If you saw my Illustration Friday post for Tattoo, you know one of the images I made incorporated art I found in a chest of drawers in a bric-a-brac shop. I was so excited about the art I completely forgot to make good notes about who created it, and promised more details as soon as I could get them.
The store I found the work in is called The 1898 Store. It's in Buda, Texas.
This is another one of the artist's drawings.
His name was Carl Chelf, and according to his widow Jeanette Welty Chelf he was the first geologic curator of the Texas Memorial Museum of Science and History, among other things. He was an archaelogist and a geologist. He was born in Abilene Texas in 1915 and passed away in 1986.
Jeanette is also a very interesting artist -- but her pictures are too large to scan, so I need to take photos of them to share.
She told me that Carl stopped drawing after they married. She never knew why.
It was a little sad to me that she was selling his drawings, but they have found a good home with me and a few of my friends.
Makes me wonder about all the people out there who are creating magnificent, interesting things who may work as plumbers, or managers, or any number of other occupations, and whose work never sees daylight.
I hope you get the chance to run across secret treasures like these, and I hope if you do you'll share them. Jeanette was very excited that Carl's drawings have been shared, and I'll pass along any comments you'd like to share the next time I'm at her store.
And of course this image is copyright Carl Chelf and Jeanette Welty Chelf. If you share it, please tell people Carl created it.
3 comments:
I must come visit more often!
I, too, have a killer rose like the one in Point!
My mother did interesting paintings, but stopped when I was born. I think for some people they pour all their creativity (or emotional energy) into a relationship, and thus have nothing left over for "art." And in my case, it was too bad.. It would have been better for her and for me if she'd paid more attention to something that she could control!
Hello Lori,
I recently bought a painting by Jeanette Welty and was trying to find information about her when I came across your blog. This is the only reference I can find for "Jeanette Welty, artist". I am wondering if you are still in the area and could either give me contact info for her or if you are ever actually near her store again, could ask her if she once painted, "Eclipse and After" in oil as a "diptyche". I live in Denver, CO and the woman I purchased the painting from says she bought it in Massachusetts. There is no date. Thanks much for any help you can offer. I really love to have the history and background of art work. Your site is lovely, by the way. I very much appreciate your photos ... I was a professional photographer for 27 years - just "retired" recently.
Rhoda Pollack Cheroutes RCheroutes@comcast.net
I bought one of his drawings today in Dallas. Love it!! Wish i knew more about it (when he drew it and such)
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