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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 30, 2008
Contact: Marsha Rinetti
BRIO Art Gallery
Phone: (815) 776-1010
E-mail:marsha@briogalena.com
“Art, History, and Education Converge in Galena”
Galena, IL- Original paintings of Galena, many done in the 1930s and 1940s, by James and Carolyn Howlett offer a unique opportunity to celebrate Galena’s history, art, education, and the exceptional lives of two artists.
James died in 2000 and Carolyn followed him in 2005. They bequeathed their art collections to the Illinois Art Education Association (IAEA). Proceeds from the sale of the collection will support continuing education for Illinois art teachers. The 60th Annual IAEA Conference will be October 23 through 26 at Eagle Ridge Resort in Galena. Executors of the Howlett estate approached Marsha Rinetti, owner of BRIO Art Gallery, and Larry Wiedenheft, President of the Galena-Jo Daviess County Historical Society, to represent the collection in Galena. The Howlett exhibition will open at the Galena History Museum and at BRIO Art Gallery on October 17.
The Howletts’ love story began in 1933 at the Chicago World’s Fair where the two young artists sketched ten-minute portraits. The couple traveled widely and documented their trips to Japan, Cuba, and Italy through plein-air paintings. Although they journeyed the world, Galena, Illinois was a favorite destination. On a regular basis from the 1930s through the 1960s, they rode bicycles to Chicago’s Union Station and took the train to Galena. Friendly conductors stored their bicycles on the train during their Galena visits.
In Galena, they stayed at The Belvedere, a mansion just a short walk from the train depot. Toting their easels and folding chairs borrowed from a funeral parlor, the Howletts captured the spirit of Galena in bold, bright paintings. They painted many buildings that still stand today, along with some that have been altered or no longer exist. James usually painted in watercolor. Carolyn preferred casein, a water-soluble media of dried milk curd and pigment that is more opaque than water colors and looks similar to oil paints. Carolyn was also experimenting with handmade block prints during this period.
“The Galena paintings are some of the Howletts’ best work,” said Dave Knoebber, one of the estate executors, “and we felt they would be most appreciated locally.”
“It’s taken a lot of effort to prepare the pieces for the public,” said Wiedenheft, who worked on the collection. “Many pieces needed restoration due to the age of the paper, tears, and water damage, but thank goodness they were stored in portfolios for all those decades. Because they were protected from light for 40 to 70 years, the colors are as fresh and bright as if the paintings were done yesterday.”
“Word of mouth about the Howlett works has been phenomenal,” said Rinetti. “Many local residents have purchased paintings because they heard about them from someone else. And I’ve been impressed with their understanding about the need to leave the paintings with us until after the IAEA conference and the exhibits are over.”
"Equally impressive is that many people have revised their wills so their Howlett paintings will be left to the History Museum,” added Wiedenheft.
Galena High School art teacher, Diane Siese, has introduced the Howlett works into her classroom and started her third-year students on an assignment to create paintings of local sites.
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Carolyn Howlett taught high school in Oak Park and Libertyville, then in 1937, as a recent graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, she joined their faculty. She founded the Art Education program at the Institute and at retirement she was honored as Professor Emeritus. She also held a degree from Northwestern University. A highly accomplished artist, educator, and author, her published writings included a book on art and craft. She was a frequent speaker at art conferences, had television programs, served as president of the Illinois Art Educators Association, and was a founding council member of the National Art Education Association. She exhibited in local, national, and international shows.
James, an artist, illustrator, and photographer, studied at the School of the Art Institute in the 1920s and then joined Vogue Studios as an advertising artist. As a staff artist at the Chicago American paper and later at the Chicago Tribune, James was known for editorial cartoons and graphic art.
The Howlett collection will be shown in two venues. The Galena Jo Daviess History Museum exhibit begins October 17 and runs through November 16. The museum is located at 211 South Bench Street in Galena and is open daily from 9 to 4:30 pm. Members and children under 10 are admitted free. For more information, call 815-777-9129.
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Howlett Collectors:
- Bauchens, Portia
- Baugh, David
- Bayley, Richie
- Bice, Larry and Vici
- Briggs, Steven and Barbara
- Carter, John and Liz
- Chapman, Ellen
- Deger, Bonnie and Mike
- Galena State Bank
- Grannon, Craig and Linda
- Hemstreet, Mark
- Hulseberg, Don
- Johnson, Pam
- Krall, Ken
- Larkin, Barbara Mills
- Miller, Libby
- Napoli, Virginia
- Nassopoulos, George
- Payne, Don
- Primrose, Laura
- Rinetti, Ed and Marsha
- Ritts, Ed and Susie
- Roth, Mary
- Shannon, Amy Leppert
- Thompson, Earl
- Wiedenheft, Larry
- Wyckoff, Jason & Kristi |
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Additional Howlett paintings will be shown October 17 through October 26 at BRIO Art Gallery, 116 South Main Street in Galena, from 10 to 5 pm daily. Remaining Howlett paintings available for purchase may be viewed at BRIO. For more information, call 776-1010.
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815.776.1010 
