The Artist

My mother never worked outside the home much in her life, but she did have a hobby that developed into a full time job in the later years of her life. Her art work is exceptionally good and I have been proud to have a lot of her work hanging in my house. This brief story describes a small part of her artist work.

The Artist

 

My mother, Malelia, was a fantastic artist. While she was in Belgium with my Dad, who working on instrumentation problems at the Phillips Refinery there, she was able to take lessons from Thomas Kincaid, a rather famous artist. She came away from that experience with a renewed interest in art.

 

When I was single and living at Arroyo Verde in Fritch, Texas, I took three of my favorite Playboy center folds to my Mom and asked her to paint me the three naked women to hang in the Den of my home. They were truly breath taking paintings and just what I wanted. I would feature them here, but we had a tradition which developed after the owner got married. The paintings went to the oldest single male in the family. I believe I gave them to my nephew Doug. The last time I received information, they had been passed down several times. I heard a rumor John Scott might have them now.

 

To illustrate her work, I have included pictures of three generations of my family she prepared.

 

 

An original oil painting my Mom painted of yours truly that hangs in my bedroom at home.

 

A charcoal drawing of my Dad Walter (Bill) drawn by my Mom many moons ago.

 

A charcoal profile drawing of my Granddad Frank which captures him exactly as I remember him.

 

My Mom had an uncanny ability to capture very life like traits in her art work. She was a very talented lady but, she always took care of family matters first.

 

 

In the latter part of her life, she taught art lessons in her home town of Fritch, Texas. Her students loved her and her patient teaching style. Many of her students produced fine art work also.

 

 

Pam’s Mom on the left with my Mom at about the age she was teaching art in Fritch.

 

 

I have four of her paintings in my den, four in the living room, four in the kitchen, three in the bedroom, two in the basement, and six upstairs. My brother and sister’s houses are loaded with her paintings also. Both of my daughters  have some of her paintings hanging in their houses also. She probably gets a warm glow in heaven each time one of us looks a one of her paintings and thinks about her.

Thanks for reading The Artist,
Hawg Jaw Bill