Magnus Colcord Heurlin
Encyclopedia
Magnus Colcord "Rusty" Heurlin (July 5, 1895 – March 10, 1986 was a Swedish-American artist.
, Skåne County
, Sweden
. He was the son of Berndt Felix Heurlin and Sophie Bjorklund. He was raised in Wakefield, Massachusetts
after the family returned to the U.S. from Sweden in 1896. He attended art classes at the Fenway School of Illustration in Boston.
in 1916, to Valdez
, traveling aboard the SS Northwestern from Seattle, Washington
. He later moved to Barrow
where he lived and painted, concentrating on the Inupiat, creating many works depicting whaling
and hunting
. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1917 and left the state during World War I
, serving in France
. Because of his extensive knowledge of armaments he attained a job as Admiral Plunkett's
orderly in the naval railroad batteries.
After the war, Heurlin lived for many years in Westport
, where he began his professional art career as an illustrator for magazines published in New York City
. In the early 1930s he was selected as an artist for the WPA
Arts Project in Westport's public school buildings. He returned to Alaska around 1935, and moved outside Fairbanks
to the gold mining village of Ester
with his wife, Anne Downer Severin (d. 1971). The artist worked on the gold dredge
s near Ester for the Fairbanks Exploration (FE) Company at Independence Mine
. In 1942 Heurlin became an officer in the Alaska Territorial Guard
which was organized to protect Alaska from Japanese invasion. After World War II
he returned to his cabin in Ester, where he resided until his death at age 90.
Heurlin taught the first art classes at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
in the 1950s, and received an honorary doctorate from the university in 1971. He was also named to Alaska's 49ers Hall of Fame. Heurlin was known for his pastel palette
and luminous skies, and influenced many later Alaska artists, such as Fred Machetanz
.
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Background
Magnus Colcord Heurlin was born in ChristanstadKristianstad Municipality
Kristianstad Municipality is a municipality in Skåne County in southernmost Sweden. Its seat is located in the city Kristianstad....
, Skåne County
Skåne County
Skåne County is the southernmost administrative county or län, of Sweden, basically corresponding to the historical province Scania. It borders the counties of Halland, Kronoberg and Blekinge. The seat of residence for the Skåne Governor is the town of Malmö...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. He was the son of Berndt Felix Heurlin and Sophie Bjorklund. He was raised in Wakefield, Massachusetts
Wakefield, Massachusetts
-History:-Geography:The diagram above shows what is to the east, west, north, south, and other directions of the center of Wakefield. Towns with population above 25,000 are in bold italics.-Demographics:-Notable residents:...
after the family returned to the U.S. from Sweden in 1896. He attended art classes at the Fenway School of Illustration in Boston.
Career
Heurlin first came to AlaskaAlaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
in 1916, to Valdez
Valdez, Alaska
Valdez is a city in Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,020. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska. The port of Valdez was named in 1790 after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y...
, traveling aboard the SS Northwestern from Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. He later moved to Barrow
Barrow, Alaska
Barrow is the largest city of the North Slope Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is one of the northernmost cities in the world and is the northernmost city in the United States of America, with nearby Point Barrow being the nation's northernmost point. Barrow's population was 4,212 at the...
where he lived and painted, concentrating on the Inupiat, creating many works depicting whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
and hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1917 and left the state during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, serving in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Because of his extensive knowledge of armaments he attained a job as Admiral Plunkett's
Charles Peshall Plunkett
Rear Admiral Charles Peshall Plunkett, was an officer of the United States Navy who served in the Spanish-American War and World War I.-Biography:...
orderly in the naval railroad batteries.
After the war, Heurlin lived for many years in Westport
Westport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
, where he began his professional art career as an illustrator for magazines published in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In the early 1930s he was selected as an artist for the WPA
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
Arts Project in Westport's public school buildings. He returned to Alaska around 1935, and moved outside Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
to the gold mining village of Ester
Ester, Alaska
Ester is a census-designated place in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the 'Fairbanks, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 2,422 at the 2010 census...
with his wife, Anne Downer Severin (d. 1971). The artist worked on the gold dredge
Dredge
Dredging is an excavation activity or operation usually carried out at least partly underwater, in shallow seas or fresh water areas with the purpose of gathering up bottom sediments and disposing of them at a different location...
s near Ester for the Fairbanks Exploration (FE) Company at Independence Mine
Independence mine
The Independence Mine was a larger producing mine in the Pine Creek region of the Coeur d'Alene mining district in Idaho. It produced lead, silver, and copper. The mine claim borders the Bunker Hill Sullivan mine claim, and work in on the mine was stopped in the 1940s. It was a major producer...
. In 1942 Heurlin became an officer in the Alaska Territorial Guard
Alaska Territorial Guard
The Alaska Territorial Guard or Eskimo Scouts was a military reserve force component of the US Army, organized in 1942 in response to attacks on United States soil in Hawaii and occupation of parts of Alaska by Japan during World War II. The ATG operated until 1947...
which was organized to protect Alaska from Japanese invasion. After 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...
he returned to his cabin in Ester, where he resided until his death at age 90.
Heurlin taught the first art classes at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
University of Alaska Fairbanks
The University of Alaska Fairbanks, located in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, is the flagship campus of the University of Alaska System, and is abbreviated as Alaska or UAF....
in the 1950s, and received an honorary doctorate from the university in 1971. He was also named to Alaska's 49ers Hall of Fame. Heurlin was known for his pastel palette
Palette (painting)
A palette , in the original sense of the word, is a rigid, flat surface on which a painter arranges and mixes paints. A palette is usually made of wood, plastic, ceramic, or other hard, inert, nonporous material, and can vary greatly in size and shape...
and luminous skies, and influenced many later Alaska artists, such as Fred Machetanz
Fred Machetanz
Fred Machetanz was an Alaskan painter who first came to the territory in 1935, when he traveled to Unalakleet to visit his uncle, Charles Traeger, who ran a trading post there. He returned in 1942 with the U.S. Navy to the Aleutian Islands during World War II, and returned to Unalakleet after the...
.
Source
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