Four Monkeys with Aloe Plant watercolor on paper 31 x 22.5 inches

Susan Calloway Fine Arts is pleased to present a group of rediscovered original works by mid-century animal artist Walter Addison (1914-1982) from the collection of his family. Addison, who was born in Spokane, Washington, moved to New York City in 1930 as a young, aspiring artist.  Over the course of the next three decades, he established himself in the artistic and zoological worlds in New York, and quickly became known as an outstanding animal artist.

In the early 1930s Addison studied at the National Academy of Design and earned several prestigious fellowships in the arts: the Research Studio Fellowship, the Guggenheim Fellowship in Sculpture, and the Tiffany Sculpture Fellowship. During the 1940s he worked as the lead artist at the Bronx Zoo, where he painted many famous murals decorating the animal houses. Addison proceeded to earn several public art commissions, such as a much-lauded mural at the Governor Clinton Hotel in New York, an invitation to exhibit animal sculptures in the General Motors building at the 1964 World's Fair, and a mural for the New York City Aquarium in 1965. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Addison also created animal sculptures for the popular window displays of Macy's and Lord & Taylor department stores in Manhattan.

Addison's affinity for animals is evident in his lively and inventive depictions of them in a variety of media, ranging from drawings and watercolors to oils and sculpture. The artist always worked from live animals, which allowed him to study the anatomy, musculature, and movement of numerous species. Addison kept a house full of wild and domesticated animals, including raccoons, skunks, dogs, and cats, both in his East Village loft and in the converted blacksmith's barn in Washington Depot (Litchfield Country), Connecticut, where he lived with his wife Rhoda from 1965 until his death in 1982.

Addison's notable exhibitions in his lifetime include the American Watercolor Society (1937); Feragil Galleries, New York (1937); National Academy of Design Annual Exhibition (1938 & 1943); and America House (1945). Dr. William Conway, the noted former Director of the Bronx Zoo, highly praised the artist's work: "Addison's art seems to capture the very essence of the animal soul - the intrinsic living, fructifying holy spirit captured by the ancient painters at the Lascaux Caves 30,000 years ago."

Susan Calloway Fine Arts is honored to show these works, which have not been seen by the public in 30 years. A Walk on the Wild Side: The Animal Art of Walter Addison (1914-1982) is on view June 17 - July 9, 2011. Join us for the opening reception on Friday, June 17, 6-8pm.