Hugo Max Schmitz, Newly-Discovered Artwork

By Janet Dodrill

Hugo Max Schmitz, photograph, early 1900s (recently-discovered).

On a recent trip out of town to visit my cousins, some items were discovered in my uncle’s possession. Unseen artwork by Hugo Max Schmitz, my great-grandfather, all of which I had not seen before. In a couple of the works, there are similarities to his previously-known work. He was an artist and a co-founder of Cleveland wall covering firm, Schmitz-Horning Company (1905-1964). The stunning painting comparisons are below.

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Watercolor portrait of young girl by artist Hugo Max Schmitz.

Possible study for watercolor portrait of young girl by artist Hugo Max Schmitz, oil or gouache, early 1900s (recently discovered).

Self-portrait by artist Hugo Max Schmitz, oil, 1898.

Self-portrait study by artist Hugo Max Schmitz, oil, early 1900s (recently discovered).

Artwork Using the Primary Colors

By Janet Dodrill

Lately, I have been using primary colors (red, yellow, and blue from the color wheel) in my portraits and life model studies, and am exploring this direction in my artwork.

Below are a few examples of my artwork utilizing primary colors.

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Joe, acrylic on canvas, 9”x12”
Janet Dodrill

Kayli, acrylic on canvas, 9”x12”
Janet Dodrill

Karen, gouache, 9 x 12”
Janet Dodrill

Mimi, gouache,, 9” x 12”
Janet Dodrill

Scott, watercolor, 10” x 14”
Janet Dodrill

Artist Hugo Max Schmitz from Wisconsin Co-Founded Schmitz-Horning Co.

Hugo Max Schmitz, 1930.

Hugo Max Schmitz (1867-1938), my great-grandfather, was an artist and co-founder of the Schmitz-Horning Company, a Cleveland wall covering manufacturer. After moving from Milwaukee, Wisconsin around the 1890s, he established himself in Cleveland’s Art Club (formerly know as The Bohemians) and exhibited in group shows. In one exhibit he showed with prominent artist and club president Archibald M. Willard, in addition to artist and lithographer, William (Bill) Horning, who would become his future business partner at Schmitz-Horning.

Hugo had six siblings, born in Wisconsin between 1852 and 1860: Victor, Willam, Edward, Florentine, Mary, and Charles Schmitz, born to father Peter Jospeh Schmitz and mother Mary (Leity).

One day I hope to learn more about his close family relatives and more about his art. We do know that a portrait that he painted of a young girl received an honorable mention in an exhibit at the New York Metropolitan Museum of art.

He married in 1902, to Pauline (“Queen”) Maynard Reynolds, daughter of Cleveland banker Iri Reynolds. They spent their honeymoon in Venice.

Hugo was acting president at Schmitz-Horning Co., est. 1905, and was one of the initial artists for the firm, designing high-end color lithographic wall mural and paper patterns. He ran the company until his death in 1938, and then his son, Warren Reynolds Schmitz took over, who was already working in sales at the company.

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Hugo Max Schmitz as a child.

Hugo Max Schmitz, age 9.

Hugo Max Schmitz, early still life artwork.

Hugo Max Schmitz, early landscape artwork.

The Schmitz family of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, late 1800s.

Hugo Max Schmitz (center), Paris, 1890s.

Hugo Max Schmitz (right) with his signature pipe, Paris,1890s.

Hugo Max Schmitz, early late 1800s or early 1900s.

Self-portrait by artist Hugo Max Schmitz, oil, 1898.

Hugo Max Schmitz’s watercolor of Venice done on his honeymoon, 1902.

Hugo Max Schmitz’s watercolor of Venice became a wall mural pattern for Schmitz-Horning Co., early 1900s.

Original Wall Mural Design Panels for Schmitz-Horning-Company, Floral Garden by Hugo Max Schmitz, oil, early 1900s.

Portrait by artist Hugo Max Schmitz of his wife, watercolor, 1903.

Watercolor portrait of young girl by artist Hugo Max Schmitz.

Portrait of young lady by artist Hugo Max Schmitz, oil.

Charles Burchfield, Artist, Featured in Cleveland Exhibit

By Janet Dodrill

The Cleveland Museum of Art currently has an exhibit by artist Charles Burchfield (1893-1967) in its Focus Gallery through May 5, 2019. The show is titled Charles Burchfield: The Ohio Landscapes, 1915-1920.

The show has numerous drawings and watercolors done in both Cleveland where he attended the Cleveland School of Art (now The Cleveland Institute of Art), and Salem, Ohio, his hometown.

I admire his strength and energy in depicting landscapes. He created his own visual language with almost abstract shapes from nature symbolizing emotions such as fear and sorrow, which are pointed-out in the exhibit.

Links of Interest:

www.clevelandart.org/exhibitions/charles-burchfield-ohio-year-1915-1920

www.artnet.com/artists/charles-ephraim-burchfield/

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Below are some images from the show.

Charles Burchfield exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art

Charles Burchfield, Inaugural Poster, 1915

Charles Burchfield, Drifting Dandelion Seeds, 1916

Charles Burchfield, Hillside, 1917

Charles Burchfield, New Moon, 1917

Charles Burchfield, New Moon in January, 1918

Charles Burchfield, Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night, 1917

Charles Burchfield, Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night, 1917, detail

Charles Burchfield, Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night, 1917, detail

Charles Burchfield, detail of abstract shapes used to reflect feeling and emotion.

Charles Burchfield, Study No. 1 for Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night, 1917

Charles Burchfield, Study No. 1 for Church Bells Ringing, Rainy Winter Night, 1917, detail

Charles Burchfield, White Violets and Coal Mine, 1918

Charles Burchfield, Setting Sun through the Catalpas (Late August Sunset), 1916

Charles Burchfield, The Sun through the Trees, 1917

Charles Burchfield, Sunburst after Spring Storm (Sunlight after a Spring Rain), 1917

Charles Burchfield, Spring Sunset in the Woods, 1917

Charles Burchfield, Untitled (Red House), 1916

Charles Burchfield, Untitled (Clump of Purple Trees), 1915

Charles Burchfield, Sulphur Stream in the Woods, 1917

Charles Burchfield, journal entry (one of many on a digital kiosk)

Charles Burchfield, journal entry (one of many on a digital kiosk), detail

Charles Burchfield, Chestnut Trees, 1920

Paul Meunier, Artist – Yesterday’s New Discoveries

By Janet Dodrill

Paul A. Meunier was a Cleveland area artist who enjoyed painted nature and wildlife. He worked on staff as an artist at Schmitz-Horning Company, a wallpaper manufacturing firm, in the 1920s and 1930s. Of interest to me because of my family ties to the company, I published a list o known artists that were employed there.

A couple people contacted me regarding their Paul Meunier artwork.

One had six etched acrylic or plastic panels, two of which have a date (1970) and the artist’s name, acquired locally in Cleveland. (They are available for purchase through my source.)

The other individual purchased a map that Paul Meunier’s created of his family vacation travels from Ohio through parts of the western U.S. (1939). The contact wrote me stated that the lithograph was purchased at a Bay area market.

It’s interesting to see the broad range of work and depth of this artist, and even more interesting to speak to others who have his art work.

Copyright article and images. All rights reserved. Not to be used without permission.

Etched or engraved plastic art panels by Paul Meunier, 1970, owned by Charlie Grenier. Panel size is approximately 3×4 to 5×7 inches.

Etched or engraved plastic art panels by Paul Meunier, 1970, owned by Charlie Grenier. Panel size is approximately 3×4 to 5×7 inches.

Etched or engraved plastic art panels by Paul Meunier, 1970, owned by Charlie Grenier. Panel size is approximately 3×4 to 5×7 inches.

Name and 1970 date on art panels by Paul Meunier.

Map created by Paul Meunier of his family trip across the country, owned by Peter Bartels.

Little Italy Holiday Art Walk

Little Italy Holiday Art Walk
Saturday December, 1, 2018
Noon-9pm

Murray Hill Schoolhouse, second floor
2026 Murray Hill Road, Cleveland, OH 44106

Visit my table in the second floor hallway!

– Note Cards – Prints – Magnets – Necklaces –

Cleveland Necklaces by Janet Dodrill

Cleveland Note Cards, Magnets & Prints by Janet Dodrill

Murray Hill Schoolhouse

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Inktober 2018

Inktober is an art challenge created by artist Jake Parker that focuses on improving inking skills. Anyone participating in the Inktober challenge creates an ink drawing everyday in October and posts it online, using the hash tags #inktober and #inktober2018. The Inktober website has the rules, how to ink videos, and merchandise.

I am participating this year (and also did last year in 2017) to help develop my skills in drawing with ink. I am following the daily prompt words set for by Jake Parker. This is a great opportunity for me as an artist, and provides a sense of community online.

Inktober rules:
1) Make a drawing in ink (you can do a pencil under-drawing if you want).
2) Post it
3) Hashtag it with #inktober and #inktober2018
4) Repeat

Feel free to participate anytime during October. You don’t have to follow the rules. As Jake says, “Now go make something beautiful.”

Official Inktober 2018 Prompt List

Inktober Resources:

Inktober website www.inktober.com

Twitter www.twitter.com/inktober

Instagram www.instagram.com/inktober

Facebook www.facebook.com/groups/208139582937200

Update: I have included a selection of my Inktober 2018 drawings.

Inktober 2018: Day 2, October 2, 2018, Prompt word: Tranquil

Inktober 2018: Day 13, October 13, 2018, Prompt word: Guarded

Inktober 2018: Day 19, October 2, 2018, Prompt word: Scorched

Inktober 2018: Day 24, October 2, 2018, Prompt word: Chop

Inktober 2018: Day 29, October 2, 2018, Prompt word: Double

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