Franklin County folk artist honored, remembered

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January 6, 2009

<a href="mailto:draymo@pressrepublican.com">By DENISE RAYMO</a> The Press Republican Tue Jan 06, 2009, 12:03 PM EST

MALONE — An accomplished artist and former art teacher was recently honored for her contribution in preserving pieces of Franklin County’s history through her paintings.

The late Elvira S. Manning Hosson was named the county’s official historical folk artist for her works, which remain displayed throughout the County Courthouse and several other community locations 30 years after they were commissioned.

In all, 23 of the 36 Hosson paintings hang throughout the County Courthouse.

They were inventoried and cataloged for future reference by the Records Management staff in the County Clerk’s Office as part of the county’s bicentennial celebration.

They will be held by the county in perpetuity.

PAINTING AT AGE 5

Hosson and her twin sister, Elmira, were born in Brushton on Jan. 28, 1914, of French, Irish and Spanish descent.

Hosson began painting at age 5 and honed her talent as she grew into a teenager.

After retiring from the job she held for 23 years at the Tru-Stitch Moccasin Factory in 1951, Hosson began painting professionally.

She taught art at St. Joseph’s Academy for seven years and at North Country Community College for two years.

CLAIRVOYANT

She was also a self-proclaimed clairvoyant, who did readings with cards.

Hosson conducted training classes on nuclear survival in 1952 and again in 1983 at local adult centers and civic organizations.

She was hired in 1976 to paint images from the turn of the century, capturing the county’s history and significant events in time for the United States bicentennial.

After a successful exhibit, she was asked the following year — through a Manpower/Comprehensive Employment and Training Act grant — to capture the pioneer days and early settlements of Franklin County.

Most of her works are painted on 4-by-8-foot pieces of plywood, using acrylics.

The sites, events and lifestyles of Franklin County in the 19th and 20th centuries are shown in vivid colors and remarkable detail.

Among the images are views of downtown Malone, logging in the Adirondacks, bootleggers on the run from State Police, an American Indian harvest, maple sugaring, hunting, fishing, camping, horse barns at the County Fairgrounds and early railroading.

MESSAGE

Compact discs of all the images Hosson created will be made and held in the offices of County Clerk Wanda Murtagh and County Manager James Feeley.

Murtagh and Feeley are co-chairs of the county’s Bicentennial Committee, which held several events in 2008 that commemorated the founding of Franklin County on March 11, 1808.

“It’s a great piece of our bicentennial,” Murtagh said of honoring Hosson.

“Her paintings left a message to all of us about the history of Franklin County.

“We’re honored to have them.”

E-mail Denise A. Raymo at:

draymno@pressrepublican.com