Vernon Wilson

'Lunch', Pasadena Art Center, Los Angeles, Associated Artists of Pittsburgh

Circa 1975

Signed lower right, 'V. Wilson' for Vernon Wilson (American, 20th century) and created circa 1975. Matted dimensions: 12.75 H x 14 W x .5 D inches Vernon Wilson studied at the Pasadena Art Center College of Design, the University of Miami and Belmont Abbey College. He exhibited widely and with success including at the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh (1923, 1928, 1929), the Pittsburgh Architectural Club (1933) and the Los Angeles Art Association, among others. In the late 1960's, Wilson joined the faculty of the Art Center's College of Design where he would teach for more than 25 years. A well-respected figure drawing teacher and pastelist, he is a noted influence on contemporary artists including Kurt Wenner, Ken Goldman and America Martin, among many others. In 1997, Wilson retired to New Mexico where he continued to draw and paint for the remainder of his life. Reference: Reference Services, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh; Mallett’s Index of Artists, Daniel Trowbridge Mallett, Peter Smith...

Signed verso, 'George Wilburton Colby' (American, 1859-1922) and dated 1920. George Colby was a member of the old Art League and a life member of the Chicago Art Institute. After hi...

Signed lower left, 'M. Kestor' for Mary Peterson Kestor (American, 1948-2021) and painted circa 1965. Born in Iowa, Mary Kestor first studied at the University of Northern Iowa, whe...

Signed lower left, 'Sascha Brastoff' (American, 1918-1993) and dated 1960. 1918 - Sascha Brastoff was born Samuel Brostofsky in Cleveland, Ohio. 1935 - At age 17, Brastoff studies dance and joins the Cleveland Ballet. 1940 - Attends Western Reserve School of Art in Cleveland and, subsequently, works for Macy's in NYC. 1942 - Brastoff enters the Army Air Force. Initially designing posters, he joins the ATC road show. 1944 - Brastoff moves to California and signs a seven year contract with 20th Century Fox as a designer and entertainer. 1947 - Brastoff opens his first ceramic plant in Los Angeles producing hand painted earthenware. 1948 - Brastoff is awarded Best of Show for Pottery at the Syracuse Museum. 1952 - With backing from Winthrop Rockefeller, Brastoff opens a new, larger factory in Los Angeles. The factory is destroyed by fire shortly after. 1953 - A larger 35,000 sq. ft. factory and show-room opens and employs more than 100 people. 1960 - Brastoff's company begins to suffer from financial losses after years of success. 1962 - Brastoff has a nervous breakdow, his company continues to sell items...

Elegant mid century figure study in pastel on brown paper depicting a seated nude woman with a hat and rose, by by American artist Louis Nadalini (Italian, 1927-1995). Signed Nadalini upper right. Presented in a simple wood frame, with new mat and new foam core backing. Image size: 29"H x 19.5"W. Signed and dated "Nadalini 85" lower right. Unframed. ARTFORUM article: Louis Nadalini In the last couple of seasons, San Francisco has lost several of its galleries. Some others have just recently begun operating but often with an entirely new group of artists. Some members of those apparently secure gallery stables that went out of business have found their way into other stables, but a larger group is without a place to show. I decided to look into such a person’s studio in my endeavor to find out what is really happening in the Bay Area art world. I went to see Louis Nadalini. His latest painting continues with the lattice of slats protruding forward with two variations of the painting painted on the sides of the slats which are viewable when standing to either side. This was always a very abstract method and he had quite often painted pure abstractions which centered quietly into hypnotic devices of exceptional color richness, but which gave a kaleidoscopic change as you moved past it. Untitled #42 (the most recent painting) has subject matter and was done in a much more painterly way. The side variations were flat in color, and there were some elements seen only in the side views, a skeleton’s arm and a black hand, for example. Nadalini says that he may abandon the lattice altogether if it gets in his way, but so far it seems to work better than it did with the abstractions. He is enthusiastic about the work he is doing, felt very free about making changes, and was, at the same time still happy about work from several years ago and unwilling to think that older work and new work should not be exhibited together. He hasn’t been thinking about galleries for a while. Nadalini goes to sea periodically which gives him time for contemplation as well as for renewing his resources. by —Knute Stiles...

Pio Semeghini (Quistello 1878 - Verona 1964) - Falzè di Piave. 25.5 x 34.5 cm without frame, 52 x 61 cm with frame. Charcoal and pastel drawing on paper, within passe-partout in wo...

Signed lower left

Jules Schyl (Sweden, 1893-1977) Title: Ballet Dancers A Ballet Dancer painting is a rare find for an artist mostly known for his oeuvre with Cubism and Expressionist paintings. The current painting has many similarities with Degas sketches...