I keep running into Rockwell Kent. Sounds spooky since he died in 1971. But what I mean is that his artwork has been showing up here and there. In exhibitions and articles his legacy lives on. He was a fascinating guy who lived and worked in the Taconics of Vermont and the Adirondacks of New York. For those unfamiliar with him, here's a brief introduction.
Kent was born in 1882 and died in 1971. While he is best known as a painter and commercial artist he was multi-talented with stints as a carpenter, explorer, writer and dairy farmer! He traveled extensively while also marrying and divorcing extensively as well. He lived in a number of places with Asgaard Farm in AuSable Forks, New York being his home from 1927 till the end of his life. He was a Socialist and ardent supporter of left-wing causes which sullied his reputation and caused him grief in conservative 1950's America.
SUNY Plattsburgh holds a large collection of the artist's work and curator Scott Ferris is an acknowledged Kent scholar. There was a comprehensive exhibit in the campus's Feinberg Library Gallery this summer which I throughly enjoyed. It gave a good overview of the varied mediums Kent was proficient in with explanatory panels to put the art in perspective. I believe they have ongoing exhibits of Kent's work but do check before making the trip.
If in the North Country you might also want to visit Asgaard Farm where David Brunner and Rhonda Butler milk goats and make award winning cheese in the same barns where Kent operated a dairy for many years. It's a beautiful, welcoming place with a farm store selling local products.
In Vermont you can see a few of Kent's paintings in a joint exhibit hosted by the Bennington Museum and the Southern Vermont Arts Center. They have over 200 works by a variety of artists from the collection of Lyman Orton entitled For the Love of Vermont. Better hurry though because the show closes on November 5.
Rockwell Kent lived in Arlington, Vermont from 1919 to 1925 at Egypt Farm on Red Mountain. Many of his painting from that time include views north to Mt. Equinox and south down the valley towards Mt. Anthony. For insight on the Arlington years here's is a link to an article by Jamie Franklin.
You can find a great deal more about Rockwell Kent on the web and in print. He was interesting, talented and inspired by the landscape all around us.
No comments:
Post a Comment