{"product_id":"landscape-painting-by-john-william-will-vawter","title":"Landscape Painting by John William 'Will' Vawter","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLandscape Painting by John William 'Will' Vawter (IN, 1871-1941)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSigned Will Vawter; painting in excellent condition, with period frame, depicting a rural  Brown County landscape.  Cleaning and conservation by Grashe Fine Art Restorers, Bellevue, WA January 2024. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBiography\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJohn William Vawter, better known as Will Vawter was born in Boone County, West Virginia on April 13, 1871.  He was mostly a self-taught artist, but did attend the John Heron Art Institute in Indianapolis and the Art Students League in New York.  He first started doing illustrations for the Indianapolis Sentinel in 1891 and soon appeared in many other newspapers and magazines.  He also worked on a children’s book, “The Rabbit’s Ransom” with his sister.  He then met James Whitcomb Riley in 1893 and became his illustrator for the next thirty years. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDuring his time working with James Whitcomb Riley, he met Mary H. Murray.  She was interested in James at first, but when she realized he did not return the feelings, she turned her attention to Will Vawter.  They were married around 1906.  As a result of working so closely with James Whitcomb Riley, Will began picking up some of his bad habits including drinking.  Mary decided to do something about it and when she discovered that alcohol was not sold legally in Brown County, she moved them there.  They purchased 57 acres in 1908 on Town Hill, a half mile south of Nashville.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe local residents loved Will, but they did not accept Mary.  They saw her as “eccentric and bitter” (Letsinger-Miller, 38).  She filed many lawsuits against anyone who offender her in any way.  Will threatened to leave her if she continued to file lawsuits.  In 1923, he divorced her.  She kept the farm and he rented two rooms in downtown Nashville.  He used one room for his living quarters and the other for his studio.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWill became interested in oil painting and was soon as accomplished at oil painting as he was at illustrating and print-making.  He won many prizes and the Hoosier Salon and had his own exhibit there in 1932.  His new studio became a great tourist attraction and onlookers constantly were watching him at work.  Finally he began locking the door to keep them out so he could concentrate on his work. He also began painting from inside his car so he could work in peace away from people watching him.  He used the ceiling of the car to clean out his paint brushes while he worked.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWill soon began spending time with long-time friend Ola Genolin who was the town’s first druggist’s widow.  Many of his friends were afraid he would let her get away, so they sort-of conned him into proposing to her.  They were married in September 1923.  They built a studio and home northeast of town and traveled frequently while Will kept on painting.  He loved the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and went to see if seven times at the Nashville movie house. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWill Vawter was great with kids, but never had any of his own.  He often played checkers and chess at Miller’s drug store in Nashville.  Then in 1926, when T.C. Steele died, Will was the one who took Steele’s ashes to his burial site.  He was well loved by all and was a charter member for the Brown County Art Gallery Association.  His death was quite a shock to the residents of Peaceful Valley.  John William Vawter died suddenly of pneumonia on February 11, 1941. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Antique American Indian Art","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47582461362341,"sku":"220816-01","price":38500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0718\/6071\/5685\/files\/IMG_1616a.jpg?v=1773198888","url":"https:\/\/antiqueamericanindianart.com\/products\/landscape-painting-by-john-william-will-vawter","provider":"Antique American Indian Art","version":"1.0","type":"link"}