Dad's Art

Dad's Art

I have been sharing some of my father's photos as of late.

This is a tribute to Dad and his art that my sister Georgia put together.

Just had to share the thoughts.

OTO Dude Ranch Wranglers

OTO Dude Ranch Wranglers

Montana's oldest Dude Ranch, the OTO.

Yellowstone Chip Samuell was a wrangler for the OTO in the 1930s.

He sang and lead and cared for the visitors who put their trust in him.

This video footage is vintage from the Randall family who owned the OTO Ranch.

Although Chip is not one of the wranglers shown, this would have been his routine.

Chip with the Dudettes

Self Promotion

Self Promotion

Singing in the Saddle, the Life and Times of Yellowstone Chip

I just loved researching and writing about Chip Samuell's life.
His words retell his life. My words punctuate the truth of his life.

So I am selling a hardcover copy of my book on ebay.

With it is a CD of the music discussed in the  book.

Don't be afraid, click below.
Singing in the Saddle, The Life and Times of Yellowstone Chip

Donna Todd

Donna Todd

31 March 1940 to 6 August 2014

Sometimes you work with a person for a short time in your life

but you remember and cherish that part of your relationship forever.

Donna was one of those people.

Before she began the last twenty years of her life in Magdalena, New Mexico
and the London Frontier Theatre she spent some time in Utah.

That is where we performed, wrote and laughed together.

She brought with her decades of performance and writing.

Here, I will salute her for a just few of the characters she created during her sojourn in Utah.

Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children

Donna at right as Mother Courage, Nan Weber at left as Kattrin

Paul Zindel's The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds

Cast and crew with Donna second from the left.

 

Ugo Betti's Crime on Goat Island

Donna at center, Nan Weber at left, Richard Scharine at right.

The B. J. Holtkamp Round Barn

The B. J. Holtkamp Round Barn

A ride down a back road in Iowa revealed an historic round barn.

This is the B. J. Holtkamp barn built in 1917.

Take a walk around and inside the barn.

Stone Lions

Stone Lions

There is a public art piece in Lake Park in Milwaukee entitled

Eight Stone Lions.

They guard the ends of two bridges which span the ravines in the park.

They are sculpted from Bedford limestone (some say sandstone).

Designed by Paul Kupper, they were cast and carved by

stonecutter Otto Lachmund.

The bridges, although now narrowed for pedestrian traffic only,

originally hosted carriage and pedestrian traffic.

They were dedicated on 1 November 1897.

Here's Dad on one of them.

(circa 1940s)

Sad news for the pedestrian bridges.
A truck driver, following his GPS directions drove onto them.
Check out the link below.
Truck drives onto bridges.

The Sound of Autumn

The Sound of Autumn

My excellent husband and soul mate has written a song

for the first day of Autumn.

Click below:

The Sound of Autumn

Mattie Shipley Culver's Birthday

Mattie Shipley Culver's Birthday

Today is the anniversary of Mattie Shipley Culver's Birthday in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Her birth was registered in Clinton where the family lived 

but Mattie was born at Martha Platt's house in Lowell.

Mattie was likely named for her aunt.

 
Check out Mattie's facebook Book Page to see more of her life:
Mattie, A Woman's Journey West

North Point Water Tower

North Point Water Tower

Victorian Gothic and Cream Brick

You can't get better than that

Dad took this photo of the water tower at an angle because when he

originally mounted it in his photo album that angle was

aesthetically pleasing for the eye.
[1930s-1940s--Lake Drive and North Avenue, Milwaukee]

Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist 1935

Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist

Milwaukee 1935

Dad took many photos of buildings in Milwaukee.

Here's one he shot just after a fire partially destroyed the church in January 1935.

Wisconsin Cuneo Press

Wisconsin Cuneo Press

Dad was a printer by trade.

Before he began working at the Milwaukee Journal he was employed

by Wisconsin Cuneo Press.

He worked for Cuneo Press from August 1933 to January 1956.

Dad took some photos of Cuneo.
It was located on 5400 West Good Hope Road (Milwaukee).

Here's a shot showing the workers on break playing cards.

Most likely the card game was Sheepshead, one of Dad's favorites.

The article below tells a slight history of Cuneo Press when it was sold in 1985.

[Article from the Milwaukee Sentinel]

Yacht Club in Milwaukee

Yacht Club in Milwaukee
1940s

More action at the lakefront in Milwaukee.

Dad loved the lakefront and it didn't matter what the weather.

Here's Mom taking a walk in front of the Yacht Club in what looks like a brisk wind

off the lake.

This is likely the version of the Club House that was built in 1945 to serve until the end of WWII restrictions of new buildings.

The 1896 clubhouse had burnt down in 1943.

Milwaukee Centurama

 Milwaukee Centurama

In 1946 the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin celebrated their centennial

with a month-long celebration.

Food and entertainment were the staples.

The stage was constructed at the lake front and in addition to exhibits

there was boat racing on the lake and of course fireworks displays.

Dad took this photo of the Centurama Stage in 1946.
I can see a pool with what looks like synchronized swimmers performing.

The Beach

The Beach

One of our family's favorite activities was swimming at the beach.

Although McKinley Beach at Lake Michigan was a staple we traveled

to many of the smaller lakes around the Milwaukee area for swimming fun.

Dad was as prolific as ever in documenting the "crew."
Obviously Mom took this one.

Here we are in 1955.

The Boat House on Cambridge

The Boat House on Cambridge

Edmund B. Gustdorf built his house to look like a boat.

It is on 3138 N. Cambridge (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)  and faces the Milwaukee River.

Modeled after a 1910 gasoline motor launch it is a 500-square-foot abode.

My Dad took this photo when the siding was still wood, not aluminum and the wavy wooden fence still surrounded the house.

The house was built around 1926-27 and my best guess is this photo was taken in the 1940s.

I love the boat in the yard too.

Lake Park Ravines

Lake Park Ravines

Growing up near Lake Michigan the ravines of Lake Park

offered "wildlife" opportunities for us kids.

It offered photo opps for Dad.

These are a couple of his ravine photos.

Aesthetic Value was what he always said was important.

Dad's Photos

Dad's Photos

My father was a great photographer.

Although a printer by trade he had talent and vision.

He took this photo after a winter storm in the 1940s.

What I love about this image is the contrast of the horse and carriage

still in use across from the automobile,

which I'm sure is what Dad was saying with the shot.
He entitled it Horses to Autos.

Nan Weber's Current Acting Reel

Nan Weber's Current Acting Reel

Here it is, my current acting reel.

These are clips from roles I have created.

Thanks to those who heeded my call for copies.

Nan Weber's Latest Acting Reel

Yellowstone National Park Flowers

Yellowstone National Park Flowers

It was a quick trip to Yellowstone National Park

So much was seen

Every minute was important

Here are the flowers

that brightened our visit

Fleabane

Arrowleaf Balsomroot

above and below

Bluebells

Buckwheat

Goundsel

Where's "ducko"

Forget-me-not

Larkspur and Stonecrop

Clematis

Phlox

This is one my favorite Yellowstone flowers

It brightens up the spring

The perfume is like no other

Sage

classic

Yellow Violets

Sulphur Paintbrush

Purple Fringe

above and below

Shooting Star

another flower I can't wait to see

Sticky Geranium

Yellowbells

Fawn or Glacier Lily

An incredible flower in my life

Paul who will lie in the grass with me

Nothing like a red dog