Gena Branscombe Letter - October 1940

 

A letter dated October 31^st, 1940 written by Gena Branscombe.  Her penmanship is its usual “difficult to read” or “hard to decipher” words yet her message is of friendly warmth and happiness to have helped a friend of a friend. 

Written on The Branscombe Choral stationery, she is returning to a Mrs. Grambling a piece of autographed linen.  Autographed linen?  Someone had a hobby of collecting autographs on linen?  Intriguing!

 Collecting famous people’s autographs and letters was a popular hobby a century or more ago.  Once collected they were put in a scrapbook.  This letter was found in one of those books, though the autographed linen piece was not. 

 As Gena says, “What an interesting idea!”  My thoughts on that “idea” is someone was creating a table cloth of autographs, a blanket or making an artistic piece to be framed – my idea.

Who was Mrs. Grambling to whom the letter is addressed or Mrs. Davis who Gena mentions having given her the linen square to sign?  I have no idea though I am sure they were acquaintances.

Now in my possession is this charming 1940 letter authored by Gena Branscombe.

 

#BringingBackBranscombe

 

 

Will Wickham

 

“I’ve been a wedding photographer and worked in a winery, all to support myself as an artist.”  - Will Wickham

Are there people in any field of the arts who would not have a list of jobs they have worked to support the art that fills their soul and an art that allows them to share their creative beauty?  I would think not!

 My friend, Will Wickham, was recently honored in Times Square as one of the recipients of a grant from “Creatives Rebuild New York” (CRNY) which was a three-year, $125 million initiative that provided guaranteed income and employment opportunities to artists across New York State. 

On the very cold, blustery evening of Wednesday, January 15^th in Times Square, several of the recipients of these grants were honored.  A video of each artist was played on one of the huge screens.  Larger than life each artist told the story of the jobs that supported their art – a photographer, clothing designer, dancer, painter, and weaver.  All were recipients of grants from New York State that supported their art.  And, there was my friend Will Wickham.     https://fb.watch/xfHrlthXl8/

All of us in attendance for the video presentation and speeches were given an “Art Takes Work” winter hat!  We needed the hat to stay warm!  

Take a look at the website, www.ArtTakesWork.com to learn more about support for artists and the campaign partners. 

Living in the Elmira, New York area, Will is an entrepreneurial artist.  His genius of creating art to share with the residents of his surrounding area is exemplary.  Conducting three concerts a season with his Cantata Singers, they present programs of music composed by area composers including his own compositions.  All concerts are free and open to one and all.

In 2008 Will established the “Festival of Women in the Arts” which showcased women artists in the Elmira area including wine makers, fabric artists, poets and writers, presentations of all music genres, jewelry designers and more.  A highlight for me was to have been invited to open the first year’s festival performing my one woman show, “Life! Love! Song! A Visit with Gena Branscombe.”  What a special honor to be part of that community which has blossomed into 17 years of friendships created from that concert.

When The Gena Branscombe Project was creating a new orchestral score of the composer's dramatic oratorio, "Pilgrims of Destiny," we were struggling to enter the music note by note into the music program, Finale.  The concert was approaching and we needed as many people helping us with this tedious task.  Who offered to help?  Of course, Will Wickham!  With his talent using Finale, Will helped us reach our deadline of having the score ready for rehearsals and the performance.  Thanks, Will!

Composer, conductor, piano tuner, director of plays, playing in pit orchestras and teaching at a local college, Will Wickham is an all-around accomplished, down-to-earth artist well deserving of a grant to further his creative goals.  Job well done, Will!  Congratulations. 

                                            (photo credit: ATW: SiteImages)

#BringingBackBranscombe