A Visit to the de Saisset Museum

Today, I visited the de Saisset Museum at Santa Clara University.  I thought that Ruth Dicker had shown work there and won some awards in the early 1960's, but I didn't remember the details.  It was a beautiful campus and and nice museum and some of the people there were eager to help and looked up Ruth Dicker in the computer.  They found this:

Third Annual St. Jude Juried Exhibition
September 28 - October 28, 1963
The Third Annual St. Jude Exhibition is judged by Michele Cascella, noted Italian post-impressionist, Elizabeth M. Polley, Bay Area art critic and editor, and William H. Weber, director of special art projects for the San Francisco Chronicle.  The top prizes were awarded to individual artists of four oil paintings.  Lundy Siegriest of Oakland was awarded the first prize of $600 for Summer Reflections, which is anticipated to become a part of the museum collection.  Louisa M. Jenkins was awarded second place honors for Black Madonna, third place Honors went to Ruth Dicker for Departure, and fourth place was awarded to George Neago Jr. On exhibit are fifty-five entries ranging from paintings, sculpture, and mosaics as well as twenty-five invitational works.

I thought I knew which painting was Departure, but I was thinking of the wrong piece.  I went looking through my slides and found it here.  I don't know where this painting currently resides, but it is a beautiful piece, very different from later tree works.  I looked up some older bios and they mention multiple awards from the de Saisset Museum.

I remembered this other piece, Flower Girl, which says it won first and second prize from the de Saisset Museum in 1962.  That doesn't seem to match exactly what they had in their computers, but interesting nonetheless.  This style of label is much later than 1962 so it could have been a transcription or other error.

Update: Fixed broken links.

Aspen Yellow Grove

Here's a great story from a Ruth Dicker fan.  She worked at a business in Colorado where a Ruth Dicker painting hung for many years.  When the company down-sized and moved to a smaller location she tracked the painting to auction and now she continues to enjoy it!

Maples for sale on eBay

A new painting has shown up in Ebay called Maples from 1979.  I think it is actually a miniature, which suggests there is a full size version out there somewhere.  I looked through some pictures, but nothing looked like a match.

Thanks to everyone who sends in pictures and stories.  They are really great.  If you've got more, you know how email addresses work so send to ruthdickerpaintings, where the email service is gmail.com

UPDATED: Newer Ebay Link.

A nice piece from the 1960's

A reader recently sent in these pictures, including a nice detail showing the paint splatter:

I looked into the scanned slides and found a copy if it here.  It's always nice to hear from painting owners and learning about the journeys they have gone on.

Blue Mountain / Bright Sea from 1991

It turns out that the same Ebay seller listed previously for Big Sur also has another painting called Blue Mountain / Bright Sea from 1991.  Upon closer inspection of the listing:

This original Ruth Dicker painting was recently acquired from an estate in Carmel, California.

These are both very nice paintings that I have not seen previously, which suggests that perhaps slides were never taken.  This one is also inscribed "For Dore and Joe."  I wonder if this seller has even more paintings for sale?

Big Sur on Ebay

There's a painting on Ebay right now called Big Sur from 1997.  Interestingly enough, I don't think I have ever seen or or have any records of it previously.  That doesn't happen very often!

Blue Lake - Snow Mountain For Sale

This beautiful painting from 1989 is looking for a new home.  It is 44 inches square and might actually be part of a set of three that I think I have seen others from, but I can't pictures of that.  It is titled Blue Lake - Snow Mountain.  If you are interested in acquiring this piece, please reach out and we will get you in touch with the seller.  As always, please reach out if you have pictures, paintings, or anything else.

Sketches from 1938-1940

I recently came across a number of sketches from 1938-1940 spanning portraits, fashion design, shading practice, graphic design and more.  These would have been from time at William and Mary so likely most, if not all, coming from studio art classes.  There are really too many to include, but here is a sampling: