CARL
SAMMONS (1862-1952)
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INTRODUCTION:
Recently the Trotter Galleries had the fortunate
opportunity to acquire a wonderful collection of
jewel-like paintings by the early California artist
Carl Sammons (1886-1968). Twenty-two of these works
were originally purchased by an art dealer/collector
in 1968 directly from the artist's widow through the
Sammons estate, and this collection remained intact
until our acquisition. "Desert in Bloom near Borrego
Springs" (front cover/inside detail) and
"Carmel-by-the-Sea' (back cover/inside detail) are
additions from other private collections, completing
our selection of paintings.
Nebraska born Carl Sammons supported himself as a
sign painter while studying art first in Sioux City,
Iowa, and in 1919 continued his studies at the
California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco.
Immediately smitten by the diverse natural beauty of
California and its neighboring western states,
Sammons went on to enjoy a long and successful
career in the fine arts. While based from his
studio-home in Oakland, Sammons made frequent
extended painting trips in order to capture nature
"en plein-air".
A talented pastelist early on, Sammons chose to
paint in oils primarily by the mid 1920's. His early
canvases are generally more tonal renditions in the
pastel palette of impressionism and characterized by
medium width broken brushwork applied in a layered,
craftsman-like manner. Eventually, by the late
1930's, he began using a narrower, more
representational style of broken brushwork, while
employing a higher key of color values to represent
nature's palette.
Inspired by the compelling aesthetic beauty of
canvases by a somewhat older generation of early
California artists such as Granville Redmond
(1871-1935), John Gamble (1863-1957) and Percy Gray
(1869-1952), Carl Sammons was also attuned with
artists of his generation such as Edgar Payne
(1883¬1947), Albert DeRome (1885-1959) and Paul
Grimm (1892-1974). It is worth noting that Sammons
was actively painting California imagery in the same
locales and during the years overlapping all six of
these artists. Sammons sought to record the
springtime splendor of California from the distant
coastal regions of Humboldt County in the north to
Monterey/Carmel, Big Sur and Santa Barbara on the
central coast. He became equally enamored with the
rugged beauty of the high Sierras in eastern
California and the flowering desert vistas to the
south near Palm Springs. Sammons was clearly taken
with the versatile topography of the state, with its
variety of flora and range of climates, and captured
this diversity admirably through his artwork.
Carl Sammons' first acceptance in a major juried
exhibition took place in 1926 at the "California
Artists at the California Industries Exposition in
San Diego" : He also exhibited in the "Golden Gate
International Exposition" in 1939-1940.
Sammons continued to paint and successfully exhibit
his work in many leading galleries throughout
California until late in life. Passing away at the
age of 82, he left a rich legacy through his vision
of the "Golden State", its diversity, and its
awesome grandeur.
We are very pleased to present this collection of
paintings both as a tribute to the artist, and a
long overdue catalogue expose of his artwork. We
hope you enjoy it also.
Terry and Paula Trotter
.
