The Ridge History Society
Moving on from Barwick to Waterman
By Carol Flynn
Every fall, the Ridge Historical Society (RHS) looks forward to participating in the Beverly Art Walk and Open House Chicago. These events offer wonderful opportunities to present new exhibits showcasing the fascinating history of Beverly and Morgan Park to much wider audiences.
This post is a last call for viewing the current exhibit, “Louise Barwick’s Lost Ridge,” and the sub-exhibit, “Lost and Found.”
This current exhibit focuses on life on the Ridge from 1893 to 1905 as seen through the watercolor paintings of Louise Barwick, an artist and educator who lived on the Ridge. Another component of the exhibit includes aerial photography of Beverly taken by cameras attached to kites in 1899. A third component features historic images of buildings in Morgan Park taken in 1889, some of which remain and some of which are gone.
The exhibit may be viewed on Tuesdays and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. or by appointment. This exhibit will be phased out after Tuesday, September 24.
The first part of a new exhibit on architect Harry Hale Waterman, titled “Harry Hale Waterman, Architect: Unique in Any Style,” will then begin with the Beverly Area Art Walk on Saturday, September 28th, from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m.
Photographer and RHS Board member Mati Maldre will exhibit more than 20 photos he has taken of Beverly/Morgan Park buildings designed by Waterman.
Waterman (1869-1948) was a contemporary, indeed a good acquaintance, of Frank Lloyd Wright. But while Wright concentrated his work on the one style he became so well known for, the Prairie Style, Waterman designed in many different styles, putting his unique “spin” or interpretation on each. He designed dozens of houses and other buildings in Beverly and Morgan Park around 1900.
Mati Maldre is a retired Professor of Art/Photography from Chicago State University (CSU). He initiated the photography program and taught at CSU, as well as the Beverly Art Center for 35 years.
During this year’s Beverly Art Walk, Maldre will discuss the process of taking professional architectural photographs using his wooden Deardorff camera and demonstrate how view cameras operate and why they create such detailed and sharp photographs.
Also at RHS for the Beverly Art Walk on September 28 will be glass artist Sean Michael Felix, the owner of Illumination Art & Design in Humboldt Park.
Felix creates unique hand crafted architectural art glass, glass signs, and stained glass using 19th century techniques. For the Beverly Art Walk he will exhibit samples of his beautiful decorative work and demonstrate the nearly lost art of applying gold leaf to glass the way it was done by artisans in the Victorian Era.
RHS is located at 10621 S. Seeley Ave., in Chicago, and may be contacted at 773-881-1675 or ridgehistory@hotmail.com.
The complete Waterman exhibit will open in October in time for Open House Chicago on the weekend of October 19th and 20th.
Stay tuned to this page for an upcoming Facebook series on Waterman and his structures on the Ridge.