Artists reconnect at the “Art Through the Generations” Reception at the Coronado Public Library
On April 6th, the Coronado Public Library hosted the “Art Through the Generations” reception for the former students of the late Esther Painter Hagstrom. Ms. Hagstrom was an art teacher at Coronado High School from 1939 until her death in 1951. The reception’s main purpose was to allow the public to meet the artists and allow the artists to get reacquainted. “It’s almost like a mini Coronado High School reunion.” said Suzy Hagstrom, granddaughter of Esther. Some of the artists hadn’t seen each other since their high school days more than fifty years ago.
“Rainbow Fleet” was painted by Esther Painter Hagstrom, former CHS art teacher
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Suzy, a journalist from Point Loma, planned the event in memory of her grandmother. “I had this idea of finding a permanent home for my grandmother’s artwork, and one of the people I know in Coronado suggested that I do an exhibit with her work alongside the works of her students.” She then called people who knew her late parents (Barbara Lou Eagles Hagstrom and Robert Painter Hagstrom, classes of 1950 and 1948 respectively) and asked about the students of grandmother who actually became artists. “As long ago as eight years, I called the artists on the phone and asked them if they would be interested in participating in an exhibit.” Suzy kept in touch with them off an on throughout the years until the library was ready to host the “Art Through the Generations” exhibit.
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The Library will eventually become a permanent home for the work of Hagstrom.
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The artists are as follows:
John Clampitt, Coronado High School class of 1954
Sarah Mott Durand, class of 1948
Lois Drake Ferguson, class of 1953
John “Jack” Minchin, class of 1948
Dolores Bridges Mote, class of 1945
Doris Klindt Naccarato, class of 1951
Patty Murphy Jepson, class of 1948
Hildegarde Jaeger Stubbs, finished high school in Santa Monica
Celeste Walkup Usler, class of 1951
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Hildegarde Jaeger Stubbs attended CHS for one year and moved to Santa Monica to finish high school. “Ms. Hagstrom made art fun,” she says of her favorite teacher.
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Sarah Mott Durand, who graduated in 1948, liked Ms. Hagstrom because “she recognized all of us who really were interested and she was very encouraging. She taught me perspective, which has helped me all my life.”
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“I started out in pottery, and of course my pot kept flying off the wheel,” said Patty Murphy Jepson, class of 1948. “And Ms. Hagstorm said ‘Patty, dear, there are other forms of art…you don’t have to ceramics!'” Today, Patty enjoys woodcarving and drawing.
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As a thank-you gift, Suzy presented each artist with a bundle of articles that have been published about Ms. Hagstrom and the “Art Through the Generations” exhibit.
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Couldn’t make it to the reception? Luckily, the exhibit is running through May of this year. Stop by during the following hours:
March, April, May 2013
Monday-Thursday: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Friday, Saturday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m.-5 p.m.
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To read more about the exhibit or the artists, click here.
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Sophia Zaller
Online Editorial Intern
eCoronado.com
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