Hudson River School: Thomas Cole (1801-1848) and John William Casilear (1811-1893). He attended school at the Riverview Military Academy in Poughkeepsie, NY (1900-04) and Harvard University (1905) before turning his attention to painting studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (1905-11) and Académie Julian, Paris (1912). In 1909, he published a history in New England Magazine on Old St. Mary’s Church at Newton’s Lower Falls, illustrated by his own paintings. Cole served in the US Navy between 1917 and 1919, and beginning in May 1918 worked under William Andrew Mackay in a special unit for the camouflage of ships and submarines at the Bureau of Construction and Repair. During the final eight months of World War I, more than 1,200 US ships were painted with so-called “disruptive coloration”. After the war, he showed his talents at a Knoedler Gallery exhibition of Allied Commander portraits, Cole’s praised as “having a personality all their own with the dark rich coloring in the figures and the well-modeled faces contrasted against the dark background” (Brooklyn Daily Eagle 19 Oct. 1919: 77). He went on to exhibit his work widely, including the National Academy of Design, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the Art Institute of Chicago. A reviewer of his 1927 exhibition of 33 portraits at Ainslee Gallery wrote: “In all cases the portraits are distinguished by a sincerity and a happy achievement of the most difficult of all painters’ problems, that of satisfying both sitter and himself (Brooklyn Daily Eagle 13 Feb. 1927: 59). Cole became so well-known for his portraits that he was often commissioned to paint public and historical figures like President James K. Polk. 13 more images at FAP. His papers are at the Archives of American Art.
Coffey's painting is very busy and has a lot of movement going on within it: sweeping, shoveling, sledding, throwing snowballs, and simply talking. Thirty-one distinct individuals, each in motion, give the scene great vitality despite a "Store to Let" sign acknowledging the Great Depression. Another sign advertises "Sobol Bros" and their SOCONY gas station. The painting features many bright colors, particularly reds and greens, which can be seen both on the buildings and on the clothing that people are wearing. About the Artist: We haven’t located much reliable information about this artist. Her known works include a 1932 painting of the East River and an undated gouache entitled “View of Beach.” 5 works at National Gallery, which were created for the Index of American Design. 4 more images as “Neva Caffey” at FAP.
Half a dozen lily flowering tulips are depicted in a milk glass vessel known as a “hand vase,” a popular design during the 1870s-80s. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Bowler’s composition is how a soft opalescence is carried across a conch shell, the vase, the flowers, and even the wall behind his still life. Note: for several decades this painting had been mislabeled as Bowler’s Lilies and Shell. 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.
A portrait of a woman looks off, away from a light source igniting the glaze on the canvas, casting a white glow across the surface: below her sits a still life layout of like-colored objects. In the shadow rests a cut-open orange sitting on the stem of a tulip of a similar hue. Beside it is an off-white bowl, holding unidentifiable fruits. About the Artist: Born in Staatsburg-on-Hudson, NY, Cole was named after two renowned painters of the Hudson River School: Thomas Cole (1801-1848) and John William Casilear (1811-1893). He attended school at the Riverview Military Academy in Poughkeepsie, NY (1900-04) and Harvard University (1905) before turning his attention to painting studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (1905-11) and Académie Julian, Paris (1912). In 1909, he published a history in New England Magazine on Old St. Mary’s Church at Newton’s Lower Falls, illustrated by his own paintings. Cole served in the US Navy between 1917 and 1919, and beginning in May 1918 worked under William Andrew Mackay in a special unit for the camouflage of ships and submarines at the Bureau of Construction and Repair. During the final eight months of World War I, more than 1,200 US ships were painted with so-called “disruptive coloration”. After the war, he showed his talents at a Knoedler Gallery exhibition of Allied Commander portraits, Cole’s praised as “having a personality all their own with the dark rich coloring in the figures and the well-modeled faces contrasted against the dark background” (Brooklyn Daily Eagle 19 Oct. 1919: 77). He went on to exhibit his work widely, including the National Academy of Design, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and the Art Institute of Chicago. A reviewer of his 1927 exhibition of 33 portraits at Ainslee Gallery wrote: “In all cases the portraits are distinguished by a sincerity and a happy achievement of the most difficult of all painters’ problems, that of satisfying both sitter and himself (Brooklyn Daily Eagle 13 Feb. 1927: 59). Cole became so well-known for his portraits that he was often commissioned to paint public and historical figures like President James K. Polk. 13 more images at FAP. His papers are at the Archives of American Art.
In this still life we see upon a sideboard a pot planted with large lillies, as well as smaller flowers growing around them. There is a book open, which looks to be a highly stylised Bible, propped up in its own rectangular vessel. Given the painting's title which one is the Easter Bouquet--the one including lillies (a traditional symbol of resurrection) or the Bible itself? Both are illuminated against a dark background that seems to encompass more than just shadows. About the Artist: About the Artist: Among the most accomplished and internationally known of the New Deal Gallery artists, Burliuk called himself “The Father of Russian Futurism” with good reason. He was an important figure in early 20th-century avant-garde circles, collaborating or exhibiting alongside painters like Kandinsky, Picasso, and Rousseau; writing poetry with Mayakovski, Yessenin, and Gorky; and counting as friends composers like Rachmaninoff, Scriabine, Gershwin, and Prokofiev. He painted a portrait of groundbreaking filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein. The multitalented artist—whose name sometimes is spelled Burlyuk—was born in Kharkov, Russia, attended various art schools in Europe, and became an energetic creator of multimedia happenings that anticipate performance art: drinking tea under a suspended piano; staging an exhibition of paintings in a coal mine. His constantly changing style has been characterized as Fauvist, Cubist, Futurist, Social Realist, and Neo-Primitivist. Burliuk lived through the Russian revolutions before relocating to Japan (1920-22) and then eventually to America (1922), claiming to have crossed into Alaska using as his passport a Vanity Fair article about him. He became a US citizen in 1930 and lived the rest of his life on Long Island. Between 1923-1940 he worked as art editor and proofreader for a communist newspaper published in New York called Russkiĭ golos (Russian Voice). Throughout his life Burliuk was a prolific painter (creating an estimated 18,000 pictures), self-published with his wife Marussia the art magazine Color and Rhyme (1931-1966), and wrote several important manifestoes—including “Slap in the Face of Public Taste” (1912). Of particular interest for his two works at the NDG and others from the 1930s is a 1926 manifesto entitled “Universal Camp of Radio Modernists” and its vision of an animistic force in the world that infuses his paintings regardless of style: “Everything—from the tiny bug to a tea-spoon—has its specific soul. The whiskey bottle that was on the table is there still forever, but abstract. Consciousness is the possession not only of man, the insignificant particle of creation, but of Mother Nature as well.” 6 works at the Whitney Museum of American Art. 18 works at the Museum of Modern Art. 16 works at the Ukranian Museum. 399 works at WikiArt. 1 more image at FAP. His papers are at Syracuse University.
This painting depicts a seascape scene in muted tones, its background a washed-out, cloudy sky with a blurred ship in the distance. The middle ground consists of a pastel-toned rocky bank and sea. In the foreground, four men are docked in a small rowboat: two are wearing red bandanas, two have oars in action, one man is holding a wooden chest. The person that is the closest and the most in focus, presumably their captain, is standing on shore with tools, two guns, and rope at his feet. It would seem that they're preparing to bury treasure for contemporary viewers to find. About the Artist: Born in Naples, Italy, Arcamonte stated his occupation as that of “decorator” when he immigrated to the US in 1906. That trade seems to have persisted alongside his aspirations as a painter, for many years in New York and then after World War II in Miami, FL. In 1937 his paintings were exhibited at the Opportunity Center, a program connecting artists “to the art collector of modern means and undertakes to produce works to fit special requirements” (New York Evening Post 5 June 1937: 7). 1 painting at Godwin-Ternbach Museum. 2 more images at FAP.
On a purely aesthetic level, this portrayal of rural farm life in autumn is quite clearly done in a painterly matter: quick brushstrokes with a specific choice to omit most detail. It can be assumed that the light-handed application of paint was a specific technique chosen to represent the image’s literal depiction of a calm day in autumn. In the context of its allocation to a tuberculosis sanatorium, the oak tree itself can be analyzed as a symbol of strength--a diagnosis of the disease in the 1930’s meant a slow death. About the Artist: Abernathy, Inez. (1873-1956) Born in Summerville, AR, Abernathy studied at the Art Academy in Cincinnati and later in Europe. She supported herself by teaching art and elocution at Belmont College (TN), Stanford Female College (KY), Columbia Female Institute (TN), the University of Arkansas, and the Florida Female College. At this last institution, when a fire broke out Abernathy guided her students to safety rather than saving her own art and equipment; the Florida legislature passed a special bill to help compensate her loss (The Weekly True Democrat 29 Sept 1905: 1). She studied art for a period in Paris, and her painting “Reverie” was shown at the 1902 Salon des artistes français, described by one reporter as “the full-length figure of a girl seated, with a background of dull blues and yellows. A springtime freshness pervades the picture” (San Francisco Chronicle 26 Oct. 1902: 6). Her works were exhibited at the Academy of Fine Art, Philadelphia, and the National Academy of Design. Two more digital images from FAP. <o:p></o:p>