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.
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.
Final photos as we said goodbye, after a delightful afternoon • photo © 2011 Karen Lynn Ingalls
I hope we can all gather together again, the next time Willard comes out to California!
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