the official newsletter of the Edna Hibel Society:
Fall
1993
Edna and Clayton Craig -founder of the Hibel Museum of Art
Memories
of the Craig’s
This
is a love story dating back to the early 60’s when the Craig’s Ethelbelle
and Clayton, first met Tod and Edna.
The
“Lady” titles had not yet been conferred by England’s Queen and the
Cordon Bleu. “America’s
most beloved” was just plain, beautiful, warm, friendly, talented Edna.
It
was 1960 and Mother Hibel was presiding over a new gallery displaying the art of
her talented daughter in Rockport, Mass.
The
Craig’s, long-time patrons and collectors of the arts, summered in the area
and one day wandered into the gallery, curious to see what type of art could be
on the inside of this converted A&P. Were
they ever surprised! They immediately fell in love with Edna’s art and
purchased five paintings during this first visit.
Almost
three years later the Craig’s first met Edna.
There was an immediate rapport which grew into a lasting relationship
between artist and admirers.
The
story is told about when the Craig’s visited the home of Renoir in the South
of France which is now a museum. They
were appalled to discover only one Renoir painting and one sculpture.
Then and there they vowed not to allow this to happen to Hibel.
Their dream was to establish a Museum for
Hibel art. This was not Don
Quixote’s “Impossible Dream,” as their dream became a reality.
In
1976, the Craig’s founded the Hibel Museum of Art and in January 1977 the
doors opened to the acclaim of 2500 admiring Hibel fans.
The
Hibel Museum, the world’s only non-profit, public museum dedicated to the art
of a living American woman, acts as a repository for the Craig’s renowned
collection of over 3000 Hibel original paintings, drawings, stone lithographs
and porcelain art and Hibel art donated since then by other collectors.
Aware of the richness of Hibel’s unique contribution to the world’s art heritage, the Craig’s envisioned the Hibel Museum as a multi-functional, cultural, and educational institution, which it has become.
Edna and Society Members at the Parthenon(click to enlarge)
Winter
1994
A
HIBEL TALE OF ANCIENT GREECE
“...
And like Sunrise from the Sea, Athens arose” - Shelly
Now
it can be told, this Hibel saga of Ancient Greece and Turkey.
It
all started in historic Athens in October during the latter part of the
Twentieth Century when 70 enthusiastic Hibel adventurers gathered together to
join Lady Edna on a painting expedition. By
the time we docked in Istanbul, our final port, we all agreed that our Grecian
Holiday was the best ever.
The
combination of exciting sites, picture perfect weather, a fabulous ship, two
five star hotels, plus a most wonderful group of Hibelites and, of course,
traveling with Edna & Tod is always a treat, especially watching our shining
star in action with her inspired paint brush.
Come
along for a look at the wonders of another world!
Santorini
Santorini,
which many archeologists believe may be the site of the lost city of Atlantis,
was one of the favorite stops for many of our group.
This
enchanted island with a village perched high on a cliff appeared as I remembered
it, a stirring sight.
The
smelly mules were still there, trekking up and down the mountain, leaving a
track of doo doo as they transported people up the steps to the summit. This
mode of travel was fine for the young of heart, but most of us lazy folk took
the easy way, the tram.
The
village had changed, I must admit. Tourism
had gobbled it up. Wall to wall
shops, mostly selling jewelry, replaced the quaint stands and a few shops that I
recalled selling local handicrafts and handmade jewelry.
And
where was the little white domed church, surrounded by white washed houses that
I had promised Edna would make some very picturesque paintings?
After
being pointed in the wrong direction and trekking all over the village,
schlepping the easel, canvases, etc,. We finally spied the white-domed church.
It had grown! It was no
longer the little church I had conjured up in my mind, but still an inspiring
scene.
In
any event, creative Edna set up shop with several different views in sight and
it didn’t take very long before she was stroking the canvas and some beautiful
images started appearing.
Edna spent most of the day here, with many of our group stopping by to watch from time to time.
Spring
in 1991
“Edna
the “Wunderkind”
It was not the best of times! The
great depression was in full swing. Bread
lines were long and Franklin Delano was doing his best to turn things around.
The time was 1939 and Hitler was on the march in Europe.
Edna had just been awarded the coveted Sturtevant Traveling Fellowship
for one year’s study abroad as a graduate of the Boston Museum School of Fine
Arts. It was a dream comes true.
Edna’s
teacher at school had been Alexander Yacovlev, a famous Russian artist
who was so captivated with
Edna’s artistic ability; he called her “The Wunderkind.” (And she was
pretty too.)
From
Edna: “Tod and I had planned on getting married after I graduated.
He had graduated from Harvard the previous year and was busy learning
about his father’s clothing business. It
was a dilemma! Should I accept the
fellowship or stay home and get married?
“
I had a conference with the director of the school, Karl Zerbe, and when I told
him of my problem he was surprised, as he said “
I thought you were always so busy painting that you never had time to look at a
man!
“In
a effort to convince me to accept the
fellowship, he assured me that after six months if I still wanted to get
married, he would personally come with my boyfriend to Europe so we could get
married and Mr. Zerbe would be best man.
“So
after discussing it further with Tod, the decision was made.
I would go to Paris to study.
“My
mother and I booked passage on the Normandy for Le Havre.
She would never let me go alone. “My
Edna alone in Paris with all those handsome Frenchmen? No way! She was only
22.”
“I
was truly excited and had plans to knock on Picasso’s door, he was in Paris at
the time, and ask if I could study with him.
“The
best laid plans...War broke out in Europe and we couldn’t go.
So we decided to go to Mexico.
We were able to rent a house outside of Mexico City, which was, we were
told, next door to the famous Mexican artist, Diego Rivera.
How exciting, I thought. I
could watch him paint and perhaps study with him.
“Again,
fate intruded. In the middle of the
night we awoke to discover that bugs had invaded our beds and most of the house.
“Unfortunately, the house wasn’t large enough
for two Hibels and the army of Mexican troops, so we left for Mexico City and, a
little later, on to Taxco.
Mexico
was enchanting and I painted up a storm, but unfortunately, the Mexican plague
caught up with me and I contracted dysentery.
In spite of my misery, I managed to paint more in the three months I was
there than previous Fellows had accomplished in a full year.
At least that is what I was told when I returned.
“It was a wonderful experience which I shall never forget.”
Excerpted from Volume 7, Number 8, Special Edition (September1998):
Magic of the Canadian Rockies !
A Communion with Nature
It was all there as promised. Majestic Grandeur! Snow-capped mountains, scenic lakes and streams, spectacular glaciers, white water rivers, wild animals. Panoramic splendor everywhere, but no Edna.
Beauty everywhere but not even a David Copperfield could make our Renoir Lady or T.P. appear. It was just not to be.
Sadly, her Ladyship had contracted a bad respiratory infection with a severe cough and had practically lost her voice. There was no way she could join us. Both were sorely missed. Nevertheless, there is a great deal to tell Here ar a few of the highlights of our fabulous Canadian Odyssey: Vancouver..Victoria..Kamloops..Lake Lousie..Jasper..Banff..Calgary...
Love Letters-
Dear Ms Tanis( Janet Tanis of the Hibel Museum of Art)
Thank you for helping make our first International Arts Day a wonderful success! It was exciting for the children to experience the variety of talent and the uniqueness of each special artist. It was also important for the students to see the "work" of real artists.
Miss Tanis, you have an extraordinary gift for working with chilldren and making learning fun. You made a wonderful impression on the lives of these very young children. You gave our students history and information while challenging them to learn more. We look forward to working with the Hibel Museum during the coming year.
Again, thank you for donating your time and talent to the children of U.B. Kinsey. You are a truly a community servant who cares for kids.
Eileen Renault, Arts Coordinator, U.B. Kinsey Palmview School of the Arts, West Palm Beach, Florida
Headline Excerpts from the forthcoming Summer edition of Hibeletter:
----"HibelFest New England, October 18-19, Will Be A Birthday Party Like No Other"
----"Hibel Society Art Tour with Edna to East and South Africa, November 10-30"
----"October 4th Hibel Exhibition Opening in Houston at The Museum of Printing History"
----"One of U.S.'s Oldest Institutions to Give Highest Arts Award to Edna, January 24--First Ever to a Woman Painter"
----"Edna Given Painting Commission to Commemorate Project Hope's 40th Anniversary--Her Painting to be Unveiled at Smithsonian Institute in December"