An Unusual Retrieval From Artistic Obscurity: May Audubon Post

I am always visiting the local second-hand stores. Seeking affordable books, paintings, frames, farmhouse kitchenware, knick-knacks, bric-a-brac, etc. This is my routine, my Jaunt, and part of my overall Journey. It is unusual, however, to find really good, original art. Particularly with any vintage. Particularly in good condition. In my Daily Walk today, I found a framed piece of pastel art signed "May A. Post".

Photo Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Dutch Girl with Dolls in Landscape Detail by May Audubon Post

It was attractive to me at first sight because my eight year old, Itsy Bit, of course, loves her numerous dolls and has played with them intensely during her childhood. 

This exquisite image is of a quaint, little Dutch girl in profile hugging her two dolls.  It appears to be original art and there is no evidence online that it or similar art by the artist has been reproduced.

Photo Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Dutch Girl with Dolls in Portrait Detail by May Audubon Post

It is nicely framed [28 inches high x 24 inches wide] and double-matted with a deep 1/4 inch separator behind the matte board..

Photo Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Dutch Girl with Dolls by May Audubon Post

The exposed portion of the image is 18 inches x 14 inches. It has reflective glass which makes rendered photos a bit difficult. I may consider replacing with non-reflective glass and thereby also gaining a chance to inspect the artwork and take detailed pictures. Fortunately, the frame and matte approach appears to be in excellent condition and the pastel image is about 0.25 - 0.375 inches away from the glass.

It appears to be an original pastel on dark, green, fine, french stippled paper or board signed "May A. Post" with lovely, even, round, clear, connected handwriting. 

Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Signature of Mary Audubon Post

I researched May on the internet when I got home. Not much out there but a little digging turned up some reference sources to build an initial background.

May Audubon Post [age 69 years; born Nov 21, 1860; died Feb 8, 1929] attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts where an art fellowship is established in her name. Unfortunately, I did not find any personal images of the artist...yet.  

Her address during some of her published American exhibitions is listed as 4446 Sansom Street, Philadelphia on the corner of South 45th Street according to GoogleMaps. It would take me 5 hours and 291 miles to get there to see the place. But online, today, it is a renovated three-floor, red brick and red-painted tenement surrounded by similar-size buildings in a neighborhood that offers some Spanish style. 

Internet Fair Use - 4446 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Perhaps May painted in the second floor nook, southern-facing bay window as her studio in the early 1900's!

In 1901, she went to Vollendam and Merken Island, Holland which appeared to be a significant artist colony and ensuing influence on her painting genre. According to online sources, she was close to other artists of her period including William Merritt Chase, Cecilia Beau, Charles Grafly, Hugh Beckinridge, Howard Pyle at the Drexel Institute, and Lucien Simon in Paris.

Her genre is characterized as illustration, human activity, human figure, figurative, religion/mysticism, and child portrait.

The pastel I found is similar in size and portrayal to two other pieces using frontal quarter full-body portrait views: A Dutch boy with a pond boat and another Dutch girl with a doll, both in traditional Volendam and Merken style of dress replete with cobbled stompens.

 Internet Fair Use - Dutch Girl with Doll by May Audubon Post

Internet Fair Use - Dutch Boy with Pond Boat by May Audubon Post

My initial working hypothesis may be that these images were part of the calender series for the Dubois Iron Works listed below. But I can't yet determine the year these items and the one I recently found were produced.

Further listed artwork that I have found thus far includes the following pieces:

Marken Child Island of Marken, Holland (Oil painting sold $1200 USD, 2009-01-03; 37.75 inches high x 29 inches wide] The similarity of artistic approach includes a quaint, Dutch child in profile conducting an activity with dolls in attendance.

Marken Child, Island of Marken, Holland by May Audubon Post

Paris: Rue des Ursins (Unsold at auction; 11.42 high x 9.37 inches wide)

Santa on the Roof (Unknown)

Fishwife of Holland (Exhibited at Annual Exhibition of Oil Painting and Sculpture, Art Club of Philadelphia, No. 49, April 1903)

Fisherman of Holland (Exhibited at Annual Exhibition of Oil Painting and Sculpture, Art Club of Philadelphia, No. 56, April 1903)

Italian Mother and Baby (Exhibited at Annual Exhibition of Oil Painting and Sculpture, Art Club of Philadelphia, No. 57, April 1903)

Old Man of Holland (No.19; May be the same as No. 56 above)

Old Woman of Holland (No. 20; May be the same as No. 49 above)

Alone (1909, 17th Exhibition, Mar 15 - Apr 18)

Holland Baby Marken (May be same as Marken Child above, International Studio, Vol.54; Described as "haunting, quaint") 

Old Fisherman and His Grandson (1917, 23rd Exhibition of 138 works, International Studio, Vol 61)

Internet Fair Use - Old Fisherman and His Grandson (1917) by May Audubon Post

The Spinner (1917, Society of Independent Artists, Exhibition, No. 98)

Internet Fair Use - The Spinner by May Audubon Post

Holland Children (1917, Society of Independent Artists, Exhibition, No. 99)

My Big Brother (1911, NY Watercolor Club, 22nd Annual Exhibition, No. 240)

A Rainy Day (1911, NY Watercolor Club, 22nd Annual Exhibition, No. 240)

Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates (illustrated by May Audubon Post)

Internet Fair Use - Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates Illustration by May Audubon Post 01

Internet Fair Use - Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates Illustration by May Audubon Post 02

Fairies Among the Lilypads

Internet Fair Use - Fairies Among the Lilypads by May Audubon Post

 Fairies by a Steaming Cauldron

Internet Fair Use - Fairies by a Steaming Cauldron by May Audubon Post

Bunnie Cottontail: A Rabbit's Own Story (1908, By Blair Matilda, Illustrated by May Audubon Post, Published by McGloughlin Brothers)

My Little Italian Book (191-, By Ernest Nister)

Child Life in Holland (Illustrated Calender Series, Dubois Iron Works, Dubois, PA, Factory and Industrial Management, Vol. 35)

So there is much more to study and investigate but this daily entry constitutes my first round of Endeavor.  A delightful part of the Journey to think of May Audubon Post and share her work!

Job Interviews: My Current Economy of Transactions

Interview last week. "Permanent" job in financial industry. International company with a brand name on the US east coast. A new role being created by them. Commute within 30 minutes. Open house. Spoke with one of ten people I would be supervising. Very young. She asked questions from a checklist and wrote in the answers. Sent my thank you emails to her and the recruiting manager who was a no-show at the event. No response from them as yet.

Interview today. Contract job. Good company with a brand name. Health care industry. Short term 3 mths. Might be extended. Has taken a long time with repeated applications to get my foot in the door. Commute within 30 minutes.  Will speak with three project managers. Was advised by the recruiter to wear a suit and arrive 15 min early. Hah!

Interview Friday. "Permanent" job. Company in a formidable industry I have been in previously. Commute is 60 - 90 minutes. Will speak with 4 senior vice presidents.

Which is the more prepared of the three? Interested in the candidate?  Professional? Serious about the business?

Just thinking on things.

P.S. After a couple days....and another phone interview....looks like the contract job is the only one that might come through. Doesn't seem like there are any real jobs out there. Sad.

Reminiscing: Back to Basics is Required...Again

I frequently think about Scott Lightfoot and his struggles with unemployment, duty, motivation, inspiration, responsibility as a family man, and with his Artistic Endeavor. He is the reason I started my art blogs. He is gone now after a courageous bout with cancer. I revisited my first blog Impressionism From Idle Acres and many of my entries were a response of my online reviews of his blog entries.

This is my second round of unemployment in the last five years. Work life is changing in America. It may be a truism that as we get older, there is a bias against older employees. Or it may be a bias against higher salaries. A capability of companies with mature processes and procedures to get by with younger, less expensive, and lesser experienced employees. An economy that is the employer-market with lots of candidates available to choose from.

After the year end holidays, and the New England record-setting snowstorms, it appears that the employment market may be picking up again based on my personal activity results. Spring is coming and perhaps the work forces are getting back to the near term needs again after the wintery distractions.  I have a few job interviews lined up with some substance to them. Finally. This week is busy in any case with on-site interviews.

But all along this unemployment path, I have continued my Journey of a Daily Walk, of the Struggle, the Artistic Endeavor, and the Creative Pursuit.

But, thinking of Scott's commentaries, getting back to basics also means discipline. Routine. Having the studio and working the Works.  I have some spring cleaning to do. A lot really. I have my health regained so doing these projects is more feasible now then it has been in the last seven years. I am looking forward to it.

But I remember Scott's dilemma. We only have a limited time remaining. Take each day and make the most of it. Try to focus our Life's Energy to the Creative Pursuit and the Artistic Endeavor. Work mentally and physically through the limitations that impose upon each of us. The Battle. The Struggle. The Journey. The Daily Walk.  I haven't forgotten.

Just do it.

Anticipating the Next Leg of the Trip: A Devoted Companion to it's Master

My devoted two-year-old puppy dog, Grace, gets so excited when I put on my jacket to go out on local errands and anxiously anticipates her inclusion in the agenda to ride along in the car with me. If I grab her personal kennel carrier, she excitedly noses the screen door and can't wait to get in and settle down on her soft pad within,thereby assertively suggesting that she is ready to assist in the trip by accompanying me to wherever the day may lead.

I get incredible eye contact and tail-wagging to display her devotion to the task and her desire to be with me. It is quite adorable.

Copyright James E. Martin 2015 Grace Accompanies Me

She reflects my feelings this week with her behavior in that I am anxiously awaiting my next employment assignment. I am nosing the door and can't wait to settle in. The search can be fun but there is an element of drudgery and routine to the search as well. I have a hint of what I would really like to do next. Last week I was approached with a lead online through an electronic job matching system. I really liked the job description and role-responsibility. I followed up. It appeared to stall and nothing appeared to happen. I was not convinced that the job match tool being used was reliable or robust enough to enter me as a candidate into the hiring company's visual field or capture net. 

I chased the lead more directly through a different venue. And was contacted by the company the next day by email and invited to an open house next week to discuss the desired position. Can't wait! Tail wagging! A chance for more direct eye contact. I am nosing into the carrier to see where the next leg of the Journey may take me.  On for the ride. Following the Master. Just doing what I am supposed to do. It's a dog's life. Ruff.