A Scene from Ogden Canyon

A new H.E. Sawyer painting has come to our attention!

Hal Cannon owns this H.E. Sawyer watercolor described by the artist as "A Scene from Ogden Canyon". Upon discovering this blog, he kindly sent us two photographs to post.

As a librarian I've spent time pouring over art indexes looking for anything about H.E. Sawyer's painting, and have found nothing. Crowd-sourcing has been the most productive way to gather information. Thank you for helping us record this unique art! 

H E Sawyer Watercolor discovered in Montana

This painting "Dignity and Impudence" of a St. Bernard and a small dog is owned by the Gundersens of Goose Bay Glass in Townsend Montana. It was a family heirloom past down from the Bywater/Bailey/Thomason family who lived in Malad Utah, Ogden, UT, and later in Montana. More information is on the way.

How exciting to see another H E Sawyer painting!

'Dignity and Impudence'
Owned by the Gundersens of Townsend, MT
Shared by permission

H.E.Sawyer British-American Artist

This blog is dedicated to highlighting the life and art of British-American artist H.E. Sawyer. Little if nothing can be found online about H.E. Sawyer, but his landscapes capture a British-American immigration history.

Those with more information about H.E. Sawyer or his paintings are welcome to comment on the blog or send me an e-mail. My intent is simply to learn more about this artist and piece together Manx-American immigration stories.

Comments from relatives or art owners are welcome.

The images used in this blog belong to the blog owner and are COPYRIGHTED. Use of any portion is strictly prohibited.

 

The Family Story

My grandfather, Allen F. Hampton, treasured his H.E. Sawyer watercolors. They were passed down from his father, Edward Gilbert Hampton who immigrated from the Isle of Man in to Ogden, Utah in the late 1880's as a Mormon convert.

Christmas Card

We found a Christmas card from H.E. Sawyer and his mother, addressed to my great-grandfather, Edward Gilbert Hampton. We originally thought it was hand-painted by H.E. Sawyer, but no- it was commercially produced in Germany. Nonetheless, it captures the personal relationship between the Sawyers and Hamptons. We believe H.E.Sawyer lived with his mother in Ogden, Utah.

 

Woodland Deer

We don't know whether this painting depicts a Scottish, Manx, or Rocky Mountain deer. It is possible that this is a now extinct Manx breed which disappeared in the mid-late 19th century.  The painting was forgotten about and remained in an attic for nearly a century, but now graces my dining room wall. The gilded gold frame and beige matte might be from the 1950s. I replaced the glass with one that provides UV protection.

Notice a small flock of birds in the background.



Small woodland flowers, daisies, ferns seem plausible, but poppies?

Two does/fawns in the background. One has noticed the painter and is watching carefully.

A focal point in the painting is the spot where the deer's hoof touches the water- indicating the importance of place.

The tree branches mirror the deer's antlers.

Obviously this isn't a plein air painting of mountains in February.

Herding Sheep in the Scottish Highlands

My grandfather said this picture was painted in the Scottish Highlands where a mist always covered a rock and spring. We've forgotten the name of this mystical place, but suspect folklore once told a richer tale. It is possible that the mist is the cloak of the ancient Manx wizard Manannan Mac-Lir, someplace on the Isle of Man. Maybe the idea of a Scottish magical mist just seemed nostalgic to someone who remembered the tales of Manannan's cloak.

Does anyone recognize this landscape?





A young shepherd walks a flock of Scottish blackface sheep down a heathered mountain path next to a gentle river which receives the the spring's waterfall.






The shepherd's loyal dog bounces by his ankle, eager for the next command.




Although not visible in these photos, the glass in this frame is hand poured. With the right light, you can see circular ripples. The painting is signed 'H.E. Sawyer 1917'. Under the signature someone has penciled in 'After [herding] or [shering]'. The pencil note is indecipherable. The sheep don't look recently sheared.