William M. Lemos Paintings

Gorgeous landscape with two cows drinking water in a pond with Mt. Hood in background by listed artist William M. Lemos (American, 1861-1942). Signed "W.M. Lemos" lower right. Presented in vintage gilt-toned frame that shows wear (included as-is). Condition: Good: previously owned and used, with little or no signs of wear and is in good condition. No structural issues. Image size: 29"H x 49"W. Born in New York, Professor Lemos moved to San Francisco in 1887 where he established a studio at 106 Geary Street. He later moved to Santa Cruz in 1896, where he settled, painting murals for many local businessmen and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. As a boy Lemos earned money by wandering the streets and painting on request. Arriving in San Francisco in 1887, he established a studio at 106 Geary. With his wife Mabel, he worked in Los Angeles for a few years in the 1890s. After settling in Santa Cruz in 1896, he painted murals for many local businessmen. When the original Beach Casino was built there at the Boardwalk in 1904, Lemos was the first concessionaire and worked there for nearly 40 years. On his platform in the Casino, Lemos did paintings of redwoods, still lifes, forest fires, beach scenes, and marines. Many of his oils were done on redwood slabs which were popular with the tourists; in the early days these paintings sold for one dollar and up depending on the size of the work. After his vision failed and he was unable to paint, his last years were mostly spent fishing off the Municipal Pier with a friend who baited his hook for him because he could no longer see. In the March 27, 1941 Santa Cruz Sentinel News Lemos reminisced, "Them were the days when the Boardwalk was only twelve feet long and when business got slow I picked up my shotgun and went across the street and shot ducks where the Casa del Rey Hotel now stands." Exhibited: Calif. State Fair, 1885; Mechanics' Inst. (SF), 1889. In: Santa Cruz City Museum; Wawona Hotel (Yosemite). Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940" His mother was Julia Lemos, a Chicago artist famous for her depiction of the Chicago fire, “Two of Julia’s children became successful artists. Her eldest son, William, was a naïve still life, landscape, and mural painter. As a young boy in New York, he would wander the streets, earning money for the family, by ‘painting on request.’ At age 26, William moved to San Francisco, California. He opened an art studio and kept it running until he moved to Santa Cruz with his wife, Mabel, in 1896. During this period, he worked as a fresco artist painting ‘murals for many local businessmen.’ Exhibited California State Fair, Sacramento, 32nd annual, per Sacramento Daily Union, September 9, 1885. and article goes on to say “William Lemos and wife, Sacramento – Art school exhibits in which are shown such a variety of designs in decorative art, flower painting, and ornamentation, that one must give time to the examination.” Exhibited Mechanics Institute, San Francisco, 1889. “Lemos and his wife were in Fresno California 1890...

Luminous painting of Pigeon Point Lighthouse, California by listed artist William M. Lemos (American, 1861-1942). Signed "W.M. Lemos" lower right, titled on verso. Presented in ha...