HisTOURy Tours visits Mark Twain's "The Lobster Pot"

 

HisTOURy Tours visits Mark Twain’s “The Lobster Pot”

On Sunday May 5^th HisTOURy Tours, a 501©3 nonprofit  which promotes the appreciation and preservation of historic buildings throughout the New England and New York, visited Mark Twain’s  “The Lobster Pot”, in Redding, Connecticut.

 

                                               Mark Twain's “The Lobster Pot”

 

 

It was a cloudy drizzly day but that did not dampen the enthusiasm of over 30 history buffs who arrived by bus in front of The Lobster Pot Home and Studio/Gallery Barn.

 

 

 

 

The group first visited “The Lobster Pot” Studio Barn, where I gave them a brief history how Mark Twain purchased the original 1720 antique Saltbox on 248 acres in 1906, sight unseen, and built his last home, Stormfield on the Acreage. He loved his new home so very much that he decided to move out of his New York apartment and make Stormfield his permanent home.  Mark Twain died at Stormfield on April 21, 1910. 

 

 

                                                The Lobster Pot Studio Barn

 

I informed the group that for 39 years this magical enchanting property has been home to my husband and I along with many much loved cats and dogs.

 We took a tour of my Studio and I talked about what it was like to be a professional artist and portraitist.  The views from the Studio balcony of the topiary garden and flowering lilacs and azaleas added to the visual richness.

Next, we ambled along the garden path to the house, stopping to view the 80 foot sunken garden from Mark Twain’s original stone patio.

                   The Mark Twain Dining Room showing portraits of Isabel Lyon and Mark Twain

 

Gathered in the Mark Twain dining room I explained to the visitors that Mark Twain gave “The Lobster Pot” to Isabel Lyon, his secretary, social companion, household manager and at one time, Power of Attorney, as a gift for her dedication and hard work. He also gave her money to fix up the antique saltbox, which included creating the large stone patio and huge stone well which we call “Twain’s Folly”.

Everyone wanted to know why the property was called “The Lobster Pot”.

Mark Twain named the property “The Lobster Pot” because it was a destination for his Angelfish Club.  At “Stormfield” Twain gave fish names to the rooms: the kitchen was the Fish Market, the loggia was the Aquarium and his red billiard room was the Headquarters of the Angelfish Club. 

“The Lobster Pot” was a continuation of the aquatic theme and when visiting “Stormfield”, the Angelfish would walk across the open fields to “The Lobster Pot”.

The Angel Fish Club were mostly daughters of his high society friends and each one was given a small enamel angel fish pin from Bermuda.

The original “Lobster Pot” burned in 1953 and was rebuilt on the same foundation.

There was so much interest and so such much to talk about, I believe the HisTOURy tour was a great success and maybe even some budding “Twainiacs” where created.

 Please visit some of my other Posts to learn more about Mark Twain, Isabel Lyon, The Lobster Pot and my portraiture and painting.

 

Eleanor Roosevelt, the most beloved woman of the 20th century

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Eleanor Roosevelt     oil on linen, 20 x 16,   Collection of the artist*

 

  "In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility."    Eleanor Roosevelt 

 

Eleanor Roosevelt was a trial blazer!

 She was an unstoppable force, not only aiding and campaigning for her husband, President FDR, when he lost the use of his legs, but tirelessly working for the betterment of humanity, woman rights, racial justice and more, making her the most politically active and influential First Lady in American history.

 After FDR's death in 1945, President Truman named her U.S. Delegate to the United Nations. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, was primarily her work, and the delegates gave her a standing ovation for her contribution.

  At Eleanor's memorial service, diplomat Adlai Stevenson said: "She would rather light candles than curse the darkness, and her glow warmed the world"

 

I chose to portray Eleanor Roosevelt, viewed from the side looking upward as I felt that she was such a visionary that this pose conveys her inner vision and strength.

As usual, I begin my portraits with a oil paint block in, just to get a base of color down on the canvas, upon which I will build up layers of paint. At this point, I am not concerned with the likeness during these early stages, as with the building up of layers of paint the facial structure will begin to form and the features will fall into place.  

First day's block in for Eleanor's portrait.

 

 

 

Building up the paint layers and likeness.

 Finished  portrait

 Eleanor Roosevelt was inducted to the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1973.

 

To learn more about my  "For the Common Good: The Changemakers" Honoring  American Women Leaders through Portraiture project, please visit this post on my blog:

https://susandurkee.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-tribute-to-american-women-leaders.html

 

 For more information, to contact me or to see more of my portraiture, please visit my website:   www.susandurkee.com 

 Thank you for taking the time to read this honorary blog celebrating such an important American woman leader.

 

 
* Portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt based on a reference photograph by Lotte Johanna Alexandra Jacobi circa 1944

Harriet Tubman the "Moses of her People."

  

 

 "Every Great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." Harriet Tubman

 

Harriet Tubman: abolitionist, activist, Union spy and scout, nurse, writer, humanitarian and early supporter of woman's suffrage movement.

 Called the  “The Moses of her People” she was a courageous and committed “conductor” of the Underground Railroad. Tubman was never caught and never lost a "passenger" of the nearly 300 slaves  she lead to freedom. Only 5 feet tall, she was strong and fearless, she carried a pistol and dressed in disguises!

Harriet raised funds to help freedmen, and in later years was an activist, joining Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton on the movement for women's suffrage.

She is considered the first African American woman to serve in the military and died  in 1913, about 93 years old, with full military honors at Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn New York.

 As part of this project, "For the Common Good: The Changemakers" Honoring American Women Leaders through portraiture,  I have recorded the development of some of the oil on linen portraits. I thought this would add more viewer engagement with the subject, the portrait and the portrait progress. 

I chose to portray Harriet Tubman as a younger woman, when she was still so strong and vibrant, also, because the public usually sees her photo image as an older woman.

As usual, I begin my portraits with a oil paint block in, just to get a base of color down on the canvas, upon which I will build up layers of paint. At this point, I am not concerned with the likeness during these early stages, as with the building up of layers of paint the facial structure will begin to form and the features will fall into place.  

Early block in and reference photo for portrait ( on left)

Portrait progressing

Further blocking in of paint layers

More development of the features

Finished and framed portrait of Harriet Tubman, oil on linen

  Harriet Tubman was elected into the  National Women's Hall of Fame in 1973. 
Tubman, Harriet - National Women’s Hall of Fame (womenofthehall.org)

  This portrait of Harriet Tubman was featured in the Netflix series, "The Diplomat", where an image of the my portrait was hung in the American Embassy in London.                  

To learn more about my "For the Common Good: The Changemakers" Honoring American Women Leader through Portraiture project, please visit this post on my blog:

https://susandurkee.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-tribute-to-american-women-leaders.html

 

 For more information, to contact me or to see more of my portraiture, please visit my website:   www.susandurkee.com 

Thank you for taking the time to read this honorary blog celebrating such an important American woman leader.

*Portrait based on a photograph from the Library of Congress collection.