Vintage New England Split Rail Fence

I love the look of a classic New England split rail fence, especially when covered with climbing rose bushes, or ramblers. This is a vintage Polaroid of my aunt Hoohoo's property, circa 1965. The fence lined one edge of the yard along the roads it bordered.

The Front Yard Ten Years Apart

The Depression was taking its toll in this mid-1930s photo of my family's home, the 1766 Daniel and Charity Leete House. The house needs painting and some repairs. The lawns are unkempt, trees overgrown. My then 17-18 year old mother runs from the camera, lol.

 

By 1946, just postwar, some optimism was returning to the family and the country, even though my grandfather had died in '42 on that very lawn. But the house had been painted, the lands re-landscaped, and all the damage from the historic hurricane of 1938 repaired. This is my aunt Hoohoo, then 20 years old.

Pushed Into That Brave New Future

A badly damaged photograph of my mother pushing me in my oh-so-modern baby carriage in 1957. My parents lived in Stuttgart, Germany, until I was three. While I still have my mom's ca 1920 wicker baby carriage, this one must have sadly remained behind in Germany.

Just a Lovely Summer Day in the 1950s

My dear aunt Hoohoo piloting one of their wooden boats in Long Island Sound. This small black & white photo is only 2 1/2 inches square, but has always captured my imagination. Her smile is so broad and real, it's just pure joy being out on the water with her then-fairly new husband. This photo dates to about 1955 when she would have been thirty years old. Believe it or not, the reason I colored that boat cushion blue is that I still have it. It's packed away in the attic. I really have tried to save as much of my family's history as I can and it hasn't been easy.

Sailors: Swaggers and Smiles

One of my earliest pieces, dating to 2005, is "Dad, St. Peter's, 1946." It's based on a photo of my Dad on shore leave in Rome, just after the war was over. He is the one near the center wearing the white sailor hat, with his swagger down just about perfectly. It seems as if the group of them may have just bought new cameras from the guy standing behind them. When you look at it closely, every sailor is either taking a photo or posing for one. I can just imagine how good it felt to be on land and to have peacetime after such a long war. My Dad was in the Navy from 1938-50 and then transferred to the Army until 1960. This piece is approximately 3 feet wide by 20 inches high and is done on two joined antique chestnut floorboards.

 

An early example of a consumer color camera, sailors enjoying some sunny decktime with a cute little puppy that looks like a Cocker Spaniel to me.  My dad is the tall one in the back.

A few more sailors have joined the group posing with the puppy. My Dad must have been the photographer for this on. I love the various ways these young men are wearing their caps.

Yours Truly, 1959

Approximately 2 years old, U.S. Army base, Stuttgart, Germany. I was born to style, lol.

A cool photo of the family car during our time in Germany, our 1956 Ford Fairlane Sunliner convertible in pink and black. Above, the family German Shepherd, Duke, is sitting in the driver's seat. All sorts of cool European cars are all around, early VW Beetles, Renaults, and what I think is an Austin. The American Army personnel liked their American cars, though. There are two Studebakers on the left, and a Jeepster station wagon in the background. Those early SUVs were all-metal but the early ones were embossed and painted to resemble wood siding. 

Before My Time

My aunt Hoohoo in the early 1950s, with a teeny-tiny puppy named Lady, a dalmatian mix. I colorized this photo in Photoshop in the very pale hues of hand-tinted vintage photos.

"Lady" all grown up, left in the photo above. This is Hoohoo's husband, Bill, also my father's brother. Two brothers married two sisters. He's kneeling behind the fieldstone koi pond and there is also a black spaniel-mix next to him named Ebony. I see pansies in the foreground. This would make a good photograph to colorize and commit to wood, even though I didn't care for my uncle. To put it mildly.

A tasteful portrait of Hoohoo, perhaps her 30th birthday in 1955. She is standing in just about the same spot her husband Bill was kneeling in above. The koi pond is to the lower right in this photo. There's an old blacksmith's shed in the background which was taken down in the late '50s. This photo was probably taken to send to my parents living in Japan at the time.

Hoohoo dressed as "Macabre Santa." She never failed to be creative and fun!

 

Another one of her dogs sitting on their Harley Davidson. This dates to around 1950.

 

Uncle Bill, 1947. This was probably taken during their honeymoon in New Hampshire.

Popsicles For All!

A somewhat worse-for-the-wear Kodachrome slide from 1950. My father was stationed in Virginia before the Korean Conflict, and before my parents moved to Tokyo. Knowing my parents, I'm positive they had just brought a box of Popsicles to this young mother and her three children. I don't recognize her or any of the kids, or the somewhat rundown home, but I bet they were neighbors to the Army base. I love the way the kids have scattered their tricycle and little wagons on the porch, probably as soon as the popsicles were revealed. The little girl hiding her face in her mother's lap is so universal, too. This is one of the vintage images I'll use on a one of my "cardboard quilt" wall pieces. Yes, the slide is a bit blurry, the colors have muted, and were perhaps too saturated to begin with, but the emotions of this fun moment in time are as clear as the day my father shot this photo. Who doesn't stop everything for a great frozen twin-stick Popsicle on a hot summer day?

A Night on the Town, Tokyo, 1954

Two Drinks Each—Colorized detail of a photograph taken of my parents in a Tokyo nightclub in 1954. My dad was stationed in Japan in the early 1950s before being transferred to Germany where I was born in 1957. The entire photograph is great, see below, but this detail says a lot. Both of my parents are drinking what they always drank in later life, too, daiquiris for my mom and rum-and-cokes for my dad. I still have the tie he's wearing, so those colors are correct, but I guessed on the rest of the objects.

I was also able to identify my mother's Mikimoto pearl engagement ring, which I have in its original box. Pearls were definitely my mother's choice in jewelry all her life, be they necklaces, rings or brooches. I also recognize the Lucky Strikes cigarettes, their choice back then. I'm just surprised they're not housed in any of my parents many, many decorative cigarette cases. In fact, one of the more interesting "objets" in my collection is an unopened box of Lucky Strikes from the late 1940s, in a beautiful case from the Ivory Mart in New Delhi, India.

Original photo. My parents are on the left, next to a good friend of theirs, also in the Army. I'm guessing that this picture was taken by one of those classic nightclub photographers of that period.

Caring Hands, 2008

"Caring Hands," Paint. paper and polyurethane on two pine boards, approximately 20 x 23 inches.

M Y   A R T — This piece uses a detail from a vintage photograph of my grandmother and a friend of hers, below. It's actually an early double-exposure, and I fear if a "mistake" like this was captured on a digital camera today it would be deleted immediately. 

There is such a loving feeling between these two women, the way they're holding each other's hands. My grandmother at this time worked at the Indian Point House, a summer resort hotel in Stony Creek, Connecticut. Her diaries show she did whatever was needed, from scheduling dinner parties, to making sure the wealthy guests had their clothes washed and pressed and laid out, to choosing the flowers for the dinner tables. The woman behind her was the woman in charge of the maidstaff. I have her name on the back of just one photograph which I can't find right now. I think I'll probably use this image full-frame for a piece sooner rather than later, but for this piece I concentrated on their hands.

A Bit of My Art "Theory" and Nature of Memories

Since these two women physically cared for not only their staff and guests, but their families, I made this piece seem as if it had been lovingly cleaned and polished for generations. I used wall joint compound sanded down as if cleaned and cleaned and cleaned proudly until the woodwork was revealed below, and then cleaned again. As in the vast majority of my art, I try to incorporate every color in the "book" on this piece, to show metaphorically that we can all get along no matter what we are like physically. I print out the scans of these vintage photographs with various tints—some green, some blue, some pink, some lavender, some gold. Sometimes I print them saturated, sometimes I print them very faintly. What I'm trying to express is the nature of memories. Some of our memories are vivid and bold, others are barely there, Some memories are complete, some memories are just bits and pieces floating around in our minds' eye. Personally, I tend to compartmentalize memories. In my head, I mentally flip through "pages" and I put my memories in boxes and grids. This is why my work is largely based on grids and repeated squares, rigidly expressed at the same time they are ephemeral and wispy.

Detail from "Caring Hands." The brightly colored squares are bits of "Color Aid" leafs, silk-screened colors of pure hues used in color theory art classes. Mine date from the late 1970s at Vassar. I use my own history in many pieces.

Detail from "Caring Hands." I've scratched squares into the wall-joint compound, in a porcelain-tile effect, a surface that might be scrubbed and cleaned over and over again by "caring hands."

Original ca. 1921 double-exposure of my grandmother and a friend. Photograph taken at the Indian Point House in Stony Creek, Connecticut, one of Connecticut's turn-of-the-century summer resorts.

Casey and the Technicolor Dream Sweater

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Rainbow Boy, lol—Looking spiffy on my bright red bicycle, wearing bright red sneakers, starchy dark denim jeans, a rainbow-colored sweater, and a navy blue beret—from France, of course. My grandmother knit that sweater for me. I remember she told me I could pick out whatever color wool I wanted for the upcoming sweater—even a rainbow variegated version—as long as I didn't tell anyone I knew she was going to make it for me. She wanted it to be perfect and I think it was a win-win situation. I would have loved anything made by her, but a sweater with every color in it was perfect! At about eight years old in this photo, in front of Art's closed store with Spring's first crocuses coming up behind me, I was styling!

It Was a Playful Afternoon—Early 1920s

I can just imagine the sun glinting off the Sound, a light Summer breeze, blueberries being tossed at each other. This couple, friends of my grandmother's and caught in a playful moment, make me smile at the "realness" of the moment. This photograph could have been taken at almost any time right on up to present day. I have it hanging in our laundry room, right over the washing machines, to give our "chore" room a bit of fun. "Playful Afternoon," paint, paper and polyurethane on two antique chestnut floorboards, approximately 19" x 36".

The Kids are Allright—1933 School Photos

This Guilford class photo dates to 1933. My mom is third from the left, in the first row of standing girls. She graduated from high school in 1937, so she would have been in the 8th grade here. Her high school class only had about 35 kids in it, and there are about 45 kids in this photo, so I think this must be more than one class. I'm struck at how nicely dressed the kids are, and this was in the midst of the Depression. I'm sure everyone wore their "best" clothes for the school picture, but they also look happy and healthy. Whatever was going on at home at this time, whatever economic distress their parents were feeling, must have been kept from the kids as much as possible. My mother never got over her "Depression" mindset, though. Throughout her life she never wasted money, hated seeing people flaunt their wealth, and always looked after those with less, making sure those with the least in our community had decent healthcare and food for their tables.

And a Younger Class During the Same Period

Perhaps the same year as my mother's photo at the top of this post, her younger sister, my aunt Hoohoo was in the 1st or 2nd grade, in a school across the Green from my mother's. Hoohoo is in the bottom row of seated girls, 2nd from the left, wearing a dark "flounce" in her hair, and an outfit with a decorative V collar. Again, I'm struck at how "normal" these kids look, at one of the worst economic times our country has ever seen. This was the period of time, though, when Hoohoo was drawing on brown paper bags, cut up and flattened out by her mother, instead of fancy drawing pads. Times weren't easy, but it's clear everyone tried to shield the hardships from their children. 

"Paperbag Dreams," created from one of Hoohoo's Depression-era drawings done on a brown paperbag, instead of drawing paper. The photograph is a school photo of Hoohoo at the age she was when she did this charcoal drawing. My piece is on plywood and has paint, tissue paper, silver foil, and dried leaves, in addition to the original drawing. 24" x 24".

Must Have Been a Fun Night—Mid 1950s

 

I'm not sure what the context of this photo is . . . It's from the mid 1950s, which would place it in Germany, as my father was stationed in Stuttgart until 1960—where I was born in 1957. I'm guessing it must have been a fundraiser or charity event of some sort. I didn't superimpose anything on the image, all the scratches and discolorations are on the original. I'm not quite sure what the guy is doing at the bottom right, either, lol. He looks totally out of proportion. I'm guessing the subjects, the "boxer" and my dad in the bow tie, are standing on a raised stage, and that little guy is sitting below, but it's really an odd juxtaposition. I really like this photo of my father, though!

Aloha Mama, ca 1940

 

I recently found this photo (again) in a box of belongings I'm going through. There is no date on the image, but my mother was born in 1918, so I'm guessing she's in her early 20s here, ca 1940. It's a color photo, but which faded and was retouched at some point with watercolors. I also adjusted the colors in Photoshop to match the original as my scanner always adds a bit of cyan to an image. I have no idea the circumstances behind this Hawaiian-themed photo, but it looks like she was having fun! The embossed leather frame is nicely period, too.

Spring Fords, 1920s-30s Style

My grandmother, right, and friend, sitting on her mid teens Model T runabout, ca 1920. Great dresses! This is the car I own bits and pieces of to this day.

Gloria Isabel would grow up at the wheels of hot Fords for the most part, and become known as Hoohoo. Here's the 4-5 year old Baby Gloria barely able to see over the steering wheel of the family's new 1929-30 Model A tudor sedan.

Photos from 1980—Car Show and Used Car Lot

One of the more distinctive front ends from the latter part of the 1930s, this 1939 Chrysler Royal, sports abundant chrome and streamline design cues. The headlights were also highly styled, with flush covers and shield-shaped housings. In reality, the red circle behind the word "Chrysler" was blue, but I used my artistic license and made it red to contrast bette with the blue car. All photos are clickable to enlarge.

Magnificent 1938 Lincoln K V12 sedan at a local car show. The greyhound hood ornament was a longtime Lincoln feature.

The "toned down" 1959 Edsel front end at a used car lot in 1980. The handwriting was already on the wall for this upper-medium priced marque. Dropping the larger Mercury-based models, the Edsel was reduced to marketing only the smaller Ford-based versions, and would be dropped completely shortly after the 1960 models were announced.

The interior of the '59 Edsel may look "glitzy" in this photo, but had lost many of its most unique features from its first year, 1958. The unique compass-like speedometer and Tele-touch transmission buttons in the middle of the steering wheel hub were gone by '59.

The car show also included this mid sixties Ferrari Lusso. The tailpipes say it all!

I'm not sure what car these highly-styled hood louvers belong to, but I'm guessing it's early 1930s. Any guesses?

The 1950 Ford, here in club coupe guise. The '49 Ford is credited with "saving" the corporation, being completely redesigned and completely up-to-date mechanically and style-wise. The '50 Ford may have only had a minor facelift, but was advertised as being "50 Ways Finer for '50."

The trunk logo from a late fifties Mercedes Benz 300SL roadster, a six-figure car today.

A step plate and running board from a mid 1920s Buick.

The distinctive rear fender trim from a Duesenberg SJ phaeton.

"Ask the man who owns one," was Packard's famous advertising line for decades.

Gorgeous Packard, a 1931 Deluxe Eight 840 Roadster I believe, above and below.

Ford Fairlane from 1956. The "jet" hood ornament is scooped into the hood itself, the Ford crest is highly stylized and the name "Fairlane" beautifully scripted underlining it all. Fair Lane, two words, was the name of Henry and Clara Ford's estate, and was used on Ford's top-line models for a few years, before being slightly decontented when the Galaxie was introduced halfway through 1959.

"Independents" Day: More Photos from the '80s

Continuing my series of vintage cars I photographed in the early 1980s, today I present three manufacturers among the last of the domestic "Independents," Packard, Studebaker and Hudson. Pictured in canary yellow and black is a 1956 Clipper sedan by Packard, the last year that Packard sold cars using its own bodyshells. Clipper was now its own division, although it was clearly a junior Packard. I'm sure most people didn't understand, or appreciate, this difference, as the Clipper nameplate had been used by Packard since the early 1940s. There is a long, sad story of Packard's last days, first being bought by Studebaker and eventually dropped after building badge-engineered Studes for '57 and '58, but I won't go into it now. The last "true" Packards, the '55s and '56s were magnificent cars, whether they were the juniors, the Clippers,  or the seniors, the 400s, Patricians and Caribbeans.

The '56 Packards featured push-button automatic transmissions, visible through the steering wheel, just under the radio. Notice the divided leather front seats; even a bottom-of-the-range Packard was a quality automobile.

The "Clipper" script on the front of the hood is one of the most distinctive uses of typography on a mid-century automobile. Stretching seven connected letters across almost the width of the car was gutsy, artistic and dramatic. The Clipper's "ship's wheel" logo is centered in the grille below it, and the bow-shaped grille itself, a modern interpretation of Packard's classic "yoke" radiator shape.

Many, many times in its long and storied history, Studebaker fielded dramatic and elegantly styled cars. This is the rear window of a 1937 Dictator business coupe. Art Deco meets Streamline styling and equals distinction and presence in spades.

Another Studebaker coupe that blew the competition into the weeds in 1947: "The first by far with a post war car!" proclaimed the company's advertisements. This wraparound rear window of the Starlight coupe was the exclamation point for the entire lineup of futuristic automobiles designed primarily by Virgil Exner, though credited to Raymond Loewy at the time as it was his name on the design firm's letterhead and in the newspapers. There was nothing like it then, or now.

The Hudson Italia, a halo car built for Hudson by an Italian firm named Touring. This was a compact "personal luxury coupe" a good ten years ahead of its time. Only 25 examples of this car were built, all in the same cream exterior with red and white leather interior as this car was. Click on the links in this caption to read more about this fascinating automaker.

The red-and-white leather bucket seats included lumbar supports, and the interior boasted flow-through ventilation, creature comforts ahead of their time. Also visible in this view are the aircraft-inspired door openings cut high into the low roof for ease of entrance. I don't seem to have gotten a shot of the car's most interesting design detail—the taillights were housed in three individual chrome "tubes"  on the rear sides of the car, looking for all the world like jet exhausts. Many manufacturers seized upon the postwar jets' styling cues, notably DeSoto and Mercury, but none as stunningly as Hudson on their Italia.

As with all of the images in this old car show series, these photographs were taken with black-and-white film and have been colorized in a whimsical manner using Photoshop; all are clickable to enlarge.