Evaline Sellors (American, 1903-1995). Spring Bud, circa 1955. Cedar. 43 inches (109.2 cm) high. Artist's label affixed ...

Description

Evaline Sellors (American, 1903-1995)
Spring Bud, circa 1955
Cedar
43 inches (109.2 cm) high
Artist's label affixed to underside

PROVENANCE:
The artist;
Lydia Hughes, the artist's sister, gift from the above;
Victoria Keller Fraser, gift from the above.

Spring Bud was created out of New Mexican cedar, which Ms. Sellors discovered during a visit to her sister, Lydia Hughes, who was living in Taos, New Mexico with her husband, Herbert. Lydia and Herbert had an art framing studio in Taos, and lived in a home they had built on the edge of town.

Lydia and Evaline were two of four sisters born to Josephine Brady and Edward Marmaduke Sellors, who lived in Fort Worth, Texas. The sisters' parents had immigrated to Fort Worth from Donegal, Ireland. With the exception of visits to study abroad and other trips, Evaline lived in Fort Worth until her death.

The four sisters were good friends throughout their lives. Their names, in the order of birth, were Louisa, Fanny, Evaline and Lydia. Lydia and Evaline were particularly close with Lydia caring for Evaline during several periods of significant ill health.

While visiting Lydia in New Mexico in the early 1950s, Evaline discovered a magnificent, downed cedar tree during a walk, and decided it was a candidate for a sculpture once adequate aging of the wood had occurred. The old cedar was brought back to the Hughes' home where it rested and aged.

In the late 1950s, Evaline returned to Taos for an extended summer visit of recuperation following a period of illness. During the summer visit, she sculpted Spring Bud from the cedar trunk. Evaline was pleased with what emerged, and gifted it to her sister. In the 1980s, she commented to a family member that she felt Spring Bud was a very good piece, and it was one with which she felt satisfied.

Lydia and Herbert Hughes eventually returned to Fort Worth in their retirement bringing Spring Bud with them. Toward the end of their lives, when they were in the process of giving away possessions, Lydia gave the sculpture to Victoria Keller Fraser, of Williston, Vermont, their great niece and granddaughter of their sister, Fanny. Victoria had Spring Bud shipped to her home where it has resided until the present.




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