‘Capturing the Spirit’

Morven honors New Jersey painter in its first fine art exhibition

By: Christian Kirkpatrick
   Anne Gossen came to Morven in 2003 to fill it with exhibits. In less than two years, the museum’s downstairs rooms glittered and glowed with furniture, paintings and decorative objects on loan from various New Jersey institutions.
   This month, the curator of exhibits invited the public to see what she’s done with the upstairs. Four rooms there now display a collection of paintings and drawings by a talented but forgotten New Jersey artist in an exhibition called "Capturing the Spirit: Virginia Snedeker and the American Scene."
   At the opening reception, Morven Executive Director Martha Wolf described how she and Ms. Gossen learned about Ms. Snedeker. Richard Snedeker, a Morven volunteer, mentioned to them that his older sister had been a successful artist who left behind hundreds of works when she died in 2000. They were curious, particularly because this artist, like her brother, was a direct descendent of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the original owner of Morven.
   Ms. Snedeker’s drawings and paintings proved to be worthy of rediscovery. As an "American Scene" artist, she had represented, in a realistic manner, the life she saw in New York City in the 1930s and ’40s, before she and her husband eventually moved to Ridgefield (Bergen County).
   She captured her time with grace and wit. "I love the joy in her art. It’s wonderfully uplifting," commented Ms. Gossen. Others must have felt the same way, for Ms. Snedeker exhibited in more than 40 shows during her short career, and her work appeared frequently in The New Yorker.
   The paintings and drawings in her current exhibition are divided according to media. In one room are oil paintings of family members and the city. These views of New York teem with life — sidewalk playgrounds, couples at the beach, housewives hanging laundry on their roof tops. The paintings of family members are sweet and loving, intimate views of her daughter and baby brother, Richard.
   But Mr. Snedeker played another role in this room — that is, besides posing at about 3 years old in a particularly fetching sailor suit. The adult Mr. Snedeker painted and embellished the frames in which the paintings are displayed. The West Windsor resident carved and attached moldings to them, and then painted the embellished frames, just as he remembered his sister doing for her paintings many years ago.
   In another room hang some watercolors Ms. Snedeker painted for The New Yorker. Three were accepted for cover art. The others were never purchased but are strong, interesting works nonetheless. Many poke fun at the art world of her day or take a wry view of contemporary politics.
   A third room contains dozens of spots she drew for The New Yorker. Spots were small drawings used to fill awkward spaces unsuitable for copy or advertisements. Drawn in a firm and flowing line, Ms. Snedeker’s spots document her times, from the 1939 World’s Fair to World War II blackouts.
   A final room contains studies for and photographs of a WPA-type project she painted in 1941, a post office mural in Audubon, Iowa. Full of energy and optimism, this painting reflects the creed of fellow "American Scene" painters: that the U.S. would triumph over the Depression through hard work and its democratic spirit.
   Art like this is neglected by art historians, maintains Ms. Gossen. Depression-era art doesn’t get much respect. But she thinks it is wonderful, evocative of its time.
   Ms. Snedeker’s art is certainly that. But her son, Bob Taylor of Asbury, sees something else as well. "Her personality comes out in her works, the twinkle in her eye," he said. "It’s great to see my mother’s works up."
   Don Snedeker, Mr. and Ms. Snedeker’s nephew, agrees. He drove up from Washington for the exhibition. "It was well worth the trip," he said "and I’ll be back again."
"Capturing the Spirit: Virginia Snedeker and the American Scene" will run through Nov. 26.



Also on view through May 28 is "A Place to Take Root: The History of Flowerpots and Garden Containers in North America."
‘Morven in May’
   Morven Museum & Garden will be holding a garden party called "Morven in May: A Garden Party for the Friends of Morven" on Friday, May 5, from 5 to 7 p.m., with all proceeds to benefit Morven. "Morven in May" is being sponsored by The Clarke-DiMedico Group at Merrill Lynch.
   The garden party is a preview reception to Morven’s Heirloom Plant Sale (see below) and will feature festive drinks and herbal delicacies, music by harpist Mary Bryson, a silent auction of horticultural rarities and a raffle to win a pair of granite foo dog garden sculptures.
   Tickets are $25 for the garden party and $10 for a raffle ticket. Reservations are required for the garden party. Raffle winners need not be present.
For tickets or more information, call (609) 924-8144, ext. 100.
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   Morven’s popular Heirloom Plant Sale on will take place Saturday, May 6, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The sale features choice heirloom and connoisseur plants that have been grown especially for Morven. More than 100 species of hard-to-find annuals and perennials for sun or shade will be available.
   There will also be a large selection of garden hardy roses, lilacs, irises and peonies. Native plant enthusiasts will find an array of hand-selected woodland classics, such as Jack-in-the Pulpit, Snakeroot, and Solomon’s Seal.
   In addition, a wide selection of colorful blooming orchids and the many new items in the Morven Museum Shop will make perfect Mother’s Day gifts. The sale is open at no charge to the public and there is free on-site parking. Throughout the sale day, the museum will offer free admission to the new exhibit "A Place to Take Root: The History of Garden Containers in North America."
   For a copy of the Morven Heirloom Plant Sale catalog, call (609) 924-8144, ext. 104.
Morven Museum & Garden is located at 55 Stockton St., Princeton. It is open Wednesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. For more information, call (609) 924-8144 or visit www.morven.org.