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Godspeed, Willard Bond!

6/5/2012

Willard Bond and Jean Steubing Magrett, December 2011 • photo Karen Lynn Ingalls

Last December, I spent a wonderful afternoon in the company of two remarkable artists who'd lived bohemian lives in New York during the heyday of Abstract Expressionism, post-WWII and into the fifties and sixties. Willard Bond, the father of my friend Gretchen, and Jean Steubing Maggrett, whom I've known since I moved back into this area ten years ago, had never met, but had much in common. They shared memories and stories over coffee and cookies, and I listened with rapt attention.

Gretchen and Willard, at the Yountville Veteran's Home in April 2012 • photo taken by Sasha di Limur

In the months that followed, Willard's health declined. He was able to move out here from upstate New York, to the California Veteran's Home in Yountville, where he was given the best of care, and where Gretchen was able to spend every day with him.

The Wave • see online at http://www.annapolismarineart.com • © Willard Bond

On Saturday, May 19th, in Gretchen's words, Willard "cast off for the final time and set sail for his voyage into the mysterious unknown. He departed this realm under calm seas and a gentle wind." Words well suited for a sailor and marine painter, whose paintings of racing sailboats are unexcelled.... I'm very glad I got to meet him.

You can see some of his work online at http://www.annapolismarineart.com/WillardBond.html

You can also read about our visit in December here (scroll down to read the first post).

A little addendum on June 10th: Willard Bond's obituary was published in today's New York Times (mmm - actually, it looks like tomorrow's), with a good summary of his life and artwork. You can read it at Willard Bond, Vivid Artist of Yachting, Dies at 85. The photo of Willard on his sailboat comes from the article.

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Memories of bohemian New York -II

1/19/2012

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Willard Bond and Jean Steubing Maggrett share memories of living in the lower East Side and Greenwich Village, in the late 40s, 50s, and early 1960s, with photographs, and a poster and book with Willard's marine paintings on the table • photo © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

My afternoon with Willard Bond and Jean Steubing Maggrett, at the home of Willard's daughter, my friend Gretchen, was a warm and wonderful one. As two creative people, who had not met before, they shared not only their work as visual artists, but also a love of alternative spaces.

Jean lived in a studio on 9th Street in the Village, before moving out to the Hamptons along with many of the other abstract expressionists. For the last twenty-ish years, she has lived in a historic one-room schoolhouse, adjoining the community hall she owns, in the mountains not far from my home.

Willard Bond's geodesic dome studio in upstate New York

Willard made his home and studio in an old synagogue on the lower East Side in the early 60s, but later became fascinated with geodesic domes. He knew Buckminster Fuller, and spent six years in Jamaica, building geodesic dome homes. His current studio in upstate New York is a geodesic dome he built.

Willard Bond, his daughter Gretchen, and Jean Steubing Maggrett look through photos and books with lots of memories. In the foreground are a book and poster of Willard's marine paintings • photo © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls

Both also became martial artists, as well as visual artists. Willard became a devotee of Tai Chi, to which he credits his keeping strong and flexible as he gets older. Jean moved out to California to study Aikido with her Aikido master, and credits the awareness and presence of mind she learned from it with saving her from drowning.

Club Without Walls, tales of the gatherings of abstract artists in the late 40s and 50s - their panel discussions, their ideas, their rivalries, their developing movement, and more - all part of Jean's memories

Jean brought her copy of Club Without Walls, memories of the Art Club, of which she and the abstract artists I knew from my art history studies were a part – Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, Elaine de Kooning, and more.... (I have my own copy now, and am just beginning to read it.)

Photograph of a younger Willard Bond

And Gretchen brought out a scrapbook, and more, with photos of Willard, including the one above, and books and a poster showing his large watercolor marine paintings, as well as the abstract nude paintings and ceramic murals he created during his days in the Lower East Side.

I hope we can all gather together again, the next time Willard comes out to California!

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Memories of bohemian New York - I

12/29/2011

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Last week, I spent a wonderful afternoon with Jean Steubing Maggrett, whom I've known for something over nine years, and Willard Bond, the father of my friend Gretchen. They met for the first time last week, but both of them lived and painted in the heady creative days of Greenwich Village and the Lower East Side in the late 1940s, 50s, and early 60s, and Gretchen and I got to listen to them share memories.

Jean lived in the Village, in a loft studio on East 9th Street, opposite the building that became the site of the 9th Street Show, which introduced the work of the New York School to the world. Jean, a member of the Art Club, and a student of Hans Hofmann's, suggested the space, and collected the money to rent it, and on opening night a floodlight from her studio lit up an enormous canvas sign Franz Kline had painted to announce the exhibit, which hung from an upper floor above the show.

Willard Bond lived and worked in an old synagogue in the Lower East Side, where he painted large contemporary nudes and created painted ceramic murals, including the one at the entrance of the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. He played the drums too, often with other jazz musicians, and Gretchen shared with us a photo of him playing onstage in the production of a Bertolt Brecht play.

Willard Bond's ceramic mural at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre

Today, Willard is known for his marine paintings, which you can see at http://www.annapolismarineart.com/WillardBond.html, and which you see in the book on the table in front of them.

What wonderful stories I got to hear, from two people who lived hearty creative lives, and who still live life heartily and creatively! I'll post more later....

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Godspeed, Willard Bond!

Memories of bohemian New York -II

Memories of bohemian New York - I

Karen Lynn Ingalls

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