Marvin D. Mangus: Artist Signature Study

Marvin D. Mangus: Paintings Found on the Internet

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Each time I discover a photo of one of dad's painting, I plan to archive it these ongoing visual files.

Marvin D. Mangus: Polar Bear Painting

Marvin Mangus

I was pleased to win this polar bear painting by my dad, Marvin D. Mangus. Judging by the signature style, I estimate this work to be c. 1961. I'm very happy to add it to my collection.

Retrospection: Clarence H. Steele, Mark Tobey, and Me

Clarence Steele and Don Mangus

Clarence Steele

Mark Tobey

Mark Tobey

Mark Tobey

Mark Tobey

Don Mangus

Mark Tobey

One of the paintings I grew up with was this stylized scene of a rooster and chickens behind wire, painted by Clarence H. Steele (1910-1988). It was much more "Cubistic" in approach than most of the landscapes painted by the other artists that dad knew. 

Later in life, curious, I asked dad how he came to own the Steele. He answered simply, "I saw it at an art show, liked it, and bought in on the spot."

Once dad was giving our family friend, noted watercolor painting legend Edmond "Jim" Fitzgerald a tour of his collection hanging on the walls. and when Jim saw the large canvas, he immediately piped up -- "This artist has studied with Mark Tobey." Jim was absolutely correct.

Memories of John Dos Passos' Visit to Our House

Gift from John Dos Passos. Marvin spelled the name incorrectly.

John Dos Passos

Stately Mangus Manor is loaded with memories. We moved in here in 1962. So I'm trying to organize 56 years of hoarded memory artifacts. I decided to clean out three of the Magnificent Marvin's old briefcases.

Mostly they were filled with desiccated rubber bands, paper clips, old pencils, "magic markers," foam rubber ear plugs, etc. -- but I did find two "gems." A collapsable tin drinking cup and a knife-sharpening whetstone gift from the famous "Lost Generation" author, John Dos Passos.

Dos Passos came to Alaska to write a travel article on Alaska for "Holiday" magazine in 1966. It was some of the little feature magazine work he could get. He had long-since been "blacklisted" by the establishment for being a "Commie sympathizer."

This actually ties into one of my favorite "Marvin stories." JDP had been told to look dad up by their mutual friend -- dad's art mentor in Washington DC, William F. WalterAlaska.

So dad monologued JDP's ear off about Alaska and its lore for two hours as JDP diligently took notes. Finally, Marvin thinks to ask, "So what do you do for a living, Johnny?" Pregnant pause. "Well -- I'm a writer, Marv." 

Dad had no clue who the famous John Dos Passos was. Classic. 

Anyway, I was thrilled to find this JDP-marked gift in amongst the dried-out erasers, thumbtacks, matchbooks, etc. -- A memory "gold nugget" buried in the detritus...

John Dos Passos

Small Charles Movalli Landscape

Charles Movalli 

Charles Movalli 

Charles Movalli 

This small Charles Movalli landscape hangs on the wall at Stately Mangus Manor. The Magnificent Marvin bought this piece for his collection. In fact, I thought that the MM had painted it for the longest time, until I noticed the signature. I have my own Movalli in the Mangcave...

Charles Movalli:

We are sorry to have to say that Charles has passed away. We will miss him greatly. March 20, 2016. -- Nancy Movalli

Charles Movalli was a great ambassador for the Cape Ann School. Cape Ann is the longest-active artist colony in the United States. That it has flourished for so long comes as no surprise, for the landscape is one painting after another, just waiting to be painted. After all this time, you’d think the nay-sayers of art, the "it’s-all-been-done" crowd, might have a point, but motif #1 still draws painters, each of whom produce artworks that are distinct, unique, and groundbreaking.

Charles’ lecture on the Cape Ann School was not to be missed. Winslow Homer, Childe Hassam, Edward Hopper, John Sloan, and Emile Gruppe are a few of the colony regulars going back nearly 200 years.

The artists Charles admired and learned from as a young painter (Emile Gruppe, Carl Peters, and Aldro Hibbard) all heavily focused on composition, and thus his paintings have a solid structure even amid dinghies bobbing at the dock and buildings listing under the weight of their years.

Marvin D. Mangus: Photo-Portrait Gallery

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus Painting

Marvin Mangus

Marvin D. Mangus:"Derelict -- Seward"

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

Marvin Mangus

I was pleased to discover a color reproduction of an acrylic painting by the Magnificent Marvin in one of the seven vintage "Alaska Journals" that came in the mail today.