Aunt Firma a Sculptor too?

Wow, another year has passed since I've posted to this blog. And once again, it's my Aunt Firma Phillips who brings me back. This time an artist from Lexington, Kentucky contacted me about a piece she had recently purchased. She writes:

"Hi! I found a piece of art by Firma Phillips today and found your email on your blog. The piece is actually a sculpture and differs from her landscape paintings. I have attached a picture of it. The signature on it matches the ones on the paintings I've seen online. Can you give me any further information about her? I live in Lexington KY and was curious about where she was located as well. Thanks in advance!"

Here are the pictures Jennifer has provided (click on the thumbnails to see a larger version):
Wow, that's a new one, Jennifer! Thanks for sharing it! Aunt Firma painted on many different surfaces - iron skillets, saws, jugs, her kitchen counter, her chairs ... but I never saw a sculpture before (thanks for giving me permission to share it on the blog!) There is quite a bit of history about Aunt Firma at this blog if you're able to find it. You can search by her name or the term "Artist" or "Painter." Here's an account from my cousin-by-marriage (once removed) Richard Nichol: More History on Firma. And here's a link to a story I wrote about her a long time ago, called Her Last Picture. I hope that helps if you haven't already seen them. Once in a while her paintings are sold on eBAY.

Thomas Durant

I promised more to come in the way of my eulogy, when I wrote of my Uncle Tom's passing a few months ago. Uncle Tom was one of the co-founders of the Cafe Rienzi, and an artist in his own right - only one of his many accomplishments. He originally hailed from the suburbs of Chicago, and as a young man, roamed a sales territory in Indiana for his father's business. Uncle Tom knew just about everything and could do just about anything. He and my Aunt met in the labor movement in Detroit after he served in World War II. He followed Aunt Joan back to New York, her roots, and they lived on the outskirts of Greenwich Village for over 60 years until he died. I remember him taking me to his studio in the fifties and teaching me about abstract art. I was maybe eight or ten years old. He let me paint a picture. It remained with me for a while, I even took it to classroom show and tell as my parents moved around the hemispheres in pursuit of my Dad's geology career. It eventually disappeared into my distant childhood.

Uncle Tom and Aunt Joan were fabulous cooks. They tended to fight for control of the kitchen. Uncle Tom cooked me many a wonderful meal ... I still remember steamed mussels, seasoned with a sauce, probably consisting of garlic, olive oil, fresh parmesan cheese, and I don't know what all else, when I brought my girlfriend to New York back in the early 70's.

Yesterday I was visiting with my Aunt Joan on the phone to find out her and my cousin Anna's Christmas plans this year - their first Christmas without him. Aunt Joan gave me quite a few tidbits about Uncle Tom (and the Cafe Rienzi) that were new to me. So here they are:

The Cafe Rienzi was located in what was an old macaroni factory, with a grocery store in front. Uncle Tom, with his architectural affinities, designed the Cafe out of the existing facility - and all the founders worked to turn it into a reality. Aunt Joan has been a prolific writer in her life (not just poetry). I look forward to the day when more of her work is published, because I believe it is a great gift to future generations. Anyway, for a period she wrote plays for Off-Off Broadway, and Uncle Tom built all her sets. Many of Aunt Joan's plays were performed in Theater for the New City currently located at 155 First Avenue, New York 10003-2906.

image courtesy of bike snob nyc blog

This current location was originally an indoor market with vegetable stands and such. Again Uncle Tom provided the architectural drawings and plans to convert this area into a theater. Aunt Joan says the artistic director Crystal Field still provides her with complimentary theater tickets as a thank you.

Uncle Tom also played a key role in assisting a long time (albeit younger) friend of the family artist David Maurice of Star Metal in setting up his metal works business. Star Metal does decorative and architectural metal work for downtown New York buildings among others. 

Well, I will close for now, but I am pleased to add these new details to the online record. One of the fond images I have of Uncle Tom - in addition to all the wonderful family discussions over the dinner table, and growing up with his inspirational paintings decorating my Aunt and Uncle's New York apartment is as master gardener. Uncle Tom brought his midwestern roots to New York. He put out garden every spring. For years he had a wonderful roof garden in Manhattan, complete with a fig tree, which we all enjoyed. He even grew sweet corn up there. And wonderful little strawberries and all kinds of vegetables. Even after the roof became unavailable for gardening, he continued to grow tomato plants on their tiny metal window seat balcony off the back bedroom.

I hope some of the folks who have purchased Uncle Tom's paintings will eventually find these writings and perhaps provide photos of his work. 

JuneBug

Charter Founder of Cafe Rienzi Passes

Saturday, July 17th, 2010, Uncle Tom Durant, one of the charter founders of the Cafe Rienzi passed away, just short of his 90th birthday. We love you, Uncle Tom, and we miss you.

More information to follow.

JuneBug

As promised, a posting about my Uncle Tom Durant's paintings

My cousin Anna and I grew up with Uncle Tom's paintings adorning the walls of their Greenwich Village apartment. Anna of course lived there, and I visited there often.

Uncle Tom grew up on a farm or property on the outskirts of Chicago during the depression. His father's lineage was French. I believe his father was blind in his old age. Uncle Tom met my Aunt Joan in Detroit where they were both active in helping auto plants to unionize. After the war, they found an apartment on the top floor of an old brownstone in Greenwich Village (my aunt was from New York City, the Bronx) - and they have lived there ever since. Uncle Tom has a passion for gardening from his midwestern roots and I've enjoyed many a lunch on my aunt and uncle's roof garden with the sky scrapers towering all around us. One of us would carry the water, the wine, the cheese, the bread, and the condiments up the little ladder and hand it to the person already on the roof. My aunt and uncle's brownstone also featured a charming little exterior iron grill window seat, accessible from their bedroom window where one could enjoy a quiet cup of coffee or read. The noise of 14th street greatly diminished toward the back of the apartment. Sadly the roof garden is no more, because my uncle also has failing vision.

I believe I'm correct in saying that Uncle Tom's paintings were part of the Abstract Expressionist movement. I remember he introduced me to abstract painting when I was a child. His paintings have been described as dreamlike, often of trees, and fields, and woods, and rivers - and people frolicking in the water. The colors were greens and blues, sunlight and shadow. He once told me Illinois was so flat and dry, that trees and shade were valued and considered an oasis.

Here are a couple of pictures from his Gallery Exhibit in 1965.










I will also post a few pictures I have taken in more recent years. I don't remember this one as a child - Uncle Tom told me it was a shotgun wedding. Hee.



And this one hanging above my grandmother's clock ...

Heads Up for All You Firma Duchene Watchers!

Just thought I'd let you know that one of Aunt Firma's paintings sold on ebay for $350.00. Here's the link (for as long as ebay keeps it, anyway). And here's what the seller wrote about it:

• 
  
  Beautiful Southern Indiana Landscape by Indiana Artist "Aunt" Firma Duchane Phillips.


• 
  
  Oil on Canvas measures 36 x 24 inches - 42 x 30 overall in very good frame.


• 
  
  Painting is in excellent condition, very bright and vivid with excellent detail. No chipping or tears.
  
  

Those Brown County Artists on eBAY

For those of you interested in Firma Phillips and other Indiana Artists of the 40's and 50's, I saw an auction a while back on ebay for a book entitled Those Brown County Artists - the ones who came, the ones who stayed, the ones who moved on, 1900-1950.

The ebay description reads:

Those Brown County Artists

Compiled by Barbara Judd

Edited by M. Joanne Nesbit

Copyright 1993

Published by Nana's Books

234 Pages

Soft Cover

BRAND NEW CONDITION

Just some of the artists written about in Those Brown County Artists:

Adam Emory Albright, Gustave Baumann, Dale Bessire, Curry Bohm, Karl Brandner, Sybil Connell, Anthony Buchta, John Bundy, Ruthven Byrum, Charles Dahlgreen, Homer Davisson, W.A. Eyden, Marie Goth, Alexis Fournier, Robert Root, Ethel Lomasney, Leota Loop, John Hafen, Glen Cooper Henshaw, Karl Martz, Paul Randall, Frederick Polley, William McKendree Snyder, Roy Trobaugh, Gaar Williams, Arnold Turtle, George Jo Mess, Frank Hohenberger, Lucie Hartrath, Carl Krafft, Kenneth Reeve, Doel Reed, Clifton Wheeler, Oscar Erickson, L.O. Griffith, Carl Graf, Georges LaChance, Paul Turner Sargent, Ada Shulz, Derk Smit, T.C. Steele, Will Vawter, E.K. Williams and many others.

The url is listed below:

Ebay Auction - Those Brown County Artists

While Aunt Firma is not mentioned in here (Technically, She's a Fountain County or Parke County Artist), she often traveled to Brown County to paint.

STOP THE PRESSES!

REPOST from 2006:

Wow! Stop the Presses, all you inquirers who want to know the worth of your painting by Firma Phillips! Wait'll You Read This!

At our first formal barn / garage / antique sale at our new location, lots of friends and neighbors stopped by. One friend from church Cathy Franz has been a patron of Aunt Firma's paintings for many years. She went to an estate sale recently where one of Aunt Firma's paintings sold for $1200!!!!!!

She was also telling me that there was a gentleman in ... Kokomo or was it Frankfurt ... who collects Aunt Firma's paintings. She is going to call to give me the contact information.

Sorry the information is so sketchy, the barn sale was hugely busy, and I didn't have time to write down all the details, but will fill them in as I get a chance.

JuneBug

From another of Aunt Firma's Patrons

Thanks to Robert Shaw for this photo of a 36 x 24 inch painting of a
short covered bridge that he and his family purchased at a church garage
sale several years ago. He says that it hangs in their family room and
that they enjoy it very much.
Thanks, Robert, for this lovely sample of Aunt Firma's work!
Sincerely,
JuneBug

How much is your painting worth?

A few years ago I received an email from Morris Robinson with an oft asked question:


Hello Jeanne:

I would like to have an idea of the value of a fall scene that I purchased from Firma in the summer of 1973. The oil painting is about 30 inches wide and 24 inches high. I don't intend to sell it. Rather, I intend to contribute it to my law firm.

Allow me to share an anecdote. When I purchased the painting, I gave Ms. Phillips a check drawn on a Boston bank. She accepted it. I couldn't help asking her, "How do you know that I am who I say I am and that my check is good?" I never forgot her response. "You didn't come all the way to Turkey Run, Indiana to pass off a bad check. Anyway, I can always paint another painting!" I have told the story many times. The check, incidentally, was good.

Best wishes.

Morris Robinson

I asked the family and got the following answer from cousin Dorinda that many might find helpful:

There are several questions that I need to ask ...

1. I would imagine that is in excellent condition, if not, then that would devalue the painting.
2. What type of frame is it in?? If the painting is in an ornate frame then the package is worth more than if it is in a plainer frame.
3. I have found that some subjects she painted are worth more than other subjects ( less known subjects i.e. a painting of Turkey Run Bridge is more memorable to collectors than an obscure barn).
4. Just going by size and subject matter, One sold last year on Ebay for $175.00 and another was over $200.00 approximately the same size.

Hopefully, this information helps you.

Dorinda

Also thanks to Dorinda for the following suggestion:

If you set up an automatic search on ebay for Indiana Artists, pay particular attention to paintings that may show up from Brown County artists from the 1940's, 50's, 60's, and 70's, to see what they look like and how they are priced. Aunt Firma used to go to Brown County to paint, and she may well have painted with, or at least met some of these people. The styles seem very similar.

Other relevant localities include Parke County and Fountain County - I believe Aunt Firma helped influence many of those artists. For instance the two Parke County artists listed below mention on the Parke County Covered Bridge Art Association web site that they studied under Aunt Firma - and I'm sure many others have also studied with her through the years.

Mary Harrison
Louise Michael

From one of Aunt Firma's Patrons

I'm taking the liberty to share this email and lovely photograph of Aunt Firma's work from Bill Morgan received some time back - thanks so for sharing this, Bill, the pic is gorgeous!

Jeanne:

I found you through a search for Firma Phillips on the web. Love your website, as I come from a family of maniacal amateur photographers, and, alas, have the bug myself.

Our mother passed away last Wednesday at age 88. We are sad, but she was ready to go, and said so outloud to several of us in the last few months. While her health was not the best, she was reasonably O.K. and active to the end. She took a fall on Wednesday morning, the first sign of anything wrong, and was gone by 2 the same afternoon. This was how she wanted to go.

We're now in the throes of deciding what to do with her things. Amongst the treasures are 2 works by your aunt that my brother bought for our parents. We will probably keep them in the family, but want to establish value for insurance purposes. We wonder if you might know who to contact who might know the value of her work these days. One work is painted on an old cast-iron flat iron, a winter scene of a covered bridge. It is signed, but not dated. The second is a large crockery butter churn, with winter scenes of houses and barns painted over the entire surface. The pottery lid is also fully painted. It is signed and dated 1972. My father drilled a small hole in the bottom and converted it to a table lamp, but we have the original wooden churn plunger if someone preferred to have it look like a churn again.

I do not have digital photos at the moment, but will send some if it would help evaluate the works, or if you would just like to see them. Thank you in advance for any information you can provide.
I'll be sending a link to your "Weddings and Funerals" story to my sibs - I think it would be a good read for them right now. It was for me.

-- Bill Morgan
Morgan Roemmel Design, LLC
Muncie, Indiana

Cousin Lowell on the topic of Firma

Firma did graduate from Kingman. I think she always had the talent to draw and paint but utilized it after Glen passed away(1962). Probably a financial necessity. I know that she was in the group of artist that started the Rockville Bridge Festival.

She studied painting at Wabash College after she had been painting for a while. She had a studio at Sugar Creek village by Turkey Run and previous to that one at Grange Corner just south of the old Grange Corner store and of course in both of her residences.

My sister Marie stayed with Glen and Firma while she studied nursing during much of World War 2. That was in Paris,Illinois. Marie would have not been able to afford nursing training without the generosity of Firma and was always grateful to Firma.

I would imagine that most of the artist that were of her era have passed on now ... contact the Covered Bridge Association for more information.

Sad that I know so little about a person I liked and admired.

Lowell

Addendum: When I said that Firma studied Painting at Wabash College ,I should have said she was tutored by an art professor from Wabash College. I think this was when she learned to paint with a knife. Barbara said that Firma had painted a picture of the instructor.

More History on Firma

This information about Firma came from my cousin Richard a few years ago ...

My wife, Marie L. Alward, her niece, was the sole heir to her estate when she died. Marie lived with "Aunt Firma" in Paris, Ill for a year before going to nursing school there and saw her frequently during that 3 year period.

Firma was the first in her family to graduate from high school which was in Kingman. Indiana. She was one of five girls and three boys. Her father was born in France and came to the US when he was ten. As an adult he was a coal miner and moved about Indiana where there were mines. Most of Firma's growing up years were in Fountain and Parke County. Living in small rural areas they experienced a great deal of prejudice, even to having a cross burned in their yard (KKK) because the community considered them foreigners and catholic . It was necessary for Firma to work to earn money to go to HS.

Artist Firma Duchene Phillips

Hi, everyone, I and my family would like to thank all of you who have
come across my story about my Great Aunt Firma Duchene Phillips
and have contacted us to let us know you have one of her paintings or to
share a memory of her or were just wondering about the current value of
some of her works. We have really enjoyed hearing from all of you and
seeing all the lovely pictures you have sent.

I am posting on this topic on my blog site for those who are
interested in Aunt Firma and her art work so that people can not only
share with us but with one another. I'll be happy to put any pictures
that you want to share of her works on the web so that you can link to
them - just email me.

I do watch for her paintings on ebay and will try to post a notice
here when someone puts up one of her paintings for auction. It has
happened a few times. It's funny - even though Benny and I have dabbled
in the antique and refinishing business for several years, I haven't
come across any of her paintings myself in antique stores or malls or
flea markets - hopefully that means people must be hanging on to them.

Thanks again and hope to hear from you!

JuneBug, Co-Proprietor of Second Looks Antiques and Refinishing

Her Last Picture