Name/Title
Enid Spidell | Passamaquoddy Portrait | Watercolor | 1933Description
On permanent loan from the Peavey Memorial Library, Eastport, Maine, 2025. Permanent loan agreement on file.
Eastport Sentinel
July 6, 1932
Page 1, column 2
STRONGER CORPS OF TEACHERS—GOOD REGISTRATION
George Pearse Ennis opened the Eastport Summer School of Art on Tuesday July 5th. Mr. Robert C. Craig, Hilton Leach and Stow Wengenroth were at the school to organize their classes. The activity of instructors and students during the past year in the various national exhibitions proves the strength and value of this professional Art School to the Art World of America. Many of the last year’s members of this colony were accepted in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago National Exhibitions.
A new class was started this year under the direction of Mr. Stow Wengenroth. Lithograph is developing rapidly and coming into a much fuller place in the sun, people of this country are realizing the beauty and decorative value of fine prints. Mr. Wengenroth has had a great success this year and the students registered in his class are fortunate to have the chance to study with him. Another advance this year is the rebuilding of our etching room, which puts it on a par with the best organized etching rooms of the larger cities.
Mr. Leach has produced much excellent work during his stay in Florida this winter.
Mr. Ennis and Mr. Leach both had excellent classes at Sarasota, Florida, and a winter school will open there November 15th with George Ennis as director. It is an interesting tie-up Eastport, Maine in summer and a Golf coast school at Sarasota for the winter, the two schools should strengthen and benefit each other.
A number of students came from Florida to join the Eastport Colony, Mr. Wilton Taylor of Barton, Fla,, Hannah Low, Miami, Francis Goodell, Bradenton, Margaret McLaughlin
Tampa, Fla., and others are expected soon.
Miss Eleanoa S. Bulmer, Carson Davenport, Miss Betty Carter, Miss Emy M. Gibbs, Mr. And Mrs. Barton Griffen. Mrs. Griffen is the daughter of D. Henry R. Pattersen whom many Eastport people know as he had spent several summers here; Miss G. M. Knox of Schenectady, N. Y. Miss Dorothea MacDairmaid, Miss Enid Spidell, Miss Anna L. Schadt, Miss Clara Van Beuschoten, Miss Katherine Worcester, Wally D. Richards, Stevan Dohanes, Miss Elizabeth Saltonstall, Bessy E. Creighton, Jack Wilson, Miss Carolin Bradley, Mr. Rotin, Mrs. Gordon and Miss De Bar King. Others are expected, also Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Turner Kurtz who is associated with Mr. Ennis in the Florida school.
The Clipper Ship opened Sunday and a continuous exhibition will be on view in the large dining room. This picture exhibition should interest visitors as it does the Eastport people and they are cordially invited as the dining room is open all day. A new large decorative map of Eastport is being designed and executed to take the place of the one painted several years ago. That was shipped to New York to be framed, but it was stolen from the Grand Central Art Galleries. This map will be 4 x 8 feet and will show tours, locations of interest and harbor.
It will be installed permanently in the entrance way to the building. We hope to make this city the most important art colony on the coast and all cooperation from the city will be welcomed and returned.
GEORGE PEARSE ENNIS.
Eastport Sentinel
August 16, 1933
Summer School of Art Special Edition
Page 1, column 3
’33 ART EXHIBIT FINEST ON RECORD
BRILLIANT DISPLAY AT ART SCHOOL—LARGEST AND BEST OF SERIES
The annual exhibition of the Eastport Summer School of Art is now in progress at the School gallery on High Street having opened there on Saturday. It will continue until after Sunday next, admission to the public being unrestricted and without charge.
More than 160 pictures are shown this year, making this the largest exhibition yet attempted by the Art School, and in the opinion of many who have seen the entire series this is best in quality as well as in size. Certainly it excels all its predecessors in breadth of subject, treatment and presentation.
The media includes oils, etchings, lithographs, pencils, and watercolor the last being as one might expect, by far the most popular.
It would be difficult to select the work of any one artist as outstanding but perhaps the most impressive group is one of seven watercolors by Kenneth How who has developed a characteristic technique distinguishing his style from that of all the others. Equally individual but along wholly different lines is the work of Alice Geary, whose very attractive paintings are not assembled in one group but are found here and there throughout the entire exhibit. Some of these were painted in the Gaspe coast, from which she arrived only a short time ago.
One of the most versatile of the students is Irving Brokaw, who won distinction as an athlete in his younger days, culminating a long series of triumphs by winning the national figure-skating championship. He has been successful as a painter in oils, one of his works now being hung in
(Continued to page 10 col. 4)
the Luxembourg Palace at Paris. In water color, which he took up for the first time last winter he has has made rapid progress. His subjects include flowers, figures, scenes about Eastport and its environs.
Barton B. Griffin, painting with massed and contrasted colors, has some fine pictures, and among his work with the pencil are two interesting sketches of well-known local residents.
Albert Sumpter Kelley’s work shows much variety and talent, and that of Mrs. Jordan, Miss Spidell, Miss Jones, are broad and decorative. Mrs. Gladys Atwood Ennis is displaying some fine paintings, with two or three very fine efforts among the etchings.
Other exhibitors are Del Guercio, G.M. Knox, Dora Pintnsr, Miss Pohl, Miss Grafie, Schaadt and Thompson. All are well worth examination, and at no other place east of Boston can an art lover spend an hour with greater pleasure or profit.
Eastport people will be particularly interested in the treatment of various familiar local scenes and subjects by the artists. They have devoted special attention to the regions about Houston’s Cove and Martin’s Dock. Some of the character studies they have made are from such well-known residents as “Willie” Lake, “Gaddie” Hayden and “Sam” Hickery, wharf scenes, flowers, workers among fish, and Indians are also represented among the subjects depicted.
An interesting innovation this year is the fact that sealed bids can be made for any painting, a box being provided where these bids can be deposited. One of the paintings also is to be purchased and presented to the Public Library from funds left over from those taken in by the Down East Gallery exhibition last year.
Eastport Sentinel
August 8, 1934
Page 1, Column 1
ART SCHOOL TO OPEN EXHIBIT SATURDAY
PUBLIC RECEPTION IN AFTERNOON—EXHIBITION TO CONTINUE THROUGH NEXT THURSDAY
The annual exhibition of the Eastport Summer School of Art will be held this year from Saturday to Thursday next, Aug. 11-16, at the Art School gallery on High Street. It will be opened with a public reception at from 3 to 6, to which all residents and summer visitors here are invited.
After Saturday, the exhibition will be open to the public in the afternoon of each day, at from 2 to 5 o’clock. It will be in charge of Mrs. N.M. Atwood on Sunday, of Mrs. Frank T. Wadsworth on Monday, of Mrs. Edward L. Wadsworth on Tuesday, of Mrs. Kenneth How on Wednesday and Of Miss Dorothy Waide on Thursday.
Among the students exhibiting are Miss Esther Peck, Cecil Ashdown, Miss Edith Bell, Irving Brokaw, Miss Barbara Bradford, Miss Grace Knox, Miss Ruth Jones, E.W. Jenny, Kenneth How, Robt. W. Huntington, John Huntington, Miss Lena Newcastle, Miss Dorothy Whittier, Mrs. Lena Jordan, Miss Clara VanBenschoten, Miss Gertrude Goodrick, Sylvia Fogel, Anna Schadt, Miss E.O. Cozzens, Miss Elizabeth Balmer, A.W. Gazzette, Dr. Vance of New York, Enid Spidell, Jack Frost, Jim Jollotta, Ted Hamilton and Prof. Waugh.
Visiting artists who are exhibiting include: John R. Koopman of New York, Ernest Townsend of New York, Miss Rhoda Low and Wm. Low, Jr., Hugh Collins of Washington, D.C., Daniel Leighton, S. Peter Wagner of Rockville, Md., and Oscar S. Julius of Long Island, N.Y. Work by Robert C. Craig, George Pearse Ennis and Mrs. Gladys Atwood Ennis will also be included in the Exhibition.
Eastport Sentinel
August 15, 1934
Page 1, Column 3
ART EXHIBIT OPENED SATURDAY
LARGEST AND FINEST OF THE SERIES—PROBABLY BEST ON NEW ENGLAND COAST
The annual exhibition of paintings by students and teachers at the Eastport Summer School of Art was opened Saturday afternoon, at the gallery on Boynton Street, and not only are there more and better canvases than have been shown here in previous years, but they are better arranged and displayed. In the opinion of more than one critic who has viewed similar exhibits at other points on the New England coast, this is easily the most important in number and quality alike.
Dominating the entire exhibition is a remarkable group of four watercolors by Kenneth How. They deal with scenes from the southern section of the town, so idealized and executed with such mastery of composition and loveliness of coloring, as to command instant attention. Robert Craig’s lithographs, and those of Grace Knox and Van Benschoten, are superb. One of the outstanding works shown is a painting by George Pearse Ennis, an interesting portrait of a well-known local resident, Frank Thompson, who lives near the Art School building and assists Mr. Ennis at times by handling various chores there. In this manner his possibilities as a subject for a study in portraiture were called to the artist’s attention, and this painting is the result.
A group by Gladys Atwood Ennis’ work in oils and water colors is worthy of careful study, and a series of water colors by Irving Brokaw shows how rapidly he is progressing in this difficult department.
Miss Spidell’s portraiture of Indians in which she accomplished unusual effects last year, is nothing short of masterly. Professor Waugh’s etchings are very fine, and a head by Dorothy Whittler shows talent of the first order. An oil painting by Peter Wagner ranks among the best pieces in the exhibition. Jack Huntington, who is spending his first summer here, has completed a group of watercolors that show remarkable ability. He has chosen subjects in the main that have been overlooked by other artists.
Other exhibitors, all of whose work is most creditable include Townsend, Ashdown, Jenney, Bradford, Fogel, Goodrich, Pohl, Robert Huntington, Newcastle, Whittier, Cozzins, Laiten, Schadt, Gavett, Jordan and Koopman.
Local art students have made a notable contribution to the exhibition. “Ted” Hamilton has a wood block print in black and an oil painting. He has also a pictorial map of Eastport in colors. “Jack” Frost has work in pencil, water color, oils and etching, among the latter being the fine picture of the “Mississippi,” of which he has already sold some fifty copies. James Jollatta is showing his portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt with the President’s signature.
The exhibition is sufficiently large this year to require the use of the walls in the entry and along the stairway and landing, and the walls, of the main gallery formerly the assembly room of the old Boynton High School, are well filled. The interior of the building was thoroly renovated and redecorated this spring, and it now forms a most satisfactory setting for what has come to be recognized as the outstanding exhibition of paintings in Maine.
A reception was held at the gallery Saturday afternoon, attended by several hundred people, and the gallery has been visited by crowds on each afternoon since. Many distinguished people have registered there, one of the best known being young John Jacob Astor of New York who visited there today with a party of friends.