A GRAND VISION: Elliott Daingerfield Paints Grandfather Mountain and the Grand canyon

In 1894, Elliott Daingerfield’s soon to be second wife, Anna Grainger, visited a fortune teller named Blind Jenny. She told Anna,

“You will marry an artist who will become famous for painting two places. One will be a huge rock in the South and the other a big hole in the West.”

This prediction proved to be true, as Grandfather Mountain and the Grand Canyon would emerge as recurring subjects that brought both notoriety and inspiration throughout the artist’s career. This exhibition is the first to examine Daingerfield’s portrayals of these geographical monuments. Supplemented by contextual and biographical elements it tells a unique story about one of North Carolina’s most revered and prolific painters.

How did this Exhibition Come Together?

For our 75th Anniversary Year, the Hickory Museum of Art team wanted to pay tribute to founding Director Paul Whitener’s vision for bringing the best in American Art to our galleries. In his own lifetime (1859 -1932), Elliott Daingerfield was recognized as one of our nation’s leading artists. His success allowed him to maintain studios and homes in both Blowing Rock and New York City, including his final residence, the Westglow mansion, which overlooks his beloved Grandfather Mountain. His reputation as an artist also led to the invitation he received from the Santa Fe Railway to travel to the Grand Canyon with four other painters to create images for their marketing materials.

The exhibition is family friendly! Pick up complimentary copies of the FAMILY GALLERY GUIDE at the check-in desk (Exhibition Guides are also available). A GRAND VISION includes a few surprises, including a model train display outlining Daingerfield’s trip to the Grand Canyon (courtesy of Southeastern Narrow Gauge & Shortline Museum in Newton, NC), art activities, and a panorama of the Grand Canyon — a great photo opportunity!

Hang Out with Elliott Daingerfield!

MEMBERS-ONLY SNEAK PEEK | A GRAND VISION: ELLIOTT DAINGERFIELD

Friday, December 7

Enjoy one of the many perks of HMA Membership at this exclusive member’s only event.

AN EVENING WITH JOSEPH DAINGERFIELD DULANEY

Rescheduled for
Sunday, December 16, 2018

Be captivated by Joe Dulaney’s easygoing Southern charm as you hear his tales of growing up as a Daingerfield.

DAINGERFIELD + DANGERFIELD NIGHT

Saturday, January 12

What’s in a name? Sheer genuis! We hope you’ll join us for a fun-field evening with two of the most famous Da(i)ngerfields who ever lived.

Thank you!

We have benefited greatly from collaboration with the artist’s grandson Joe Daingerfield Dulaney, who has generously shared his time and expertise on this project, as well as paintings, drawings, photographs from the family’s albums, and objects that belonged to Elliott Daingerfield.

A GRAND VISION includes holdings from HMA’s collection, as well as masterworks from North Carolina Museum of Art, Morris Museum of Art, Blowing Rock Art and History Museum, The Johnson Collection, and private collections.

Exhibition Sponsors

Suzanne Hambrick in Memory of Robert T. Hambrick, Jr.
Gene & Margaret Glaze
L.B. Lane Family Foundation

Annual Sponsor