Hammock Ponds by Buell Whitehead

This is a Florida landscape by noted Florida artist Buell Whitehead. It is titled Hammock Ponds (of which there are several in Florida). The image is backlit conveying the darkness of the setting. A bare tree is festooned with large birds suggesting a heron rookery. Spanish Moss is dripping from the trees. A few palm trees emerge from the canopy and the island is full of Saw Palmetto, leaving no doubt that this is a Florida scene. The piece is in very good condition with some mild toning of the paper that has not impacted the image. A couple of small spots of foxing are noted at the very margin of the paper well away from the image. It is pencil signed lower right and titled in pencil lower left. Any iconic image from this artist.
Buell Whitehead (1919-1994) Buell Whitehead was a Florida artist who lived most of his life in the Ft. Myers area. In contrast to many Florida artist who favored painting, Whitehead mastered the art of stone lithography for which he is best known. He studied art at the University of Florida gaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in two stints interrupted by his service in World War II. He moved to California to study at the Otis Art Institute where he mastered stone lithography. While in California he worked in the desert and Yosemite. In an unusual twist, he became an itinerant artist traveling around and selling his art to hotels. Most notably, his work was featured at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC, which is home to one of the largest Arts and Crafts shows in the country. He ultimately returned to Florida and completed a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Florida in 1951. He moved back to Ft. Myers where he spent the rest of his life. His primary work was as a realtor, but he continued to make art throughout his life. Sadly, he developed Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig Disease) and took his life prior to succumbing to the inevitable deterioration from this incurable disease.
While in Ft. Myers he developed his distinctive mature style depicting the nature and folk life of Florida. He noted the influence of the Regionalist school, particularly George Bellows, Grant Wood, and Thomas Hart Benton. His handling of his subject matter attests to his affinity for the latter.

Size: 1960s
Price: $150
Size: 12.375 x 9 inches
Plate Size: 10.5 x 7.25 inches
Condition: Very Good
Medium: Lithograph
Subject: Landscape

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