Dispatch 06
December 2023

New Video
We are delighted to share a new video featuring Michael Menlowe, an early collector of David Hanna’s artwork. Michael shares vivid memories of his first meeting with the artist, including purchasing the first Hanna painting ever sold at the Pittsburgh Playhouse Exhibition in 1965. Michael also recounts Hanna’s early commercial success which set the stage for his artistic career.

Featured Artwork
Finding Rocky Mount by Barbara L. Jones, Curator Emerita, Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Greensburg, Pennsylvania

Locating works that were previously unknown to the David Hanna Trust is an especially rewarding part of this project. Such is the case with a recently discovered painting entitled Rocky Mount. In my research, I use early Hanna exhibition checklists to learn the names and locations of lenders who owned works by the artist in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. On one of these lists, I recognized the name of someone I knew who lives right here in Greensburg — and still owns the painting. Serendipity for sure! Purchased in 1968, Rocky Mount bears all the hallmarks of Hanna’s meticulous trademark style. Painted in various shades of brown, his iconic use of light illuminates a wood-beamed interior, two farm wagons, and a hay-strewn floor.

Message from The Trust
This year was full of adventure and new insights for the Trust. Our travels took us from Seattle to Scotland and many locations in between as we continue to locate and document David Hanna’s artwork. We returned to the early days of his career, traveling to Pittsburgh where it all began. We revisited his pivotal year in 1966 in Chadds Ford where he studied with Carolyn Wyeth at the Brandywine School. And we gained greater insight into his move to Maine in 1967 which began a period of tremendous growth and creativity. A special thank you to Michael and Roma Menlowe who hosted us in Scotland in May to share four David Hanna artworks as well as many wonderful stories of those early years in Pittsburgh. We continue to be touched by those who reach out to share memories of special times with the artist, who always seemed to be moving fast and letting no grass grow under his feet. We will take this momentum with us as we move into 2024.

Wishing you peace and joy this holiday season.

Warmly,