From the top, first photograph of Rudolf Nureyev and Jamie Wyeth, Seagull painting by Jamie Wyeth, "Trodden Weed" by Andrew Wyeth, "Robin Hood Shooting" illustration by N.C Wyeth, and a photograph of N.C. Wyeth at the easel.
One of the most fascinating art families in American history is the Wyeth family. What child who ever read "Treasure Island" or "Last of the Mohigans" with the works by N.C. Wyeth was not enthralled by the heart-stopping illustrations and deported to another place? His works leap off the page in use of color, dramatic lighting, costume, character, draftsmanship and imagination. Utterly brilliant works. I was thrilled when I freelanced at Silver Burdett and Ginn, designing children's language arts textbook pages and packaging for program materials in the art department, and got to see two of N.C.'s original paintings casually hanging in one of the conference rooms. Later, I would visit the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland, Maine with great interest.
N.C. Wyeth was a truly gifted father who dressed up in Santa outfts and created a magical childhood for his 5 children. They all romped around in the incredible costumes he used for his paintings, in plays etc. He bought elaborate soldier sets for Andrew who was a sickly child and allowed him to stay home and be home-schooled, as he was too sensitive and delicate for regular school. N.C. was extraordinarily perceptive about his children and nurtured their own gifts. He quickly learned that one son who as a baby would move his pram during nap time, was fascinated by the wheels turning and therefore he was more of an engineer intellectually and changed his name.
N.C. Wyeth was disgruntled later in his life as he watched his son Andrew become a famous fine artist. On one hand he could not have been prouder and happier, but it made him question himself and his own path of choosing to become a profitable illustrator. It eroded his centered-self and consequently created some major family issues. What a tragedy that he did not fully appreciate his own powerful gifts and leave it at that, while building up a new body of fine artwork. But he simply couldn't be happy with what he'd done and work positively forward. He experienced deep unrest. He was also extremely envious of the role Andrew's wife Betsy would take in his life, as she would help steer and control Andrew's path, taking this cherished role from N.C. N.C. would later die a seismically tragic death with his grandson in his stalled car at a train track, his arm out of the car in a futile effort motioning to the conductor to please stop.
Andrew Wyeth was of course a fabulous artist too, but with a sharply different viewpoint. His work was not like N.C.'s, but both were fabulous artists.
Jamie Wyeth, son of Andrew, is also a fascinating artist who has manage to carve out his own place in the family (consider how hard that could be) who creates passionate, unusual works/series such as his seagull series which I saw at the Farnsworth Museum, while also being able to paint stunningly sensitive portraits. His works on Rudolf Nureyev are incredibly intriguing and how wonderful is it that he fully captured this exquisite dancer before his death.
Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.
