In 2019, Lee Ann Whatley set off on a scavenger hunt to track down all the original paintings done by her grandfather, Lee Ethel. Like every good treasure hunter, she uncovered more than she originally sought.
Lee Ethel was a successful graphic designer in Dallas for 30 years before moving to the Hill Country in 1974. In Fredericksburg, he developed his signature style which has been referred to as “Primitive American.” That did not mean the artist was untrained. He took classes from the School of Art in Los Angeles, and under master painters at Southern Methodist University while living in Dallas, where he had his own Gallery for many years.
According to Whatley, Ethel’s “Fredericksburg” style was inspired by Old World maps and a marriage of his graphic design background with Americana motifs.
“Local art collectors loved this and he began taking commissions for people who wanted their property ‘mapped’ and painted by Lee,” Whatley said.
Ethel also created distinctive paintings for posters, events, and books. He specialized in Hill Country historic buildings, street scenes, and panoramas of fairs and festivals, often including recognizable locals and family members just for fun. These are the originals Whatley sought out for Fredericksburg’s 175th Anniversary in 2021. Collectors across Texas responded, and Whatley was able to document more than 300 originals.
But the unexpected side benefit was that Whatley, who is an art appraiser herself, discovered a different side of the man who passed away at age 65 in 1992.
“The biggest takeaway for me was learning about my family history that I didn’t pay attention to as a kid,” Whatley confessed. “We had to dig deep, talking to cousins, uncles, and people that knew him back in the day, piecing together moments and the timeline of his life. It was enlightening for me and our entire family.”
She learned that Lee Ethel was the son of a postman who grew up in Oklahoma with eight brothers and sisters. She also discovered that her grandfather had an entire oeuvre of works before developing his signature “Fredericksburg style.” Those earlier works included a series of non-historic themes such as cats and quilts, Kachinas and baskets, and western motifs painted in a more realistic style.
The Henke House will feature 30 pieces of art by Lee Ethel, who used to live and work in the historic home he and his wife restored.
Those are the pieces that will be on display at the original Carl Henke home Lee and Betty restored when they moved here, one of the first homes to be placed on the historical record. While retirement allowed Ethel more time to paint, he and his wife still managed to be founding members of the Pedernales Creative Arts Alliance (with its now leading Oktoberfest), and both served as president of the Gillespie County Historical Society.
“They were movers and shakers, helping keep the history of the Fredericksburg that they fell in love with alive and thriving,” Whatley said.
Whatley plans to display 30 pieces of art, with docents on hand to guide and inform visitors about the historic home where her grandfather lived and painted.
“This is an art exhibition that’s been curated,” she explained. “So they’re not just getting to see a historic home on the historic record, but the artwork of a beloved artist, known by the locals and beloved by the locals. Not only will you hear the story about the history of the home, but you’re going to get an insight to the artist’s life and what he did in that home, where his art studio was also located. This will be the only home on the tour that has a featured artist.”
Whatley is proud to continue her grandfather’s legacy, not only by finding these works but with her own career in fine art appraising and art consulting through her business Appretiare.
“Yes, that is my main focus now, as well as art restoration,” she said. “I like to keep my hands busy, and that is something that brings me definite joy.”
Her grandfather would be proud.
Details:
Lee Ann Whatley can be contacted through her web site appretiarefbg.com.
The Gillespie County Historical Society and Pioneer Museum will host its 66th annual Home Tour on Saturday, November 22, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
For tickets and information, visit pioneermuseum.org.