Harold J. “Hal” English (American, 1910-2008)
Untitled
Oil on canvas, 24" x 18"
[Note: If anyone has any information on Hal English, please email me, or post it in the comments]
I cannot find much on Harold J. "Hal" English artistic work, except for these black and white works attributed to him on ebay (here and here).
Here is a long biography on him from 2011, but with no references to his art. In our era, the works of illustrators and sign makers are not as important as "regular" artists (i.e. painters and photographers). But that is a testimony to our times.
It takes skill to produce an illustration that will satisfy a myriad of people, which includes advertisers who are less interested in "art" and more in how the attractive graphics will help them sell their material.
Here is some praise for English from the Buffalo News art critic Richard Huntington on his 1995 retrospective show:
In reviewing a 1995 retrospective show, the Buffalo News Art critic Richard Huntington cited Hal for his, “workmanlike style--a blend of `40’s and `50’s illustration and an Edward Hopper-ish kind of solid realism.”It is a testimony to bygone years that mere illustrators took care to provide high quality material.Their culture and society also demanded it of them, including their football players.
In English's illustration, we see a wiry man using his wits and his will, and his speed and skill, to get that ball to the touchdown.
These days, we watch spoilt, over-weight "sportsmen" on the football field ram into each other causing each other concussions and serious injuries. And these same spoilt, overweight, and overpaid "sportsmen" appear on ugly television commercials selling us the latest in unbuyable goods.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted By: Kidist P. Asrat