Suzanne Wilson arrived in Westport in 1969, to work at Famous Artists School.
It was her first “real” job, after studying art at Boston University. She remained at the internationally known correspondence school, headquartered on Wilton Road (now the office building just north of Bartaco) until it went bankrupt in 1972 due to over-expansion, financial mismanagement, and a sales tactics scandal, (There were also Famous Writers and Famous Photographers Schools.)
Famous Artists, Writers and Photographers Schools logos.
After a couple of years in England, she returned to Westport. From 1975-82 — going by the name Suzanne Lemieux — she painted in oils and pastels; worked in studios including The Mill on Richmondville Avenue, and exhibited regionally.
The recent “06880” series on Westport’s arts history piqued her interest — and jogged her memory. Suzanne writes:
The prevailing condescension among local artists about the Famous Artists School was such that I had to keep my enthusiasm under wraps.
To me, the job offered the opportunity to practice, practice, practice (with free art materials); develop techniques and disciplines; learn about teaching art; most especially, to be in the company of renowned, artists and have the chance to meet some who actually made a living at it — and a good one!
Suzanne Lemieux, in her Famous Artists School days.
I felt the Famous Artists teaching was thorough. I wished that my teachers at Boston University had spent as much time and attention on me.
At FAS we addressed each student’s art piece individually. We actually painted a small picture and added comments, samples of techniques, colors, and so forth that they could apply to their art. We included a letter to provide more detail.
I admired one that Claude Croney was doing. To my surprise and delight he painted another one just like it for me!
Claude Croney’s painting for Suzanne Wilson.
My supervisor was George Passantino. He gave me some notes on how to correct the student work:
Famous Artists Schools began in a mill in Westport, Connecticut. They built a new building on the Saugatuck River, with individual offices for the faculty.
Famous Artists School, on the Saugatuck River at Wilton Road.
If you lived across the river, it was easy to get to work:
Suzanne Wilson rows to work.
It wasn’t always so idyllic. You could get caught in the current or stuck at low tide, as all the famous artists watched out the windows. I was not spared the humorous renditions of my plight!
A criticism of the school was that the “famous” artists (“Guiding Faculty”) did not really teach the students. But they did regularly appear to give lectures and seminars for the staff. (And to attend parties.)
To my naïve viewpoint, the drinking and tomfoolery appeared glamorous rather than the self-medication that it most likely was. In my first job out of art school I felt I had fortuitously landed in the bon vivant artistic lifestyle celebrated in Paris of the 1920s. To this day I have not found anything quite like it.
We were honored to have the famous illustrator Peter Helck give us a critique on our renditions of automobiles. I boldly submitted a 30 x 40 inch “painterly” abstract piece.
Suzanne Wilson’s artwork.
Although this rather large painting took up most of the wall, Mr. Helck graciously and judiciously critiqued each illustration surrounding it until he ran out of time. The happy ending was that all the participants were invited to lunch at The Red Barn.
Extra studio space in an old mill was provided by Famous Artists School for the staff. On the spacious top sky-lit floor, artists could paint private portrait commissions, give lessons, and get together for sketch classes.
In Famous Artists’ heyday, they rented studios at The Mill on Richmondville Avenue. Today, they’re condominiums.
But there was always time for gourmet lunches and parties.
Eating and drinking well.
Some of the Famous Artists continued to rent studio space after Famous Artists Schools stopped leasing it.
Artists Robert Baxter, Alfred Chadbourn Ed Reinhardt, Bert Dodson, Ann Toulmin-Rothe and Charles Reid.
After returning from London I worked in the same building, sharing space with Ward Brackett.
Ward didn’t care to save all of his rough sketches. I was the lucky recipient.
Ward Brackett sketch.
The local cartoonists, illustrators and writers were a sociable group. They met weekly at Westport Lanes, followed by hours of congeniality. There were many famous names. Proximity to New York was a must, and brought a truly creative group to the community.
Suzanne married cartoonist Rowland B. Wilson. They moved to California in 1982; moved again to Ireland, then returned to California. They worked at Disney; she then commuted to Phoenix to work at Fox Animation on “Anastasia” and other productions. Rowland died in 2005.
She now lives in Rancho La Costa, California, and has a “nice, big home studio.”
(“06880” regularly covers Westport’s arts scene, its history — and, as in today’s feature, their intersection. If you enjoy stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Suzanne Lemieux, after her return to Westport.
My mom worked as an “executive secretary” at FAS for 10 years. Those were the days when one could smoke at their desks. Although she worked for one of the other execs, I still remember Albert Dorne’s bushy eyebrows and cigars.
Andrea Harrison Botelho (SHS ’75)
Great story thank you as always for sharing the history of the arts of Westport
I remember famous artist schools well. They advertised all over the country on match book covers.
I remember those match book covers when I was growing up in Louisville, KY in the early 1960’s. I couldn’t draw so I never submitted anything, but years later when I moved to Westport and saw the school, I smiled.
Like Draw Me ! send in a sketch; and we’ll evaluate your work
Thank you for your continued coverage highlighting Westport’s past, present, and future as an arts community!
In 1976, the Bicentennial Trust for Westport selected 15 pieces of art executed by Westport artists, which were presented to the Town as a permanent gift and the nucleus of its outstanding collection, today’s Westport Public Art Collections (WestPAC).
Suzanne Lemieux was one 13 artists whose work was selected by the Bicentennial Committee. Her oil painting, Under Apple Wood, ca. 1976-78, currently hangs in Town Hall.
To learn more about WestPAC collections and how to support collections’ care, please visit westportarts.org, westpac@westportps.org!
Thank you, Dan for this article reflecting on the artist’s and art in Westport.
I was honored to know pretty much all of the artist’s in town when I worked at Max’s Art Supplies for 29 years from 1985-2014. Seeing them on a daily basis brought me to know them well and see them as friends.
It continues to this day as I am very involved with the Westport Public Art Collections being able to work with the artwork of many of the artists I knew so well and jogging the memories of my interactions with them.