Art collectors who favor the vintage paintings by Fort Worth’s earliest artists are waiting impatiently for the annual sale held each July at Fort Worth Community Arts Center.
This year’s show will feature some new blood among vendors.
One of Fort Worth’s earliest collectors and dealers, Greg Dow, is dusting off some of his early Fort Worth paintings and bringing them to the show.
Houston-based art collector and dealer Bill Reaves is returning after a couple years absence.
The Cynthia Brants Trust is returning, so count on seeing excellent examples of Brants’ Fort Worth Circle-era works. (The painting shown above, “Camillia,” was done by Brants in 1984).
Her work has gotten pricey in recent years, but deals can usually be found at this show, which isn’t the least bit stuffy or provincial.
And this is interesting: Fort Worth artist Hal Normand is getting a booth and will sell some of his works from the 1950s and 1960s.
“Farmers Market” (1958) by Hal Normand was painted near the Santa Fe Railroad depot in downtown Fort Worth
Many of his early paintings won regional Scholastic Art Awards, including two national gold medals in his senior year at Paschal High School in 1959. He also participated in Fort Worth art contests sponsored by well-known art instructor Beatrice Dunning — exhibition labels remain on some of those paintings. Normand attended Ted Weiner scholarship classes at Fort Worth Art Center School where he studied painting and drawing under Bror Utter, McKie Trotter, David Brownlow, and John Chumley.
“Pickle Factory” (1958) by Hal Normand depicts the Best Maid pickle factory on South Riverside Drive
Oh, and for the sake of full disclosure, I must acknowledge that I already own a Normand painting. I met him last year at the Adobe Western Art Gallery and Frame Shop in the Stockyards, and I loved his work so much I bought one and had it framed. It hangs in a prominent location in my house. (The painting depicts a water tower near Weatherford, but I don’t have a picture of it to show you).
“Odessa Refinery” (1958) by Hal Normand
The art show and sale is 5 to 9 pm on July 2, and 10 am to 4 pm on July 3.
Here’s an another example of Cynthia Brants’ work (“The Cocktail Party,” 1947):
Don’t forget that Normand also has a Fine Arts degree from University of Texas Austin where he studied under William Lester, Everett Spruce, and Charles Umlauf. And he is included in the McLean Junior High Collection of fine art. If you want one of his paintings this is the chance as he doesn’t paint anymore.
always a well planned and exciting event!