Artists In The North Central Susquehanna Valley

 
An Index Of Some of the Artists In Our Areas History

(Find a Facebook Album full of Art & Artists Posts Here)

Bassler, Emily S.  Sketched 4 drawings of the early Hughesville fairgrounds buildings for the fairs 100th anniversary. 

Davis, Hubert 1902-1981, Milton PA. Hubert Gray Davis was born March 15th 1902, the son of Edmund & Susan [Barnitz] Davis of Milton, Pennsylvania. Hubert studied at the Art Students League of New York in the 1920s. Davis went on to produce work for the WPA, illustrate at least one book, produce numerous illustrations for magazines and newspapers; and write original plays, for which he also designed the costumes. He wrote a play, and exhibited artwork, at the 1956 Bicentennial of Fort Augusta in Sunbury PA. Davis and his wife moved to New York, but spent much time at the Davis Family Homestead, a stone home built by Huberts great great grandfather Philip Davis, in Washingtonville Pa. Huberts work is in several museums, including the MET & Smithsonian, and after his death, hundreds more of his works were found in a one room school house in New Tripoli that he had used as a studio.

 Dehn, Adolph.  painted and sketched farms in Lewisburg.

Dehn did not live here, but his sister Olivia married Bruce Mitchell.  The Mitchell's lived in the Octagon House in East Lewisburg, Bruce was artist in residence at Bucknell.  Olivia had been an artist as well. 

Dewing, Woodward [1856-1950], Williamsport Native. “one of the nation’s leading painters.” Studies at  Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art in Philadelphia and the Academie Julian in Paris. Exhibited at Paris Salon.  taught art at the Female Institute in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania (which later became a part of Bucknell University), the Women's College of Baltimore (later Goucher College in Towson, Maryland), the Ethical Culture School in New York City, and the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.  Child of John Vanderbilt Woodward and Wealthy Ann York Woodward, her grandfather, Apollos Woodward, served as an aide to George Washington during the Whiskey Rebellion.  Their home in Williamsport, called Springside &  located at 721 Fifth Avenue, was originally a log house before being enlarged in 1845. The Woodwards added a studio above the kitchen of the Southern style home for Woodward to use as a studio.

 Dippery, James. In 1971, The Tri-National Bank commissioned James Dippery of Middleburg to paint a collection of paintings depicting scenes of historical interest.  

Frankeberger, Rena [1872-1946]  Supervisor of Art at Williamsport Schools.  Painted Murals depistcing The Song Of The Hiawatha, which hang at the Curtain School. (Also painted a Chaucer series - anyone know what happened to those?)

Fuge, Walter. Northumberland Pa Artist For the Strand Theater

Gaetano, Robert John

Gstalder, Pete Jr was a 1943 graduate of Lycoming College with a major in art and social studies. For a period of two years he studied with four nationally-known artists in Gloucester, Massachusetts. He taught art for 25 years and during the 1960’s and the 1970’s he was the owner and operator of 2 art studios and galleries. One was on Park Avenue and the other was located downtown on Pine Street in Williamsport. Active in art circles, he co-founded the Bald Eagle Art league in 1972. He was also the winner of many area and regional artwork awards. His paintings are displayed and exhibited in several local, permanent collections including Penn College and Lycoming College as well as other private collections in the area.

Hoffecker, Robert. Watercolors of Danville landmarks.

Hunter, Frances Tipton  [1896-1957] Born in Howard Pa, moved to Williamsport after her mothers death to live with her Aunt nad Uncle.  While studying in Philadelphia, Hunter was hired by John Wanamaker to illustrate a line of children’s fashion for catalogs and advertisements. While in Williamsport for the 1956 Sesquicentennial, Hunter was named one of the first Pennsylvania ambassadors by the state Chamber of Commerce, and was named “A Distinguished Daughter of Williamsport."  Hunter became the “most popular and best-selling calendar artist” of the 1940-50s.  n the early 1920s, Hunter created a series of paper dolls that first appeared in Ladies’ Home Journal. After rave reviews and requests, she illustrated six dolls to appear in the regular publications. From the 1930s to the 1940s, Hunter contributed 18 covers to the Saturday Evening Post.  During her lifetime, she illustrated and published two books, Random House’s Boo, Who Used to Be Scared of the Dark, and The Frances Tipton Hunter Picture Book

Landon, Eugene - Montoursville.  Woodcarver, Liberty Tree Carvings.

  Little, John Wesley 1867-1933.  From Picture Rocks in Lycoming County,  paid his children's college tuition to Lewisburg University [today Bucknell] partially in paintings.  Bucknell still owns some of his work. 

Lowenstein, Maria Lili Margarete [Baetge] 1914-  Born in Estonia, married Erich Steinberg.  Fled the Russian Revolution, move to Berlin.  Second Husband, Max Loewenstein.  Studies at  Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg and Institute of Fine Arts in Berlin.  Emigrated to the US in 1946, settling first in Williamsport Pa, later in Denver Co. 

Luks, George  1867-1933.  Born in Williamsport Pa.  His family moved to Cambria County before his 4th birthday, and to Schuylkill County by 1880.  Luks was one of "The Eight", a revolutionary group of painters who, after being slighted by the National Academy of Design, staged their own show at the Macbeth Gallery in 1908.  A few years after their only joint exhibition, the eight painters were absorbed into a larger group called the Ashcan school.

Koch, Peter  - Stained Glass.  

Malick, George Charles Allen 1924-1993. Born in Hegins Pa on January 24th 1924, the son of George & Blanche [Ressler] Malick. When in his teens, his family moved to Philadelphia, where George attended art schools.  He returned to Hegins in the late 1970s.  His personal residence was located at 429 East Main Street, Hegins. A nationally known artist, he was heavily influenced by the works of Normal Rockwell.  In 1975 he was commissioned by Sate Officials to paint Pennsylvania's Commemorative Plate, showing a grandfather reading to his grandson, with Washington's Crossing in the background. Malick colored several black and white sketches made by Rockwell, after Rockwell's death in 1978.  He also painted portraits of Supreme Court Justices, President Dwight Eisenhower, and Albert Einstein. His studio, on a mountainside north of Hegins, was a replica of Rockwell's Studio in Arlington Vt. George died August 1993.  He is buried in Friedens Union Cemetery, in Hegins Pa.

Miller - Northumberland Covered Bridge

Mohr, Eugene "Jean"  1877-1962 Cartoonist, Illustrator, & Artist, from Muncy PA.  After working on publications in Philadelphia and New York, Mohr returned to Muncy where he painted murals in  a variety of local buildings, frequently  in exchange for food and drinks.

Mordan, Larry 1952-2019.  Lifelong resident of the Danville area, graduating from Danville high school in 1970.  He was a well known local historian, especially regarding the Iron Heritage of the area, conducting tours of the nearby Harding Slope on the former Bogart farm. Mordan also conducted cemetery tours for the Iron Heritage festival, telling attendees of the lives of Welsh miners buried there. Mordan was well known for his pencil sketches and drawings.   

 Mussina, Dr. Henry Benjamin.   1902-1969.  Williamsport, Lycoming County.  

Mussina, Martha Levan [1910-] Lycoming County

 Rhodes, William Benneville.  born in Danville in 1860, went to Europe to study art.  There he exhibited in the 1886 Paris Salon.  Upon returning to Danville later in life, he painted portraits of the Geisingers, as well as of Thomas Beaver.  

Rosato, Nick. Williamsport Pa got his start in drawing in the CCC camps in the 1930s.  In the 1950s he began illustrating for Game News Magazine, completing more than 3,500 illustrations for them. His other work includes a beautiful series featuring the history of Williamsport. 

 Roesin, Severin 1814-1872.  Still Life Artist Severin Roesen  spent approximately 10 years living and working in Williamsport Pa.  His years there are thought to be the most productive of his career, although he never achieved fame, nor fortune.  When First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy chose two of his paintings to be displayed in the newly renovated White House in 1962, his work was catapulted into popularity, and prices soared.  Paintings, many of which Roesen had bartered for food and lodging, were pulled to of attics and store rooms and sold - although some still exist, and several are on public display, in Williamsport.  Others can be seen in a list of major museums.

Roush, Michael - Sunbury Pa.    

Rusnak, Matthew.      "Matt Rusnak might be called the Leonardo da Vinci of Knoebels Amusement Resort. While working at the park for more than 20 years, the 78-year-old Mount Carmel resident — who describes himself as an artist, engineer, sculptor and historian — has designed and created signs, characters, logos, historical paintings, murals and even a replica of the clock tower and bell that stood atop the former Eagle Silk Mill in Shamokin"   - The News Item, Sept 2003. 

Smith, Carol Jane [Farra]. In July 2017, The Degenstein Library in Sunbury exhibited Rolling Green Park, an oil painting by Carolyn Jane [Farra] Smith. This collection of art, photos, and her diary are still in the libraries collection - although the painting of Rolling Green is not there. Carolyn Jane Farra was born Decembeer 26th 1920, the daughter of Charles Sheridan & Laura Bright [Culp] Farra. Charles was part owner, and publisher, of the Sunbury Item newspaper, the predecessor to the Daily Item. He died in 1932, at the age of 44, of tuberculosis. Carolyn would have been just 11 years old at the time. Her and her mother remained in their home at 240 Front street, through the 1940 census. Her diary is a fun read. "Went to see Handy Andy at the Strand". "Went to Country Club. Lousy Day. Didn't enjoy it." Jane married Richard Thompson Smith, owner of Smith Motor Company in Sunbury. "Well known Sunbury Basketball Association president, car dealer, and veteran of World War II..." Note that some of the paintings are signed R. Smith. It's my assumption that both Richard and Jane enjoyed painting, and that some of the work is his, some hers.

Snyder, Annie M., Salona (near Mill Hall) Clinton County, struggled to make a living from art all her life and, at one point, was peddling raffle tickets for her paintings door to door. In 2007, her painting, Still Life Of Fruit And Nuts On A Table, sold for $5,850 at auction.

Toth, Peter.  Stayed in Williamsport long enough to create one of his Whispering Giants.

Yocum, J. Ray  J. Ray Yocum was an accomplished artist from Norry who specialized in watercolors and wood carvings. He created Christmas scenes which were displayed around King Street Park.

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LOCAL INTEREST ART

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• Scenes Of Pennsylvania Wood Prints
• Book Of Linoleum Block Prints Created by 9th graders in Williamsport in 1937
• Tangled Tangents, Art & Artists & The Williamsport High School 1919
• A display including incredible paintings by middle schoolers in the 1930s in Williamsport
• Roush painting of the view from North Hill, along with photos of that view through the decades

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WHERE TO SEE LOCAL ART

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• The Frankenburger Murals are in Curtin Middle School
• The Rhonabwy lounge Stained Glass Murals are now in the James V. Brown Library
• At the Degenstein Library in Sunbury
• Mercer Tiles in the Milton Public Library

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READ MORE

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Noted artist Charles Pernigotte in Danville Pa, October 1929

One of the illustrators for JRR Tolkien's books lived in nearby Susquehanna County Pa

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2023/12/barbara-remington-illustrator-for.html