A Memoir of the Polly King Portrait Ladies Polly King, Artist 1901-1993

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6Portrait Ladies~

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stories unfold

We all need to know more about Polly King's

"Portrait Ladies." But first, we need to

know a bit more about Polly King.

You walk inside the Polly King Art Gallery at 670 Chilton Ave. and you can't help but be over­whelmed by the paintings.

Though I . . ~CHEI:.E- -·-···never'had ' D ELUCA the

• chance to meet her, it's easy to · .see a bit of her soul when you stand in the rooms where

COMMENTARY she used to live

md worlc. Light and color burst from every image. It's hard_ to spot a painting that 1s not compelling.

I have been a fan ?f Polly King's worlc s~nce I first saw it. Full disclo­sure, one of he_r gra~d­sons is a longtune friend of my husband and he and his family are dear ~o me but that's not why Im captMited by her work. There's a secondary story about her son; D_on, bat­tling his whole life to get his mother her due.

The quantity-and qual-. it of her work is ummag1-n!ble until you see it with

. r own eyes. There you See DELUCA, Page 5A

MICHELE DELUCA/Staff Don King stands in the Polly King Art Gallery, showing some of his mother's work. Behind him Is Sandra Rutkowski, who has spent 22 years documenting the lives of the more than 200 Niagara Falls women in Polly King's "Portrait Ladles" series. They are joined by Sandra's husband, Bill, who assists her In her hunt for the ladles' history.

MICHELE DELUCA/Staff Don !<Ing.stands in the Polly King Art Gallery, showing some of his mother's worl1. Behind him is Sandra Rutltowskl, who has spent 22 years documenting the lives of the more than 200 Niagjira Falls women In Polly mng's "Portrait Ladles" series. They are Joined by Sandra's husband, Bill, who assists her In her hunt for the ladles' history.

A.o.e CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A

Polly's legacy was left District, the driving in the hands of those who agency behind the won loved her. drous Niagara Falls

"When Polly died, there Underground Railroad are thousands of paint were over 200 portraits in Heritage Center, is a also ings hanging on -all the her house and I was curi a big fan of Polly's work, walls, standing in racks ous as to who they were," especially the "Portrait and filed in cabinets, but · Sandra told me. La.dies." most impressive to me are She set on a mission 22 She hopes to assist the ladies. years ago to find out who efforts to ct'eate an exhibit

Starting in 1926 through they all were and that of the ladies. to her death at age 91 in involved library visits, Capen says an exhibit 1993, Polly painted women interViews and a hunt would give voice to the who lived in Niagara Falls, for personal details that stories of so many women some of note, some of resulted in five huge bind who've been a part or this . interest only to her. The ers with the stories of as ·city's history. paintings themselves are many of the women as she "We can't go anywhere amazing but just as fas could find. and see the story of the cinating is a book being The depth of the proj . wome_n of Niagara Falls. compiled about the lives ect is immense, but each . That whole story is inVis of each of the women in time Rutkowsld digs up ible," she told me, adding the portrait series. a new detail, it's a little that Polly's portraits and

·Recently, I Visited the · triumph. She's especially the books about the ladies Polly King Gallery and curious about 20 or so are telling a multitude of met Sandra Rutkowski, women she can't identify untold stories. · a retired nurse who met and how many more por The city's history Polly at the artist's 90th traits there are out in the abounds with patriarchal birthday art exhibit. community, that the artist champions of industry,

"I bought a little water gave away. The hunt goes she told me, but we don't color she had painted and on. really see the women I was immediately talcen If Sandra is success behind the scenes who with her," Rutkowski told ful in getting the book were making a difference me. "She lost my check published, she-plans for in our community. and calleQ. me about it and .proceeds tci go to scholar Those stories are being when I went over with ships for high school art brought to life through another check, she invited students, in the name of . Sandra Rutkowski's work. me to stay for tea." the "Portrait Ladies." "There's a wonderful

The two became friends "It's important to quotation out there about and, in December of 1991, involve the younger gen doing the humblest of Polly called Sandra and eration," she told me. ''.A work and maldng it noble said: "Come over here and lot of them don't lcnow and you find those stories bring a hat, I'm going to about our local history in the work of Polly King," paint your portrait." and our local artists. A lot Rutkowski said.

"She did my portrait in of the 'Portrait Ladies' are Michele DeLuca can watercolor and it toolc her artists .and that is what j_s be reached at 282-2311, less than an hour," Sandra exciting about the books." ext. 2263 or ·via emaii at recalled. "She was really Sara Capen, director michele.delJJ.ca@niagara-just amazing.1' of the Niagara Heritage gazette.com.