Clockwise: “Promenade” oil by Linda Maletz, “Resolute” oil by Holly Bedrosian, and “Linwood Street Gardens” oil by Adrienne Landry

Presented by the
Whistler House Museum of Art

It is rare that a museum director has the opportunity to present a career retrospective exhibition for an artist and say that he has know that artist for well over 30 years.  This is the case with the Whistler House Museum of Art’s next exhibition; Anne D. Sullivan ~ A Retrospective. 

I first met Mrs. Sullivan, (I always referred to her as Mrs. Sullivan) when I attended Lowell High School with her daughter, Lianne.  I met Lianne in our sophomore year when we sang in the school’s chorus together.  We were also in several musical plays together and spent most of our free time just hanging out with our other friends. Going to the Sullivan house to pick up Lianne for a night of goofing off was always interesting because of her mother, Mrs. Sullivan. 

Mrs. Sullivan would greet us at the front door and welcome us into the house while we waited for to Lianne to get ready.  Each time I went into the house there was a new piece of art hanging on the wall or on a table being wrapped for shipment to an exhibit somewhere in the world.  I remember one particular piece that Mrs. Sullivan had completed.  It was a portrait of an old man done in a monochromatic palette that hung in the family room.  I was quite taken with this piece and each time I was in that room I always had to have a good look at it.  I don’t really know what drew me to this piece, perhaps it was the lines, the shape of the head or maybe I thought the old guy reminded me of someone I knew.  Anyway, I really liked this piece and knowing the artist who had created it made it all that more special. 

I was not a student artist and I did not take any art classes in high school. Much of what I  learned about art at that time, came from my conversations with Mrs. Sullivan.  She would always take the time to talk with her children’s friends and explain the process of creating a piece of art.  Going into the Sullivan house was like having your own private museum or gallery tour.  There was always something new and exciting to see. 

During our high school and college years Lianne and I remained friends.  Mrs. Sullivan continued to pursue her career in art as she explored different techniques and developed her own unique style.   As always, if you asked about a specific piece of work, Mrs. Sullivan was more than happy to talk about her latest efforts. 

I remember going to my first art exhibit reception in a gallery in Lexington, Massachusetts.  Mrs. Sullivan was exhibiting a collection of her work.  At that time, I had never been to an art exhibit in a professional gallery.  I certainly had never known a professional artist.  Mrs. Sullivan was a member of the Copley Society. I wasn’t really sure what that meant, but it seemed like a big deal to everyone at the reception. Walking about the gallery it became clear that Mrs. Sullivan was really good at what she did, people were buying her paintings and everyone seemed very excited to be there.  Her paintings looked somehow different in the gallery; they appeared to jump off the wall, to be more luminescent.  Of course looking back at that exhibit now, it could have been as simple as good lighting.  Up until that time, I had only seen Mrs. Sullivan’s work in her kitchen, dining room, or family room. 

After college, Lianne and I went our separate ways and I didn’t see Mrs. Sullivan quite as much as I had before.  I knew that she was still painting and that she was exhibiting her work all over the country and in a few foreign countries as well.  I would sometimes read an article in the local paper about her work and so I was able to keep up with her. 

Jump ahead about 25 years or so, and suddenly I find myself in the position of Executive Director of the Whistler House Museum of Art.  I had served as a member of the Board of Trustees for several years and had learned at that time that Mrs. Sullivan had been a past President of the Lowell Art Association which owns and operates the museum as an historical site.  Here was another connection to my old friend’s mother, Mrs. Sullivan. 

One day while I was at the museum the telephone rang and it was Mrs. Sullivan.  She wanted to talk about some things that had recently been going on in the local art community.  At one point in our conversation, after referring to her yet again, as Mrs. Sullivan, she said, “Michael, I think it is about time you called me Anne, after all we are colleagues now.”  Colleagues… Mrs. Sullivan… I mean, Anne…  Anne and I are colleagues. I had never thought of her as anything other than my friend Lianne’s mother. Now she was a colleague and we were having a professional conversation about things that really mattered to the two of us.  It was the start of a new chapter in our lives. 

Throughout the past few years, I have had many conversations with Anne.  We have spoken about the museum, exhibits, art work in the Permanent Collection, and all manner of things related to the art scene.  We have attended the same art receptions and been in each others company at social events.  Anne and I have become more than colleagues, we are friends who share something that is important to each of us. 

About two years ago as we were putting together the exhibit schedule, Anne’s name came up for a possible retrospective exhibit.  I realized then that Anne and I had known each other for over 30 years and in all that time she has continued to pursue her work.  It is a great pleasure for me to be able to present Anne D. Sullivan ~ A Retrospective, in the Parker Gallery.  I never thought back in the 1970’s while I spoke with Mrs. Sullivan in her kitchen about her art work that I would be in the position to present a retrospective exhibit for my friend and colleague, Anne D. Sullivan. 

Anne D. Sullivan holds Signature Memberships in the International Society of Experimental Artists, National Association of Women Artists, National League of American Pen Women, New England Watercolor Society, Copley Society of Boston - Copley Artist, Florida Artist’s Group Inc., Monotype Guild of New England. 

Her Honors include: Who’s Who in American Art, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the East, Who’s Who in American Women.

Selected National Exhibitions include:

North American Open Competition, Boston, MA 
   Outstanding Contemporary Painting
   Hoarty and Grimm memorial Award

International Society of Experimental Artists
    Nautilus Fellow

National Open Competition, RI  Watercolor Society
     Honorable Mentions

Catherine L. Wolfe Art Club, New York City
      American Artist Magazine Award

National Association of Women Artists, New York
      Martha Reed Memorial Award
      Leila Sawyer Memorial Award

National League of American Pen Women, Washington, DC
     Award of Excellence
     Award of Merit

Self Portrait of Thomas Bayley Lawson (1807-1888), Founder of the Lowell Art Association, oil on canvas, C. 1878

Good evening and Welcome to the 130th Annual Meeting of the Lowell Art Association, Incorporated.

I wonder if the founders of the association, men like Thomas Bayley Lawson and David Neal, ever thought that we would be here to celebrate this wonderful anniversary in the birthplace of America’s premiere 19^th Century Artist, James McNeill Whistler.  Built in 1823, the historic house, which is 185 years old this year, is home to the Whistler House Museum of Art and also this year, we celebrate a Century of Art as Lowell’s only Fine Arts Museum, the Whistler House continues to represent the richness of the history and art of Lowell.

So what have we been doing for the last 130 years? You might want to ask some of our board members…though they haven’t been for all of that time…some of them have been involved with the museum for 50 to 75 years. We are most grateful to John and Catherine Goodwin for their extended service and ongoing support over the years.  Both John and Catherine have been involved with the museum for over 50 years.  And then there is Edith Burger who has been actively participating in the museum for 75 years.  It is their commitment to the museum that has helped us reach this milestone anniversary year.

Last summer, working with Dr. Liana Cheney, Chair of the Cultural Studies Department and Chair of the Art History Department at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, John and Catherine and Edith gave videotaped Oral Histories of the association and the museum.  Over the course of several weeks, approximately 22 hours of video was shot.  Those interviews and interviews with me and our art conservator, Peter Kostoulakos are currently in post production.  The finished video will add yet another piece to our long and interesting history.

Throughout the past year, the Whistler House was a very active place with exhibitions, events, media coverage and visitors. The Museum was featured in four print publications, The Merrimack Valley Magazine, The AAA Valley Magazine, Artscope Magazine and a wonderful article in the Lowell SUN by Kendall Wallace. Each time the Museum was featured in one of these publications, visitors came to see the collection and the historic house.  As a result of the article in AAA magazine alone, we have hosted six groups of Red Hat ladies who have taken private tours and who have enjoyed everything we had to offer. 

We also saw a rise in the number of group tours this past year.  In Addition to the Red Hat Ladies, the Museum was visited by students from Northern Essex Community College, four groups of teachers from the Museums In Education with Patricia Nichols, Brookhaven Assisted Living Center, the Washington Elementary School, Edgewood Community Center, Ocher Design and Learning Institute, and Middlesex Community College Interior Design students.  The Museum was also the setting for three Art History Symposiums presented by graduating students in the art department of UMass Lowell.

Additionally, the Museum was the setting for several wedding receptions this past year we congratulate the couples who not only held their receptions here but also exchanged their marriage vows here. They are Mr. & Mrs. Courtney Wells, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Clark, and Mr. & Mrs. Peter Sylvain.

This past year was one of the most successful exhibits seasons in the history of the Whistler House Museum.  We began the year with, Niki Sarantos: The Pastor’s Wife, a beautiful collection of still-life’s and landscapes.  This was Niki’s first major museum show and it was very successful.  We presented Art Quilts-On The Road as part of the Lowell Quilt Festival with a nod to Lowell born beat writer, Jack Kerouac.

In the fall we presented the works of nationally known and recognized artist, Dennis Sheehan.  His evocative landscapes reminiscent of the 19^th century painting in our Permanent Collection was a resounding success. Our Annual Member’s Show brought out some of the finest works our artist members have produced.

Deirdre Grunwald brought a bit of spring to January and February with her exhibit of Daffodil Dreamscapes. Deirdre also presented a Master Class to the Hellenic American Academy art students who took class each week with our own Artist in Residence, Meredith Fife-Day.

Truly one of the most exciting this past year was, Works From The Permanent Collection which was presented in March and April. Being able to exhibit paintings that had not been exhibited in some cases, for many years, was a wonderful experience for both staff and our visitors.  Some of the paintings from the exhibit are now hanging in the historic house.

Cape Code School & Provincetown Artists featured two of our artist members, John Cascio and former Artist In Residence Dennis Lucas.  Also included in this show are works by Lowell born artist Lynne Foye.  I am proud to say that Lynne took her very first art lessons here at the museum as when she was a young girl and this is the first time that she has exhibited her work professionally here.

In addition to these major exhibits, we also presented smaller shows such as Rebekah Wetmore’s People of Lowell Series, the Eli Lilly International Art Competition and Exhibition, Oncology on Canvas, the Lincoln School Project, Lowell Roofscapes in Whistler’s Monochromatic Style.  How successful was this past year?  The museum’s commission from the sale of art works in these shows was approximately $60,000 which is 40% of the total sales.  Thank you to our Exhibits Chairperson, MarryAnn Coravos for all her hard work in putting together this great year.

The Whistler House Museum also played host to several private events such as The Chamber of Commerce Business Mixer, the Lowell Poetry Reading, Bids For Kids, the Greater Lowell Workforce Investment Board’s Annual Meeting, the Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership Annual Meeting, several political fundraisers, and the premiere of A Whistler Trilogy by film maker Susan Jillian Gates.  The historic house was also the setting for another production.  This film focuses on Major Whistler’s time in Lowell and his work on the “Rail Road to the Moon,” a rail road stretching from Framingham, Massachusetts to Albany, New York

And if you have access to the Internet…please check out YouTube…search for Whistler House Museum and enjoy a video tour of the museum hosted by…yours truly.  This video was produced by UMass Lowell and can currently be seen on the World Wide Web.

Art and baseball don’t usually mix however, last June; the Lowell Spinners gave away a Whistler bobblehead as part of their marketing efforts to promote culture in Lowell. We were very much involved in the design of the bobblehead which was modeled on the cover of the January 1878 Vanity Fair Magazine which featured a very dapper James McNeill Whistler.  The give-away night featured Sheila Foley as Whistler’s Mother and I had the pleasure to be asked to sing the National Anthem prior to the start of the evening’s game.

So…you might be asking yourself, but what else have they been dong…Well, I’m here to give you the details.

One year ago, we received a portrait of Whistler done by his good friend Mortimer Menpes.  This gift from Mr. Leonard Sipiora of El Paso, Texas was the fist two gifts the museum was given.  This past December, Mr. Sipiora sent the museum a Whistler etching, The Little Putney, No. 1, which is currently on display in the Whistler Room on the second floor of the house.  We also received a wonderful gift from Mr. Donald Jurney of the Newburyport, Massachusetts. Mr. Jurney gave the museum Whistler’s Ten O’Clock Lecture; this two book set includes both the first edition and the first American edition of Whistler’s most noted writings

The two paintings you see behind me are the works of DeMerritte A. Hiscoe who had a studio on the third floor of the Whistler House from 1932 to 1952.  Mr. Hiscoe worked in Duxbury on the Cape and on the coast Maine during the summer months. He was a contemporary of Philip Marden and his literary friends who had weekly meetings on the second floor of the house.  Mr. Hiscoe also had a brief stint as a “private art instructor” to Theodore Edson Parker. Hiscoe was invited to Parker’s studio over one of the garages on the Parker property; it had hardwood floors topped by large oriental rugs.  When Hiscoe expressed concern that the rugs could be damaged by paint, Parker informed him that could well afford to replace them if necessary. After only a few sessions, Parker announced that anybody could paint if Hiscoe would give him a color chart with all the colors mixed and ordered, he (Parker) could paint as well as anyone.  That apparently ended Hiscoe’s interest in instructing Parker as he considered Parker to be “lazy,” student.  These two paintings have been given to the museum by his son, Dr. Bonta Hiscoe of East Lansing, Michigan.

Probably one of the most exciting announcements I have ever had the pleasure to make concerns this next piece of information. During the past two years, the museum has worked with family of Mina Boehm Metzger to secure a permanent loan of 28 works of art by the Artist Arshile Gorky.  As you may know, in our Permanent Collection there is a painting by this artist. Given to the museum by Katherine O’Donnell Murphy, Park Street Church is in the impressionist style.  Gorky would latter be know as the farther of Abstract Surrealism.  I am very pleased to announce that the Mina Boehm Metzger Collection is now a reality and in our possession.  We have secured funding from the Parker Foundation to have works brought up to exhibition standards and will be sending them out to the Williamstown  Arts Conservation Center  in Williamstown, Massachusetts next week  to begin this process. It is expected that the works will be completed in approximately 5 to 6 months and then returned to Lowell for a wonderful new exhibit of Gorky’s work.  Eventually, these works will be placed on permanent exhibition in the historic house

I would like to thank Board members Terry O’Connor, Ann Porter and Sara Bogosian for their assistance in the process. I also like to thank Michael Gallagher and his staff at Gallagher and Cavanaugh LLP, for their pro-bono work in developing the contact for this loan. While the family wishes to remain unknown, I thank them for their willingness to place this remarkable collection of works with the Whistler House.  The paintings and drawings in this collection have rarely been seen in public and most have never been exhibited.  Our painting, Park Street Church will be traveling in 2009 to the Philadelphia Museum of Art for a major Gorky Retrospective. From there it will travel to the Tate Modern in London, England and then on to the Los Angelis Museum of Art.

I would also like to thank our Special Events Committee, in particular the Chair of the committee Joe Pyne. Joe and his crew put together two of the best events of the past year, the Annual Holiday Party and the recent Spring Interlude-Celebrating 100 Years.  Both of these events were very successful and the museum never looked better. Joe has already started planning the next Holiday party and I am sure that it will be another great evening.

There will actually be two holiday events this year. In addition to the Holiday Party, the Whistler House Museum will also be the beneficiary of funds raised from a Christmas performance by the SRO Players.  As you may know, I have a connection to the SRO Players along with three of our Trustees, Erin Noonan-Descoteaux, Ed Mackness and Dr. Lou Stylos we are very excited to be able to perform in our first Christmas show for the Whistler House.  It will take place in early December and we will announce both a date and location this summer.

I hope you were able to join us this summer for Art Quilts at the Whistler IV. This international juried exhibit featured 27 art quilts in conjunction with the Lowell Quilt Festival weekend. The Whistler House also presented Art Quilts in Bloom, a collaboration between the museum and some of our area garden clubs.  That took place August 8^th, 9^th, and 10^th.

In closing, I would like to thank you, our members and friends for another wonderful year here at the museum.  Without your continued and generous support we would be unable to do everything that we have accomplished so far. I would also like to thank my staff; Jim Dyment, Exhibits & Gallery Manager, Vanessa Beaulieu, Museum Services Coordinator and Lenny Durant, Museum Docent.  They are an amazing group of people and I am honored to work with them each day.

Last but certainly not least, I want too thank the Board of Trustees for their support and encouragement to both myself and the museum staff.  It is a pleasure to work with such a dedicated group of individuals.

^{Thank you.}

Cape Cod School & Provincetown Artists
April 26 through June 21, 2008
Reception: Saturday, May 3, 2 pm - 4 pm

The Whistler House Museum of Art presents The Cape Cod School and Provincetown Artists in a new exhibition in the Parker Gallery. Featuring nine artists, the exhibit showcases the many diverse styles that have come to signify the art of the Cape Cod School and the artists who call Provincetown their home. Curated by Whistler House Museum of Art Executive Director, Michael H. Lally and assisted by Jim Dyment, Exhibits & Gallery Manager the show is a brilliant display of color and light. Several of the artists in the show are Plein Air Impressionist painters who capture the ever changing light conditions of the Cape using traditional techniques. Each of the featured artists maintains studios or are represented by galleries in Provincetown and the Cape Cod area.

Provincetown, Massachusetts was a quiet fishing village on the tip of Cape Cod at the turn of the Twentieth Century when Charles W. Hawthorne discovered the luminous quality of the light which was favored by the French Impressionists. Hawthorne established the Cape Cod School in 1899, the first American school dedicated to the ideals of Impressionist painting. His reputation as a painter and educator attracted scores of other artists and Provincetown soon became the largest art colony in the world.

Hawthorne and his successor, Henry Hensche are credited with keeping American Impressionism alive in the United States. Today, Provincetown continues to be a destination for artists with galleries and studios lining the many picturesque streets and lanes.

Artists in this exhibit include: Midge Battelle, John Cascio, John Choly, Robert Louis Del Russo, Lynne Foy, Mary Giammarino, Dennis Lucas, Michael Moss, Hilda Neily, and Johniene Papandreas.

Sample paintings from the “Works from the Permanent Collection” Exhibit

Shown here are (top) “Curiousity” by

Arthur P. Spear (1879-1959)

and (bottom) 

Harold C. Dunbar (1882-1953) Bay Farm

Harold C. Dunbar (1882-1953) Pleasant Bay

Charles Demetropoulos (1912-1976) Portrait of My Father

Thomas Bayley Lawson (1807-1888) Jenness Boy

Charles Demetropoulos (1912-1976) Portrait of My Mother

Marion P. Sloane Blue Hill, Red Barn

March 1 to April 19, 2008

Reception, March 1 from 2 to 4 PM

In celebration of the centennial of the Whistler Museum of Art, we are proud to feature rarely exhibited works from the permanent collection. These 19th and early 20th century works spotlight some of New England’s outstanding representational artists. Among the artists exhibited are: Charles H. Allen, John I. Coggeshall, Walter L. Dean, Charles Demetropolis, Emile A. Gruppe, Aldro T. Hibbard, Lester G. Hornby, Louis Kronberg, Thomas B. Lawson, David Dalhoff Neal, William McGregor Paxton, William Preston Phelps, Arthur P. Spear, and Sarah Wyman Whitman. Of the names listed above, the work of Thomas Bayley Lawson (1807- 1888), the founder and first president of the Lowell Art Association (LAA), will be displayed twice. One of his works, is his self portrait (1878) – the year the LAA was organized. The other is titled Jenness Boy, which has been on display in the main gallery for a number of years. Lawson was a well known portrait painter, originally from Newburyport, MA.Peter Kostoulakos, a local expert on restoration, will be speaking briefly about restoring art work at the reception. The talk will be followed by a question and answer session.

Reception, Tuesday, October 9^th at 6:00 PM

Special Exhibit

October being Breast Cancer Awareness month; The Whistler House Museum of Art in conjunction with the Lowell General Hospital Cancer Center and the Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical Company present: “Lilly Oncology on Canvas: Expressions of a Woman’s Cancer Journey” a limited exhibit of 25 works from the Lilly Oncology International Art Competition and Exhibition. According to Edmundo Muniz, Vice President of Lily Research Laboratories and Oncology Platform Team, the exhibit was created to recognize those women diagnosed with cancer who have used art as a powerful emotional outlet to inspire others as a means of self-discovery and self-expression.

Open to women from around the world diagnosed with cancer, their families and friends, as well as, health care professionals involved in their care the competition attracted over 2,000 entries from 43 countries. A total of 450 works were chosen for the final exhibit which was juried at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London, UK.

Please join us for a public reception on Tuesday, October 9^th at 6:00 PM in the Parker Gallery for this extraordinary and emotionally beautiful exhibit. The Whistler House Museum of Art is one of only a handful of venues in the North East to host this special exhibit.

Michael, Whistler is known as a very important etcher and printmaker as well as a painter. What is etching?
Although he is most famous for his portrait of his mother, artist James Abbott McNeill Whistler (American, 1834–1903) is also acknowledged as the finest etcher since Rembrandt. Etching is an intaglio printing process whereby an artist draws with a steel needle-like instrument into the surface of a copper, zinc or steel plate which has been inked or varnished. The theory of etching is that when the plate is covered with an acid resisting ground it will resist the acid, “biting” the etched lines which make possible a fluid and calligraphic manner of drawing. After the plate has been “bitten” and washed with water, it is ready to be inked and printed. An artist studies the first proof or impression from the press, making subsequent changes, and “pulls” a new series of proofs. The later impressions are called “second states of the print”. Several states can be produced until the final run of impressions is authorized by the artist.

How important are Whistler’s etchings?
Whistler (1834-1903) was a major figure in renewing popular interest in intaglio printmaking in Europe during the mid-19th century. He had seen William Hogarth’s prints as a boy living in Russia. Later, Seymour Haden, his brother-in-law, introduced him to the images of Hollar and Rembrandt. Exposure to these old masters acted as a catalyst on Whistler and was partially responsible for his choosing a career as an artist. He learned etching while employed at the U.S. Coast Survey, but only started to use the technique aesthetically after his arrival in Paris in 1855. Over the next quarter century, the artist continued to refine his etching technique. His style evolved from one based on Realism to a more personal aesthetic that revealed his highly adept skills as a printer. Over his lifetime, he produced nearly 450 prints, 20 of which are in our permanent collection and 14 are currently on display.

Are the paintings left on display during private functions?
Yes, the art collection is essential to the elegant settings the WHMA offers for weddings, corporate and other private functions. Imagine having your reception or your corporate sales strategy meeting while surrounded by art treasures and antiques!

What is the background on the Whistler’s statue in the Whistler Sculpture Park?
The statue of James Abbott McNeill Whistler was presented on October 10, 2002, in memory of the artist’s 100th anniversary and the statue’s designer, Mico Kaufman, was honored. A resident of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, Mico’s art is on display throughout the United States and Europe. Some of his most inspiring public works are in Tewksbury and Lowell, including Debussey, the Wamesit Indian, Homage to Women. He is recipient of many artistic awards, including one from the American Numismatic Society. (For more information, visit www.sculpturesbymico.com)

(Sources: Taft Museum, Cincinnati; University of Louisiana Lafayette; Antiques & Art Around Florida, Lorena Overstreet Allen, M.Ed., ISA)