Just what I need, another work of Art!

The devil made me do it, but sitting here watching my stock market investments dissolve into the blue, I had been talking about investment grade art (something I can't afford) as a better idea. I ran into an online auction from Ritchie's, their 3rd one ever. For my American friends, Ritchie’s is Sotheby’s partner in Toronto, and the place I have sold some stuff over the years.

I had lunch yesterday with two of their (Ritchie’s) people and we talked about this guy, Frederick Kitson Cowley, 1884 – 1931. He was a Hollywood writer and producer, trained as an artist, who died young. His family (long since deceased mostly) has dumped all 39 pieces on to the market, and some went for much more than I thought they would, and I got an O.K. deal. There was a last minute flurry of activity (as usual) and I was bidding on several pieces at once, hoping to get one, but hoping not to get two or three! I was bidding on a piece until the price was too high for me and I would switch to a different one. I did get one I wanted, but there were some others I would have preferred. For sure he won’t be painting any more.

Born in Joslyn, Illinois, Cowley was educated at the University of Michigan and the Art Institute of Chicago, after which he studied art and architecture abroad. Although his primary love was art he also proved to be an accomplished architect, teacher, illustrator, playwright, actor and director. Many of his post impressionist works reflect summers spent at his summer home in Nantucket with his wife, photographer Norma Featherstone Cooke, and on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and throughout New England: freighters at the wharf, dockside boats, town fairs, picnics, beach and market scenes, etc. Frederick Kitson Cowley died suddenly at the age of 46 of a heart condition in May of 1931.

Over time it will be a good investment for an American post-impressionist painter. The paintings are all lovely, a word I seldom use. They were all small, and mostly oils. I enjoyed looking at them on the web and was assured they were great in person. I will find out on Monday when a friend of mine is picking it up for me when he goes to Ritchie’s on business.