K.C.S.O.A.

Art matron Gertrude Woolf Lighton refurbished a property on the West Bluffs to provide a permanent headquarters for the Kansas City Society of Artists. Her involvement with the arts went all the way back to the 1896 Paint Club, under George Van Millet.  Among others, two collegues, Alfred Houghton Clark

and author Floy Campbell, were given exhibits. Through her connections with John H. Bender of the Alden Galleries, she was able to add wood block artist Richardson Rome, to the art colony's roster. Double click on image to enlarge.

  Through her patronage of the Art Institute she made it possible for women artists to work out of inexpensive studios and exhibit at 1718 Holly Street as well.

Fred Geary found himself drawn into this community. "It was fourteen years before much thought could be given to advancement in other directions. Yet being thirty-five years old would in no way deter him from finer accomplishment. Definite impulses of the early 1930s beckoned to a new horizon in artistic goals and associations. He (Geary) was treasurer of The Kansas City Society of Artists, about 1933, and showed genuine interest in the organizations's activities."  Ernest H. Deines, 1946

(G.W. Lighton history courtesy of J D Mooney of Kansas City, MO, interviewed September 11, 2010. Photo of G.W. Lighton and history courtesy Linda Lighton of Kansas City, MO, interviewed October 3, 2010. Kansas City, Missouri: its history and its people 1808-1908 by Carrie Westlake Whitney, page 601, Google Books, accessed October 17, 2010. Fred Geary, Missouri Wood Engraver by E.H. Deines, 1946, unpublished, page three, courtesy of Ms. Jane Metz and the Carrollton Public Library, Carrollton, MO, accessed January 10, 2010. Kansas City's Historic Hyde Park, 4012 Holmes Street, accessed December 16, 2010. Private Library Holding, http://privatelibraryholdings.com/id84.html, accessed November 19, 2010. Minnesota Prints And Printmakers, 1900-1945 by Robert Crump, Minnesota Historical Society, accessed November 18, 2010. The Literary World: A Monthly Review Of Current Literature, Volume 30 by Samuel R. Crocker, Edward Abbott, Madeline Vaughan Abbott Bushnell ("Mrs. C.E. Bushnell,") Nicholas Paine Gilman, Bliss Carman, Herbert Copeland, page 410, accessed December 15, 2010)

entries accepted

   One artist creates from materials and keeps it out of public view. Another artist looks for places where his work can be seen by others. He may enter his work into a "no jury" exhibition, where "everything" is accepted, and no entry is rejected. He may pay money to be part of a group that will show his work on a rotating basis. These opportunities are valid and have their place. Getting exposure in public is important if you want others to know what kind of art you do, and gain collectors for your work. But the artist who submits his work into a "juried" competition has his work measured by certain standards, looked over and judged by a jury of professionals in a given field. That work is then included in a group with other accepted works or is turned down and returned to its creator. Risk is involved. There are forms to fill out, shipping expenses, and usually a fee for entry. But those works accepted into a juried exhibition are given special recognition for their skill.

   In 1929 Fred Geary had two watercolors accepted in a juried exhibition. Entries came in from the Midwest region, including Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Colorado. Two hundred and ninety-three entries were accepted by the jury. And about the same number of other entries were turned away. The Kansas City Art Institute hosted the event and acquired art department directors from Colorado, Nebraska, and Oklahoma to do the judging. Categories included oil paintings, watercolors, sculpture, metalwork, jewelry, terracotta, textile decoration, batik, leather work and book binding, and prints created by dry point, etching, lithograph, linoleum cuts, and woodcuts.

   In 1931 Geary had his first woodcut accepted in the exhibition. Since the annual exhibitions began in 1922, it is likely that Geary saw woodcuts made by other print makers from the previous years. He may have talked to and become friends with some of them. Here is a list of those print makers, the specific print medium entered, and accepted titles. When possible I have included a link or example of a work by that print maker.

Who influenced Geary has yet to be determined. But it is known that in the Middle West region many people were producing woodcut entries. Click on images to see them larger.

The Railroads - left leaf of book liner

The Railroads - right leaf of book liner

Sheila Ellsworth Burlingame (1894-1969) was a painter, block printer, and later a sculptor. Her given address was 3664 Washington Ave, St. Louis, Missouri. She had TEN ACCEPTED WOODCUTS in the 1922 exhibit. Those included Waterfall, Sketch, The Matador, Tight Rope Artist, Cinderella, Adam and Eve, The Siesta, Snake Charmer, Between Acts, Sun Dancer.

Her "Sun Dancer" received a Gold Medal for Graphic Arts from the KCAI Guild, and was owned by Mary Powell of St. Louis.

Front Cover- Woodcut

Back Cover -Woodcut

A sample of her woodcuts can be seen in "From The Day's Journey" by Harry Rosecrans Burke, published in 1924 by the William Harvey Miner Company. Block images ranged in size from 5 1/2" by 4 1/2 inches to 11 by 16 inches.

        William Marion Reedy 
        A Portrait Study - woodcut (p.48)

       Midsummer Night 
       And A Slum  
       excerpt from Harold Burke (p. 76)

         Garden Glimpse 
         An Impression - woodcut (p.60)

       Nocturne 
       In Black And Gold 
       excerpt from Harold Burke (p.31)

             The Pain Killer - woodcut (p.30)

Burlingame created woodcuts for the St. Louis Dispatch newspaper from 1923 - 1924, according to Susan V. Craig, Art librarian of the University of Kansas.(accessed Friday, September 10th, 2010 from http://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/dspace/bitstream/1808/1028/1/BDKAversion1.pdf.)

(woodcut image courtesy of Jason D. Stratman, Assistant Reference Librarian, Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, MO, received by mail November 2, 2010)

(above text courtesy of Jason D. Stratman, Assistant Reference Librarian, Missouri History Museum, St. Louis, MO, received by mail November 2, 2010) 

Harry Muir Kurtzworth (1887-1979) had one xylograph (or woodcut) accepted in the 1922 show entitled "Quietude," along with two pastels. He served as director of the Kansas City Art institute from 1922 to 1924. FIVE of his color wood block prints were accepted in the 1919 exhibition with twenty-two American Artists at the Detroit Institute of The Arts. ("A History Of Community Achievement, 1885-1964," courtesy of Jannes Library, Kansas City Art Institute, 4538 Warwick Boulevard, Kansas City, MO, accessed Saturday, October 9th, 2010; Detroit Institute, accessed Friday, September 10th, 2010)

Sven Birger Sandzen (1871-1954) of Lindborg, Kansas had three lithographs in the 1922 show. His piece, Grand Canyon, was awarded the J.C. Nichols Purchase Prize for Graphic Arts.

Loran Frederick Wilford (1893 - 1972) had two linoleum cuts accepted, The Old Tavern, Going To The Market. The latter was awarded the Silver Medal for Graphic Arts, 1922. His given address was 4115 Forest Avenue, Kansas City.

1923
Anderson Craig,
2020 Tracy, Kansas City
     Wood Block
Ferdinand E. Warren 
3842 E. Tenth St, Kansas City
    Palisades-wood block
    The Bridge-wood block
    The Old Mill-wood block
awarded KCAI Bronze Medal for Graphic Arts, 1923
Margaret Whittemore (1897-1983), 

1615 College Ave, Topeka, KS
     Pueblo Indians-wood block

1924

Leo Courtney, Wichita, KS
     Dusk---wood block $4
     River---wood block $5
    The Hilltop--wood block $5
Henri W. Domshydt, 

302 Patterson Block, Omaha, NE
     Marshal Foch---linoleum cut
Vera B. Leeper, 

316 W. 14th St, New York City
     The Pool----block print $10
Ferdinand E.Warren,
1020 Chestnut St, Kansas City, MO
     Visitation Church----woodcut $10
     Sebree Bridge----woodcut $7.50

Charles Wilimovsky,
1840 Blue Island Ave, Chicago, Ill
    2 oils, 4 etchings
    The Fisherman's Shack---linoleum cut,
    awarded 1924 Purchase Prize for Black and White
    The Chicken Barn----linoleum cut $10

1926
Herschel C. Logan  (1901-1987)
C.A. Seward
Ferdinand E. Warren
KCAI Instructor for etching Adolphe W. Blondheim


1927
Walter Bailey,
Art Dept. Kansas City Star
     The Old Swimming Hole---etching
     Snow Capped Mountain---linoleum print
George L. Cartlich,
3116 Flora Ave, Kansas City, MO
     The Wharf---Linoleum Print
     Just Where Is This---Linoleum Print
William Dickerson, Wichita
     The Book Shop---Linoleum Print
David F. Leavitt,
North 12th Blvd, St. Louis, MO
     Book-plate---Linoleum Print
     Enchantment---Linoleum Print
     Self-Portrait---Linoleum Print
     C.C.Frederick---Linoleum Print
Herschel C. Logan, Wichita
     Deserted Barn---woodcut
     Mexican Farmyard---woodcut
     Church in The Valley---woodcut
     Old Mission, Rancos de Taos--- woodcut-bronze Medal
C.A.Seward, Wichita
     Canada Goose---lithograph
     Old Willow---lithograph
     Big Pines--Raton Pass---Block Print
     Toadstool Rock-Santa Fe---Lithograph_Silver Medal(
scroll down on this link site for his Toadstool Rock lithograph)
KCAI Instructor for etching Anthony Angarola (1893-1929)

1928 KCAI instructors the year Geary may have enrolled when the school was at 3500 Warwick Blvd.
Anthony Angarola-Life painting and portraiture drawing
John D. Patrick----Drawing, Advanced Antique
Austin Ketcham---Design and Cast Drawing
W.W.Rosenbauer--Sculpture and Crafts
Russel M. Wise--Interior Decoration

1928
3500 Warwick Blvd., Kansas City, MO
Rosa Bear,
2620 West 32nd Ave, Denver, Colo.
     The Silent Mill---Linoleum Print
Albert Benson,
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
     Landscape Sketch---Drypoint etching
     East 39th Street, New York---Aquatint
Ivan Cloud, Kansas City, MO
     Chivary---Block Print
Leo Courtney
     Shadows---Woodcut
     Afterglow---Woodcut
     Winter---Color Print
     The Homestead---Woodcut wins Bronze Medal award
William J. Dickerson, Wichita, Kansas
     The Sand Boat---Woodcut
Alice R. Edmiston,
1900 South 40th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska
     Wharf of Provinceton---Woodcut
     Lake Como, Italy---Woodcut
Mercedes Erixon,
Norman, Oklahoma
     Gurgling Water---Woodcut
     Summer Sunlight---Woodcut
Herschel C. Logan
    The Weaver---Woodcut
    Lost Hope---Woodcut

1929
When the school was at 4415 Warwick Blvd. 293 entries were chosen. Here are the relief prints.

Ina Annette--
University of Oklahoma, Norman, OKL
(Student of Birger Sandzen )


       Elephant's Feet---Linoleum Cut
       Desert Derelicts---Woodcut
       Monumental Valley---Woodcut
Click on Sheep Ranch to see another sample of her work.

Helen Louise Beccard (Niles)
3024 Walton Place, St. Louis, MO
    Sicilian Road---Linoleum Print
    Old Slave Quarters---Linoleum Print
George Randall Brubaker (1908-1977)
1308 Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, KS
      "Old Tenements"---Woodcut
      pencil-signed and titled, size 11 in. x 8 in.
Ben Albert Benson.
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
     Buck In The Snow---Drypoint Etching
     Silhouette---Drypoint Etching
Sheila Burlingame
     Spring---Oil painting
     The Surf---Woodcut
     Design---Woodcut

Leo Courtney
     City Hall---Woodcut
William J. Dickerson
     Study---Woodcut
Birger Sandzen
Lindsborg, Kansas
     watercolor, lithograph, drypoint
C.A. Seward

1534 North Holyoke, Wichita, Kansas

     two lithos, one color litho

David Spivak

Artists Guild 

1421 Court Place, Denver, Colorado
     Castle Rock--woodcut
     The Grove--woodcut

    

(List from "Midwestern Artists Exhibition, Kansas City: Kansas City Art Institute, 1920-1942," Mines, Cynthia, courtesy of Missouri Valley Special Collections, Kansas City Public Library, 14 West 10th St, Kansas City, MO, accessed June 24th, 2010)

Influenced by Winold Reiss

"After an elementary education which was followed by several courses at William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri," wrote E.H. Deines in 1946, "the starting point of a nurtured longing was realized. (Geary) was about 20 years old when he received training at the small art school in Kansas City, MO. It was not a very great distance from his home town of Carrollton...."
In his eleven page biography, FRED GEARY, MISSOURI WOOD ENGRAVER, Deines sought to remember a fellow artist, whom he admired and no doubt held conversations with. As to the accuracy of his record, it did point me to locations and dates when I first began this research, but some dates have been proven inaccurate,







For example, Deines named instructors that Geary may have had when the "fundamentals of art" were given to him.











These include "the teachings of Charles A. Wilimovsky, a Chicago-born painter, etcher and woodcutter - (Robert) Merell Gage, well-known sculptor and teacher of anatomy - and Norman Tolson in the commercial branches." (Fred Geary, Missouri Wood Engraver by E.H. Deines, 1946, unpublished, page one, courtesy of Ms. Jane Metz and the Carrollton Public Library, Carrollton, MO, accessed January 10, 2010-----YMCA postcard, above, courtesy of the Missouri Valley, Special Collections, Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, MO)

However, after checking with school records, none of these instructors were available between 1914-1918. Nancy Warren, Archives Clerk with the Kansas City Art Institute, relayed: "You asked for the dates when Charles Wilimovsky and Norman Tolson taught at KCAI. Wilimovsky was at KCAI from 1920 through 1922 as was Merell Gage. Norman Tolson taught illustration and poster work here from 1920 through 1926. These dates don't seem to coincide with Geary's stint at KCAI as a student."(Email, Wednesday, April 21st, 2010, Nancy Warren,Archives Clerk, Jannes Library, Kansas City Arts Institute.) Ernest Deines had been a pupil at the Kansas City Art Institute. Perhaps, these were the instructors he had known when he attended.



"Interest in a variety of subjects was augmented later on by a brief period away from Kansas City...."(Deines, p.2)When Geary took figure drawing at the Art Students League in New York City (photo below),
Deines presumed the art instructor was George Bridgeman, when in fact, it had been John Sloan. Editor Stephanie Cassidy clarified that when she wrote: "I found one record for Fred Geary, who listed his city address as the President Hotel, West 48th Street and his home address as Kansas City, MO. He enrolled in April 1928 in John Sloan's life class." (Email, Thursday, March 25th, 2010, Stephanie Cassidy, Editor Art Students League of New York, 215 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Area Of Design, www.areaofdesign.com, accessed Saturday, May 22nd, 2010)The later date of 1928 made more sense in light of Deines following remarks:
"In New York Geary sought out an admired mentor, Winold Reiss, whose realistic (and colorful) drawings of the Blackfeet Indians on their Montana reservation, aroused in him a strong enthusiasm."
(Fred Geary, Missouri Wood Engraver by E.H. Deines, 1946, unpublished, page two, courtesy of Ms. Jane Metz and the Carrollton Public Library, Carrollton, MO. Book Rags, www.bookrags.com, accessed Monday, May 10th, 2010)
 
Records show that in 1928 Reiss showed fifty-one works from the Louis Hill Collection of his Blackfeet portraits in a solo exhibition, at the Belmaison Galleries in John Wanamaker's Gallery of Decorative Arts, in New York City. It was quite likely Geary visited Reiss' studio on 108 West 16th Street and may have seen the exhibit as well. (Winold Reiss, http://www.winoldreiss.org/works/portraits.htm#10-20,  and http://www.winoldreiss.org/life/chronology.htm, and http://www.winoldreiss.org/works/exhibitions.htm, accessed Jan 18, 2014)Deines: "Coming in contact with Reiss was a useful experience, utilized afterwards many times in the course of (Geary's) regular work..."

(Fred Geary, Missouri Wood Engraver by E.H. Deines, 1946, unpublished, page two, courtesy of Ms. Jane Metz and the Carrollton Public Library, Carrollton, MO)