| |
Born in Guilford County, North Carolina, John Bundy’s family moved to a
farm near Monrovia, Indiana in 1893. As a young man attending a Quaker
school, he was encouraged in art by celebrated Hoosier poet James Whitcomb
Riley who had become aware of his drawings. Riley gave Bundy a number of art
books to study the work of well-known painters. Bundy’s early work was that
of portraiture, a more lucrative form of art.
In 1888, Bundy became the head of the Earlham College Art Department. For
eight years he taught drawing and painting before leaving to pursue painting
full-time. He would become Richmond’s premiere artist and dean of the
Richmond Group. His dealer, J.W. Young of Chicago held regular exhibitions
of his work. He would exhibit his works at the Pennsylvania Academy of the
Fine Arts, the National Academy of Design and the National Arts Club in New
York. In 1910, he showed in the Biennial Exhibition at the Corcoran Gallery
of Art in Washington, D.C. He also would show on an annual basis in Indiana,
including the Richmond’s Annual Exhibition.
Bundy was one of the founders of the Art Association of Richmond. He was
in attendance at the first organizational meeting and served on the board of
directors for many years. The Art Association purchased his five-foot long
painting, Blue Spring in 1900. This was only the second work the art
association had acquired, the first being Near Metamora, In the Whitewater
Valley, 1899 by T.C. Steele, reflecting the importance of Bundy as an
Indiana artist.
Throughout his career, Bundy was devoted to the woodland interior. He has
immortalized the beech woods of his home state. Bundy noted: “I was first
attracted to the beech because it is so numerous here in Indiana. I think
the beech right here in Wayne County is the finest I have seen anywhere. I
like the woodland and, of course, I could not paint a woodland without
painting the beech”. Although many of his paintings seem to be of autumn, he
did paint all seasons, including a large number of winter scenes on
permanent view at the Richmond Art Museum.
Much of the fine quality of art in Richmond can be attributed to the
influence of John Bundy. As a teacher, painter, mentor, and art patron, he
has given much to his beloved community. He left sixteen paintings to the
Richmond Community School System as inspiration to young children. His love
of nature of the surrounding community is evident in all of his work. His
legacy continues by his work being represented in many our local
institutions including Morrisson-Reeves, Richmond Community Schools, Earlham
College, Indiana University East and local banks and businesses.
|
|
