"I watched the lecture last night and found it very informative and entertaining." Roland Sabates, Kansas City, MO
"Hi Karl. You presented a great program. How lively the KC Art scene was during the depression. One hears of the Jazz scene but not the Arts. Geary's woodblock prints and his Harvey House art were both very "arts & crafts"----perfect for bungelows. I appreciated your thanking of sources. Too many researchers discount the librarian's help. After hearing your presentation, the excitement you showed when you had found or learned of a new piece of the puzzle during the research was more understandable. Thank you for including us. It was fascinating."
Anitra Steele, Sugar Creek, MO
"Impressed with the depth and breadth of your research. The
importance of the burnishing process in print making. It was not enough
to master the creation of the block, the artist had to maintain the
concentration throughout the entire process to produce a high quality
product." Charles Steele, Sugar Creek, MO
Karl Marxhausen of Carrollton gave this presentation April 18th, 2014 to the Nelson - Atkins Print Society. Robin Gross, program director, gave introduction remarks. Thanks to Chas Titus who did the video taping, and to Mark Titus who uploaded video to YouTube. Video is one hour in length. Double click on images to enlarge.
"Marie Feller said the talk was wonderful! She remembered a Fred Geary print from The Cellar that she felt would never sell, they hung it on the wall, and it was stolen, so someone wanted it! Just a remembrance."
"Truman and I agreed that you were anxious to/wanted to share what you had learned. We learned that just because a collection is large, that does not mean those are the total of prints or artworks that were made by the artist. There may be more, undiscovered works, out there. We learned that Fred Geary taught himself the techniques of woodcuts. We liked your comment that back in that day a person could get a decent job without having a college degree." Julia Ellen Parkins Murray, Kansas City
Ray Parkins was the father of Julia Murray) and classmate to Fred Geary. He and Geary were both art editors of the Carrollton High School Nautilus yearbook. See samples of Parkins pen and ink illustrations. CLICK HERE...............
"I
am awash with work (always a good thing for an engraver) and have been
spending time with a group of traveling American wood engravers and I
have only just been able to sit down and enjoy your talk."
"I loved the passion of your interest and the thoroughness of your
research - you were certainly digging. It was a treat to be exposed to
so many Geary prints and I will certainly be looking out for images of
them in the future. He himself developed a passion (later in life as you
point out) and this cheers me; he is a good role model. I have engraved since 1991 but have only been a full time engraver since I reached my
fifties (the last seven years). I do love his skies - good observation
and imagination always combine well. I also enjoyed your work.Thank you for including me in this wider community." Andy English, wood engraver, Fens of Cambridgeshire, UK
"Hi Karl. Loved your lecture. What a great photo of
Granny. She looked swell. Very much like Margaret and Gert. I know
Granny had her nose in the kitchen because it is so fun, but I bet she
didn’t make all the food. I think she hired many Hispanic people in the
area to help her out."
"Great Lecture. Loved the wood block prints." Linda Lighton, Kansas City, MO
"I never knew there was an early artist association in Kansas City in a group studio setting. And that the Kansas City YMCA building was the home of the first Kansas City Art Institute!"
"Karl, you did a terrific job of reporting (and detective work!!) on Fred Geary. I loved the enthusiastic punctuations you add regarding our current print society! Thanks for all of your efforts for our group." Ruthie Osa, Olathe, KS
"Karl, you did a terrific job of reporting (and detective work!!) on Fred Geary. I loved the enthusiastic punctuations you add regarding our current print society! Thanks for all of your efforts for our group." Ruthie Osa, Olathe, KS
Steamboat Idlewild by Fred Geary, wood engraving, 9 by 12 3/4 inches. Six close up details (ABOVE). Once owned by Mike and Julie Dickson of Chillicothe has been SOLD. On back of mat: Denver Museum tag, and Northwest Printmakers 1941 tag (BELOW).
"Karl, Just to let you know that the (ABOVE) print has been sold and is now with new owners. Thanks for all your hard work, as it has placed something of the past with love of the art of Mr. Geary! We are thankful that it has a new and loving home. We appreciate your hard work. Thought we should let you know so you could update your blog accordingly!" Julie and Mike Dickson, Chillicothe, Missouri
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"Nice
job with your lecture! I learned some things. It was well presented. As Robin said, the Easter, Passover weekend may not have been the best
choice for getting maximum attendance but. Glad it's on film." Catherine Vesce, Kansas City
"Hi Karl. Great job especially with the cold bugging you. It sounds like you have found a new love in art. A couple things I picked up or questioned are: Did these print makers associate with the Prairie Print Makers? Birger Sandzen from Sweden and later Lindsborg, KS is my painting inspiration and he and fellow artists started the PPM. I'm amazed that his prints, drawings and paintings look like a matched set. Does yours? Nora Othic of our group has been tinkering with prints with her Columbia connections. Her stone prints look like her drawings. I understand she wants to try a cut print. Probably inspired by your great presentation." Darrell Gardner, North Missouri Arts Council, Marceline, MO
"What jumped put at me was the graphic of the
bldg at 1020 McGee built as the Art bldg (not remembering the exact
title). This triggered my imagination to want to know more about the
origin of this fine bldg." Robin Gross, Kansas City
"Hi Karl. Great job especially with the cold bugging you. It sounds like you have found a new love in art. A couple things I picked up or questioned are: Did these print makers associate with the Prairie Print Makers? Birger Sandzen from Sweden and later Lindsborg, KS is my painting inspiration and he and fellow artists started the PPM. I'm amazed that his prints, drawings and paintings look like a matched set. Does yours? Nora Othic of our group has been tinkering with prints with her Columbia connections. Her stone prints look like her drawings. I understand she wants to try a cut print. Probably inspired by your great presentation." Darrell Gardner, North Missouri Arts Council, Marceline, MO
(ABOVE) On the River by Fred Geary, no date, wood engraving, 6 by 10 inches, Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art Acquisition, 1939
"The information in the original inventory indicates that this print was purchased in 1939 from Prairie Print Makers. It would be logical since our first director Oscar Jacobson had close ties to Birger Sandzen and Bethany College." Gail Kana Anderson, Deputy Director/ Curator of Collections, Norman, OK
****** Compare Geary woodcuts to his peers, CLICK HERE. ******
"KARL, HAVE YOU RECOVERED YET? I APPRECIATE THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND ENERGY YOU PUT INTO IT!! I CAN SEE IT'S A GREAT PASSION."
"I THINK THE PART ABOUT THE LIGHTON HOUSE IS VERY INTERESTING - THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A GROUP OF ARTISTS WHO LIVED, WORKED, AND SOCIALIZED TOGETHER AND HAD A DESIGNATED LOCATION PROVIDED BY A PATRON, IN THAT TIME PERIOD IS A GREAT PIECE OF KC ARTS HISTORY." PAUL SOKOLOFF, KANSAS CITY
"Here are a few things I learned:
"Here are a few things I learned:
1) Fred Geary worked for the Fred Harvey Company
2) He supported his fine arts for (most? much? part?) of his life through more commercial art
3) Artist do well to band together
4) Applying the proper amount of pressure when printing your woodcut by hand is difficult and requires patience
5)
Linda Lighton (the one I know) is not the first artist in her family
6) Woodcuts are a good idea for artists who might have to work in their spare time
7) Woodcuts have to be designed so that the patterns of light and dark literally support the composition
Nora Othic, Marceline, MO
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(ABOVE) Attractions by Fred Geary, wood engraving, 8 1/4 by 11 1/2 inches. Owner Steven Reuter, Overland Park, KS
"I found your name while doing some internet search to obtain information on Fred Geary. Being inexperienced at finding what I'm looking for, I thought you might be able to help. I have two woodcut images that I'm trying to find out a ballpark value of. These have some information on the back of the mattes indicating these were done in the late 30s and shown at the California State Library 1939 as well as Union Station in KC and Denver Art Museum and sold for $10. I am not interested in selling, but am interested in the approximate value. I've included some snapshots of the items." Steve Reuters
Old Objects by Fred Geary, wood engraving, 6 3/4 by 11 1/4 inches. Owner Steven Reuter, Overland Park, KS.
"Thanks for your reply. I am in Overland Park, Kansas. Born and raised in Carrollton. Do not have any further information, dates etc regarding the documentation. The images show all that I have, the tags are affixed to the back of the matte on the "Attractions." The other called "Old Objects" has no tags affixed to it. I do know that these were purchased together according to my Mom." Steven Reuter
"Karl, Thank you for asking me to your interesting talk. I learned about the
amazing generosity and versatility of Gertrude Woolf Lighton!" Lynn Mackle, Kansas City
Steamboat Bixby by Fred Geary, no date, woodcut, 5 7/8 by 9 1/4 inches. Owned by Richard Hamilton of Kansas City. See NEXT comment.
"Well I honestly do not remember where or how I found this print. It turned up in all my stuff and I recently took it out of the flat file - started studying it and thinking what a fine well made print and perhaps I should seek counseling for this hoarding issue. Got to wondering if the Bixby on the captains deck would relate to the boat or the artist that I knew a little about - ran out of time messing with this and laid it out as a reminder."
"So I was quite surprised while listening to the lecture that the print was shown, discussed and that resolved what I questioned. A very nice surprise indeed. Now, I need to determine what I want to do with this print - put it back away now that the mystery is over or do I put it in a frame - which starts another issue of where to display it. Drat, it's always something." Richard Hamilton, Kansas City, MO
"We also have five unique
hand-painted Harvey Co. advertising signs and one of them has the
initials FG at the bottom. Four of these signs
are on display as well to the public; they aren’t in great shape but
we’ve framed them and they are very nice examples." Denise Morrison, Union Station / Kansas City Museum
"Great job, Karl! WHAT FUN, TO GET TOGETHER AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORK AND HISTORY OF REGIONAL ARTISTS AND THEIR INFLUENCE." Robert Hudson, Kansas City
"Fred Geary is listed as
a member of the Southern States Art League in Who
Was Who in American Art, Peter Hastings Falk, Editor-in-Chief
(1999). This is confirmed by his appearance in two SSAL catalogues. I don’t
know during what years (other than 1945 and 1946) he was a member, or when he
joined. Karen Towers Klacsmann states in her master’s thesis, “Forgotten
Endeavors: The Role of Women Members of the Southern States Art League in the Dissemination
of the Visual Arts in the South,” “As stated in the by-laws,
practicing artists of either Southern birth or residents in the South for five
consecutive years were eligible for membership.”
"In the Catalogue of the Twenty-Fifth Annual Exhibition of
the Southern States Art League (April 1 to April 30, 1945,
Birmingham Public Library, Birmingham, Alabama), it states: “The Prize of
$15.00 for the best block print offered for the eleventh time by Mr. Edward S.
Shorter of Columbus, Ga., has been awarded to Fred Geary for ‘Circus.’”
"In the Catalogue, 26th Annual Exhibition, Southern States
Art League (April 4 to 28, 1946, High Museum of Art, Atlanta,
Georgia), it states: “The Prize of $15.00 for the best block print
offered for the twelfth time by Mr. Edward S. Shorter of Columbus, Georgia, has
been awarded to Fred Geary, Missouri, for ‘On the River.’”
"Who
Was Who lists his dates as
1894–1955. I see that the Library of Congress has his dates as
1894–1946, so I can’t account for the discrepancy. Perhaps the
public libraries in Carrollton, Missouri, or Kansas
City can provide an obituary. He is listed in Who’s Who in American Art of 1953,
which would seem to suggest that he was still alive then." Cary Wilkins, Librarian/Archivist, Morris
Museum
of Art, Augusta,
GA
ABOVE, May 1934. Bulletin of Kansas City Art Institute
Owner of 1718 Holly Street Lighton Studio, Mrs. D.M. Lighton
"Hi Karl, Thank you for your presentation. I found the part about the studio / gallery at 17th and Holly interesting, especially since I live a few blocks from there. Also, I found the donation of the Woodcut Society prints interesting." Justin Rogers, Kansas City, MO
Who was Ilah M Kibbey? CLICK HERE
Untitled (City) by Ilah Kibbey (ABOVE), aquatint etching, 5 by 8 inches
(courtesy of Kansas City Society of Artists at Missouri Valley Special Collections, Kansas City Public Library, downtown)
Head of a Young Girl, pastel by Mrs. D.M. Lighton
showed with Society of Artists at the Athenaum.
(courtesy of Linda Lighton, Kansas City, MO)
Left to right: Jane Wade (Lombard), Gertrude Woolf Lighton, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Hurst, and Mrs. Kelly. (courtesy of Linda Lighton, Kansas City, MO)
"Fascinating video. I enjoyed it. Thank you for mentioning my
contribution. It was put together very well and was very informative.
It's odd, in a way to hear a lecture and history of my great
grandmother. Thank you for doing that and sharing your hard work and
research." Terri Mooney, Overland Park, KS
Crockery Woman by Ernest H. Deines (ABOVE), wood engraving, member of Kansas City Society of Artists. (courtesy of Kansas City Society of Artists at Missouri Valley Special Collections, Kansas City Public Library) Deines wrote the eleven page biography of his friend and collegue Fred Geary in 1947.
For more material on this presentation:
CHECK Spencer Art Reference Library (Nelson),
Missouri Valley Special Collections,
Jannes Library (KCAI),
LaBudde Special Collections (UMKC),
Park University Library, and
Carrollton Public Library (CPL) for more material on this presentation.
Fred Geary was one of 46 woodcut artists
whose work was chosen to tour the United States
in the 1932 First Exhibition of Contemporary Woodcuts
gathered together and carried out by Alfred Fowler and his Woodcut Society of Kansas City. CLICK HERE to view other images from that exhibit.
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"I applaud your research on Fred Geary and printmaking in general. As a native Kansas Citian, I am always pleased when someone focuses on
her artists. I think you are on the mark with the Woodcut Society. Those of us who
are bitten by the printmaking bug tend to become zealots. Moreover,
multiple membership allowed for more opportunities for exhibition--and
thus possible sales -- and interchange with other artists to see what the
others were doing."
Michael R. Grauer,
Panhandle Plains Historical Museum, Canyon, TX
Fred Geary woodcuts (ABOVE) included with contemporary artists from Carrollton, Missouri, in the "Beautiful Fire" exhibition 1998.
List of Carrollton artists and mediums (BELOW)
See the silent version of Decker, shot by a teenage Karl Marxhausen in the summer of 1973, click http://youtu.be/pjHSF3tpa8g AND http://shot-with-super8-film.blogspot.com/2011/07/splash-chase-is-on.html AND http://shot-with-super8-film.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-developed-film-looks-good.html AND http://shot-with-super8-film.blogspot.com/2011/12/mixing-sound-on-living-room-floor.html AND film interview 1975, click http://karl.marxhausen.net/sample_interview_seward.indep_ingots.html
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Selected comments from viewers of the presentation and correspondence provided by Marxhausen.
Additional photos and info by Karl Marxhausen
Links accessed May 26, 2014
http://carrollton-wood-engraver.blogspot.com/2014/05/ray-parkins-fellow-yearbook-art-editor.html
http://www.andyenglish.com/
http://www.andyenglish.com/page/1crrc/Wood_Engraving/What_Is_Wood_Engraving.html
http://carrollton-wood-engraver.blogspot.com/2012/08/comparisons.html
http://karl-marxhausen.blogspot.com/2011/06/in-wrapper.html
http://kansas-city-society-of-artists.blogspot.com/2013/02/ilah-marion-kibbey.html
Links accessed May 26, 2014
http://carrollton-wood-engraver.blogspot.com/2014/05/ray-parkins-fellow-yearbook-art-editor.html
http://www.andyenglish.com/
http://www.andyenglish.com/page/1crrc/Wood_Engraving/What_Is_Wood_Engraving.html
http://carrollton-wood-engraver.blogspot.com/2012/08/comparisons.html
http://karl-marxhausen.blogspot.com/2011/06/in-wrapper.html
http://kansas-city-society-of-artists.blogspot.com/2013/02/ilah-marion-kibbey.html
