Art Legends of Orange County: The Art of Hal McIntosh
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With an artistic career lasting over 60 years, Hal McIntosh’s influence on our community is profound. His bold abstractions, tranquil waterscapes, and stirring portraiture, all masterfully painted with a touch of McIntosh’s signature Orientalism, have been widely exhibited in the area and are part of numerous regional collections, both private and public. Deep connections with the people and places of Orange County have allowed McIntosh to join the ranks as one of the greats and to be remembered eternally as an Art Legend.
In this oral history interview, McIntosh discusses his early life and education, his teaching philosophy, and where he gets the inspiration and influence for his art. He also mentions his relationship with Albin Polasek and Emily Muska Kubat Polasek. Eric Varty, a close friend of Hal, also contributes briefly to the conversation.
Table Of Contents
0:03:01 Life as an artist
0:09:16 Galleries in Winter Park
0:14:35 Galleries in Naples
0:22:58 Galleries in Cape Cod, Massachusetts
0:25:30 Edward Hopper
0:29:11 Teaching philosophy
0:38:12 Audience perception
0:41:03 Inspiration
0:47:12 Winter Park Arts Festival and commission
0:54:27 Albin Polasek and Emily Muska Kubat Polasek
1:03:54 Maitland Research Studio and Jules Andre Smith
1:06:29 Closing remarks
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Transcript
Parke
Alright. Good morning. Um, my name is Erin Parke and today I will be interviewing Mr. Hal McIntosh. Today is, uh, March 16th, 2015, and—alright. Um, Hal, can you tell me a little bit about like your early life? Where you grew up, um, if you had brothers and sisters, anything like that?
McIntosh
Well, I grew up in—in Detroit, Michigan, and, uh, I had, uh, uh, older brother—two older brothers and an older sister. I was the…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Baby of the...
Parke
Baby.
McIntosh
Family, and, uh, apparently, my art interest started very early.
Parke
Nice.
McIntosh
My, uh, mother said that, when I was five, I was doing caricatures
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Of my little friends.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
She could recognize who they were.
Parke
Oh, that’s amazing.
McIntosh
I was five years old, and as the years went by—my early years—really early years—my parents didn’t try to rush me into…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Arts, uh, teachers…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Or anything like that. They just saw that I had any materials that I needed, but, uh, they never tried to force me to study, you know, when I was young.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
They just let me alone because that was the only thing I wanted to do…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
As a kid.
Parke
[clears throat].
McIntosh
And, uh—so, uh, I was fortunate, in that respect. A lot of the parents that I’ve talked to in later years that had, uh, children that are…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Artistic, and they say, “Oh, what am I going to do? I’ve gotta…”
Parke
Yep.
McIntosh
“Send them somewhere to study.” I said…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
“Well,” you know, “Don’t rush them into—don’t overdo your…”
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
“You’re pushing them, because that’ll turn them right off., uh, just be—do what you can.”
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
“Cooperate, but don’t make a big deal out of it.”
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And if they’re really gonna do something in their lifetime—what—whatever…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Uh…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Kind of, uh, occ—occupation…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
They might end up, sometimes those interests—interests start when kids are very young.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Sometimes you don’t—you might have a…
Parke
Find out later on…
McIntosh
[inaudible] degree in engineering, and—and you end up, uh, doing something…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Totally different [laughs].
Parke
Yeah [laughs].
McIntosh
I was, uh, fortunate enough to know all my life what I wanted to do.
Parke
That’s amazing, and it’s nice that your family was so supportive. That’s great.
McIntosh
Well…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
They were supportive by not…
Parke
By not pushing you.
McIntosh
Pushing.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Uh,these hysterical mothers that…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
[laughs] I’d seen in the past, uh…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
That, you know, come to me for advice, because their[sic] child is doing some drawings, and—“What’ll I do? What’ll I do?”
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Leave ‘em alone [laughs].
Parke
Yeah, so you’ve been able to make your living as an artist, uh, essentially your whole life, and that’s extremely amazing and very significant. Um, how has that been for you?
McIntosh
Well, it’s a very difficult, uh…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Situation. When you’re an artist, there’s—there’s not a lot of jobs sitting around waiting for you.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Uh, I was very fortunate, uh, in the years that I was at Rollins [College], uh, as a temporary student…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Years ago, of course, and, uh, the brother of one of this[sic] Rollins students was an artist that[sic] I met who lived in Silver Springs[, Florida].
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And, uh, I was, at that point—later on—had a master’s degree from the University of Michigan—teaching there.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And what do you do…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
You know? You don’t walk out with those credentials…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And walk into a job. Nobody’s awaiting for you.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
And, uh, this friend had some really nice portraits of—that he had stacked on the floor…
Parke
Hm.
McIntosh
Against the wall. He was a landscape painter, and I said, “I didn’t know you did portraits,” and he said, “Well, I started with Jerry Farnsworth on Cape Cod[, Massachusetts].” He’s quite a prominent…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
American portrait painter, and he said—he said, “Why don’t you, uh, write Jerry Farnsworth and see if you can get a job as his assistant.”
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
“Learn how to do really commercial portraits, and, uh, that way you might be able to make a living…”
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
“To start out with,” and I did so, and…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, was accepted with my credentials.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Uh, didn’t even have a car…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
At that time [laughs].
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
I got off the bus in North Truro, Massachusetts, and was directed how to walk to the professor’s house, and, uh, Jerry Farnsworth and Helen Sawyer were, uh, uh, married, and she was a well-known, uh, artist.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And taught in the school, and, uh, this was basically, uh, a school, uh—portraiture school.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Minor landscape work—‘cause she taught and he taught the, uh—the, uh, portrait work. I was with him for five years.
Parke
Wow.
McIntosh
He had another school in Sarasota[, Florida].
Parke
Okay.
McIntosh
Uh, and, uh, Siesta Key[, Florida] [inaudible].
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And, uh, uh, I was down there during the winter.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
I worked in a hotel.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
I was busboy, waiter…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Several other jobs—a hotel on the beach—and went to school and taught with him in—in mornings, and that exposure, uh, through five years…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
With him really…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Got me so I was able to make some money doing portraits.
Parke
Nice.
McIntosh
And I had, uh—uh, this hotel I was working in part-time, after the morning school sessions, someone saw my work there and recommended me—unknown to myself, uh…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
To the board of directors of, uh, an art museum…
Parke
Wow.
McIntosh
Up in Virginia.
Parke
Mmhmm [clears throat].
McIntosh
And later on, I was accepted, became director of the museum there for five years, but, uh, those accidental things that happen.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
You know? You meet someone…
Parke
Yep.
McIntosh
Who’s done portraits, and, uh—for three years, I did portraits, uh, in Provincetown, Massachusetts…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, on the street…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Let’s say, uh, I had a studio…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
In a building that was on—right on the Commercial Street there, but at night, I had a display outside and people would book portrait[sic] for their children and stuff.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Pastel portraits, uh, done for $10…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Uh, in a matte and in a bag in 45 minutes. Uh…
Parke
That’s so quick [laughs].
McIntosh
[inaudible]. It was—it was a shock to get—to have to start that kind of a routine…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
But I got used to it, and…
Parke
[clears throat].
McIntosh
Uh,I did six to eight portraits a day…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
For the whole summer, ‘cause I had summers off, uh, from teaching, and, uh, that led—all those portraits I did—hundreds of them…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Literally, I, uh—for three years.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Eight—eight days a week—seven days a week.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Uh, so I had a—a record of lots of portraits in my…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Career. Now, those $10 [laughs] portraits…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Would be $60 [laughs] portraits.
Parke
Yeah, exactly.
McIntosh
[inaudible] at the time, but believe it or not, I bought my beach house on Cape Cod…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
With the money from—just from those…
Parke
Wow.
McIntosh
$10 portraits.
Parke
Wow.
McIntosh
And, uh, as I was saving all that money…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
In cash, uh, in a safe deposit box to go to Japan.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
And this house came up for sale on Cape Cod on the beach, and I opted to buy this house…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
With that money, and I got to Japan later on in years.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Uh, had a wonderful experience in Japan, which is another story.
Parke
[laughs] So I know that you have a true love for Cape Cod. Um, what drew you here to Winter Park[, Florida]?
McIntosh
Uh, my, uh—that’s a story that starts in Sanford[, Florida]. My sister and her husband were stationed—he was stationed in Sanford at the…
Parke
Okay.
McIntosh
Navy base there, at that time.
Parke
Oh, okay.
McIntosh
And, uh, I came down for part of my high school and lived with them in Sanford. Uh, they had an old house on the lake, right opposite the airport…
Parke
Okay.
McIntosh
So the planes were taking off…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Over the house, and, uh, uh, they decided, after, uh, he left the Navy, uh, to stay
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, in Florida, because their son was, uh, a young son…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And was doing better health-wise in Florida…
Parke
Okay.
McIntosh
For some reason. I don’t know what…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
But they decided to stay here.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
And, uh, he, uh—they had a house and[?]—rented a house, right on the highway in[?]—across from Lily Lake…
Parke
Okay.
McIntosh
In, uh—in Winter Park.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Anyhow, uh, families tend to…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Follow families.
Parke
Yes, they do.
McIntosh
And, eventually, my parents…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Moved down to Florida, because…
Parke
Okay.
McIntosh
My sister and her husband were…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Settled there, and, uh, later on, my brother—older brother—moved to Florida, and, uh, my other brother moved to Florida.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
[laughs].
Parke
So it was just gradual process.
McIntosh
Uh, so that’s a story that people in Florida that[sic] are Yankees basically, uh, “wash ashore,” as they used to call it…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
On Cape Cod [laughs].
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, they follow one another, you know?
Parke
Mmhmm, yeah.
McIntosh
It just happened at different time periods.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And I’d go back and forth when—when I was in college…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
To, uh, my parents’ house, and, uh—so we all ended up here [laughs].
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
[laughs]. And I stayed at it, and—oh, Winter Park has been very good to me.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
I had wonderful exposure on Park Avenue for many, many years
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Which a lot of artists didn’t have that, uh—that lot that the, uh, uh, wonderful, old Golden Cricket Shop had a gallery…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Right in front of the shop that was all mine…
Parke
Oh, wow.
McIntosh
For years.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
So I had like 10 paintings
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
In the gallery, and a painting in the window, but it was a gift shop…
Parke
Okay.
McIntosh
That I had that exposure to the sidewalk with—with one major painting
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And people would come in and buy…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Or see paintings there for a number of years, and, uh, right after that, I was with Center Street Gallery, who actually, uh—uh, I think they owned the property that the Cricket…
Parke
Okay.
McIntosh
Was—the Golden Cricket was on, and Hugh McCain and Je—Jeanette Genius [McKean] were friends, and—and Mr. McCain was one of my part-time professors at Rollins.
Parke
Oh, nice.
McIntosh
How they ever let me in…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Rollins? I don’t…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
I don’t know, but, uh, I was only doing art…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Art there, but then, I had exposure at the Center Street Gallery, which was actually ended up right next door…
Parke
Nice.
McIntosh
To the Golden Cricket.
Parke
Oh, okay.
McIntosh
And an almost [inaudible]—almost war situation.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Between the two of them, and, uh, after long years at Center Street Gallery and a number of shows there, uh, I went with, uh, Solarte, which was a—a shop down the avenue, uh, owned by a French gentleman and his family, and had my—I had a big show there…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And had my work on display there for several years, uh, which was another exposure on Park…
Parke
Mmhmm, yeah.
McIntosh
Avenue, and I—I lucked into things like that, but, uh…
Varty
Miller Gallery.
McIntosh
Oh, well, Miller Gallery.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
[laughs] I was with them, but they weren’t getting the kind of support from the community
Parke
Hm.
McIntosh
Winter Park was—and maybe still is—a little difficult in—for a gallery.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Really, I don’t know why, because Winter Park people have plenty of money…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
But, uh, Miller Gallery stayed only for a year or so.
Parke
Oh, okay.
McIntosh
They just weren’t…
Parke
It just wasn’t making it.
McIntosh
Making the sales.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
And they left, so I don’t consider, you know, that a long association with them.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
But, uh…
Varty
Naples[, Florida].
McIntosh
Well, Naples, [laughs] yes.
Parke
[laughs].
Varty
[laughs].
McIntosh
I had careers [laughs] in this—I don’t know whether this leads directly into Naples, but, uh…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Friends of mine, uh, on Cape Cod had a gallery, where my work was exhibited, and they were both professors, uh, in Boston[, Massachusetts].
Parke
Okay.
McIntosh
At, uh, universities there and such[?], and, uh, they did the gallery work in the summertime, and had a beautiful gallery—one of prettiest ones on that end…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Of Cape Cod, and after a few years of success in that gallery, I had several shows there. Uh, they decided to, uh, give up the teaching, made a decision…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And the gallery was doing so well, they decided to have a second gallery in Florida, and, uh, I met them in Florida, and they were in Sarasota, at that time, and they were looking there, and they—both close friends of mine, as well as handling my work…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And, uh, they kept—when[?] we were in Sarasota, they kept talking about Naples, and I said, “We’re sitting in Sarasota and you’re talking about Naples. Let’s go to Naples.”
Parke
[laughs] It’s not far from there [laughs].
McIntosh
And they wanted my advice and stuff.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And so we all went to Naples, and they ended up renting, uh, uh, space in the nicest part of Naples downtown…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And, uh, it was only a couple of years. They were so successful. Basically, the only really good gallery in Naples, at that time.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Now there are probably a hundred galleries…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
In Naples [laughs], uh, but as the years—few years—went by, they, uh, built a gallery on, uh, Fifth[?] Street—I don’t know what. The Naples Art Gallery—elegant, gorgeous, gallery.
Parke
Nice.
McIntosh
Big gallery.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
And, uh, shows, uh, really top artists.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntos
And, uh, it was the—probably one of the prettiest galleries in the country.
Parke
Wow.
McIntosh
From outside and from inside.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
It had mostly paintings, but they also—part of the gallery was elegant gifts, uh…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And antique, uh—oriental antiques…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
In a—just a side gallery, uh, but they were there for years.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
And most successful.
Parke
That’s nice.
McIntosh
And I had 24 one-man shows there.
Parke
Just there? How many have you had in total again?
McIntosh
35 [laughs].
Parke
That’s awesome [laughs].
McIntosh
Uh, but, uh, these shows were, uh, something else.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
They—actually, a one-man show only ran for a week…
Parke
Okay.
McIntosh
Which is unusual.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, people were allowed to watch them hang the show on Saturday.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And they didn’t—people did come. They wanted to see what was coming up, and whether they wanted to go to the opening on Sunday [laughs].
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
And they weren’t allowed to buy anything…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh Uh, which is unusual.
Parke
Yeah [laughs].
McIntosh
Uh, they wouldn’t let somebody buy something that was supposed to go in the show that would not be in the show.
Parke
Okay.
McIntosh
So Sunday night—are—are we getting close to the end here? You’re looking at…
Parke
I’m trying—I’m just making sure that it’s picking everything up.
McIntosh
Oh.
Parke
Sorry [laughs].
McIntosh
[laughs] Yeah, so the openings were Sunday night and this is a…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
This is a riot. Naples is very elegant. I had special clothes to wear when I had my openings, because, you know, you don’t wear pink sport coats in…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
In Winter Park. Naples is very formal, but very…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Resort-y and very rich.
Varty
Bizarre [laughs].
McIntosh
What? [laughs].
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
He—he can’t stop talking.
Parke [laughs].
McIntosh
And, uh…
Varty
Sorry.
McIntosh
The, uh—on Sunday night, people, at six o’clock…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Would line up to come into the gallery, and the doors would not open till six, and here we go again.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
As they came in—sometimes in formal clothes, because they were going out separate[?].
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, as they came in, they were not allowed to buy a painting.
Parke
Hm.
McIntosh
They could look for a half an hour, and, uh, at the end of a half an hour, they could make a bid on the painting and…
Parke
Okay.
McIntosh
So the wife—they—they would come in and they’d quickly [inaudible].
Parke
They’d find one that they loved.
McIntosh
Yeah.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
They’d see. Then on Saturday…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
So they already knew there was one they loved[?]. So the wife would park her husband…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
In front of the painting, and he would just stand in front of the painting with his arms folded blocking the painting.
Parke
Oh, my goodness.
McIntosh
So that the other Naples folks knew that they…
Parke
That that was taken.
McIntosh
So at 6:35, they would[?]—[inaudible] this—the—the wife would say, “We have that one.”
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
And—but they didn’t want, uh, people to presell from seeing the work…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
The day before or whatever—week before—and, uh, they wanted everybody that[sic] was coming to the show basically to…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
To be able to buy a painting.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And, uh, so consequently, uh, the sales were almost always right in the first couple of days…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
For the opening night, and, uh, rest of the week some of them would be out on their yachts…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
And stuff, so they didn’t want to miss these shows…
Parke Mmhmm.
McIntosh
If they looked important, and so I basically made my living, uh, in—in, uh, one week out of the year.
Parke
That[sic] amazing.
McIntosh
At a Naples show.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Uh, and if it rained on the opening night, uh, that—that put a damper on sales.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
But, uh, it worked out 24 times
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
[laughs] So…
Parke
That’s great.
McIntosh
And, uh, the gallery truly—well, it just—you’ll see the picture of it.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
It was, uh, probably one of the prettiest galleries…
Parke
Extravagant.
McIntosh
In the country. Very, very beautiful.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
These guys had good taste.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
And, uh, they handled [inaudible] Glass[?].
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Um, a lot of well-known painters from California and other parts of the country.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And[?], uh, I actually—I’ve always been interested in antiques. I bought antiques in Winter Park for them to put in their gallery.
Parke
Okay.
McIntosh
In their sales gallery—antique area there, and, uh, they didn’t have time…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
To scout antiques.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
I loved scouting antiques [laughs].
Parke
That’s nice.
McIntosh
So I would buy stuff for them, and—and they would se—sell it at the gallery…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
For 10 times what I got.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
I was getting good bargains…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
From dealers here in Winter Park and elsewhere. Uh…
Varty
Don’t forget the Blue Heron Gallery and the Cove Gallery.
McIntosh
Well, I know those were galleries on Cape Cod. I’m not going to forget them, but, uh, I exhibited at the Blue Heron Gallery and another top gallery on Cape Cod…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
For many years. Before that, the Cove Gallery., uh, so I had those two galleries on Cape Cod.
Parke
So you’ve been all over [laughs].
McIntosh
Well, you’ve gotta—when you’re painting every day…
Parke
Yeah [laughs].
McIntosh
Uh, you know, you need the exposure, and, um, just ended up being on Cape Cod, for, today, it’s six months of the year.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
At Cape Cod., uh, when I was teaching, we had shorter summers, but, uh, now, it’s half here half on Cape Cod.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Cape Cod is a fabulous place for artists.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, the light is gorgeous there for painting, and the portrait studio there, on a gray day, the light was absolutely…
Parke
Oh.
McIntosh
Gorgeous on—on the models on a gray day.
Park
[laughs].
McIntosh
Uh, uh, very cool light.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Florida has that hot light.
Parke
Yes [laughs].
McIntosh
[inaudible].
Parke
It does.
McIntosh
Well, [inaudible] it’s not just the heat it’s a harsher light…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
For a painter than Cape Cod. That’s why Cape Cod has many, many artists.
Parke
Okay. That’s interesting.
McIntosh
It’s in[?] the, uh—the, uh, most famous American painter today. Eric? [laughs].
Varty
Yes. Edward Hopper?
McIntosh
Yeah [laughs].
Varty
[inaudible]?
McIntosh
Uh…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Not…
Varty
Uh, [inaudible]?
McIntosh
Not Miligrove[?]. Probably the most famous…
Varty
Uh…
McIntosh
Uh, American painter…
Varty
[inaudible]?
McIntosh
Of—of all time…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Is, uh, Robert, uh [laughs]—Eric?
Varty
Who?
McIntosh
[laughs] Who’s the person you—what was the first name?
Varty
Oh, Edward Hopper.
McIntosh
[laughs] I’m talking and I’m forgetting as fast as I can[?].
Varty
You could see Edward Hopper’s house…
McIntosh
Yeah.
Varty
From Hal’s house on the Cape.
Parke
Oh, wow.
McIntosh
Yeah
Parke
That’s awesome [laughs].
McIntosh
And I knew Edward Hopper through the Farnsworth’s [inaudible] school.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
I went to, uh, cocktail parties with him.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
And one time Jerry Farnsworth said that, “We’re going to this party and Edward Hopper will be there, but, uh, you’ll—I’ll introduce you to him, but don’t expect him to say much…”
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
“Because he doesn’t—isn’t a big talker,” and, uh, I did meet him that night, and, uh, he was a very polite listener and wonderful. Very imposing…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Tall gentleman, but I could see their house from…
Parke
Oh, okay.
McIntosh
Down the beach on the cliff from my house, and anyhow, uh, I wasn’t a close friend of Edward Hopper’s, but we were close enough. Uh, we sat in a Christian Union Church, when they had these flea market sales of clothes and china…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And stuff, and his wife[1] and Mrs. Farnsworth were trying on…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Cheap clothing, blouses and suits…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
And coats, and…
Varty
Uh…
McIntosh
Step, uh…
Varty
[inaudible].
McIntosh
No [laughs]. They would—we would…
Varty
Mrs. Farnsworth was Helen Sawyer.
McIntosh
I’ve already made that clear.
Varty
Oh, okay. Reference her at the Morse Museum of American Art.
McIntosh
Okay. Uh, Helen Sawyer is Mrs. Farnsworth.
Parke
Oh, okay.
McIntosh
And is recognized in major museums…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
As well as Farnsworth was. Both of those, uh, couples—Farnsworth and Hopper—were both, uh, active during the [Great] Depression.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh And they were frugal.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Farnsworth had a garden where they grew their own vegetables, so they wouldn’t go to the grocery store except to buy meat
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
But they grew everything else, and they were used to—during the Depression, Jerry Farnsworth, a famous portrait painter, would make clothes out of old, uh, bags
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Flour bags that they used to have patterns on the big bags of—of flour for his wife
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And very frugal [laughs].
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
And that’s why those two wives were trying on cheap clothes at the church …
Parke
‘Cause that’s what they always knew.
McIntosh
Sale. Well, they just, you know, uh—they weren’t shoppers. [inaudible] [laughs]. Eh, uh, Eric and I would say, uh, [laughs] he—Hopper—Edward and I sat there and he would just shake his head
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Every time they came out in one of these outfits. You know, outfits for two dollars [laughs].
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
But here’s—at that time, he was a well-known painter.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Uh, extremely well-known.Now he’s considered one of the top American painters
Parke
Mmhmm, yeah.
McIntosh
Period. Uh, [clears throat] a wonderful, wonderful man.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
His—his wife did all the talking.
Parke
[laughs] Always.
McIntosh
[laughs] I find[?] out—found out why he’s so quiet, because…
Parke
‘Cause he has a wife to make up for it [laughs].
McIntosh
She—she talked all the time [laughs].
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
That’s probably why Edward was fairly silent, but, uh—a big tall man.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Very imposing man, and, uh his work is—is fabulous.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Fabulous. Really [inaudible].
Parke
It’s beautiful. Um, can you tell me a little about your teaching philosophy? I know teaching was a big part of your life.
McIntosh
Oh, absolutely. I’ve taught for over 40—40 years [clears throat], and, uh, I think my philosophy is—basically, in teaching—is how to teach the students how to see
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And, uh, people don’t see like artists, and, uh, it takes a long time to get them to that point. I also wanted them, uh, to end, uh, up being taught and being brought out as individual painter, not as a [inaudible].
Parke
As a cookie-cutter…
McIntosh
Well…
Parke
Standard.
McIntosh
Not—not the [inaudible]—cookie-cutter. So many students and many of my early students wanted to study with me, because they wanted to paint like me, and I went through two schools with Farnsworth. Later on, Bassford School, where they taught only their style, and the students were painting as much as they could like the teacher.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
My philosophy was that I would expose my students to different techniques. Every couple of weeks, they would have a new project. This week we’re, uh—do an abstract. Uh, next week we’re gonna do this and this, uh, but it—it shocked them, because they
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
You know, they had to start thinking differently
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Because these were specific, uh, instructions that we’re gonna go in this direction…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Art-wise, uh, and I would find [clears throat] after a long time—I had students for years. Some of them by being exposed to different techniques and presentations of art, I would find one person, suddenly, would just glow when they—you know, because they…
Parke
They found what they were supposed to do [clears throat].
McIntosh
Found what they loved
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
And I would say, “Okay, Mrs. so-and-so or Mr. so-and-so, you’re gonna stay…”
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
“With this technique as long as you can.”
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
“Forever, if possible.”
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
“We’re going to keep trying stuff,” and as—as I kept students for a long time. They—they loved my classes, and in spite of the fact they were in shock when I had to expose them to different…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Techniques, but eventually, all ended up with their own…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Style, and that’s the biggest service you can do to a student—is find them and what’s in them.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Teach them how to see.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
I had—students would come to me, practically in tears…
Parke
Oh.
McIntosh
After a couple years studying. They’d say, “I—finally, I know what you meant when you said, ‘You’ve gotta learn to see.’ I see things so much differently.” uh, I’m visual.
Parke
Yeah [laughs].
McIntosh
All my life, I’ve been visual. Uh, I could turn my head and see subject matter around me anywhere or in the gutter.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
You know, I would—I’d tell them, “Look down,” you know, “Look at the cement. There might be something there…”
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
“That’s beautiful. Uh, look—look at that garbage can.” You know, there’s beauty everywhere.
Parke
That’s a remarkable skill to have [laughs].
McIntosh
Well—but I had severe exposure in the portrait school…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
To the particular style, uh, that I was learning, uh, because he taught only his style. After that, you’re—in time, you go to your own style.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
There’s a long delay, if you have been with one teacher the long time. You’re only doing…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
His style work, and a lot of artists do the same, uh, basic work[?] their whole lifetime. People don’t recognize work—my work sometimes, ‘cause one day I’ll do an abstract and the next day I’ll do a floral, uh…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
You know, I love changing from one to another.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
I don’t consider, uh, abstracts any different than…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Realistic paintings. Uh, every painting starts out as an abstraction, and, uh, they’re—you know, a painting’s a painting.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
And, uh, the art world has expanded so much now that it’s gone way beyond painting. It’s in constructions and light shows and huge presentations and…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Sculptures and other things, you know? It’s very complex now, but, uh, as far as the painting world goes, uh, I was just—get energy from doing different things.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
It energizes me, and, uh, uh, I have ideas now, you know, that I could never get to…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
I’m sure [laughs], but I’m still clipping things out of magazines that I like and, uh, just keeping stuff for…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
You know, paintings that I’m exposed to—to, uh, [inaudible] that I admire.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Um, but, um, you should talk to some of my old students that[sic]…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
They’re old like I am [laughs], you know, uh, and they’re having big shows.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Lot of my students, uh, went right on professional work, and work—are making prices higher—higher than mine [laughs].
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
But, uh, they all had their own look, eventually. That’s why I kept students so long…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Because, uh, they just wanted that assurance, and they—still got exposed to a lot of, uh, unusual approaches, but, uh, a core of about 30 students stayed with me for years.
Parke
Wow.
McIntosh
And, uh, I’ve done portraits with a number of my students…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
In the past. I had been commissioned to do portrait, a really lovely lady from, uh, Tavares area up there, and, uh, uh, she had me over to do a—to talk about a portrait, and she said, uh—I realized right away there was something, uh—she had a problem. She’d had a stroke, and she didn’t like the photographs that were being taken of her to present to friends and family and all that stuff. She was getting on and she was very concerned about facial, uh, problems, and, uh, she was still a beautiful lady
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
But you could tell she couldn’t sit for a portrait for a long period of time, but, uh, I took some photographs of her, we had lunch a couple times and talked ,and I did a large major portrait of her, uh, that nobody would recognize
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
That there was a distortion in her face [laughs]. She loved it.
Parke
Aw.
McIntosh
And, uh, her family loved it. She wanted to leave a heritage [inaudible].
Parke
Of course.
McIntosh
Uh, and it was a challenge for her, because she didn’t want to be photographed, and, uh, she had dedicated caretakers and stuff—wanted a picture of her and stuff, but, uh, it happened to be quite a nice portrait
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
But I knew her for so many years…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
That I knew how to eliminate those problems, and I know her, but you don’t often get challenges like that.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
It was a major challenge for me, but in every portrait is a major challenge, because you, uh—you really want to get the essence of the person, as well as the outward visual quality of them, and, uh…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
You have to get something a little deeper than…
Parke
Yeah, is that kinda what you want people to get when they look at your art? That there is something—like, what do you want people to take away from your art, would you say?
McIntosh
Uh, whatever they want.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
[laughs] Uh, I’ve been—I’ve been pleased to have, uh, letters from people that[sic] hated abstract art, and, uh, they see some of my abstracts, and they—they thank me for…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
This is possibly through my nephew, and his dental office has a number of my paintings, and…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, abstracts and realistic ones.
Parke
[clears throat].
McIntosh
And they spend time there and they see abstract there[?]. Uh, they finally say, “Well, I guess that’s alright stuff.”
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
But, uh, there’s a lot of people—just close their minds to abstract and other radical approaches to art, and it’s all the same. It’s, you know—I minored in sculpture. I would just be happy as ever to go back to sculpture …
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
And do nothing else, but, uh, it’s a little hard to combine the two, uh, careers, because, uh, [inaudible] sculpture is messy.
Parke
Yeah [laughs].
McIntosh
[laughs] It’s messier than painting, and, uh, my sculpture—I had my sculpture from Michigan, uh—minored in sculpture at the University of Michigan—and, uh, my work there—the pieces went into a gallery, uh, out of town.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And the gallery owner skipped the country, sold the work, kept all the money and never paid his artists, so I [laughs] never got my…
Parke
Oh.
McIntosh
Sculpture back, and I never…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Got any money from ‘em[?], but that was a wild, uh, [laughs] chase there.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
[laughs] Uh, I’ve done murals. I did a mural at the University of Michigan that was about 60 feet long.
Parke
Wow.
McIntosh
And I’ve done major mu—murals. I did a major mural in a restaurant, and, you know…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Shoe store [laughs] or…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
[inaudible], shoe store. Uh, did—I did some window display of[?] back[?], piddled in a lot of minor…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Careers. Stuff like that, uh, but, uh, it’s all tied up with art…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
You know, but, uh…
Parke
What do you think inspires you to create?
McIntosh
What inspired me?
Parke
Mmhmm, sounds like a lot of different things [laughs].
McIntosh
Well, my vision, I guess.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, I’m inspired by a lot of artists.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, each—each for a different reason.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh Uh, I can’t minimize that
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
But, uh, I just see stuff and, uh, it excites me. I say, It would be wonderful to paint that.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
I still have that, uh—I’m not able to paint eight hours a day, and never did.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
But I paint mostly in the afternoons, most of my life. Uh, do the laundry in the morning [laughs]…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
But, uh, in my teaching career I had to teach and paint also. So, uh, when my students were finished for the week, I got my studio back…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
’Cause we both had the same studio, but, um, I—I get excited to be sitting where we are here, uh, seeing birds and animals and trees and flowers and all that stuff. Uh, I just—I just see things, and I’m, uh, fortunate in, uh—if I have photographs of things…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
I can’t see again. Uh, I painted outside for years. Uh, as I got—you know, later on in my career, I did everything in the studio and worked from, uh, reference material.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, tons of reference material. Like an illustrator…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Has tons of…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Material to work from, but, uh, my paintings got large, and if you’re painting outside in the wind…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
And the—you know, the painting is flopping…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
In the wind, and, uh, also, uh, I find that painting outside quite often, uh—when you get the painting inside you see that the colors are difficult to…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Being out in the hot sun.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Uh, transferring that, uh, you know—it’s not as good when you get it inside…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
So—and, uh—but I think you have to paint from life outside, and from portraits, you have to paint from life to learn how to paint without the sitter or without being in front of the subject.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Because your, uh, inventiveness comes out when you’re isolated in your studio.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
You may have started something out. I’m working on an abstract now, and, uh, just as a joke I’m—when it gets in the show, I’m gonna call it Two Horses, and it’s an abstract painting.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
But if you’ll look—I mean, before you leave there [coughs]—two Chinese, wooden horses in my apartment here.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
I was painting them on Cape Cod. [inaudible] was painting of both of those horses, and I just got, eh—I wasn’t getting the way I wanted to. so I started scribbling them out with other colors, and underneath is the[?] abstraction—or[?] is the painting of these two horses, but, uh, when it doesn’t work, you know it, and you say, Well, I gotta go on, and to paint the canvas white—to get rid of the two horses—is a shame, because there’s color there…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And there’s[sic] shapes there, and do your new painting into that, leaving some of the—you can’t recognize anything about…
Parke
Yeah [laughs].
McIntosh
The horses, but, uh, that’s where the painting start out.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
If it were ever, uh, X-rayed [coughs]—my voice is so weak from my breathing problems, uh, but I’m sure it comes out…
Parke
Oh, yeah.
McIntosh
In your machine.
Parke
It’ll show up well.
McIntosh
But, uh, [clears throat], uh, if they ever X-rayed [laughs] that painting…
Parke
Then you would…
McIntosh
You would see…
Parke
See it [laughs].
McIntosh
The horses there, and, uh—but other abstracts just paint themselves.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
But, uh, once you get something down on a canvas—I don’t care what it is—just a splash of blue out—out of the blue—the—the rest of the work you’re painting into that piece—it’s a—it’s a piece of the puzzle.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
It may have nothing to do with…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
The final painting but, uh, you know, there’s a lot more in a painting than people know.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Because they don’t see the progression of it.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And that’s why, uh, it, uh—I men—wanna mention these TV shows with artists, because most artists don’t consider those people…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Artists [laughs]. I don’t[?]—cancel that…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
[laughs] Uh, but anyhow, it’s—it’s—it’s a wonderful career.
Parke
Good.
McIntosh
nd the—you saw some of my acting photographs there? [laughs].
Parke
That was wonderful [laughs].
McIntosh
Well, done a little bit of that, but, uh…
Varty
Winter Park Arts Festival also.
Parke
Yeah, um, the Winter Park Arts Festival—you were kind of a founding member of that. That’s a big deal.
McIntosh
Yes.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
And I lived just down the street from the festival. Uh, I lived across the street from the Langford Hotel…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Which is gone now, Uh, and—and I mentioned that was my Japanese house, which was quite a—a notable thing in Winter Park, because there weren’t any Japanese houses here, and I had been to Japan, and, uh, had a house fire, and remodeled the whole place in Japanese style…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
After my visit to Japan. Anyhow, during the Art Festival years, I was walking all my materials down to the Park Avenue, and, uh, setting up in front of my…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Golden Cricket Gallery, and, uh, after two years, I realized that I’m on the street…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Trying to sell paintings, and [laughs] my studio is—or my gallery—was right behind me…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
And they make a commission on—on the sale of paintings, so that’s why I only did the Art Festival for…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
I don’t know—four or five years
Parke
A few years?
McIntosh
Uh, ‘cause I had gallery connections…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
On the Avenue, and you don’t do that. You…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Your gallery,back then, was taking 33 and a third percent.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Nowadays, [clears throat] it’s 50 percent, and in New York, some galleries taking[sic] 75 percent.
Parke
Wow, wow.
McIntosh
So the art—people don’t realize that artists that[sic] work in galleries are—are paying…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Quite a commission to galleries, especially if you get the kind of exposure that New York…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Major galleries give you, uh, but, uh, I—I—I opted out of the Art Festival, because, you know, it just was—I was competing…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
With myself [laughs].
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
But, uh, it was fun back in those years.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
You know, because it was pretty much local, and, uh, it grew and grew and grew and grew, and now, many[?] artists go—they paint and sculpt and do their craft part of the year, and the rest of the year, they travel…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
With a show—street shows—and they have their tents and all that stuff, and that’s half of their exposures…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Possibly happen because they don’t have to pay the galleries…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
You know? Uh, that’s not the only reason it’s good exposure, but, um, it’s a wonderful learning experience to…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
To have your work shown anywhere.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Uh, you—you get comments, you get criticisms, and, uh, you get to see your own work.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
My paintings generally don’t hang around. I think I told you this before.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Uh, when I finish a painting—and through the years having gallery associations—when I think the painting’s finished, I frame it and get it to the gallery…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And I forget them, because I’m thinking of the one I’m working on.
Parke
The next one [laughs].
McIntosh
Yeah.
Parke
The upcoming one [laughs].
McIntosh
The next one.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
And, uh, I’ve only hung one painting, uh, of my own…
Parke
Yeah, that’s what you had told me before.
McIntosh
In my apartment and, uh, my house in Winter Park. Uh, it’s a very large, abstract painting, and you won’t believe this, but I don’t—I’ve never hung my own paintings.
Parke
What’s the reason behind that? Do you have a reason?
McIntosh
Uh, I—I wanted them to—to go to the gallery and sell.
Parke Mmhmm.
McIntosh And I—I’m interested in a new one. I don’t wanna…
McIntosh Yeah.
Parke If I kept that painting sitting around—you…
McIntosh
I’d see something…
Parke
You keep moving forward.
McIntosh
And change either[?] this or what[?], but, uh, I just got rid of it, so I could get on with the next…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
One, and, uh, I produced a lot of work…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Over the years, but that particular painting, uh, sold to my friend’s[2] mother, and hangs in the Mayflower.
Parke
Wow.
McIntosh
She’s got it in her apartment. It’ll be in the show.
Parke
Oh, okay.
McIntosh
And just ran across a letter from Maury Hurt, who I told you is…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Part of the best artists in…
Parke
Yeah [laughs].
McIntosh
In Winter Park and Orlando. Uh, there was a very nice, sensitive letter from him from a show that I had, uh—and that painting, he mentions specifically. [inaudible] I think I’ll have that framed…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
And put it next to the painting in the show, because people know who Maury Hurt is here, and his word, uh…
Parke
Is important.
McIntosh
It was a compliment. It was an extreme compliment
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
But the way he worded it, it’s like an artist…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Words something. Not like a—just a casual visitor. It’s a sensitive…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Approach that he put in this letter to me. So you’ll see that letter. Here you can read it if you want, but, uh, I would be happy to keep painting…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
For the rest of my days, for the next 20 years.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Uh, I remember seeing pictures of, uh, artists, [inaudible] not [inaudible], but, uh—I’m losing it now for a minute—but I was bedridden—he was bedridden anyhow. I can’t think of his name, and they made eight-foot brushes for him.
Parke
So he could reach?
McIntosh
So he could reach the canvas. That’s how artists—some artists are [laughs].
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Uh, I—I could paint hundreds more pictures.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
But [laughs], uh, [inaudible] wheel me around pretty soon.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Um, it’s been, uh, interesting talking to you, and, uh, I hope some of this stuff…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
You understand.
Parke
Oh…
McIntosh
[inaudible].
Parke
This is wonderful.
McIntosh
[laughs] Sorta different than other teachers.
Parke
It’s been great talking to you.
McIntosh
Especially…
Parke
I feel like I’ve learned a lot.
McIntosh
Good. Well…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
So you can paint now.
Parke
I can.
McIntosh
Yep.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
Anybody can paint.
Parke
Um, can I ask you one last question?
McIntosh
Sure.
Parke
Um, I know that you worked at the [Albín] Polasek Museum [& Sculpture Gardens]. Did you know Albín [Polasek] and his wife, Emily [Muska Kubat Polasek]? And…
McIntosh
Yes.
Parke
How was that for you? How were they?
McIntosh
Uh, Albín, I didn’t know that well.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, saw him just on different occasions and talked, but Emily, I knew and sat with her. Uh, she made cookies for me…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
[laughs] And cookies that are from her home country[3]—very complex little cookies—and she even gave me the equipment to make them myself.
Parke
Wow [laughs].
McIntosh
But, uh, I—knowing Albín and being a—a sculptor myself part-time, uh—and also, my [coughs]—my brother-in-law, Ken Wacker, along with, uh, Rever Haines, the lawyer, were very influential in the early Polasek years.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And keeping the estate, and running the—the home [inaudible].
Parke The institution, yeah.
McIntosh And—and working on its future…
Parke Mmhmm.
McIntosh Uh, through Albín when he was alive, and then very, very kindly through Emily, because, uh, she was left, but they—they were extremely influential in the early years, and, uh, I was Artistic Consultant for the museum for five years.
Parke Wow.
McIntosh
nd, uh, I actually climbed up on the huge painting of the Man Carving His Own Destiny…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
And I was cleaning that and doing that[?]. I also knew, uh, so much about what Albín would—would have liked.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, and that’s a, uh, very sensitive thing, because, uh, you’re put with responsibility when an artist is gone, and, uh, he specifically had feelings—different feelings—about his work that I could see.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And, uh, I restored things, uh, that I discovered that he had done.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Uh, and I realized how, uh, religious a man he was.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Totally dedicated to his religion,[4] and then my partner and I, uh, designed, uh, the wall in front of the museum and the gates that…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Go in, and, uh, Eric Varty, uh, did the chapel—over the ceiling of the chapel—uh, and I had, uh the paintings of the Stations of the Cross framed and redone, because they were actually rotting out in…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
That damp studio, and, uh, I did a patina—a painted patina—on all of the—the Stations of the Cross were do—done in plaster.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And they were white, and I first saw them stacked somewhere, and I convinced my brother-in-law…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
That they should be put on a wall, and they built this wall and installed these plasters on the wall—life-size from the original. I painted them and painted a patina, which is done to age the…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
o, uh, fake the age of a—of a bronze piece.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And I did that, uh, on all the statues.
Parke
That’s amazing.
McIntosh
Uh, those stations, and, uh, they were later, uh, reproduced by another artist for a client, and they came down, and now they’re having some of them cast
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Some of them are still plaster, but, uh, it just, uh—that portrait of, uh, Albín [clears throat] that hangs in the museum was done, uh, by Charles Hawthorne.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
A beautiful portrait was over the mantle. I don’t know where it is now, uh, but Charles Hawthorne was a Cape Cod painter
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And my teacher, Jerry Farnsworth, and his wife, Helen Sawyer—both famous painters—studied with Hawthorne.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
So, uh, coincidence to…
Parke
I was going to say that…
McIntosh
To…
Parke
That’s a huge coincidence.
McIntosh
I didn’t know Hawthorne, but, uh, Hawthorne’s a fabulous, fabulous…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, painter of figure—of the figure. Uh, Cape Cod has—museum has wonderful work…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Of his in Provincetown, but he taught in Provincetown, uh, in the open air, had models out by the beach.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
There are old photographs of my teachers at their easel…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
With him teaching with, uh, Provincetown…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Harbor in the background, and[?]…
Parke
And he just so happened—just so happened to paint Albín too.
McIntosh
Well, I just—I don’t know how they commissioned it—how they found this fabulous painter to do Albín—but Albín must have known his work…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, because that is a great portrait.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, but it’s a small world, you know?
Parke
That’s crazy.
McIntosh
Uh, and late in years that I, you know—way back, when I [inaudible] knew Albín briefly, uh, I met another sculptor—a major sculptor—Mahonri [Macintosh] Young, the grandson of Brigham Young. I was in his studio and I forgot where it was…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
But I was invited somehow to get into his studio.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
And there was this huge portrait of a seated gentleman, and it was like about 25 feet tall, you know, in his studio in—in clay.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
It was going to be cast, and, uh, as a young student and learner, [laughs] I was so impressed seeing the scale of that work, uh, and, uh, he said, “Oh,” uh, you know, “this is gonna be cast.” He said, “I’m sorry you weren’t here when I was working on the 80 foot—180 foot tall piece,” in…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
In back[?]—it was—took a whole train…
Parke
Wow.
McIntosh
To take this sculpture…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
To, uh, the—where the [inaudible]—Mormons in—in, uh—where—where are all the Mormons at?
Parke
In Utah.
McIntosh
In Utah.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
And it’s a gigantic, uh, statue with dozens of figures on it. Uh, I had no idea the height of it, but it’s a major…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Piece, and, uh, uh, to see stuff in the studio that’s going to go to the foundry, you know, eventually, and just—I’ve been very lucky to have those visits.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And I had private visits with one of the top American architects, uh, Philip [Cortelyou] Johnson. The famous Glass House[5] in—in [New Canaan,] Connecticut…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, was a famous American, uh, accomplishment for—he’s—he’s passed away now, but I was—had private visit with him with, uh, another architect friend of mine to see this Glass House in person…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And to meet him, and, uh, I’ve just been very lucky to have exposure to…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
Some very great people, and anyone who knows architecture knows—knows, you know, Phillip Johnson, right up there with the top architects in—in the world, but, uh, his house was fabulous.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
It’s in the woods, basically, and it has no light fixtures…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
In the house at all. The, uh—all the walls are glass all the way around, and the house is lighted by lights outside in the trees that you can’t see.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And on a rheostat[?], those lights can be turned on, so you can read in the house, and you never see a lamp or anything.
Parke
That’s amazing.
McIntosh
It’s an amazing house. You’ll…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
You’ll see it…
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
In a book, uh, and…
Varty
There’s also your involvement with, uh, Maitland Art Center and [Jules] Andre Smith.
McIntosh
Well, I can’t talk forever.
Varty
That’s a good story.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
[laughs] She’s gonna run out of juice [laughs].
Parke
[laughs] I was going to say, I can come back another day…
McIntosh
Oh.
Parke
And we can talk about a lot more stuff too.
McIntosh
Well, that’s a—quite a good story for you—my association with, uh, [J.] Andre Smith.
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
At the Maitland Art Center.
Parke
That’s kinda where you got your, like—kinda your main start here, right? In Florida? Is that where you kinda began?
McIntosh
Uh, well, I began…
Parke
[laughs] Many years before…
McIntosh
Many years before.
Parke
But [laughs]…
Varty
High school.
McIntosh
But the, uh—my association with Andre Smith is worth a—another little time…
Parke
Okay.
McIntosh
And you’ve got plenty of…
Parke
Got a lot of stuff.
McIntosh
Yeah, but, uh, I was very close to Andre Smith, and I happened to be the only living, uh, Bok Fellow.
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, I was, uh, at—invited to live there, and I had my own studio there three different years.
Parke
Wow.
McIntosh
Different times…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Before I went in the service and came out of the service, and I was very close to Andre Smith. It was called the [Maitland] Research Studio…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Then, and the—the artists that[sic] were invited there, uh, found and all financed by Mary [Louise] Curtis Bok[6]…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Of Bok Tower [Gardens][7]…
Parke
Yeah.
McIntosh
In [Lake Wales,] Florida. They were all older artists, and I was the only—I was 18.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
You know?
Parke
You were a baby still.
McIntosh
Well, yeah, I was, ‘cause[?] compared to them, they were all well-known
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
And, uh, uh, I became very friendly with, uh, the brother of Maurice [Brazil] Prendergast who’s…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
A famous, well-known painter—American, uh—well, landscapes, figures…
Parke
Mmhmm.
McIntosh
Uh, but the brother—brother was at the, uh, Research Studio, at that time [clears throat]—Charles, uh, Prendergast—and, uh—well, that’s another story.
Parke
[laughs].
McIntosh
I’m getting [inaudible]. My voice is wearing.
Parke
Yeah—no.
McIntosh
Uh…
Parke
We’ve got a lot of stuff, so thank you so much for talking with me.
McIntosh
Oh, it was my pleasure.
Parke
And I know—I’m sure we’ll talk again soon.
McIntosh
Yeah…
Parke
Thank you.
McIntosh
And I—I gotta show you those two horses inside [laughs].
Parke
Oh, I’m very excited about it [laughs].
[1] Josephine “Jo” Verstille Nivision Hopper.
[2] Eric Varty.
[3] Kubat was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia (present-day Czech Republic).
[4] Roman Catholicism.
[5] Also known as the Johnson House.
[6] Later known as Mary Louise Curtis Bok Zimbalist.
[7] Also known as Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower.