Provincetown Modernist Watercolor by Coreen Spellman 1933 - Texas Woman Artist

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Coreen Spellman(1905-1978) "Provincetown Roadway" 1933 Modernist WatercolorThis watercolor was among a group of works Spellman completed in the summer of 1933 in Provincetown, Mass.while studying with noted modernist and watercolorist Charles James Martin. Several otherprofessors of fine artat Texas Womans University including Marie Delleney andThetis Lemmonwere students of Charles Martin. Martin was considered one of the finest instructors of modernist watercolor and among his students was Georgia O'Keefe who considered his opinions of such value that she continued to send him examples of her work for critique long after she had ceases taking lessons with him. "Martin's workis afterthe New Modernist School, the art that seeks essence rather than form, interpretation rather than faithful representation."All of thewatercolors by Coreen Spellman from her summer of study with Martin were documented and illustrated in a book titled "The Artwork of Coreen Spellman (1905-1978)and written by JamesGraham Baker, a noted Early Texas Art historian. The book is out of print,but I will include copies of the cover, title page,and the page on which thiswatercolor is illustrated.This finewatercolorshows bold confident application of paint, and spontaneity of the moment characteristic of a mature painter.Spellman's modernist paintings of this periodare completelyfitting with Charles Martin's philosophy and were concerned with the "essence" rather than exact form, interpretation rather than a slavish adherence to faithful representation.In a few short gestural brushstrokes Spellman is able to "distill" thesubject down toits core elements. The result is a painting with strong modernistand expressionist elements.Thiswatercolor was purchased from the Estate of Mick Spellman the artist's younger brother.It is being sold non reserve with a low starting price! It is an excellent opportunity to purchase a finepiece of Early Texas Artand a piece ofTexas Art historyby one of Texas' most important artists.Coreen Spellman was one of Texas' most renowned artists in the 1930's through the 1960's, andprobably the most important of all the Early Texas Woman artists. Among the Texas Woman artists of her era, Coreen Spellman's desirability is unmatched with auctionresults of up to $40,000! Her major Exhibitions include the Edgar B Davis Wildflower Competition, the 1936 Texas Centennial, Texas General Exhibitions (numerous), Dallas Allied Arts Exhibitions (numerous), the Witte Museum, the Kansas City Art Institute (numerous), the Southern States Art League Circuit Exhibitions (numerous), the National Exhibition of American Art - Rockefeller Center New York, the 1939 Worlds Fair (American Art Today, 1939), the Whitney Museum, the National Academy of Design, the Chicago Art Institute (numerous), the Brooklyn Museum, the Joslyn Museum among many others.Spellman was also a charter member of the Texas Printmakers and participated in their circuit exhibitions for many years. Her primary media were watercolor and printmaking.Besides her own art,Coreen Spellmaninfluenced countless numbers of younger woman artists as professor of painting, illustration, and drawing at the College of Industrial Arts from 1925 until 1974 (which later became known as Texas Womans University). She also taught art at the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts. Title: "Provincetown Roadway"Media: WatercolorSize:19" x 24"Signature: Estate Stamp on VersoLiterature: This watercolor is illustrated in "The Artwork of Coreen Mary Spellman"by James Graham Baker. Photocopies of the cover of the book, the frontspiece, and the illustration of this watercolor will be provided to the purchaser.Framing: Unframed; Unmatted; Never Mounted (no tape)Provenance: Estate of Nick Spellman (Coreen Spellman's Brother).Biography of Coreen Spellman (1905-1978)Coreen Mary Spellman was a fine-art teacher as well as a painter, designer, illustrator, lithographer and muralist. Many of her paintings depicted human-made struct... read more

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