Join us for the Finale @ the Historic Hoosier Theatre, December 3rd @ 4pm.
Please text Brack a picture all your keys and bring them on the 3rd.
Notable #7 - Will Henry Stevens, A Vevay Naturalist Who Impacted the Modern Art World
... and who was his private art teacher in Switzerland County?
Wikipedia - Will Henry Stevens Portrait Circa 1923
A Vevay naturalist, who impacted the Modern Art world quietly and consistently. Influenced it so, his work can now be found in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which is part of the larger Institution.
Will Henry Stevens was born in 1881 to Edward and Ella Stevens. Edward Stevens, an apothecary who learned the trade from his father, taught Will the techniques and tricks of mixing medicines. His mom, Ella Stevens(nee Dimick or Dimock) grew up in the "Utopian" village of New Harmony. Idealism and importance of education no doubt caused her to encourage Will to improve his gifts and share them with the world.
Now, as some young folks in Vevay do, Will grew up roaming the hills and shores of Switzerland County. And like many of us, this exploration caused an engrained love for our surroundings. The trees become important, the creeks, the hills, the animals all become important to us. We can't help but want to preserve our surroundings well beyond our own lifetimes. Will was clearly no different and you can see his work was heavily influenced by his natural surroundings no matter where he lived.
Because he was already showing an aptitude for art by the age of 10, Will was taking private art lessons. By 13 he had enrolled in the Wabash College Prep school. It seems his course had been set at age 20 when he enrolled at the Cincinnati Art Academy. There he met many notable artists, who also then helped him with the business of being of artist.
Lurking Menace - The Laurel of Ashville
Taking the entirety of his parents' teaching, his love for his natural surroundings and his aptitude for art, the story proceeds to build this working artist's resume, one accomplishment at a time. He became a professional artist for Rookwood Pottery, began exhibiting his work, taught in Louisville, had exhibitions in over 40 museums and finally retired from Newcomb College in 1948. These sentences do no justice to his career, so if you have time, read Will Henry Stevens: Naturalist/Modernist for a more detailed picture of his career.
With a project like Dufour's Keys, I tend to focus on how the story paints Switzerland County in a best light...there are plenty who put her down. So as I finish, I think readers from the area will appreciate the fact that after retirement, Will Stevens and his wife decided to move back to Vevay. Out of all the places the art world had taken him, he decided it was Vevay he wanted to return to. And I can relate to that sentiment, wholeheartedly, as there is an explicable draw that Vevay has.
Clue #7 of Dufour's Keys
So, let's finish up with a quick explanation of the clue and location. The "Menace Man" was a reference to one of his paintings, and "mixing possibly began" is a reference to where Will Stevens' father Edward, was a partner druggist at Golay & Stevens. I had to combine this reference item with another map( to be shared later) in order to come up with the location of the current Vevay Switzerland County Foundation office.