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Whitaker Watercolors

Viva Mexico! Part I – Frederic Whitaker

"The Street SIngers" 1949 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor
"Gateway, Acolman Monastery" © Frederic Whitaker 22x27.5 inches (date unknown) Watercolor
"Flower Market, Xochimilco" 1977 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor
"Pro Deo, Pro Populo" 1947 © Frederic Whitaker 30x22 inches Watercolor
"Memorial Fountaion, San Miguel 1949 © Frederic Whitaker 30x22 inches Watercolor
"Untitled" © Frederic Whitaker (size and date unknown) Watercolor
"The Fruit Stand Cuernavaca" 1946 © Frederic Whitaker 22x24.5 Watercolor
"Mexican Memorial, Cuernavaca" 1946 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor
"Street in Cuernavacca" © (date unknown) Frederic Whitaker 11x15 inches Watercolor
"Village Fountain #2 San Miguel 1954 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor
"The Street of San Idelfonso"  1953 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor
"17th Century Relic #1"  St. Anthony's Church, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico 1953 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor and Gouacheon Board
"Las Lavenderas" 1951 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor
Facade, San Miguel de Allende 1971 ©  Frederic Whitaker 30x22 inches Watercolor
"Yard Goods" 1950 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor
"Church of St. Anthony in the Field, San Miguel de Allende" (date unknown) © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor
"Padilla Fountain, San Miguel de Allende" 1950 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor
"The Fruit Market" 1969 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor
"La Zinacanteca" 1965 © Frederic Whitaker 22x16 inches Watercolor
"Poultry Merchant" 1967 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor
"Bird Watchers" 1969 © Frederic Whitaker 21x29 inches Watercolor
"Mexican Doorway" 1966 © Frederic Whitaker 22x16 inches Watercolor
"Sugar Cane for Sale 1973-© Frederic Whitaker 22x24.50 inches Watercolor
"The Pot Vendor" 1949 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches watercolor/gouacheon board
"Itinerant Salesman" © Frederic Whitaker (size and date unknown) Watercolor
"Dawn, November Second" 1968 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor
"The Young Die Often"  1949 © Frederic Whitaker 14x30 inches Watercolor
"The First Born"  1971 © Frederic Whitaker 30x18 inches Watercolor
"Guardian of the Ruin"  1973 © Frederic Whitaker  22x27.5 inches Watercolor
"Church of St. Francis, Oaxaca" 1949 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor
"Mexican Motif 1948 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor
"Relic of the Past - Chichenitza" © Frederic Whitaker (date and size unknown) Watercolor
"Altar Guardians - Tigers at Uxmal" 1953 © Frederic Whitaker 22x30 inches Watercolor and Graphite
"Quetzalcoatl" 1970 © Frederic Whitaker 28x23 inches Watercolor
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The Whitakers and Mexico

The Whitakers’ love affair with Mexico spanned several decades starting at Fred’s favorite restaurant in Greenwich Village, NY “ El Chico”, where Eileen was introduced to Mexican music.

Fred’s business dealings in Mexico City, including the setting up of a rosary making establishment and the procurement of Mexican silver jewelry, had served to whet his appetite for further exploration. An eager companion, Eileen fell in love with the Mexican people she minute she crossed the border.

“About every other year after we met , we traveled to Mexico”, says Eileen. With her affinity for languages , she quickly learned to converse in Spanish… Fred could read and write the language…Together they had no problem chatting with the natives , finding their way around , and getting to know the Mexican people. And together, they passed through “virtually every one of Mexico’s states”, said Fred.” – Jan Jennings from the book Contrasts that Complement

“Long before their resettlement in La Jolla, Ca, the Whitakers had traveled extensively in the American Southwest and Mexico, accruing inspiration for their paintings. The result was an outpouring of work that reflected their fascination with Native American and Hispanic peoples and the street scenes they inhabited.” – Donelson Hoopes from the book Contrasts that Complement

A great achievement of their art is that is conceals the effort of creation; it seems immediately realized and instinctive. For both artists, in exceedingly different and individual ways, a great amount of thoughtful preparation and execution lies at the core of each picture.

Given the extensive image collection of Mexican subject matter from the Whitaker Foundation archives and painting database, the decision was made to feature one artist at a time, starting with Frederic on one of Mexico’s best known holidays, Cinco de Mayo.

Frederic Whitaker

“…he had a vision of art that was poetic and mildly romantic, one that demanded he look beyond the surface appearances of things to those deeper qualities and attributes of nature that help illuminate the meaning of life and give art its significance as well.” –  Theodore F. Wolff, from the book Contrasts That Complement

Arguably, nowhere is this more evident than in the Frederic’s paintings of Mexico, giving the viewer a pleasurable glimpse into a different world, imbued with color, movement and the artist’s obvious love for his subject.

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