| Summary: | Watercolor, Wax & Wool THE ART OF JANET SHOOK LACOSTE Texas Wildflowers rug, 35 x 54 in. Mrs. Elliott Block Watercolor, Wax & Wool THE ART OF JANET SHOOK LACOSTE With Essays By Amy Freeman Lee & Al Lowman The University of Texas INSTITUTE OF TEXAN CULTURES at San Antonio ©1980 The University of Texas INSTITUTE OF TEXAN CULTURES at San Antonio Jack R. Maguire, Executive Director Pat Maguire, Director of Publications and Coordinator of Programs Design Staff: Sandra Carr, David Haynes, Al Korac and Meredith Rees Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 80-82780 International Standard Book Number 0-933164-81-5 First Edition This publication was made possible in part by a gift from Claudia Abbey Ball of San Antonio Photography by INFORMEDIA of Austin (June and Michael Sidoric) . 1 MAKE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL by Amy Freeman Lee ONE OF THE MOST severe and gnawing verities that challenge the creator of art forms is the simple fact that every individual artist follows a path that genius has trodden. When Janet Maessen visited distinguished European museums following her graduation from high school, she was well aware of being in the presence of multiple examples of art forms which had emanated from the hands of some of the most truly creative people in mankind's history. While she had unreserved admiration and respect for their achievements, she realized that, although her mind was stimulated and heart captivated by them, the love affair was not complete. Her spirit remained uncaptured chiefly because it was not "at home" in London, Paris or even in glorious Florence. However, in the land of Florence a wise countryman named Dante, who knew a lot not only about heaven and hell, but about life in the temporal order, provided a key to the domain of art when he suggested that if one wanted to depict something in a significant way, one had to become that very entity while re-creating it in a different form. Janet was wise enough to take this sound advice at an early age by "becoming" the flora and fauna of the southwest in general and of Texas in particular through her art. Perhaps it would be equally wise for aristocrats of creativity to emulate at least one salient characteristic of the biologically-determined aristocrats of the past by formulating an official family motto. Janet Shook LaCoste's m-otto might well be: "Make Something Beautiful." In her case, this does not imply the privilege of carte blanche; not just any beautiful object will do. To make a proper witness of the motto from Janet's point of view, it means creating something that is salient to your own ambience, that is, something you know, understand and love, and above all else, to do it in your own inimitable way. According to Janet, the very best place to hang your spiritual hat is in your own home. To her, home covers a vast area which includes not only one's outscape, one's natural physical habitat, but one's inscape, one's interior topography. Janet Shook LaCoste believes that an artist must lock the two together if he hopes to create the ideal design marked by a quality of congruity essential to the definitive essence of a true home. If the forging is successful, the end result haE. a sporting chance to be an outer structure befitting its physical setting and representing its creator's striking personality. Then it can be said that the individual is a true artist, for he has made something beautiful, really beautiful. From the conventional vantage point, one is tempted to say that Janet entered her ideal home through the back door. Years before she became an internationally recognized creator of needlepoint designs, she had been a successful painter. We human beings have ways of establishing norms in consummately arbitrary ways. Regardless of the quality of their achievement, we refer to potters, stitchers and weavers as craftsmen, while we designate painters and sculptors as artists. The fallacy of this categorization is self-evident. Anyone who wishes to be an artist must be an accomplished craftsman. He must know his materials and tools as well as how to apply the latter to the former to achieve a desired result. Obviously some people engaged in creative attempts may fail to master their craft and, therefore, never develop into significant artists. On the other hand, some craftsmen never grow beyond their knowledge of technique and their ability to apply it, and, consequently, never develop into genuine artists either. When the potter, stitcher, weaver, painter and sculptor combine mastery of craftsmanship with individual style to convey substantive content, they are all artists. True, while Janet sometimes formed her aesthetic home out of pigments and other times out of threads, she always had the key to her own front door, for she was just as adept at stitching her way through the entrance as painting her way through it. Although it was a minority approach, it was a legitimate aesthetic one. If you follow the evolvement of her paintings, you will soon discover that over the years her work encompassed a comprehensive pictorial · history of San Antonio. She captured the essence of many local landmarks in her flowing, muted watercolors. Their subdued hues echo a prodigious number of memories in gentle, almost misty, ways. Some of the historic buildings no longer exist except in her paintings and those of a few of her peers. The works provide an invaluable opportunity to behold aspects of the past and to hold them in your memory at least for a little while. In the field of painting, Janet devoted herself almost exclusively to the medium of watercolor. Water is definitely her element. She coped successfully with all the well-known challenges of the medium from that of its innate evanescence to its lack of opportunities to correct mistakes. As one reviews Janet's oeuvre, it becomes obvious that the solid foundation of the needlepoint designs, which were to form the apogee of her career and the basis of her international reputation, rests in the watercolors. One might even go so far as to say that these works not only comprise the fluid so essential to growth, but also the bridge to her future in the elegant field of needlepoint. Without a knowledge of the existence and operation of this bridge, the viewer will be apt to discover that it is extremely difficult to determine and decipher a comprehensive insight into her work. 1 1 Many people who take on the incomparable challenge of attempting to create art forms often find a reliable source of much-needed refreshment in the process of changing mediums. Occasionally an artist who has a lifelong devotion to the art of painting will invade the discipline of three-dimensional forms-of sculpture-with a combination of courage and respect. When he returns to his own first love he generally finds that through some inexplicable means, perhaps through magic, he has expanded his perception. Janet Shook LaCoste is no exception save for the fact that while she entered the kingdom of needlepoint at the request of friends, who were interpreters of the art hungry for a talented designer, Janet has chosen to remain in the land of needles and threads. While en route on this aesthetic journey, she discovered that she was undergoing some changes in subject matter. What evolved seemed to emanate from a telescopic lense attached to her inner eye. Instead of the landscapes and genre scenes that had dominated her watercolors, her main focus was on individual specimens of indigenous flora and fauna. She magnified the microcosm, but not at the expense of the macrocosm, because the spotlighted object had been converted into a symbol. In the beginning of her needlepoint period, she literally flew by the seat of her imagination. She knew design per set but she was a pure amateur in the area of executing even her own designs. True, she had the love, but she was learning the technique of needlepoint itself. As she mastered this beckoning craft she re-created an analogy that is primarily musical. Just as a composer who knows the innate potential of the various individual instruments of the orchestra is better able to realize orchestral sounds to a maximum degree, so Janet learned to create designs more congruous to the realistic possibilities of needlepoint. While she grew ever more comfortable in the medium, she never became complacent. Her basic creativity touched every element of her art including that of her technique. Among her many innovations was an effective but simple inventive one dealing with basic instructions to her clients, who were going to engage in the joy of actually developing her designs. Not only did she transfer her design directly on the surface of the material on which the needlepoint would be executed, but she also provided an accompanying sketch of this design with intricate, accurate instructions in words and numbers indicating the exact threads to be applied. Ironically these intended sketches are works of art in themselves. Through the mystery of her creativity she converted the skeleton into a full-blown body beautiful; she waved her magic needle and the blueprint became architectonic. Janet enriched the components of her artistry with the necessary but rare quality of courage. Nowhere do you find this more evident than in her ~ --- I' use of color. She dared to be subtle. Often the results were lyrical, tender, exceedingly personal. When the intrinsic objects flare with hot colors, they do so because the fire is surrounded by ice. From her palette she supplies the vital contrasts mainly through the sophisticated juxtaposition of colors. The viewer can, when he wishes, burn with desire and delight without danger for the cool retreat is never more than a few threads away. Nor is the art of music ever far afield in her work. Although Janet Shook LaCoste is perfectly capable of executing her own needlepoint designs, thousands of people all over the world wanted to make her designs come to life in their own hands, and they did. Many years ago I was shopping in a store adjacent to the Shook-Carrington Gallery when suddenly I became aware of numerous men rapidly and with supreme care examining every inch of that shop. I would not have had to be very perceptive to realize that something unusual was taking place. When I inquired about the identity of the men I was informed that they were Secret Service officers guarding the area because the First Lady, Mrs. Lyndon Johnson, was next door acquiring some more of Janet Shook's needlepoint. The appreciation of such wellknown figures obviously added to Janet's own reputation. However, her popularity was by no means limited to any single coterie; it was universal. What was the cause of this widespread popularity between the composer and the interpreter, between the creator of the fundamental art form and those who re-created this art form through their carefully guided interpretations? What is the essence of this kind of acceptance? The history of art answers by saying that this sort of appeal occurs when the art form speaks directly to the human heart. The route to this most elusive of all destinations is provided in the main by human intuition, instinct and emotion. Rarely, if ever, has this road been paved by the intellect. All the art forms that demand interpretation pose the additional question relating to what really prompts some human beings to find not only contentment, but also complete fulfillment in the role of interpreters rather than through that of direct creator. What is the fascination of the performing arts particularly to those who do the actual performing? Surely it is far more than the fact that some interpreters are incapable of creating the form directly and must, therefore, rely on other creators to supply the springboard from which to jump into the art pool. To those who make the attempts to create and re-create art forms seriously, the challenges of the aesthetic disciplines are so demanding that they require total devotion and assiduous concentration. For the moment all other concerns are blocked out, so by its very nature the process of creativity is therapeutic, even though to the practitioner the benefit is tangential and does not constitute his raison d' etre. While the act of creation is fraught with the extremes of experience from agony to ecstasy, it often produces a soothing effect in those who give themselves unreservedly to the formation and interpretation of art. Through her work both as creator and re-creator Janet Shook LaCoste is at peace with herself and her relationship to the world. Whether or not the art of interpretation is as substantive and significant as the art of direct creation of the art form is as old a question as art itself. The essence of enchantment for both creator and interpreter rests primarily in the process of evolvement. The creator is spellbound by the attempt to project the visions of his inner eye into the outer world. The interpreter is equally mesmerized by observing his ability to give rebirth to someone else's brainchild. To Janet the mystery, magic and miracle lie on both sides of the art coin. She can flip it with facility and win no matter which way it falls, for whether the throw results in heads or tails her capabilities remain consistent and sustain her winning streak. Janet's version of success in its real sense rests on three major pivotal points: basic knowledge of one's chosen discipline; the ability to project this knowledge through a dynamic personality; and the capacity to make this application through a highly individual, dashing style. Perhaps no one has provided a better yardstick by which to measure Janet's own work than she has herself through her definitive analysis of achievement. Nor is her work lacking in spiritual dimensions, for it is easy to substantiate the fact that through her artistic career she has proved that the rich in spirit can most certainly go through the eye of a needle. She has practiced what she preached by putting her needle where her philosophy is. There is a very old saying that even a stopped clock is right twice every 24 hours. Ordinarily, I sign my written statements with my name. Perhaps in the case of this critique I should simply sign it with the words "stopped clock." Even though I am not clairvoyant, my prediction about Janet Shook LaCoste's artistic success was correct. I have been writing with enthusiasm about her work for more than three decades. As far back as 1948, when I did a broadcast twice each week devoted to an evaluation of the arts in San Antonio, I made the following statement about Janet's painting: "Beyond any doubt, Mrs. Shook proves in her current exhibition at the Villita Gallery that about the only point local audiences can down her on is the fact that sways so many timid gallery goers; she is a home town product. My guess is that New York will find her work charming." I have never changed my mind; she did MAKE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL! Amy Freeman Lee is a member of the American Society for Aesthetics, a founder and first president of the Texas Watercolor Society, and a member of the International Art Critics Association based in Paris, France. Janet Shook LaCoste r 1 1 1 1 I ,I • JANET SHOOK LACOSTE AND THE RENASCENCE OF NEEDLEPOINT by Al Lowman JANET SHOOK LACOSTE will go to great lengths to do a friend a favor. That is precisely how she became one of the country's most noted artists in needlepoint. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Moorman had remodeled a farmhouse northwest of San Antonio. The dwelling was virtually completed that day in the mid-1950's as Betty Moorman and Janet stood in the parlor appraising the result. Janet has always relished having a hand in home decoration, a role in which her friends trust her judgment implicitly. She enjoys seeking out those paintings, sculptures and art objects which, in her words, "convey the owners' taste and personality, things which are more than money can pay for." In Janet's opinion the Moorman's living area needed a few color accents. After a moment's reflection she decided that some nicely embroidered pillows would add the missing touch. But Mrs. Moorman was a highly skilled needlepoint worker, not an embroiderer. "You'll have to design me some needlepoint, Janet." So she did, and the result was not only a new career for her, but the widespread revival of an ancient art. Hardly a civilization ever existed in which people did not use needlework to enhance their garments and household furnishings. The art flourished centuries ago in China and in the Middle East. English embroidery reached its peak in the trappings of English cathedrals between the mid- 13th and mid-14th centuries. With the coming of the Reformation there was a switch in emphasis from ecclesiastical to domestic subjects. Mary, Queen of Scots, was both prolific and accomplished as a needlepoint artist. Another great flowering took place in France during the Bourbon regimes. And thousands of visitors to Mount Vernon have seen a set of chair covers worked by Martha Washington. Queen Victoria made it fashionable for ladies to continue their needlepointing in the 19th century, but, with much of her life spent in mourning, the designs she favored tended to be quite dismal in tone. At the time Janet Shook entered the scene the patterns were severely limited, and those available were formal, traditional, stylized and derivative. It was an art form in dire need of fresh air and a fresh viewpoint. Janet's designs had vibrant color, warmth, spontaneity, freedom and originality. A person did not have to be a talented seamster in order to be adept at needlepoint. The essential requirements were dedication, dexterity and infinite patience while creating something beautiful and enduring. II Also necessary were leisure time and a money outlay ranging from $25 to $2,500 for purchase of the patterned canvas and wool. Of course, the same $25 might as easily have been spent on a two-months' supply of tobacco and $2,500 would have bought a sleek new boat with outboard motor. One would go up in smoke and the other would consume gasoline and oil as it depreciated. The finished needlepoint, on the other hand, would continue to rise in value. Today some of Janet Shook's creations are almost priceless. Actually, this most gracious lady was better prepared than one might realize to lead a revival of this sort. Her artistic inclination first revealed itself in childhood when she asked her mother for some paints. Having none available her mother gave her the bottle of bluing reserved for washday use. So, bottle in hand, Janet painted happily away. Perhaps she inherited her ability from her father Frank Maessen, who had a natural talent as an artist but who channeled his energy in other directions. Maessen's father was Dutch, his mother, English. Janet's maternal grandfather John F. Hart did contracting and stone carving for Nicholas Clayton of Galveston, the greatest Texas architect of his day. So the aesthetic impulse was present on both sides of the family. Maessen ended up in Austin, Texas, where his English-born uncle Walter Johnson was longtime head of the city's waterworks. Maessen was about to complete an engineering degree at The University of Texas when his daughter Janet was born in 1912. After graduation he took his family to California for several years but settled finally in San Antonio, where he became a successful realtor and insurance agent. Janet's first art lessons were given by a nun remembered only as Sister Chrysanthemum at Saint Anthony's School. These studies were continued at Incarnate Word College and at the San Antonio Art Institute. Further instruction was received from Hugo Pohl, who maintained a studio in Brackenridge Park. There were lessons from Jose Arpa, an internationally renowned artist who spent 25 years in San Antonio, and from his son-inlaw Xavier Gonzalez, who later moved to New York and became equally influential. Andrew Dasburg of Taos offered frequent and helpful critique of janet's work during a summer she spent in that New Mexico art colony. As she herself has observed, there was never a time when she did not have expert assistance available when needed. At 19 Janet was married to Phil C. Shook, a young San Antonio lawyer by whom she had three children: Patricia (now Mrs. Kenneth Michael Absher), Philip Hart (married to Kitty Frieden) and Anne (now Mrs. James Aderhold). Throughout her years of child-raising Janet's interest in art never waned. She experimented in oil painting but watercolor was her favorite medium. She didn't like having to wait to see what tonal value the oil would have when dry. In time she would become a founding member of the Texas Watercolor Society. One of her earliest customers was Eleanor Taylor of the Taylor Decorating Company at Main and Woodlawn. Fellow members of the San Antonio Art League further encouraged her. Her work was featured in exhibits at the Villita Gallery in November 1948 and at the Witte Museum in March 1950 . Janet has always painted a great variety of subjects. Local historic sites and still-life arrangements of flowers are recurring themes in her art. In the late 1940' s and early 1950' s she and her family made repeated trips to the Gulf Coast at Port Aransas. Here she produced countless waterfront scenes that were so well liked most were sold right off the easel. Her experimentation with new media continued apace. With the help of Bob Winn she learned the silk-screen technique. Ceramics became another field of interest. Once while sick with flu, she read an article on the making of batiks. "I got up and filled every pot and pan in the house with dye and wax and then devised my own method of doing those Indonesian-style batiks. After drawing the design on cloth, I would brush out with hot wax certain areas that I wanted to keep free of dye. Then I would dip the cloth in dye, remove it and wait for it to dry. Next the wax would have to be ironed off, using towels. The whole process would then be repeated for the next area to be dyed. In some ways it was a hazardous business, what with all that boiling wax and dye, the hot irons and small children under foot." The children came through unscathed, however, and Frost Brothers department store gave Janet a week-long exhibit in April 1955 at which the batiks sold briskly. This same process was used in the creation of several huge, folding screens, two of which may be viewed in San Antonio's Argyle Club, where they are on permanent loan. Throughout this time Janet Shook not only was developing as an artist, but was also honing the skills that later would make her a successful business woman. In the fall of 1948 she conceived the idea of a "Portrait Parade" as a means of raising money for the San Antonio Art League to establish a purchase prize. Using her considerable charm and persuasive power, she talked several noted private collectors into opening their homes on a Sunday afternoon in October in order for the general public to view some of the great masterpieces therein. Proceeds from the ticket sales were then used to further various Art League programs, including the importation of outstanding exhibits, guest lecturers, special programs for children, and above all the creation of the Julian Onderdonk Memorial Fund to purchase paintings of prize caliber for the League's permanent collection at the Witte Museum. The next year the event was renamed the Art League Jamboree and as such has continued as San Antonio's art event of the year. Soon after the initial success of the Art League Jamboree, Incarnate Word College sought the acquisition of a kiln for its ceramics department. The result was a festival to which numerous of Janet's artist friends donated their individual work. Then, so that each ticket holder got at least something for his money, she persuaded Michael Frary, Leslie Larsson and Etienne Ret each to lend a painting that could become the basis of a seriograph that in turn could be duplicated in sufficient quantity to ensure that everyone left the festival with a suitable work of art. The event was another success. In the mid-1950's came Betty Moorman's appeal to Janet for the design of some needlepoint. Janet knew absolutely nothing about needlepoint and said so. "Oh sure, you can do it," encouraged Mrs. Moorman who proceeded to order a bolt of French canvas from Mazaltov's and ample Persian wool from Paternayan Brothers, both firms located in New York City. Janet had never lacked the courage to tackle new endeavors, but this time, as the house filled with canvas and wool, even her mother thought she had gone too far. The very first thing she created was a footstool cover for the parlor of the Moorman farmhouse. Other needlepoint enthusiasts liked what they saw arid Janet was in business almost before she knew it. The concept was the easy part; execution proved to be tedious and time-consuming. Even then it remained for the customer to do the actual working of the pattern. As a general rule Janet would first create the design in watercolor, then make and perfect a pencil tracing. This would be color coded with instructions in the margins. A second copy, this one in ink, would omit the color code and instructions. This second version would be photostated and the photostat placed under the canvas while a craftsman traced the design on the surface. (Early in her career as a designer of needlepoint Janet had this second copy duplicated on the canvas using the silk screen process, but it was inexact, unwieldy and sufficiently complicated to discourage its continued use.) Color code and instructions would be added to the ink version. The finished tracing would again be duplicated for inclusion in the complete package. The next tedious requirement was counting the stitches and estimating the amount of wool needed to execute the design. Each shade had to be separately packaged and numbered to correspond to the color code. The response to such painstaking effort was highly gratifying. "Since I didn't paint the design on the canvas, you didn't know exactly how it was going to look," says Janet. "The picture grew as you worked the piece. It never had been done that way before. Those who liked it, loved it." Her friend Betty Urschel agrees. - 1 1 I Shook designs were invariably reproduced on single mesh canvas imported from France. Generally they called for execution of two basic stitches. First was the continental stitch, especially useful in working the design pattern, but which, because of its tendency to pull the material out of shape, is not advisable for use over a large area. Then there was the diagonal or biased stitch (also known as basket-weave) which does not pull out of shape and which is, therefore, preferred for use over extended areas. More and more customers found their way to Janet Shook's door. Soon she was creating designs for pillows, chair seats, hand bags, wall hangings, bellpulls and many other things. The originality of her designs accounted for much of her popularity, but there were other factors involved, she feels. No one had wanted to work with wool during the leisure summer months. The advent of modern home air conditioning, which occurred about the time she entered business, changed all of this. Here seems to be a case where technology promoted art rather than made art its victim. Then too air travel was becoming widely popular about this time; her customers frequently worked on needlepoint as they flew. Thus the wide exposure of her art led to new orders, new customers, new friends. Janet fondly recalls some of her patrons whose support and encouragement meant so much at the outset of her new career. "Mrs. George R. Brown must have bought tons of the stuff just because she was afraid I might get discouraged and go out of business. She introduced my designs to all her Houston friends at a showing in her home." In San Antonio Betty Moorman, Betty Urschet Lucretia Murphy, Helen Frost and Frances Spires also made extensive collections of Janet's work. Janet's volume increased manyfold after 1959 when she and Virginia Carrington established a partnership. Mrs. Carrington, a perceptive woman of impeccable taste, had instantly recognized a singular talent. She became a merchandising expert with an excellent grasp of the mail-order business. The partners placed an ad in the March 1960 issue of Vogue magazine offering to send, for 25 cents, a small brochure of 13 designs to J Ali ~ ,. a step ahead , . into the past SHOOK DESIGNS .\ ~'ln;HH AI']'HO.\( 'H TO Xf:EIlLEPOJ:,"r! Create helr-looms witil ,\'UIII" OWII hands with limited-edition designs fuJ' pillows, lJa~.s. ('hair seats, etc. Each set. complete wilh ol'iJ,tinal desl~1l 011 itll) lol'ted t'nnVflS, Persian yarns, t' XII Iil'it lJiret'tlOlls. Shown : Hi" gaily-rotored wntel'melon pillow; kit. :.!O .OO. ('hec'" or Illllnl'Y order, no C.O, D.'s. Bro('hure with Spring AddItions. 25C. JANET SHOOK DESIGNS DEPT. " V • P.O. BOX 600' • SAN ANTONIO 9, TEXAS I ' I I I, I I I 1,1 erstwhile needlepointers. "For the cost of a $150 ad, we soon had more quarters than Las Vegas," recalls Virginia Carrington. The most popular item was the watermelon design used on a small, round pillow. For a time Virginia handled the mail-order business from her home while Janet continued working out of her garage studio. More space was needed to accommodate the burgeoning business, so Janet's parents allowed her to move into their upstairs apartment and to convert their living room into a display area. The next move, in about 1964, was to 6700 North New Braunfels Avenue and the opening of an establishment known to needlepoint practitioners the country over as Janet Shook Designs. This wasn't the only significant move Janet made. After her first marriage was dissolved in 1965, she wed Albert LaCoste, who even today seems to regard his wife's exuberant activity and accomplishment with an equal measure of pride and genial detachment. As she looks back on the studio years, Janet says, "They were all very exciting, sparkling times." One has the unshakable feeling that Janet herself made them so. In addition to the vital support given by her associate Virginia Carrington, she had the faithful help of a small but devoted staff. These included Catherine Quereau, Dorothy Cheviot, Zelime Gillespie Matthews and Margaret Killebrew. Outside the shop there was another individual whose assistance was essential; this was Hans Mangold, who cleaned, blocked, backed and, where necessary, mounted the finished work. Janet was deeply complimented when she saw him carefully remove some of her work from his locked safe. "These were the people, II says she, "who made the studio a paying proposition without sacrificing quality. II The shop did not handle sewing supplies or accessories. It did handle paintings, sculptures and other forms of art that were deemed worthy. Janet missed the camaraderie she had formerly enjoyed with other artists, so she surrounded herself with their work. Thus, through the ShookCarrington Gallery, she and Virginia introduced to a large audience the work of such artists as William Bristow, Michael Frary, Vicente Gandia, Peter Hurd and Tom Lea and that of sculptor Charles Umlauf. The pace at which Janet and her cohorts worked was hectic but organized. They ran what was basically a custom design shop. "We created new designs on request and altered old ones every which way. Care and precision were absolutely necessary at every step. Even the difficult things were a challenge. I learned from experience that I could cope, that if I tried hard enough, there was an answer. Sometimes, II she continues, lithe greatest problem was conceiving a suitable device in which to place the subject. Once that was decided on, I proceeded with the arrangement and the color. We tried to create classic designs with contemporary feeling. II I 1 Janet quickly learned her customers' preferences. At times she visited patrons in their homes in order to fit style and color schemes to the particular decor. liThe very texture of a rug, whether it's fine or coarse, contributes to its formality or informality. The thicker the texture, the less formal it is. Therefore, you may have to simplify a design in order to make it coarser, thicker and less formal-depending on the area of use, of course. II Many times the artisans at the studio were asked to modify designs so that all or parts thereof could be utilized in a different context or format. A rug in the style of Rousseau, for example, has been effectively displayed as a wall hanging, and smaller sections have been used for making pillows and covering chairs and even a love seat. Janet's designs were so vital, so distinctive, so appealing, that they surfaced in such places as the Lyndon Johnson White House. A State Department request prompted the design of pillows depicting wildflowers of the United States for presentation to President and Mrs. Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines. During a phone conversation with Mrs. Johnson'S secretary, Janet happened to mention that she was at work on a rug that would portray the wildflowers of Texas. Mrs. Johnson let it be known that she would like one for presentation to Prime Minister and Mrs. Levi Eshkol of Israel. White House personnel began stockpiling both rugs and pillows for use as official gifts. The items were actually worked by two ladies who lived at Medina Lake-Mrs. v.A. Hill and Mrs. W.A. Doyle. For several years they were employed almost full time. Janet Shook designs were chosen for pillows on the yellow sofa in the Oval Room, and Mrs. Johnson regards "among my prized possessions" the dining room chairs at the Johnson ranch. Each seat cover depicts a particular Texas wildflower. The studio and gallery closed its doors in 1976. Ready to relax now the partners decided they would rather liquidate the business than sell it. Customers' orders were accepted through June 30, the cut-off date, following which none of the old designs would ever again be sold. For devotees of needlepoint, it was as if the gates to Mecca had been forever closed. The atmosphere at the studio was a mixture of reunion and wake as customers poured in for a last chance to purchase a kind of needlepoint that was not likely to recur in the market. The decision to discontinue all of the old patterns has not inhibited Janet, in retirement, from accepting a commission or two from churches. In 1968 she had designed kneelers for the Griffith Chapel of the First Presbyterian Church in San Antonio and, three years later, the seats and backs of the clergy chairs in the chancel. In the early 1970' s she created for San Antonio's Temple Beth El a tapestry portraying the sacred symbols of Judaism within a border of Texas wildflowers. This tapestry is the sole decorative object on the wall of that synagogue. She has also depicted in , I JI i I I I I needlepoint four of Christ's miracles that were used on kneelers and an altar frontal at Christ Episcopal Church in San Antonio. And she has done scenes from the life of Saint Francis using rich, jewel-like colors for a new Episcopal Church in El Paso. The significance of Janet Shook LaCoste's work has been recognized by the Archives of American Art, adjunct of the venerable Smithsonian Institution. This agency has sought to preserve in over 4,400 frames the records, memorabilia and accomplishments of this marvelously creative person. Today she lives, not too quietly and not too serenely, in a quiet, serene neighborhood on San Antonio's near north side. She enjoys her painting, the company of her family and friends, and participation in a broad range of the city's social and cultural activities. Retirement is for the elderly, not for Janet. Only one question remains to be answered: "Did she herself ever learn to needlepoint?" Several months into the business Betty Moorman had requested the design of some needlepoint tabs by which her dining room curtains were to be held. These were to be finished and the curtains hung before a longscheduled party was to take place. A day or so before guests were to arrive Janet discovered that the decorator had somehow misjudged the number of tabs needed. They were short two. "I had never needlepointed before," remembers Janet. "I only knew that you kept going in the same direction. I thought I should be able to figure it out, and I did. I made both of them on the spot." In the life of Janet Shook LaCoste, artist and doer extraordinaire, it was a typical crisis. And a typical response. ~ --- ~ --- ~ --- ~ THE ART OF JANET SHOOK LACOSTE , " ill " " Ii 'II !II I ! ' i I,: I I, I I " i I Shrimp Boats at Fulton, 9 x 13 in. Mrs. L.D. Middleton San Antonio River at the Commerce Street Bridge, 22 x 28 in. Mrs. William Lupe Jr. Mathews at Port Aransas, 22 x 26 in. Walter Anthony Maessen Jr. I' I ': Ii ,I Wildflowers of the United States The late Helen Keator Frost Similar pillows were given by President and Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson to visiting heads of state. Chelsea Birds The late Helen Keator Frost Pillows designed for the yellow sofa in the Oval Office of the White House. I t r t Medieval wing chair Mrs. John Parker t The Lady and the Unicorn screen, 57 x 75 in. The late Mrs. Eugene Spires Golden Pomegranate rug, 50 x 85 in. Mrs. Joseph Murphy Detail from Golden Pomegranate rug Mrs. Joseph Murphy Chrysanthemum and Pomegranate pillows Mrs. William B. Cavender ! t f Detail from Family History bell pull Mrs. Woodward Altgelt Rousseau love seat Mrs. Houghton Phillips XVIII Century chair seat Mrs. Sam Maddux Child's chair Mrs. Arthur A. Seeligson Jr. In the manner of Rousseau, 114 x 114 in. Mrs. Charles Urschel Jr. Janet Shook LaCoste regards this rug design as the greatest challenge of her career. Framed wall hanging In the manner of Rousseau, 48 x 96 in. Mrs. B.C. Garnett The Aviary wall hanging, 43 x 57 in. Mrs. William A. Parker Classic Urn rug, 108 x 144 in. Mrs. Kenneth Lee I Pillows Persian Landscape Mrs. James E. Aderhold [mari Fish [mari Fan Mrs. William Damon Jr. Persian Landscape Ann Pogue Persian Landscape with Figure Mrs. Robert Ayres Oriental wall hanging, 90 x 35 in. Mrs. Bob Alyn Made by the late Helen Brizman Four Seasons pillows and screen, 54 x 72 in. The late Helen Keator Frost Bamboo and Lotus Blossoms wing chair The late Mrs. Eugene Spires Melody of Flowers wall hanging, 43 x 108 in. The late Mrs. Eugene Spires Oriental piano bench The late Mrs. H.W. Brizman f Sections of a large unfinished Shell rug specially designed for Mrs. Lewis Moorman III Blue Daisy rug, 46 x 67 in. Mrs. Lewis Moorman III Anemones rug, 24 x 82 in. Mrs. Henry 1. Cohen Anemones rug, 26 x 98 in. Anonymous lender Garden of Roses rug, 72 x 111 in. Mrs. Nancy Negley French Basket chair The late Helen Keator Frost Audubon Bird Chippendale desk chair Mrs. John Parker Queen Anne child's Chippendale chair Mrs. William A. Parker French Classic rug, 31 x 41 in. Mrs. Kenneth Lee Bamboo and Lotus chair Mrs. Eugene Carrington Oriental Garden rug, 37 x 68 in. Mrs. Carl Fuhrmann Design for Harriet chair The late Mrs. Robert Witt Symphony rug, 40 x 68 in. Mrs. Stanley Frank Williamsburg chair Mrs. Aden Stiles Williamsburg Fruit and Flowers rug, 36 x 48 in. Mrs. Dorothy Thompson Detail from Iris rug, 37 x 38 in. Mrs. William A. Parker Queen Anne arm chair English Country House rug, 36 x 54 in. Mrs. Walter Buzzini Dining room chair with monogram and Texas wildflowers Mrs. John B. Connally Pillows adapted from Temple Beth El wall banging (clockwise) Jacob and the Ladder Mrs. David Jacobson Adam and Eve Shalom Jerusalem Mrs. Alfred Miller Detail from Shell rug, 23 x 36 in. Mrs. Joseph Murphy Brocade arm chair Mrs. William B. Cavender Three Roses chairs Mrs. Gunter Hardie Eucalyptus rug, 25 x 63 in. Mrs. John Catto Jr. Eucalyptus rug, 29 x 104 in. Mrs. Joseph B. Parker Detail from Hunter's Paradise framed wall hanging Mrs. F.C. Hixon Lotus Blossoms framed wall hanging, 44 x 20 in. Mrs. Christopher Goldsbury Flower Garden valance Mrs. Peggy Becker Oriental Garden director's chair Mrs. Carl Fuhrmann Classic Garland pillow Mrs. James P. Aderhold A Piece of Klee bench Mrs. Alfred Miller Field of Flowers ottoman Janet Shook's first needlepoint design Violets in the Rain footstool Mrs. Lewis Moorman Jr. Tree of Life rug, 35 x 62 in. Mrs. Lewis Moorman Jr. Everyone Should Have a Picasso rug, 35 x 50 in. Mrs. Richard Coiner Detail from Fruits and Vegetables rugs Mrs. R.M. Klose Detail from Fruits and Vegetables rugs Mrs. R.M. Klose Fruits and Vegetables rugs, 36 x 39 in. Mrs. RM. Klose Crewel embroidery pillows (clockwise) Nancy's Flowers Rooster Grapes and Fruit Imaginary Birds Mrs. Lewis Moorman Jr. These pillows were designed by Janet Shook and made by members of the studio staff. The Bird Watcher Pillow Mrs. Lewis Moorman Jr. Wall hanging, 18 x 22 in. Mrs. Ian McNab Ottoman Mrs. Charles Urschel Jr. Rug, 34 x 52 in. Mrs. T. Armour Ball Another Tiger Ottoman Mrs. Charles Urschel Jr. Pillow Mrs. Arthur A. Seeligson Jr. Audubon Passenger Pigeon chair seat Mrs. Robert Ayres Audubon Passenger Pigeon and White-Crowned Sparrow pillows Mrs. Douglass Quereau Field Flowers drapery tabs Mrs. Lewis Moorman Jr. Field Flowers chair seat Mrs. Harold Buttery Field Flowers pillows Mrs. Dan Sullivan IV Children's Fantasy bed canopy, 108 x 144 in. Mrs_ Lewis Moorman III Texas Wildflowers rug, unfinished, 38 x 57 in. Mrs. Merle Bahan Pillows (clockwise) Buttercups Mrs. Tod Menefee Cactus Prickly Poppy Mrs. Edward J. York Indian Paint Brush Mrs. Donald E. Everett Texas Wildflowers Mrs. T. Armour Ball Petite Wildflower Bouquet chair (clockwise) Mrs. John C. Meadows Purses Dogwood Texas Wildflowers Mrs. Winchester Kelso Florentine Tapestry Mrs. S.C. Richardson Detail from Texas Wildflowers rug Mrs. Merle Bahan Texas Wildflowers rug, 35 x 54 in. Mrs. Nancy Negley Indian Blanket chair (clockwise) Mrs. Roane Harwood Pillows Cactus Mrs. Ed Cheviot Indian Blanket Mrs. Edward J. York Sunflower Mrs. Ed Cheviot Texas Wildflowers vest Mrs. John H. Wood Jr. Watermelon pillows Mrs. Jack E. Guenther The pattern on the right was featured in the first Vogue magazine advertisement in March 1960 for $20. Pillows Blue Violets The late Helen Keator Frost Texas Star Gift of Mrs. John W. Beretta to the D.R.T. Library Duck and Strawberries Mrs. Frank Gillespie Carousel Mrs. Lewis Moorman Jr. American Eagle Charles Thompson Texas Wildlife cummerbund James E. Aderhold Texas Wildlife hatband General John M. Bennett Jr. Florentine Tapestry folding rocker Mrs. T. Armour Ball Texas Wildlife hatband and vest William C. Abbey Pillows Wood Duck Mrs. John W. Browning Two Owls Chinese Pheasant Mrs. Lewis Moorman Jr. Wild Turkey Mrs. Harry Affleck Pillows from the Kleberg King Ranch Series (clockwise) Deer Wild Turkeys Mr. and Mrs. Phil Hart Shook Flying Quail Mrs. J.M. Rutledge Pillows Raggedy Ann and Andy Mrs. Monte D. Tomerlin Skunk and Poppies Mrs. Frank Gillespie Jr. A Little Something Else Mrs. Alfred Miller Sassanian pillows Mrs. Houghton Phillips Pillows (clockwise) Birds in a Cage Mrs. T. Armour Ball Les Fleurs Mrs. John W. Browning Flores Colores Mrs. Walter Buzzini Tobacco Leaves Mrs. Kenneth Michael Absher Bright Morning Glories Mrs. Frank Gillespie Jr. Collector's motif rugs 144 x 80 in. Mrs. T. Armour Ball 66 x 83 in. Mrs. Ed Sethness 50 x 66 in. Mrs. Frates Seeligson Fleur-de-Lis chair Mrs. Charles Urschel Jr. Christmas Stocking and Ornaments Mrs. Douglass Quereau Pillows (clockwise from top right) Happy Birthday Mrs. Joseph Murphy Don't Talk While I'm Interrupting Mrs. Lewis Moorman Jr. To Avoid Criticism, Say Nothing, Be Nothing, Do Nothing Mrs. John W. Beretta The Reason for Light is Darkness Home Ain't Home Without Mama Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries The Reason for Hens is Eggs Mrs. Lewis Moorman Jr. Detail from framed wall hanging, Geese Mrs. Eugene Carrington Footpath of Roses rug, 36 x 58 in. The late Helen Keator Frost Pillows (clockwise) Audubon flower series, Tiger Lily and Hibiscus Mrs. Marshall Miller Lotus Lady Mrs. James E. Aderhold Detail from Day Lily pillow Robert Garman Three Roses ottoman (clockwise) Mrs. A.B. Crowther French Bouquet and Iris pillows Mrs. Winchester Kelso Abstract Flowers pillows Mrs. Nancy Negley Pillows (clockwise from left) Two Roses Mrs. William C. Abbey Audubon Day Lily Robert Garman Two Roses Mrs. Frank Maessen Pillows (clockwise) Metamorphosis Mrs. James E. Aderhold Nasturtiums California Poppies Mrs. Frank Gillespie Jr. Pillows (clockwise) Safari Fun: Elephant Mrs. Walter Buzzini See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil Mrs. Henry 1. Cohen Small Egret Mrs. Frank Gillespie Jr. Safari Fun: Ostrich Mrs. Charles Noble Jr. Pillows (clockwise) Petite Fleurs Mrs. Lewis Moorman Jr. Provin cial Nancy's Flowers Mrs. Frank Maessen Butterfly Mrs. Lewis Moorman Jr. Doves and Flowers Mrs. Carl Fuhrmann Pillows Giraffe Mrs. Charles Huey Lone Owl Mrs. Harry Affleck Zebra Mrs. Tyson Searcy Chinese Puzzle picture frame Iclockwise from left) Mrs. Joseph Murphy Purses Chinese Puzzle Persian Garden Mrs. William A. Parker Petite Bouquet Mrs. Ian McNab Chinese Puzzle Mrs. Ike T. Pryor III Bamboo and Lotus Mrs. Douglass Quereau Unicorn ottoman Mrs. Charles Urschel Jr. Purses Under the Sea Mrs. George Luhn Design for Margaret Mrs. Robert Barclay Geranium Mrs. Christopher Goldsbury Strawberries and Strawflowers Mrs. Charles Noble Jr. Nasturtium Mrs. William A. Parker Geranium checkbook Mrs. John H. Wood Jr. Geranium Mrs. Ike T. Pryor III Purses Iclockwise) Blossom Time Mrs. Frank Gillespie Jr. Petite Bouquet The late Helen Keator Frost Fleur-de-Lis Mrs. John Catto Jr. Florentine Tapestry Mrs. Ian McNab Field Flowers Mrs. Robert Buchanan Persian Garden Mrs. James P. Aderhold Daisy Mrs. Charles Urschel Jr. Persian Garden The late Helen Keator Frost Violets and Leaves Mrs. W. B. Osborn Jr. Scroll Mrs. John L. Matthews Scissors cases Daisy Mrs. Peggy Becker Under the Sea Mrs. Kenneth Michael Absher Bellpulls Williamsburg Mrs. Robert Barclay Phoenix Mrs. William C. Abbey Chinese Mrs. Josh Groce Telephone book covers Iclockwise from left) Seven Kings Mrs. Henry 1. Cohen Texas Wildflowers Mrs. Frank Gillespie Jr. Two Owls Miss Gail Harwood Scroll Mrs. Henry 1. Cohen Purse Texas Brands Mrs. Tom Burns AN AFTERWORD by Janet Shook LaCoste I SHOULD LIKE TO TAKE advantage of this exceptional opportunity to thank those early art patrons whose support was so meaningful, as well as others who were part and parcel of my early career. A partial list would include: The late Eleanor Taylor Bell Eloise Middleton and the late Ruth McLean Bowers L.D. Middleton Alice Brown of Houston Betty and Lewis Moorman Jr. Roxanna and Jack Catto Jr. Nancy Brown Negley The late Jean and Dale Dorn The late Eleanor Onderdonk Betty Hixon and the late Betty and Charles Urschel Jr. Col. F.C. Hixon The late Pattie and Rollins Wofford Ruth Smedley, now of California, who needlepointed experimental designs for me before I knew how to needlepoint. Virginia Carrington, my partner in Janet Shook Designs and the ShookCarrington Gallery, and her husband Gene, who was always there when we needed him. Our longtime assistants at Janet Shook Designs and Shook-Carrington Gallery: Dorothy Cheviot, Zelime Gillespie Matthews, Catherine Quereau and the late Margaret Killebrew-all talented and indispensable. Mrs. v.A. Hill and the late Mrs. W.A. Doyle of Pipe Creek, Texas, who needlepointed the many samples shown at Janet Shook Designs. Jerry Stewart, interior designer, to whom we turned many times for technical advice. Hans Mangold, whose expert craftsmanship in assembling needlepoint was both evident and invaluable. To all my clients scattered throughout the world I send my thanks and very best wishes. LENDERS TO THE EXHIBITION William C. Abbey Vest and Hatband, Texas Wildlife Mrs. William C. Abbey Bellpull, Phoenix Pair of Pillows, 1Wo Roses and Three Roses Mrs. Kenneth Michael Absher Pillows, Rousseau Salamander and Tobacco Leaves Scissors Case, Under the Sea Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Michael Absher Watercolor, Patricia and the Marionette, 22 x 18 in. James E. Aderhold Cumberbund, Texas Wildlife Watercolor, El Fenix Bar, 17 x 21 in. Mrs. James E. Aderhold Acrylic, Texas Sun, 30 x 40 in. Pillows, Metamorphosis, Lotus Lady and Persian Landscape Mrs. James P. Aderhold Pillow, Classic Garland Purse, Persian Garden Mrs. Harry Affleck Pillows, Wild Thrkey and Lone Owl Mrs. Arthur Allison Footstool, Exotic Bird Mrs. Woodward Altgelt Jr. Bellpull, Family History Mrs. Bob Alyn Piano Bench, Oriental, made by the late Helen Brizman Fan-shaped Wall Hanging, Oriental, 90 x 35 in. , made by the late Helen Brizman Mrs. Robert M. Ayres Audubon Chair Seat, Passenger Pigeon Pillow, Persian Landscape with Figure Mrs. T Armour Ball Folding Rocker, Florentine Tapestry Pillows, Birds in a Cage and Texas Wildflowers Purse, Florentine Tapestry Rug, Bird Watcher, 34 x 52 in. Rug, Collector's motif, 144 x 80 in. Mrs. Merle Bahan Rug, Texas Wildflowers, 38 x 57 in., unfinished Mrs. Robert Barclay Bellpull, Williamsburg Pillow, Chinese Lady Purse, Design for Margaret Mrs. Peggy Becker Scissors Case, Daisy Valance, Flower Garden General John M. Bennett Jr. Hatband, Texas Wildlife Mrs. John W. Beretta Jr. Pillow, To avoid criticism, Say nothing, Be nothing, Do nothing Mrs. Elliott Block Rug, Texas Wildflowers, 34 x 54 in. Mrs. William Bowers III Acrylic, The 'J}-opics, 29 x 39 in. Colonel and Mrs. John W. Browning Chair Seat, Queen Anne Pillows, Les Fleurs and Wood Duck Mrs. Robert Buchanan Purse and Belt, Field Flowers Mrs. Tom Burns Purse, Cattle Brands Mrs. Harold Buttery Chair Seat, Field Flowers Mrs. Walter Buzzini Arm Chair, Queen Anne Pillows, Elephant and Flores Colores Rug, English Country House, 36 x 54 in. Mrs. Eugene Carrington Chair Seat, Bamboo and Lotus Framed Wall Hanging, Geese, 13 x 26 in. Mrs. John Catto Jr. Purse, Fleur-de-lis Rug, Eucalyptus, 25 x 63 in. Mrs. William B. Cavender Armchair, Brocade Pillows, Pomegranate and Chrysanthemum Mrs. Edward Cheviot Pillows, Cactus and Sunflower Watercolor, Shrimp Boats at Rest, 20 x"25 in. Mrs. Henry 1. Cohen Acrylic, Profusion of Flowers, 29 x 40 in. Pillow, See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil Rug, Anemones, 24 x 82 in. Telephone Book Covers, Scroll and . Seven Kings Mrs. Richard Coiner Rug, Shell, 48 x 71 in. Rug, Everyone Should Have a Picasso, 35 x 50 in. Watercolor, Oge House, 15 x 20 in. Mrs. John B. Connally, Picosa Ranch, Floresville Dining Room Chair, with monogram and Texas wildflowers Mrs. A.B. Crowther Ottoman, Three Roses Mrs. William Damon Jr. Pillows, Imari Fan and Imari Fish D.R.T. Library at the Alamo Pillow, Texas S tar Gift of Mrs. John W. Beretta Jr. Mrs. John Evans Jr. Pillow, Free Unicorn Mrs. Donald E. Everett Pillow, Indian Paint Brush Mrs. Stanley Frank Rug, Symphony, 40 x 68 in. The late Helen Keator Frost Chair Seat, French Basket Luggage Rack, Queen Anne Pair of Pillows, Four Seasons Pair of Pillows, Chelsea Birds Pair of Pillows, Wildflowers of the United States Pillow, Blue Violets Purses, Flemish Bouquet, Persian Garden and Petite Bouquet Rug, Footpath of Roses, 35 x 58 in. Rug, Texas Wildflowers, 36 x 54 in. Screen, Four Seasons, 54 x 72 in. Wall Hanging, Texas Wildlife, 19 x 50 in. Mrs. Carl Fuhrmann Director's Chair, Oriental Garden Rug, Oriental Garden, 37 x 68 in. Pillow, Doves and Flowers Robert Garman Audubon Pillows, Day Lily and Tiger Lily Mrs. B.C. Garnett Wall Hanging, After Rousseau, 48 x 96 in. Mrs. Frank Gillespie Jr. Pillows, Bright Morning Glories, California Poppies, Duck and Strawberries, Nasturtiums and Small Egret Purse, Blossom Time Telephone Book Cover, Texas Wildflowers Mrs. Christopher Goldsbury Pair of Pillows, Queen Anne Piano Bench, Garland with Lyre, made by Mrs. Robert Barclay Purse, Geranium Wall Hanging, Lotus Blossoms, 44 x 20 in., made by Mrs. Robert Barclay Mrs. Josh Groce Bellpull, Chinese Mrs. Jack E. Guenther Pair of Pillows, Watermelons Mrs. Gunter Hardie Pair of Chairs, Three Roses Gail Harwood Telephone Book Cover, Tho Owls Mrs. Roane Harwood Chair Seat, Indian Blanket Pillow, Single Rose Mrs. Barbara Hillman Wall Hanging, Texas Wildflowers, 53 x 40 in. Mrs. F.C. Hixon Batik, Eskimo Lore, 24 x 34 in. Framed Wall Hanging, Hunter's Paradise, 14 x 45 in. Mrs. Reagan Houston III Batik, Butterflies, 32 x 12 in. Framed Wall Hanging with Crewel Embroidery, Santos, 28 x 12 in. Mrs. Charles Huey Pillow, Giraffe Mrs. David Jacobson Pillow, Jacob and the Ladder Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson, Stonewall Chair Seat, Indian Paint Brush Mrs. Mark Kelly Court Train, La Chasse Mrs. Winchester Kelso Pillows, French Bouquet and Iris Purses, Dogwood and Texas Wildflowers James Killebrew Pillows, Rousseau Egret and Queen Anne, made by the late Margaret Killebrew Mrs. R.M. Klose Pair of Rugs, Fruits and Vegetables, 36 x 69 in. Albert LaCoste Acrylic, Wildflowers of Texas, 24 x 30 in. Watercolor, Pump House in Brackenridge Park, 18 x 22 in. Janet Shook LaCoste Original watercolors and drawings Mrs. Kenneth Lee Rug, Classic Urn, 108 x 144 in. Rug, Four Seasons, 57 x 75 in. Rug, French Classic, 31 x 41 in. Mrs. George Luhn Purse, Under the Sea Mrs. William Lupe Jr. Watercolor, San Antonio River at the Commerce Street Bridge, 22 x 28 in. Mrs. Sam Maddux Chair, 18th Century Mrs. Frank Maessen Pillows, Nancy's Flowers, Provincial, Tho Roses and Three Roses Walter Anthony Maessen Jr. Watercolor, Mathews at Port Aransas 22 x 26 in. ' Mrs. John K. Matthews Chair Cushion, Skunk and Poppies Watercolor, Chapa's Drug Store, 22 x 29 in. Mrs. John L. Matthews Chair Seat, Butterfly and Flowers Purse, Scroll Mrs. Wilbur Matthews Pillow, Oriental Garden Mrs. Ian McNab Purses, Florentine Tapestry and Petite Bouquet Wall Hanging, The Bird Watcher, 18 x 22 in. Mrs. John C. Meadows Chair, Petite Wildflower Bouquet Mrs. Tod Menefee Pillows, Buttercup and Fruit and Flowers Mrs. L.D. Middleton Watercolors, Dietrich Bros. Seafood Co., Fisherman's Cottage at Fulton, Shrimp Boats and Weber's Grocery Store, each 9 x 13 in. Mrs. Alfred Miller Piano Bench, A Piece of Klee Pillows, Adam and Eve, Jerusalem and Shalom Pair of Pillows, A Little Something Else Mrs. Marshall Miller Jr. Audubon Pillows, Hibiscus and Tiger Lily Lewis Moorman Jr. Watercolor, 410 Matamoros Street, 9 x 14 in. Watercolor, Pearl Brewery, 15 x 18 in. Mrs. Lewis Moorman Jr. Batik Bedspread, 66 x 54 in. Linen Draperies with needlepoint tabs Footstool, Violets in the Rain Ottoman, Field of Flowers Pillows, The Bird Watcher, Butterfly, Carousel, Chinese Pheasant, Petite Fleurs and Tho Owls Motto Pillows, Don't Talk While I am Interrupting, The Reason for Light is Darkness, Home Ain't Home Without Mama Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries and The ' Reason for Hens is Eggs Crewel-embroidered Pillows, Grapes and Fruit, Imaginary Birds, Nancy's Flowers, Provincial and Rooster Rug, Tree of Life, 35 x 62 in. Mrs. Lewis Moorman III Canopy, Children 's Fantasy, 180 x 144 in. Rug, Blue Daisy, 46 x 67 in. Rug Squares, Shell, unfinished Mrs. Joseph Murphy Picture Frame, Chinese Puzzle Pillow, Happy Birthday Rug, Golden Pomegranate, 50 x 85 in. Rug, Shell, 23 x 36 in. Mrs. Nancy Negley Pair of Pillows, Abstract Flowers Rug, Garden of Roses, 72 x 111 in. Rug, Texas Wildflowers, 35 x 54 in. Mrs. Charles Nobel Jr. Pillow, Safari Fun Purse, Strawberries and Straw Flowers Mrs. W.B. Osborn Jr. Purse, Violets and Leaves Mrs. John Parker Desk Chair, Audubon Thrush Wing Chair, Medieval Mrs. Joseph B. Parker Rug, Eucalyptus, 29 x 104 in. Mrs. William A. Parker Child's Chippendale Chair, Queen Anne Purses, Chinese Puzzle, Nasturtium and Persian Garden Rug, Iris, 37 x 38 in. Framed Wall Hanging, The Aviary, 43 x 57 in. Mrs. Houghton Phillips Chippendale Love Seat, After Rousseau Three Pillows, Sassanian Design Mrs. A.F. Pogue Pillow, Persian Landscape Mrs. Ike T. Pryor III Pillow, Gentleman of China ' Purses, Chinese Puzzle and Geranium Mrs. Douglass Quereau Christmas Stocking and Ornaments Audubon Pillows, Passenger Pigeon and White-crowned Sparrow Mrs. S.C. Richardson Purse, Florentine Tapestry Mrs. J.M. Rutledge Pillow, Flying Quail Mrs. Tyson Searcy Pillow, Zebra Watercolor, George Brackenridge House, 10 x 11 in. Watercolor, San Pedro Park Bandstand 21 x 24 in. ' Mrs. Arthur A. Seeligson Upright Piano, Safari Fun motif Mrs. Arthur A. Seeligson Jr. Child's Chair with special design Pillow, Another Tiger Mrs. Frates Seeligson Rug, Collector's motif, 50 x 66 in. Mrs. Ed Sethness Rug, Collector's motif, 66 x 83 in. Mr. and Mrs. Phil Hart Shook, Birmingham, Alabama Acrylic, Betty's Flowers, 30 x 36 in. Pillows, Deer and Wild Turkeys Watercolor, Steves House, 21 x 19 in. Mrs. Eleanor Sledge Pillow, Rousseau Leopard Mrs. Ruth Smedley, Seal Beach, California Framed Wall Hanging, Vendor in the Tropics, 40 x 18 in. Mrs. Walter D. Spencer Batik, Birds, 26 x 21 in. Watercolor, Taos Eugene Spires Bellpull, Melody of Flowers Screen, The Lady and the Unicorn, 52 x 72 in. Framed Wall Hanging, Medieval, 29 x 38 in. Wall Hanging, Melody of Flowers, 43 x 108 in. Wing Chair, Bamboo and Lotus Blossoms, made by the late Frances Spires Mrs. Aden Stiles Chair Seat, Williamsburg Mrs. Dan Sullivan IV Three Pillows, Field Flowers Charles Thompson Pillow, American Eagle Mrs. Dorothy Thompson Rug, Williamsburg Fruit and Flowers, 36 x 48 in. Mrs. Monte Tomerlin Pillow, Raggedy Ann and Andy Charles Urschel Jr. Watercolor, Lalo's Cafe, 22 x 29 in. Mrs. Charles Urschel Jr. Chair Seat, Fleur-de-lis Ottomans, Another Tiger, Bird Watcher and Free Unicorn Purse, Daisy Rug, After Rousseau, 114 x 114 in. Watercolor, Blue Door, 15 x 13 in. Robert Witt Chair Seat, Design for Harriet, made by the late Harriet Witt Mrs. John H. Wood Jr. Checkbook Cover, Geranium Pair of Pillows, Queen Anne Pair of Zodiac Pillows, Cancer and Pisces Pillow, Audubon Hibiscus Lady's Vest, Texas Wildflowers Mrs. Edward J. York Pillows, Cactus, Indian Blanket and Prickly Poppy
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