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HOLLAND’S
Art Gallery & Framing
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Karl Doerflinger (Click Here To View Gallery Photos)
Karl Doerflinger, who resides in East Providence, Rhode Island, was born in Ohio and raised in Ohio and Tennessee in the 1950's. He is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute Of Art, taught painting for over ten years and has had several showings in the midwest, south and east coast.
From the time he was a child, he was drawn to band organs, carousels and amusement parks. Before he attended art school, he was drawing various carousels in detail from memory. He is still fascinated by them, and they appear frequently in his paintings. Karl is a member of the Providence Art Club and shares a studio and has a close association with Maxwell Mays.
Karl is one of six siblings and doing things as a family, such as going to a parade, a circus or the sea shore, or just playing together in the snow, has greatly influenced his choice of subject matter in his paintings. The Wickford Winter Hayride print is a good example and shows the kind of fun he had with his family in a small town. |
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Maxwell Mays (Click Here To View Gallery Photos)
Born in Rhode Island and a product of the Rhode Island School of Design, Maxwell Mays began his painting career seriously when he was stationed in Recife, Brazil during World War II. He was discovered by an art collector from Colorado who was a U.S. Naval Officer. They became friends and this resulted in his first show at the museum in Colorado Springs, and then at the Denver Museum. Returning to peacetime, not having set foot in New England in five years he saw the once familiar scene in a new light and painted enthusiastically. Eighteen pictures made up his first show at Ferargil Gallery in New York City. Frederic Newlin Price, the director, had previously sponsored Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton, Arthur B. Davies and Lauren Ford. His debut on the famous 57th Street was a sell-out. Maxwell Mays tells stories in each one of his paintings. He lives and paints in a Rhode Island farmhouse which was built in 1737 and has been carefully restored and filled with his work and artifacts which often appear in his pictures. His association with YANKEE, the New England Magazine has brought to the public a series of cover pictures adding greatly to his popularity as a 'collectable artist'. |
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Karl Rittmann (1919-2001)
(Click Here To View Gallery Photos)
For over fifty years Karl R. Rittmann painted Rhode Islands people, landmarks, and its beautiful bay. He created several murals in prominent buildings across the state. Karl painted the portrait of every mayor of Warwick from 1936 through 1999 when he finished that of soon to be Senator, Lincoln Chafee. These works are on display in the city hall building in Apponaug. Scores of families in the region have enjoyed his oil and pastel portraits. Besides his murals, portraits, and landscapes, Mr. Rittmann created many pen and ink illustrations of Rhode Islands notable citizens and athletes for the Providence Journal and the Warwick Beacon. He also illustrated a book on tennis instructions, had greeting card companies use his artwork, and lettered signs and advertisements. For over twenty years Mr. Rittmann taught art at Warwick Veterans Memorial High School before becoming the vice-principal there. After retiring from the school system he dedicated himself to capturing Rhode Islands treasures on canvas. He painted over forty works including landscapes, historical buildings, seascapes and college campus montages that where reproduced as lithographs. Friend and colleague, Spencer Crooks, noted Rhode Island watercolorist, describes these works as "scenes that people understand". |
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John Mecray (Click Here To View Gallery Photo's)
John Mecray grew up one block from the Atlantic Ocean in historic Cape May, New Jersey, where his family has deep roots. Encouraged by his parents and high school art teacher he applied and was accepted at the prestigious Philadelphia College of Art (Now the University of the Arts) where he majored in illustration and painting, maintaining a place on the Dean's List.
John decided to honor his military obligation after junior year by taking the Army up on its promise of duty in Europe - and spent 2 1/2 years "experiencing all the Continent had to offer". His first duty station was with the 2nd Armored Cavalry in Bayreuth, Germany, home of the Wagner Opera Festival - which broadened his love of classical music. Then he transferred to 7th Army Headquarters in Stuttgart and the 7th Army Symphony Orchestra and Soldier Shows Company where he was the set and poster designer. When the Soldier Shows tour neared an end he obtained the position of illustrator for the 7th Army's Psychological Warfare Unit - the 5th Loudspeaker and Leaflet Company. Each position allowed ample time to visit museums in every country in Western Europe. It was "a priceless experience".
John is a member of Mystic Seaport Museum's Yachting Committee, the New York Yacht Club, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Herreshoff Marine Museum, among others. In addition to his deep commitment to yachting subjects John restored an 18th century house in the Historic Hill section of Newport and a rare 1936 MG/PB race car. He also designed and produced three high-quality books on the fabled Leica camera - of which he has a world-class collection.
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