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This photo was taken on my* first birthday, which was in 1956. We are in the basement of the new house that we started moving into on Jan. 23, 1956. Clockwise, starting at the left, is oldest-sister Clara, Mother, Peggy (partially obscured, sitting on the couch), Charles (helping to open my gift), me (partially obscured), Helen (in dark clothing), and Marti (back to camera). I assume my dad took this photo. With us six children under foot, I wonder how Mother EVER had time to paint! I imagine my dad being supportive was a very important factor. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
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In the gallery of thumbnail images in this post are images of nine watercolors by Mother (Marion Gunderson). Eight were definitely painted in 1956; I believe the ninth (Holy Family**) was, as well. In Mother’s 1956 journal***, there are twelve or thirteen dates for which she has entries indicating she painted on those dates.
Also in the gallery below are images of the 1956 yearbook of the Rolfe, Iowa, school district. Links to other Rolfe yearbooks are in the “Categories” column at this blog’s homepage. More yearbooks will be added periodically.
If you are wondering why it is a big deal to me to include Mother’s watercolors, a lot of it has to do with profits from prints of the watercolors being donated to the Rolfe Public Library. So far over $4,000 has been donated, much of it going to this project. If you have questions about the prints, you may contact me at mariongundersonart@gmail.com. You may also ask at the library or at Wild Faces Gallery (where the prints are made) in Rolfe. (BTW, for the library and for purchasers, everyone comes out better financially if prints are purchased in person — when possible — as opposed to online.)
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Making the Thumbnail Images Larger
1) To see the thumbnail images in slideshow view, click on one of the images. Then navigate forward or backward through the images.
2) To magnify the images even more, once in slideshow view, click on the “Permalink” or “View Full Size” hyperlink.
3) After clicking on the “Permalink” or “View Full Size” hyperlink, if you want to enlarge further, hover your mouse cursor over the image. As you move the cursor over the image, if you see a moving “+” sign, it means you can enlarge the image even further by clicking on it. (A “-” sign means you can’t enlarge it further.)
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- It appears that it is Miss Marcum’s handwriting in the upper left corner of this image.
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- Floral in Shades of Red
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- Philodendron and Fruit
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- Vibrant Floral
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- Three Horses ****
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- Girl in White (or Sculptured Head)
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- Bull (Prints have been made of another watercolor of a bull painted by Mother. That watercolor is titled “El Toro.”)
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- Lenox Birds Trio
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- Holy Family
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- Iowa Corn (Prints titled “Ear of Iowa Corn” have been made of another watercolor painted by Mother.)
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*Louise Gunderson Shimon (youngest daughter of Marion)
**Holy Family — see December 1 entry toward the bottom of this post.
****Prints are available.
*** Entries from Mother’s 1956 journal include:
Jan. 2: 1st meal in basement [of new house]
Jan 16: Louise started on Pablum.
Jan. 23: Started moving to new house.
Jan. 30: Clara’s first high heels — for school concert and then 8th grade graduation. Art Ass’n meeting at Lena Vaughn’s in afternoon.
Feb. 6: Johnson Bros. of Ruthven started moving old house.
Feb. 9: Rolfe band had thrill of a concert with Rafael Mendez, trumpeter. Clara wore formal for the first time.
Feb. 20: Deane sold 25 cattle.
Feb. 22: Deane to Sioux City with 19 cattle brought 19¢ a lb.
Mar. 1: Johnny Zeman started working for us.
Mar. 5: Painted with Art Ass’n at Maud Herrick’s. [Does anyone know how I might contact Maud — if still living — or Maud’s family? I believe Mother gave or sold a painting to Maud. If so, I’d like to try to track down an image of it.]
Mar. 6: Painted horse picture.
Mar. 20: Dial telephones installed.
Mar. 25: Louise baptized. She behaved perfectly.
Mar. 30: Oat seeding started.
May 18: Deane to W’loo [Waterloo] to get 70D J.D. tractor that he is to run on experimental basis.
June 18: I painted with art ass’n at Lena Vaughn’s. [In this link’s photo, Lena is “Lena Wiegman.”]
July 10: Oat combining started.
July 23: I painted Lenox bird picture this afternoon.
July 30: Painted with Art Ass’n at Agnes Neal’s.
Sept. 12: I painted picture of a Bull.
Sept. 24: John Young [2011 photo] took over Bill Brinkman’s Standard Service Station.
Sept. 27: Art Ass’n met here.
Sept. 21: I painted zinnia picture.
Oct. 18: Painted Sculptured Head with ass’n at Myrtle Sabo’s.
October 29: Painted with Art Ass’n at Bertha Van Alstine’s barn in Gilmore — did corn picture.
Nov. 10 and 11: John Deere pheasant hunters here and Evelyn Jirsa [wife of Emil Jirsa]. Poorest hunting yet.
Nov. 19: Sorosis [women’s book review/social club] at Lucerne’s [Hunter, I assume]. Marie [Hauck?] reviewed Virgil Hancher’s travel diary. [Virgil Hancher graduated in Rolfe’s class of 1914. Before July 2013 I’ll post the 1913 Rolfe yearbook which includes several photos of Virgil.]
Nov. 21: Report cards. _____ had F in deportment. [May or may not be a family member.]
**Dec. 1: Busy — worked on Christmas picture for living room. [I believe this is the Holy Family painting, where Mother also used a cutwork technique. I have one of her paintings of a young woman where she used a similar dark wash and the same cutwork technique to create the outlines. My painting is dated 1958.)
Dec. 10: Painted with Art. Ass’n at F. Beneke’s.
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Photo collection sources may be furnished upon request.
(Click here to go to Louise Gunderson Shimon’s blog’s home page.)
Marion Gunderson Art (and the Farmer's Daughter) 
