Description:

Helen Pickle (American/Mississippi, 1914-2002), "Late, Late Christmas Eve Shopping", 1989 and "My Grandson's First Christmas", 1988, 2 acrylics on canvas board, one signed and dated lower right, one signed lower right, both signed, titled, dated and inscribed en verso, each 8 in. x 10 in., both unframed. (2 pcs.) Condition: Overall fair condition. Note: Helen Pickle was a self-taught artist from Aberdeen, Mississippi who began painting around the age of sixty after surviving a stroke that left her partially paralyzed. Following her illness, Helen and her husband Reuban Pickle faced a difficult transition, not only having to adapt to her new disability but also the death of their only son a few years prior. They closed their old dry-cleaning business and retreated in isolation. One day a friend encouraged Helen to paint with a set of acrylic paints, and within a couple of years Pickle developed her own aesthetic which garnered local interest. She became known for her “odd little scenes,” depicting open spaces dotted with small figures and furniture in disjointed perspectives. The interior Christmas scene in the lot here exemplifies her distinct style, with its crooked windows and mantle and tiny children in chairs scattered on the floor and unevenly crowded around the dinner table. The quiet sentimentality of her work is present in this piece, a bittersweet consideration of family and celebration. Ref.: Fleming, Anne. “Aberdeen’s Helen Pickle to show her happy paintings at Lyon.” The Clarksdale Press Register. Sept 04, 1975. www.newspapers.com. Accessed Jan. 30, 2023.

  • Condition: When available condition information is included with lot description. Estimates are commensurate with condition of item. It is the responsibility of the prospective buyer to inquire as to the condition of a specific lot PRIOR to bidding. Condition WILL NOT be given over the phone under any circumstances. All potential buyers should be sure they have read and agree to the Conditions of Sale. All items sold AS IS. NO RETURNS ARE ACCEPTED ON THE BASIS OF CONDITION. ALL SALES ARE FINAL SALES. Bid Accordingly

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February 28, 2023 1:00 PM CST
New Orleans, LA, US

Neal Auction Company

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