By Janet Dodrill
A trip to an exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art, Brand-New & Terrific Alex Katz in the 1950s, earlier this month proved to be very inspiring. The works were done in oil on linen, canvas, board and masonite, color lithograph, and collage with cut paper on watercolored paper. Here are selected photos from my visit to the show.
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By Janet Dodrill
In doing some research at Cleveland Public Library, I discovered The Plain Dealer newspapers on microfiche from around 1905. What astounded me was the beautiful pen and ink illustrations enhancing the publications. Here are a few snapshots from the archive.
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By Janet Dodrill
Career Highlights – Everett L. Dodrill Jr.
Everett Dodrill
1940s
Columbia College, BS Degree, Science and Literature, NY, NY
Morey, Humm & Johnstone, NY, NY, 3 years, wrote articles for 4-color magazine “House Organ”
Art School, one term, NY, NY
Pratt Institute for advertising design, NY, NY
Professional Magician, Ajax the Magician (1940s & 1950s), Larchmont, NY
Ballet Dancer, performance at Metropolitan Opera house of a Russian opera, NY, NY
1950s
Bedford Players theater group, Founder, Bedford, Ohio
Lakewood Little Theatre, actor & director, Lakewood, Ohio
Karamu House theater, actor, Cleveland, Ohio
Clague Playhouse, actor, Cleveland, Ohio
Penn, Hamicker, Meldrum & Fewsmith ad agency, writer, Cleveland, Ohio
Lang Fisher & Stashhower ad agency, writer, Cleveland, Ohio (1950s)
1960s
Chagrin Valley Little Theater, actor, Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Dobama Theatre, founding theater company, actor & director, Cleveland Heights, Ohio (1960s through 2000s)
Story Craft, script writer for “On Location” radio shows and daily show “Speaking of Money”, Cleveland, Ohio
Editorial Features, and Editorial Services, writer with author Bill Ellis on book The Cuyahoga, Cleveland, Ohio
Mark V advertising agency (1960s & 1970s), Cleveland, Ohio
1970s
Dodrill-Vasilakes & Co. (1970s & 1980s), training and sales documents, technical writing, sales & educational scripts and presentations, articles for “Basic Utility Sales Techniques” industrial magazine, Cleveland, Ohio
“The Wandering Muse of Artemus Flagg” TV special, writer, starring Burgess Meredith, featuring the Cleveland Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, WJW Channel 8, Cleveland, Ohio
“Say Older My Son, Not Old”, wrote and produced, WVIZ Channel 25 an Emmy winning TV series, Cleveland, Ohio
Heartsong USA project, wrote and produced, WVIZ Channel 25, Cleveland, Ohio
1980s
“Home Again”, wrote and produced, WVIZ Channel 25, Cleveland, Ohio (on rehabbing a Cleveland house)
Educational Research Council of America (1980s), wrote 50 educational stories including Truck Mechanic, Ecologist, and Market Researcher for its “Real People at Work” series, and 3 textbooks, Cleveland, Ohio
Freelance writer (1980s and 1990s), research, technical writing, training and development for user manuals and sales presentations for National Electrical Carbon Corp., General Electric, NASA Lewis Research Center, Union Carbide Corporation, and BFGoodrich, Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland Playhouse, actor, Cleveland, Ohio
AFTRA male model (1980s & 1990s)
1990s
Rotary Club, president, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Cain Park Theater, actor, Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Cleveland Museum of Natural History, volunteer, molds/casts of fossils, Cleveland, Ohio
Case Western Reserve Medical School acting as a patient in its doctor training program, Cleveland, Ohio
Special effects makeup artist
2000s
“Christmas Classics by Cleveland”, producer and cast member, a two hour collection of original and classic Christmas narratives, recorded at WJCU 88.7 FM, Cleveland, Ohio
“A Christmas Carol”, starred as Scrooge, recorded at WJCU 88.7 FM, Cleveland, Ohio
Artist and sculptor
Everett Dodrill, Ajax the Magician Business Card
Everett Dodrill ballet dancer, 1940s
Marji Dodrill & Everett Dodrill, acting at Karamu House theater, early 1960s
Everett Dodrill in Caligula, Dobama Theatre, 1962
Everett Dodrill, model, talent, 1980s
Everett Dodrill special effects makeup artist, 1990s
Ceramic mask sculpture by Everett Dodrill
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By Janet Dodrill
Hugo Max Schmitz I (late 1800s). (Schmitz family archives)
It is believed that in the 1890s, a promising artist left his family and relatives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and made his way to Cleveland, perhaps attracted to its thriving art community. He was Hugo Max Schmitz (1867-1938), my great grandfather, and in his mid-30s. Hugo, of German descent, joined Cleveland’s Art Club (formerly know as The Bohemians) and attended regular drawing sessions in its location above City Hall, and participated in their exhibits and possibly traveled abroad with other artists.
President of the established Art Club (and also co-founder and trustee) at the time was notable northeast Ohio artist Archibald MacNeal Willard (1836-1918). He was best known for his painting of The Spirit of ’76. He was born in Bedford, Ohio and at the age of 17 moved to Wellington, Ohio. There is a museum in Wellington in his honor.
Photo portrait of Archibald Willard, restored (Schmitz family archives).
Archibald Willard was a prolific artist who worked in a variety of mediums and subject matters. He was a talented portrait artist as well as landscape artist.
In addition to the Wellington museum, several Cleveland museums carry his work including the Cleveland Museum of Art and Cleveland History Center/Western Reserve Historical Society. A dedicated plot just east of Cleveland City Hall is known as Willard Park.
A search in Cleveland’s The Plain Dealer archived newspaper articles, resulted in stories about Cleveland artists which included Archibald Willard and photos of him working in his studio.
Archibald MacNeal Willard in his studio (Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 17, 1899, Several of Cleveland’s Well Known Artists Seen At Work In Their Studios).
He had a friendship with Hugo, and gave him a portrait photo of himself, plus as a wedding gift in 1902 an original landscape oil painting, which resembles the area’s Chagrin River. In addition my great grandfather received a small statue of The Spirit of ’76 from Mr. Willard, which may be a one of a kind working prototype in porcelain by Stanway.
Hugo Max Schmitz co-founded the Schmitz-Horning Company in 1905, a well-regarded scenic wall paper and mural manufacturing firm, and was president of the company until 1938, when his son Warren Reynolds Schmitz ran it until the company’s closing around 1960.
Landscape oil painting by Archibald Willard (Schmitz family archives).
Statue of Spirit of ’76 by Archibald Willard (Schmitz family archives).
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By Janet Dodrill
The Schmitz-Horning Company building, Cleveland, Ohio, about 1925. (Schmitz family archives)
In April 2011 when I began my research into family-owned Schmitz-Horning Company (Cleveland, Ohio, 1905-1960), a prominent high-end mural and wall covering manufacturer and printer (co-founded and run by my great-grandfather and later by my grandfather), two things happened. First, I discovered a black and white photograph of the building from around 1925 in our family documents. Second, after Googling the building’s address of 777 E. 82nd Street in Cleveland, search results showed it was being occupied by an industrial chemical company, and the building looked well maintained from the photo on Google street view.
777 E. 82nd Street, Cleveland, Ohio
Photo: Google, 2007
Excited about the find, it was my intention to go see the building. Several months rolled by and I Googled the business address again and many recent articles dated June 27, 2011 came up stating that an accidental fire had destroyed the building, most likely started by roofers, drawing 60 firefighters from 15 departments — a triple three alarm fire! Fortunately, no one was injured.
Fire at 777 E. 82nd Street, Cleveland, Ohio
Photo: Cleveland.com, June 27, 2011
Initially, the owner announced plans to rebuild on the same site but renovated offices were built directly across the street in other facilities owned by the company. The site where the building once stood is today a lot for parking and storage of machinery and equipment.
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By Janet Dodrill
Schmitz-Horning Company of Cleveland, Ohio (1905-1960) was recognized on a global level as a high-end large scale chromolithograph designer and manufacturer of art murals and posters, wall decorations and wall coverings.
The company advertised in architectural and decorating trade magazines, and produced postcards with their patterns, and fully illustrated catalogs.
The original wallpaper and mural designs were meticulously drawn or painted by skilled artists then transferred onto lithographic plates, the largest in the country at the time, with the imported zinc plates exceeding 40″ x 80″ in size. Expert catalog illustrators recreated the patterns and rendered interiors showing their applications.
These catalog illustrations are beautiful and demonstrate a high degree of artistic ability and design.
Some of the catalogs themselves exist in our family, as a record of the business that my great-grandfather (H.M. Schmitz) co-founded and ran, and of which my grandfather (W.R. Schmitz) later oversaw.
Here are some of the Schmitz-Horning Company catalog illustrations, created and signed by B.E. Sutton, Anne Nolan, and D. Scott Brown or Scott D. Brown, D.S. or S.D., and other unidentified yet talented artists.
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Schmitz-Horning Co. pattern Chinese Floral, catalog illustration by D.E. Sutton.
Schmitz-Horning Co. pattern Elysia, catalog illustration by D.E. Sutton.
Schmitz-Horning Co. pattern Marguerette, catalog illustration by Anne Nolan.
Schmitz-Horning Co. pattern Valencia, catalog illustration by D.S. or S.D.
Schmitz-Horning Co. pattern Valencia, catalog illustration by D. Scott Brown or Scott Brown D.
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By Janet Dodrill
Euclid Beach Carousel iPad art image by Janet Dodrill.
Looking for a unique artisan gift? You can find my note cards and prints in local Cleveland shops listed below. The themes include Cleveland landmarks, carousel horses from the Euclid Beach Carousel, nature scenes from the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, Chagrin Falls landmarks, and other subjects.
The images are photography that is manipulated using iPad art apps, and some are then put into graphic design layouts.
Shops:
Fireside Book Shop, 29 N Franklin St, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022, www.firesidebookshop.com (Note cards)
In The 216 shop, 1854 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118, www.facebook.com/inthe216shop (Note cards, matted & loose laser prints, coloring pages)
Mac’s Backs-Books, 1820 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118, www.macsbacks.com (Note cards)
Native Cleveland gift shop, 15813 Waterloo Road, Cleveland, OH 44110, www.nativecleveland.com (Note cards)
Stars on Blue, 165 E. Aurora Road, Northfield, OH 44067,www.facebook.com/StarsonBlue (Note cards, matted images, coloring pages)
The Duck Pond gift shop, Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 S. Park Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44120, www.shakerlakes.org (Note cards)
Western Reserve Historical Society gift shop, 10825 East Boulevard, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, www.wrhs.org (Note cards, matted & loose laser prints, coloring pages)
Visit my ETSY shop for a limited amount of original lino-cut prints at janetdodrill.etsy.com.
Chagrin Falls iPad art image by Janet Dodrill.
Cleveland prints by Janet Dodrill.
Cleveland note cards by Janet Dodrill at In The 216 gift shop.
Chagrin Falls note cards by Janet Dodrill at Fireside Book Shop.
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