Showing posts with label Foley mansion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Foley mansion. Show all posts

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Foley Mansion – An Artist’s View – 8″ x 10″ Watercolor & Ink

“When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.”
G.K. Chesterton


Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Foley Mansion – An Artist’s View – 8″ x 10″ Watercolor & Ink

The Foley Mansion was built in 1901 and burned in 1962, here in Eufaula, OK.  Since I was unable to find out what color it was for sure, I took the advise of fellow blogger Jill (afternoonartist.wordpress.com) and researched colors that were widely used in that period.    I am thrilled with how it looks, but the hubby thought I should have been more diligent in my search for the actual color of the mansion.  Since I painted this for pleasure and it wasn’t commissioned… I like it this way.   :)

Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936) cannot be summed up in one sentence. Nor in one paragraph. In fact, in spite of the fine biographies that have been written of him, he has never been captured between the covers of one book. But rather than waiting to separate the goats from the sheep, let’s just come right out and say it: G.K. Chesterton was the best writer of the 20th century. He said something about everything and he said it better than anybody else. But he was no mere wordsmith. He was very good at expressing himself, but more importantly, he had something very good to express. The reason he was the greatest writer of the 20th century was because he was also the greatest thinker of the 20th century.  More here…

Friday, November 2, 2012

The Foley Mansion - Circa 1901 - 8" x 10" Watercolor in Progress

Fearful as reality is, it is less fearful than evasions of reality.
Caitlin Thomas

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

The Foley Mansion – Circa 1901 – 8″ x 10″ Watercolor in Progress

This is as far as I have gotten on this painting.  I’m working from a really old black and white photo.  The Foley Mansion burned in 1962 and I have been unable to find out what color it was.  This morning  I found a painting of it on the internet and it was white in the painting.   I’m still not convinced that it was white.  Do you know?

I found some other interesting stuff about C.E. Foley.  He had a ticket for the Titanic voyage!  He missed the trip due to illness and his luggage was already on board the ill fated ship.  One of the artifacts that was salvaged by Titanic recovery crews was a $5 bank note. It was issued from the First National Bank of Eufaula, Oklahoma. The bank note was dated November 16, 1907. That is the date Oklahoma became a state. The Foley family is convinced it belonged to C.E. Foley. It is believed he kept the note as a keepsake, seeing he was a supporter of Oklahoma becoming a state.

Caitlin Thomas (8 December 1913 – 31 July 1994), née Macnamara, was the wife of poet and writer Dylan Thomas. Their marriage was a stormy affair, fuelled by alcohol and infidelity, though the couple remained together until Dylan’s death in 1953. After her husband’s death she wrote the book Leftover Life to Kill, an account of her self exile to Italy. She paints a picture of a grieving widow seeking solace in distance, a younger lover and alcohol.  More…