The Rolled Nudes

Charcoal sketch by June Anderson.

Cross-posted on Preserving a Family Collection.  Please note that the images on Preserving a Family Collection are more explicit than the images chosen (and cropped) for this blog.

Flashback:  Back in spring 1949, June took a course at Traphagen School of Fashion where she learned to draw the nude human body.  Women models posed fully nude.  Male models were drawn nude when depicted from the rear.  Frontal views of men featured discreet coverings.  The drawings were oversized and were probably rolled into cylinders for storage soon after they were drawn.  The course ended in late May;  June met Art that Memorial Day.

At some point, the rolled nudes were all stuffed into a large plastic bag.  They disappeared into long-term storage.  I first looked at them a year ago, pulling out several to see what they were.  I didn’t look at many because they were unwieldy and fragile.  There are approximately fifty of these rolled nudes in our family collection.

Last week, I brought six of the rolled nudes into the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts for examination and treatment recommendations by Senior Conservator Soyeon Choi.  I selected the six pieces randomly, sight unseen, and carried them to the Center in a black plastic trash bag.

Soyeon unrolled the oversized drawings, one by one.  She used heavy transparent acrylic blocks to hold down the edges, preventing them from scrolling back up.  For the first time, I could see the nudes clearly.  According to the grades on most of them, this is “A” work.

All charcoal sketches by June Anderson.
Uncropped pictures on the companion blog,
Preserving a Family Collection.

(For Sunday – a pause in the correspondence.)
 

© 2011 Lee Price

Graduation Day!

June graduated from Traphagen School of Fashion on Thursday, June 1, 1950.  We have no idea if she attended the ceremony or simply had the diploma mailed to her.  We don’t know if Art or her parents came into the city to share the occasion with her.

But we do have the diploma, so we know with certainty that she “satisfactorily completed the two year course in costume design and illustration.”  The diploma is signed by the school’s founder, Ethel Traphagen.

From 61 years later, “Happy Graduation Day!”

(For Friday – time rushes forward.)
 

© 2011 Lee Price

Traphagen Highlights

By the end of May 1950, June successfully completed all requirements for graduation from Traphagen School of Fashion.

As we near the 61st anniversary of June’s graduation, this entry celebrates her work with a small selection of some of her finest fashion illustrations from her time at Traphagen.  Many of these are previously unpublished, a few are being reposted with better image quality, and a couple are simply favorites that we felt like reposting because they’re so good!

(For Wednesday – Happy Graduation!)
 

© 2011 Lee Price

Unveiling the Cape



June in her self-designed blue-and-white checked cape.



In March 1950, June undertook one of her most ambitious Traphagen projects – designing and creating a blue-and-white checked cape.

“After school, Shirl and I are going to look for some cloth for my cape.  If we find it, we’ll probably cut it out that night.”

       June Anderson

       Letter to Art Price, March 21, 1950

“After school, Shirl and I went down to Hester Street today to buy material.  She bought material for some dresses.  I bought the fabric for my cape.  People will turn to look when I come along in my big checks.  Have you ever seen a checkerboard horse blanket?  Well, that’s what I have – in blue and white!  I don’t care what people think – I like it.  We already cut out the pattern tonight.  It was loads of fun.”

       June Anderson

       Letter to Art Price, March 22, 1950

“Well, I called up Daddy today and told him the bad news – that I bought some expensive cloth for my cape.  He was very sweet about it – didn’t yell my head off…  Both Shirl and I have been working on the cape tonight.  We’re tired now.”

                                                                                   June Anderson

                                                                                   Letter to Art Price, March 23, 1950

The cape became one of June’s favorite possessions.  After finishing the cape, she wore it often.  We don’t know what other people thought of it – or if they really did turn to look when the big-checked cape passed by – but it’s obvious that June wore it with pride.

(For Monday – Traphagen memories.)
 

© 2011 Lee Price

Missing You Is a Chronic Condition

Quick sketches by June Anderson.

Thursday, May 25, 1950

112 West 86th Street

New York City, NY

Dear Art,

Quick sketch by
June Anderson.

I feel much better tonight, darling.  We all went to the movies and saw a couple of revivals.  Evie bought a lot of clothes so she felt better.  I’ve been working very hard at school and I’m feeling very tired.

Shirl’s going out tonight.  A friend of mine might come over.  If she does, we’ll do homework together.  I have plenty but I’m not going to worry about it.  I should be able to finish everything on time.

Seriously, there’s nothing much to tell you.  I guess nothing happens to me except when I’m with you.  Then there’s too much, and all too wonderful to tell.  Missing you is becoming a chronic condition with me.  It’s because I love you so much.  What more can I say?

I hope you have my compact and comb with you on Friday night.  I’m sure I left them with you.  Look through your pockets.  Maybe we’d better start tying strings around our fingers on Sunday nights – I didn’t expect that you’d be just as forgetful as I am!

I’ll be seeing you very soon.  I hope the time flies till then.

All my love,

June

(For Saturday – Unveiling the cape.)
 

© 2011 Lee Price

No One Knows But Us

Wednesday, May 24, 1950

20 Cooper Street

Southampton, NY

Dear June,

I’ve been waiting for the mail to come before I write to you.  Now I’m sitting here with your letter beside me.  I love you very much, darling.

I’m certainly sorry you had such a bad time with Shirl’s sister!  I imagine she’s gone by now.  For your sake, I hope so.  Do you think it’s largely jealousy of Shirl?

I have your compact and comb.  I forgot to mention them in Monday’s letter.  I hope I remember them Friday night.  By the way, if I do send a painting to the Metropolitan it still has to be painted.  I haven’t a thing here that seems right.

Photo tentatively identified as Roulston's.

About the store:  We haven’t heard from the company but if their asking price is halfway decent, Rod has a good backer lined up.  He’s a local man and a friend of Rod’s.  I’m the only one who knows about this.  Not even Bruno knows.  I think everything is going to work out pretty good.  I hope so anyway.

I had a good art lesson last night.  It lasted till eleven.  As usual, it’s raining today on my day off.  I’ve got to go out and mail this now.  I love you so very very much, sweetheart.

Lots of love,

Art

(Tomorrow – the last letter from Traphagen.)

© 2011 Lee Price

Clothes Shopping With Evie

Monday, May 22, 1950

112 West 86th Street

New York City, NY

Dear Art,

Fashion illustration by June Anderson.

I guess this will be a complaining letter again.  I had an awful night.  Shirl, her sister Evie, and I went shopping for Evie today.  When Evie couldn’t find what she wanted, she got very mad, and acted nasty to all of us.  She cried, yelled, threw tantrums and everything.  It was terrible.  After she calmed down she still acted mean and kept whining.  If I had half as many clothes as she has, I’d be in heaven!

Then, right in the middle of everything, Shirl made a date with Ted and that started Evie off again.  Well, I wasn’t going to stay alone with Evie and her whining all night.  I was very upset, wishing you here more than anything in the world.  I told Shirl I was afraid her sister and I might have a fight if she left us alone.  So it ended up with all of us going for a ride with Ted.  We just got back.

I hated this place today – I really did.  After our wonderful time this weekend, I had to come back to this!

I’m very upset, as you may have gathered, but maybe a good night’s sleep will fix me up.  Darling, please take care of yourself, and don’t worry about me.

All my love,

June

Darling, this is a P.S. now.  It’s about 10:15 on Tuesday morning.  I’m here in school.  I just wanted to tell you I feel better now.  I’ve already done a little work and I’ll do more after this.  With Evie here, I doubt I’ll be able to work in the apartment tonight.  Maybe we should all go to a movie.

Darling, I forgot to ask you – what picture (or is it more than one?) are you sending to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the contest?  By the way, you have my compact and comb.  That means you’ll have to come over Friday night to deliver them.  I love you.

Love,

June

(Tomorrow – plans for Roulston's.)

© 2011 Lee Price