(North Carolina, 1915-1997) View From My Window, 1969, with distant spires of St. James Parish and The Temple of Israel, Wilmington, North Carolina, signed lower left “howell 69”, oil on canvas, 60 x 48 in.; original lattice-type frame. Condition: good condition; frame with abrasions. Notes: A native of Wilmington, NC, Claude Howell's artistic career spanned seven decades and culminated in international recognition of his place not only as an interpreter of the people and landscape of coastal North Carolina, but as an important contributor to 20th century American art. He began his art studies under Elisabeth Chant in Wilmington, NC but with the great Depression he took a job as a stenographer with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and stayed for over 20 years. His summers were spent in study at the most recognizable art school of Maine, Massachusettes and New York. He traveled to Paris with friend and fellow painter Robert Gwathmey. While he absorbed national and international trends, his real focus was the fishing boats and beach culture of his home town. As Wilmington grew and changed, his work reflected the shift from small town to affluent vacation destination. Howell is remembered as a prolific creator, as an educator, having founded and directed the art program at UNC-Wilmington and the first "Tarheel" to show his work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Exhibited: St. John’s Museum of Art, Wilmington, North Carolina, Retrospective Exhibition of the Work of Claude Howell, image used for invitation to the preview held October 5, 1973, No. 82 (accompanied by exhibition catalogue and other relating); Weatherspoon Art Gallery, University of North Carolina-Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina; Claude Howell: A Retrospective Exhibition of Paintings, North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, North Carolina, January 19 - February 16, 1975; Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, March 7 - March 28, 1975; Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina, April 6 - May 4, 1975. No.48, ill.66; Claude Howell: Carolina Interpreter, St. John’s Museum of Art Wilmington, North Carolina, March 17- June 4, 1995; Fayetteville Museum of Art, Fayetteville, North Carolina, June 18 - August 28, 1995; Hickory Museum of Art, Hickory, North Carolina September 8 - October 22, 1995; Greenville Museum of Art, Greenville North Carolina November 10 - December 31, 1995 (with copies of loan documents, letter of request dated October 6th, 1994 from C. Reynolds Brown).; Please Note: Brunk Auctions provides condition reports as a courtesy to our clients and assumes no liability for any error or omission. Descriptions are our opinions and should in no way be construed as a guarantee of any kind as to age, condition, materials or any other feature of items being sold. No statement written or oral made by the auctioneer shall be deemed a warranty or assumption of liability by Brunk Auctions or by any seller represented by Brunk Auctions. We are happy to provide additional photographs to aid in your decision. We do not give refunds.. Provenance: Purchased from the artist by Mrs. Robert S. (Caroline) Milner, Wilmington, North Carolina, former Director of St. John’s Art Gallery and friend of the artist; By descent in family good condition; frame with abrasions