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GENERATIONS:
A FAMILY'S LEGACY THROUGH ART
New Exhibit at Coronado Museum
CORONADO -- She painted portraits of Admirals, Medal of
Honor winners, and other fascinating personalities of her era.
Her paintings received international acclaim. But Mary McCartin
is best known for what she loved most, painting portraits of service
children as gifts for their parents.
The
Coronado Museum of History & Art announces the opening
of it's newest art installation, "Generations: A Family's
Legacy Through Art," January 18, 2006, which is based largely
on the work of Mary McCartin and her father,
William Dana Parish.
"Generations"
is presented in French Salon-style, with portraits, landscape
paintings, and pencil sketches gathered together to illustrate
the profound degree of talent demonstrated by this unusual Coronado
family.
A
graduate of Rhode Island School of Design (class
of 1917), Mary McCartin attributed much of her talent to the teachings
of her father, who became a San Diego resident in his later years.
Parish,
a fine classical painter, studied in New York at the Arts Students
League and at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. He was a
pupil of John Singer Sargent and William Chase, and spent two
years in Paris working under Benjamin Constant.
"This
exhibit is very special in that you can see the world through
their eyes," said Ann Patterson, who still resides in her
mother's house and studio on Coronado. "My mother and grandfather
had a very wonderful relationship, and their love for each other
is evident throughout their paintings."
A
featured painting on view in the exhibit is an early portrait
Mary did of her father, alongside a self-painted portrait of Parish.
Both paintings were entered in the National Museum in Washington,
D.C., where they received special awards and critical acclaim
in 1937.
Mary
spent two years in Annapolis, and during this time painted numerous
personalities which included the Ambassador of Argentina's wife,
a hero of the American Indian wars, and two Congressional Medal
of Honor winners (many of these will be featured in the show).
Her
1935 portrait of Admiral Ernest J. King, then Commanding Officer
of North Island Naval Air Station, launched her career when he
became Chief of Naval Operations during WWII. Once the
Admiral had his painting crated and shipped from Washington D.C.
to Coronado so that Mary could add his new stripes and medals.
At
Christmas time Mary worked night and day to paint portraits of
service children to send to their parents. Her vivacious personality
and youthful charm kept children at ease during the often-long
sittings, and brought out the best of their youthfulness and innocence.
"Generations"
captures a friendlier time, a slower time. The father-daughter
painters created scenes of people and places that stirred their
emotions, and their work will have no less effect on today's audience.
An
exhibit opening for "Generations" will be held Friday,
January 27, 6-8 p.m. Admission is $10, food and drink
will be available, and the public is invited. The McCartin-Patterson
family will be present to meet visitors and talk about the stories
behind the paintings. The exhibit runs through Feb. 23, 2006.
The
Coronado Museum of History & Art and Coronado Historical Association
is open Mon-Fri, 9-5; and Sat-Sun, 10-4. For more information
call 619.435.7242, or visit www.coronadohistory.org.
Admission to the museum is a suggested donation of $4.
Joseph
Ditler
Executive Director
Coronado Historical Association
Museum of History & Art
1100 Orange Avenue, Coronado, CA 92118-USA
Office Phone: (619) 435-7242
E-mail: joe@coronadohistory.org
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