The family
moved to Miami
in 1945.
The Miami
Herald noted
Laessle in an
A p r i l 1 9 4 9
c o l u m n : ”A
folding easel,
a n A u s t i n
and the open
road. This is a
combination
that partially
explains the
q u a n t i t i e s
of little ‘First
Prize’ slogans
t h a t h a v e
appeared in
the last couple
of years on the
contributions
of the Miami
painter to group exhibitions. Since
he came to Miami four years ago, Mr.
Laessle and his ‘painting wagon’ have
hit a lot of Florida high spots with the
‘first prize’ results mentioned…
But when you paint scenes flooded
with Florida sunshine, you need
to be out in the sunlight to get
the proper affect, this traveling
artist believes...So far the principal
painting areas have been the Keys
and the region about Marco Island,
‘though up Palm Beach way’ has also
provided some subject material.”
In 1950 Laessle was president of
Miami’s prestigious artist group
the Blue Dome Fellowship. From
1951 to 1956 Laessle worked as an
instructor in portrait painting at the
Terry Art Institute. This self portrait
appeared in the June 15, 1952 issue
of the Miami Daily News and was
Eloise McWilliams. Day Dreams, Girl with a
Book. Oil on canvas, 30 x 36 inches.
Exhibited Florida Federation of Art,
19th Annual, Miami Beach,
December 7, 1945.
PORTRAITURE
Continued from Page 17
one of twenty-five paintings chosen
by the Florida Federation of Art for
its annual circuit around Florida.
Eloise Vail
McWi l l i a m s
studied art at
the Cleveland
School of Art
before moving
to Miami and
Coconut Grove
in 1937. In
1947 her self
portrait won
best f i g u re
painting at the
Miami Woman’s
Club Annual
Artist & Writers
B r e a k f a s t .
A m e m b e r
of the Florida
Federation of
Art and Miami’s
p r e s t i g i o u s
B l u e D o m e
Fellowship, she exhibited in Miami
into the 1950’s before passing away
at her home in Coconut Grove in
1969 at age 82.
Well that’s a brief look at Florida
portraiture from Palm Beach and
Lady with Red Hair to the beginning
of the modern woman’s movement
in Miami in the 1940’s. The Ringling
Museum has portraits by Frans
Hals and Rembrant. Madam X and
American Gothic are classical
American portraits. I hope this
article will stimulate Floridians to
find and preserve our own portrait
heritage.
Fred Frankel’s book, The Artists
of Old Florida, 1840-1960 can
be downloaded at his website:
theartistsofoldflorida.com
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/theartistsofoldflorida.com