Art Hupy
Encyclopedia
Art Hupy was an American
freelance
commercial photographer noted for his images of architecture and artists from the Northwest School
. Hupy also founded the Museum of Northwest Art
.
in Germany
during World War II
. After returning home from the war, he married Rita Manning and they both moved to Los Angeles, California
where he studied photography
.
After relocating to Seattle, he worked as a freelance photographer for Rainier Brewing Company
, Northwest Airlines
, United Press International
, Time
, and Sunset
. By this time, he had developed a reputation for his portraiture of Northwest School
artists such as Morris Graves
, Kenneth Callahan
and Guy Anderson
.
In the 1950s and early 1960s Hupy also photographed works by Northwest Modern architects.
Discouraged by the Vietnam War
, Hupy and his wife relocated to British Columbia
in the 1960s. Hupy’s activities during this time are summarized by the University of Washington Libraries:
In 1977, Hupy opened the first art gallery in La Conner, Washington
and moved there with his wife Rita. (Hupy had become acquainted with the area and its resident artists during the mid-1950s when working on Sunset magazine assignments.) In 1981, Hupy founded the Museum of Northwest Art
in La Conner, Washington
and served as its first director and curator. Hupy resigned his position as museum director in 1990.
Hupy’s work was well regarded within his profession; some of his exhibitions are noted by the University of Washington Libraries:
Several years before his death, Hupy suffered a stroke and was no longer able to make photographic prints. Some time thereafter he donated his collection to the University of Washington. The majority of Hupy’s photographs are now archived in Modern Photographers Collection at the University of Washington
Libraries Special Collections Division.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
freelance
Freelancer
A freelancer, freelance worker, or freelance is somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term. These workers are often represented by a company or an agency that resells their labor and that of others to its clients with or without project management and...
commercial photographer noted for his images of architecture and artists from the Northwest School
Northwest School (art)
The Northwest School was an art movement based in small-town Skagit County, Washington, and was at its peak in the 1930s and 1940s.-The big four:...
. Hupy also founded the Museum of Northwest Art
Museum of Northwest Art
The Museum of Northwest Art is an art museum located in La Conner, Washington, and is focused on the Northwest School art movement, which had its peak in the mid-20th century. The Museum was founded by Art Hupy in 1981....
.
Personal life
Hupy was born in Seattle, Washington and served in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After returning home from the war, he married Rita Manning and they both moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
where he studied photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
.
Professional career
Hupy began his career in 1953.After relocating to Seattle, he worked as a freelance photographer for Rainier Brewing Company
Rainier Brewing Company
Rainier Brewing Company was a Seattle, Washington, company that brewed Rainier Beer, a popular brand in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Although Rainier was founded in 1884, the Seattle site had been brewing beer since 1878. While the beer enjoys near iconic status, it is no longer...
, Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
, United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
, Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, and Sunset
Sunset (magazine)
Sunset is a lifestyle magazine in the United States. Sunset focuses on homes, cooking, gardening, and travel, with a focus almost exclusively on the Western United States...
. By this time, he had developed a reputation for his portraiture of Northwest School
Northwest School (art)
The Northwest School was an art movement based in small-town Skagit County, Washington, and was at its peak in the 1930s and 1940s.-The big four:...
artists such as Morris Graves
Morris Graves
Morris Cole Graves was an American expressionist painter. Along with Guy Anderson, Kenneth Callahan, William Cumming, and Mark Tobey, he founded the Northwest School. Graves was also a mystic.-Early years:...
, Kenneth Callahan
Kenneth Callahan
Kenneth Callahan was a noted 20th century Abstract Expressionism painter, art critic curator, and a founder of the Northwest School....
and Guy Anderson
Guy Anderson
Guy Anderson , born in Edmonds, Washington, was an American Abstract Expressionism painter. Along with Kenneth Callahan, Morris Graves, William Cumming, and Mark Tobey, Anderson was identified in a Life Magazine article as one of the "northwest mystics," also known as the Northwest School.-Early...
.
In the 1950s and early 1960s Hupy also photographed works by Northwest Modern architects.
Discouraged by the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, Hupy and his wife relocated to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in the 1960s. Hupy’s activities during this time are summarized by the University of Washington Libraries:
In 1963 he moved his family to an island in Blind Channel in British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to paint, sculpt, study and educate his children. From 1966 to 1968 he was a freelance designer and photographer in VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
where he also conducted a part-time school of professional photography. He returned to Seattle in 1968 and taught photography at The Bush School and Seattle Community College. He was also a freelance Graphic Arts Consultant to Seattle Public SchoolsSeattle Public SchoolsSeattle Public Schools is the school district serving Seattle, Washington, USA. Its headquarters are in the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence.-List of schools:...
in 1971.
In 1977, Hupy opened the first art gallery in La Conner, Washington
La Conner, Washington
La Conner is a town in Skagit County, Washington, United States with a population of 891 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area. In the month of April, the town annually hosts the majority of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival...
and moved there with his wife Rita. (Hupy had become acquainted with the area and its resident artists during the mid-1950s when working on Sunset magazine assignments.) In 1981, Hupy founded the Museum of Northwest Art
Museum of Northwest Art
The Museum of Northwest Art is an art museum located in La Conner, Washington, and is focused on the Northwest School art movement, which had its peak in the mid-20th century. The Museum was founded by Art Hupy in 1981....
in La Conner, Washington
La Conner, Washington
La Conner is a town in Skagit County, Washington, United States with a population of 891 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area. In the month of April, the town annually hosts the majority of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival...
and served as its first director and curator. Hupy resigned his position as museum director in 1990.
Hupy’s work was well regarded within his profession; some of his exhibitions are noted by the University of Washington Libraries:
He won 25 awards for advertising art including those given out by Seattle Advertising Art and the American Institute of ArchitectsAmerican Institute of ArchitectsThe American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
. He participated in numerous exhibitions, including those at the Seattle World's Fair, San Francisco Museum of Art, New York Advertising Art, and Henry Art GalleryHenry Art GalleryThe Henry Art Gallery is the art museum of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, USA. Located on the west edge of the university's campus along 15th Avenue N.E. in the University District, it was founded in 1927 and was the first public art museum in the state of Washington. The...
.
Several years before his death, Hupy suffered a stroke and was no longer able to make photographic prints. Some time thereafter he donated his collection to the University of Washington. The majority of Hupy’s photographs are now archived in Modern Photographers Collection at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
Libraries Special Collections Division.
External links
- University of Washington Digital Collections - Modern Photographers Collection Includes a selection of 234 images by Art Hupy.
- Museum of Northwest Art - History