Lawrence of Arabia, Cleopatra, The Sound of Music. Do you know what these three movies have in common? …… Times up! … the art for all three of their movie posters, along with over seventy others, was done by Tucson’s own Howard Terpning.   

Terpning was born in 1927 in Oak Park, Illinois. As a boy he liked to draw and knew by the age of seven that he wanted to be an artist. At fifteen, he became fascinated with the Western US and Native American history when he spent the summer camping with a cousin in Colorado. At the age of 17 he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served from 1945 through 1946. 

After leaving the Marines he enrolled at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts in their 2 year commercial art program using the G.I. Bill to pay his tuition. 

After art school he started work at a Chicago illustration studio as an apprentice. Eventually he began to work on his own commissions. By 1962, he was working as a freelance artist. During his 25 years as an illustrator he created magazine covers, story illustrations, advertising art and 80 movie posters starting with The Guns of Navarone in 1961. Other examples include Cleopatra, Doctor Zhivago, The Sound of Music, The Sand Pebbles and Lawrence of Arabia.

In the early 1970’s Terpning grew tired of commercial work and decided to pursue his interest in the American West and Plains Indians. Still living in the eastern US, he began to create fine art paintings, selling them in Western galleries. After a few years, he moved to Arizona to devote himself to painting the American West. 

Terpning’s art is revered for his attention to even the tiniest detail. But in capturing the details he also invokes … the mood. The history. The life force. The surrealistic beauty of that particular moment in time.  

Terpning’s paintings have sold very well at auction. At least two of them have sold for over 1 million.  But you don’t have to be a millionaire to own his work.  Fine art prints of some of his works can be found.

Some of the museums Terpning’s work can be found in are the Phoenix Art Museum, The National Portrait Gallery, The Smithsonian Institution, The Gene Autry National Center of the American West and The Gilcrease Museum.

Howard Terpning. Tucson is proud that you call her your home.

Carol Fenn 2-2017

For a few years there was a venue in downtown Tucson called The Maker House inside of the Bates Mansion. The Maker House venue is long gone, but I was fortunate enough to attend an event there and got a chance to enjoy the many architectural elements of the building. For example, the ceilings are spectacular with mounding like I’ve never seen. And then there is the mural by Salvador Corona.

Salvador Corona, in his early years in Mexico, was a bullfighter. After being gored by a bull, and with encouragement from a colleague, he turning to painting.

He depicted 17th and 18th century colonial Mexico based on stories he heard while growing up in the Mexican state of Chihuahua; stylized landscapes; scenes of Tucson; etc.

In 1939, at the request of the Mexican government, he traveled to New York City’s World’s Fair to represent Mexico.

His painted furniture attracted the attention of many wealthy American patrons, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Commissions followed.

After getting a commission to paint the rotunda in The Manning house in downtown Tucson he came to live in Tucson, wife and daughters in tow, in about 1950. He died in 1990. His studio and residence was located at 1701 East Speedway Boulevard, and then 902 North 4th Avenue.

He was, for many years, one of Tucson’s leading artists. His folk art paintings of Colonial Mexico can still be found in some Tucson homes and businesses. He is also well known for his smaller-than-a-mural objects. Boxes, trays, frames, beds, screens, etc.

While in Tucson his work was sold exclusively through Frank Patania Thunderbird shops located next to the Fox Theatre and in the Josias Joesler designed Broadway Village.

There have been two major exhibitions of his work: in 1989 at the Arizona Historical Society and in 2010 at the Arizona State Museum.

Today, his works can sell for a pretty penny, so keep an eye out for his distinctive style.

Carol Fenn, 1-2017

I was recently given two pieces of old Mana pottery, made in Arizona. Even though I’ve been scouring Arizona for 27 years for all manner of antiques and collectibles, this was my first introduction to this pottery. I found it to be intriguing so I decided to look into it’s origins. 

For the last 60 plus years Mana Pottery, which is based in the beautiful Aravaipa valley, has been producing American Southwestern art pottery unlike any other. They are still active. Their hand painted, hand made, earthenware is unusual, unique, and quite glorious. Grouped together it would make a stunning collection.  

 
Immanuel “Mana” Trujillo was the heart of Mana Pottery. A World War II veteran who suffered a bomb blast that caused traumatic brain injury, Trujillo led a very interesting life, getting to know both Timothy Leary and Salvador Dali, among others. 

 
 At some point Trujillo came to Arizona and in 1948 he started Mana Pottery. Senator Barry Goldwater, for one, was an early collector. It was sold at Goldwater’s Department Stores, Red Feather Lodge in Grand Canyon National Park, and other small gift shops across Arizona and New Mexico. Mana Pottery ceremonial earthenware was also sold at Ortega’s in Scottsdale, Arizona. The “Peyote Way” line of Mana pottery is featured in the Smithsonian’s “Museum of the American Indian Collection.”

The pottery is relatively rare but with 100 plus unique booths in the Mercantile I’ll bet a piece of Mana pottery could eventually be found. Come on in and take a look!

Carol Fenn 1-2018