Mary’s Voice: Posthumously Speaking 12

(detail)

Mountain chapel

By Mary Alice Condley (1925-2007)

[Editor’s Note: A few weeks ago, my sister Mary’s daughter, Karen Abbey, came across a photograph of yet another of her mother’s paintings. “I think the picture is one of her best!” Karen reports the following note on the back of the photo:

This is the painting I mentioned. It is so pretty. Be proud, Mary.

    Karen said at first that she thought the writing looked like

(Mary and my sisters) Anna or Flo’s, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. I was thinking of neighbors/friends of Mama’s, but that didn’t make any sense, as they would not have sent a photo of the painting if they lived close by. So I am back to thinking someone in Arkansas.

    Quite a mystery: Who took the photograph and wrote that on the back? Presumably that person has (or had) the painting and sent or gave (if it was a friend who lived close by) the photo to Mary by way of appreciation. “Oh well,” said Karen, “guess we may never know.”
    At any rate, our inquiries have so far turned up empty, and we don’t know who all of Mary’s friends were, how to contact them, or even whether they are still alive.
    But we are glad to have the photograph and to be able to share it today.
    Mary’s painting of a country barn appeared here two days ago. Thirty-two paintings by Mary Alice Condley have now been shown on Moristotle & Co. You can call up all 12 of the “Posthumously speaking” displays of these paintings by clicking on this link.]

“Mountain Chapel”
(size unknown, but relative dimensions seem to be between 7x10 & 12x16)

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