How Much Are Viola Mcbride Paintings Worth?

Fri, January xxx, 2009

Viola? (+ Hobart estate update)

Posted Past @bobbobbob on Fri, Jan 30, 2009 at viii:05 PM

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The current edition of the Ferndale Enterprise takes note of the story from terminal week, " Hobart's Children ," and takes outcome with what is deemed misinformation regarding the painting to a higher place by Viola McBride.

The tangled story of the disposition of Hobart's estate included a brief clarification of the tours of Hobart's Galleries led by the Kinetic Rutabaga Queens the weekend later on the trustee sale:

Throughout they told stories about art pieces that factored into the artist's colorful history, among them a nude cocky-portrait of Viola McBride, the old owner of the edifice who essentially brought Hobart to town.
The following weekend, when the Queens returned to lead more tours, they found the gallery basically emptied, the paintings and sculptures gone. The McBride painting had been removed, along with paintings and sculptures from Hobart's living quarters.

Some in Ferndale, including members of the McBride family, questioned whether Viola's painting was in fact a self-portrait. The clarification came from Kinetic Rutabaga Queen Shaye Harty who, while leading 1 of those tours of Hobart's Galleries, said,

1 of the start things l like to point out is this self-portrait hither by Viola Russ McBride. Y'all tin see she did it in 1977. I don't know if yous know the history, simply she was the one who convinced Hobart to bring his gallery from Eureka to Ferndale. Together they did a lot of the restoration on Main Street. Some of the erstwhile ladies in town weren't so happy that there were nude portraits in Hobart's gallery, Viola, always a supporter of the arts, wasn't going to have that. And so she painted this picture of herself nude and had Hobart put it up right hither so people walking by could see a self-portrait of Viola saying, 'Hey old ladies, loosen up a bit.'

In retrospect I suppose it would take been better not to simply have what she said every bit fact. From a quick Google search I learned that Viola Russ McBride died in October 1996 at the age of 90. (This came from a UC Davis Mag obit that also noted, "Ms. McBride was ane of the first women students at UC Davis and went on to break other gender barriers as the first adult female president of the Humboldt County Cattlemen'due south Association.")

In 1977, Viola was 71 years sometime. So, information technology would indeed seem unlikely that the painting is a cocky-portrait. How might Shaye accept made the mistake? Underneath the painting is a hand-written label that says, "Viola Russ McBride - Presented to Hobart Brown by Andy and JoAnn McBride," and the painting is signed V. R. McBride. Was the characterization but identifying the artist?

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Shaye tells us that Hobart himself told her information technology was a painting of Viola. She also suggests that the painting might be Viola'south memory of what she looked similar when she was younger. "I guess we'll never know," she concluded.

As noted in "Hobart's Children," the McBride painting was amidst the items that disappeared from the building in the menses between the property sale and the court hearing regarding Beltz v. Brown . The nude was reportedly given to the McBride family unit nether the assumption that the painting was merely loaned to Hobart. A press release received today from Justin Brownish and the family trust asks anyone who was given paintings or other items from the gallery to contact trust representatives:

The Hobart Brown Trust would like to ask the public to assist recover trust property. In the terminal twelvemonth and with the increased activity since Jan 8th 2009, property has been sold and/or given away from Hobart Dark-brown's business organisation and dwelling located at 393 Primary Street in Ferndale California. Some of this belongings includes sculptures and other works past Hobart Brown along with pieces by many other artists. Some but non all items were clearly marked on the back "Holding of Hobart Brown," "Hobart Galleries," "Justin Hobart Chocolate-brown" or "Maggie Brown McDaniel." In add-on to the artwork, family photo albums, scrapbooks and family heirlooms are missing, and nosotros are trying to recover these personal items. We repent if anyone was misled to believe these personal items were available to the public. If you have anything in your possession or know someone who has possession of such items from Hobart Galleries or Hobart's home; if you lot know where any of our family'south legacy may be, please contact the trust at: hobartgalleries@msn.com or at (707) 444-3395. We would also like to thank those who have already stepped forrad and spoke up in order to return items to the family.

Tags: housekeeping, Arts, Courts