EARLY DRAWINGS Valda drawing in the 1930s.
A small portfolio of Valda's early drawings was recently discovered among her papers. Based upon the style and the subjects, these drawings appear to date from the 1930s. Thus, they would have been drawn while Valda was in her teens or early 20s. Inasmuch as Valda had received little or no formal art training at that point, they reflect her natural talent.
Most of the drawings are portraits although there are a few architectural drawings. Although her style would evolve over the years, Valda remained interested in exploring the human character through portraiture throughout her life. All of the people in these drawings were notable people in the 1930s. Valda met at least one of them. In addition, her mother Florence Hancock carried on correspondence with a number of famous people during this period including Albert Einstein. If someone said or did something that interested her, she would write to them and often they wrote back. Thus, Valda grew up in an atmosphere where inspiration and contact with famous people was the norm. The drawings are graphite on 8.5 x 11 inch light weight paper. |
VALDA COLLECTIONS
Early Drawings MFA Project Faces (1940s-50s) Faces (1960s-90s) Faces (Matisse-inspired) Figures Sports Art Landscapes Abstract Art Other subjects |
The first drawing is of George Gershwin, the American composer. Born in New York City in 1898, Gershwin's music spanned popular music, jazz and classical music. Among his best known compositions are Rhapsody in Blue, Concerto in F., Porgy and Bess, and the popular standards I've Got Rythym, Embraceable You, Someone to Watch Over Me, and Swanee. Gershwin lived most of his life in New York, writing for the Broadway stage, but he died in 1937 in Hollywood where he was working on music for the movies.
Valda said that she met Gershwin once while standing in the back of Radio City Music Hall. Inasmuch as Radio City openned in late 1932 and Gershwin moved to Hollywood in 1935, this encounter must have occurred in that period. Valda would have been between 16 and 18 years old at that time.
The drawing of Gershwin was done in graphite on a light weight paper. It was probably not done live but rather, consistent with her later practice, is an interpretation of memory aided by several photographic images.
Valda said that she met Gershwin once while standing in the back of Radio City Music Hall. Inasmuch as Radio City openned in late 1932 and Gershwin moved to Hollywood in 1935, this encounter must have occurred in that period. Valda would have been between 16 and 18 years old at that time.
The drawing of Gershwin was done in graphite on a light weight paper. It was probably not done live but rather, consistent with her later practice, is an interpretation of memory aided by several photographic images.
THE SERIES
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1. George Gershwin
2. Langston Hughes 3. Eugene O'Neill 4. Graham Greene 5. Roland Young 6. Lionel Barrymore 7. Native American Man 8. Pearl Buck 9. John Dillinger 10. Unidentified Man (perhaps Noel Coward) |
11. Ernst Toller
12. Young Woman 13. Charles Bickford 14. Sir Phillip Gibbs 15. Sophisticated Woman 16. Ivor Navelle 17. Andre Maurois 18. Katherine Hepburn 19. Emil Ludwig 20. Noel Coward |
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Art of Valda - Early drawings - page one
