"Watercolorist and wife take what Door skies will offer" from the October 18, 1977 Door County Advocate
By JANE SHEA
Watercolorist and wife take what Door skies will offer
By JANE SHEA
In this, our obstreperous season, Harry and Ilah Lumby of Chicago take with equanimity what the skies have to offer. They've been coming to Door county at the same time of year since the mid 50's so they know that their month will be complete with rain, fog, lashing winds and those sunny days when the only showers are golden leaves.
Harry is a water colorist so they seek out old favorite scenic places and discover new ones. Finding a spot they like, Harry paints, Ilah reads or does embroidery. In nippy weather, Harry retreats to-the car and works from there. If it's particularly cold or rainy, he'll sketch a detail or two of the scene he wants to capture and do the water color later from these "notes" and his memory.
Watercolorist Harry Lumby annually comes to Door county in the fall to seek out favorite scenic places and discover new ones. —Henry Shea
Evidence of their roaming can be seen around the county because Harry leaves trails of little sketches eagerly snapped up by waitresses, bus boys and the lady at the next table.
Waiting for coffee or lunch, Harry reaches for the nearest napkin and draws a landscape, a single tree, or a scene outside that may catch his fancy. As he works, a cigaret ash lengthens and drops off unnoticed.
He doesn't seek them but he does attract spectators, some shyly glancing sideways, others with frank curiosity, forming a little ring around his table.
While these sketches seem to be tossed off effortlessly and for the fun of it, Harry often uses them as basis for a complete water color. That is, if they're not claimed by his audience.
He is generous with his talent and often does the little sketches on request. The other day a restaurant cook sent word up front that she missed getting one. She even sent out a piece of paper and he obliged.
Lumby often leaves sketches like these behind on restaurant tables. When 'these small drawings are not given away to bus boys, waitresses or others, Lumby often uses them as a basis for complete water colors. —Henry Shea
Painting has been a strong avocation for Harry over a period of many years. He feels it provided relaxation from the rigidity of his daily scientific work. Now retired from his post as analytical chemist for the Helene Curtiss Laboratories in Chicago, he continues his painting on about the same scale as before.
Harry has been a member of the prestigious Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine arts in Chicago since 1951, served as its president for three terms and has won all the principal prizes awarded by the organization. He also studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts.
Having come to this area for so many years, one with a lesser eye might say he must have painted all the available scenes. "You can never exhaust Door county's possibilities," according to Harry. "The same area can physically change through the years and because you change too, you may see it next from a different perspective."
He notes that during the time he's been coming, more and more artists are discovering the beauty and potential of the county. He almost never "critiques" another's work. The rank amateur alterÂnately squinting at a tree and laboriously transferring it to paper, or the seasoned painter with more elaborate materials —all are trying, according to Harry. He thinks trying is of major importance.
Numerically, artists are a small group, and are generally a friendly breed, Harry says. He occasionally meets someone with similar interests up here and they go painting together. He finds them conÂgenial companions. "We understand when one of us is having trouble capturing a scene."
Harry is neither modest nor immodest about his own painting. He turns out a number of pictures during his annual vacations. It pleases him to do it and if the work appeals to others, that's fine, too. He sells his water colors if people want to buy them, and a lot of them do. You can probably find Lumby paintings in many homes throughout the country.
He has never considered it a major business and uses any proceeds he makes for more materials, and incidentally more Door county vacations. You might say it's a sort of recycling process.
Both Harry and Ilah are adaptable, equally at home in city or rural areas. He continues his table sketching when he goes home, only this time it may be buildings, or parks.
The Lumbys met when both were students at Knox college and he recalls making pin money doing bookplates on the side. Both share an interest in music and occasionally play piano duets for groups to which they belong. Ilah recently retired as national executive secretary-treasurer of Phi Beta, a professional music and speech fraternity and has been president of the Chicago area professional Pan Hellenic association for six years.
They enjoy the symphony, go gallery hopping if the spirit moves. A number of years ago they belonged to the Chicago Mountaineering club and went on freÂquent climbing expeditions to Colorado and Wyoming.
Truly people with many personal inÂterests, they prove in turn to be inÂteresting and entertaining to others they meet. Asked to describe her husband, Ilah says, "He's a perfectionist in all things." As for his wife, Harry responds, "She's understanding and gets along with everybody."
It's a personal pleasure writing this story. We've known this couple for most of the 20 years they've been coming here, and it's a friendship renewed each autumn.
Some of our most joyous days have been spent on Door county ramblings with the Lumbys. Stopping here and there for, a painting session, Harry works from an easel. Henry props his painting on the car hood. He's not a bad artist, either, my roommate.
Sometimes it takes a visit with people like this to jog our own senses to the wonders we have around us every day.
Courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
Articles by Jane Shea
https://doorcounty.substack.com/t/jane-shea
Other artist profiles
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