Ch. 8 - Little-Bigs

Little-Bigs

“We looked at approximately two hundred of the finest small-scale watercolors I have ever seen, all neatly matted, numbered, and bundled. A master indeed! What you see on these pages is a sampling in color and monochrome of what Wilcox has been doing in recent months to ‘occupy his time.’ In large measure these watercolors represent a kind of artistic nostalgia, a return to the romantic scenes of the artist’s youth when rural America was colored by a quieter way of life, to the times and places that have left an indelible impression on his memory. They were drawn on bond paper, often directly with a felt pen, and watercolor washes added.”

-Norman Kent, “The Little-Big Watercolor of Frank. N. Wilcox,” American Artist, 1963

Later in his life, Wilcox created small-scale watercolors, which Norman Kent coined as, “The Little-Big Watercolors of Frank N. Wilcox” in his article in American Artist, of which he was the editor for twenty-five years.

205 Cable Car, Cleveland, Ohio

c. 1959 Watercolor and ink on paper Signed lower right 8.5 x 11 inches

206 Up to the Station, Cleveland, Ohio,

c. 1959 Watercolor and ink on paper Signed lower right 8.5 x 11 inches

207 Old South Water Street, Cleveland, Ohio

c. 1959 Watercolor and ink on paper Signed lower right 9 x 12 inches

208 Embarkation

1959 Watercolor and ink on paper Signed and dated lower right 8 x 10.5 inches

209 Lightning Strike

c. 1959 Watercolor and ink on paper Signed and titled lower right 8.5 x 11 inches

“None of us will forget the night lightning struck the big barn at the Brick House. It was impossible to save it, of course, but Uncle Harry exerted herculean strength in pulling down connecting fences and moving wagons out of range.” -Out in Brecksville

210 Recollection of Wilcox Place

c. 1959 Watercolor and ink on paper Signed lower right 8.5 x 10.75 inches

211 The Fish Man

1959 Watercolor and ink on paper Signed and dated lower right 8.5 x 11 inches

212 The Carpet Weaver

c. 1959 Watercolor and ink on paper Signed lower right 8.5 x 11 inches

“To me, because he resented the urbanization of Brecksville, Uncle Harry Snow personified the older farm existence. He indicated to me the extent to which he was affected by the changing environment, and how much a part of it he had once been... but clearly he felt these urges keenly, and had he had not been interested in preserving them, much family and neighborhood tradition would have been lost. Seeing his tall figure moving in some far field or sitting on his side steps was a fitting detail; and when one arrived at the farm, his greeting was like a burst of fresh air.” -Out in Brecksville

213 My Dilemma, Brecksville, Ohio

c. 1959 Watercolor and ink on paper Signed lower right 8 x 11 inches