Lot 117: CLEO HARTWIG (American, 1911-1988) OWL SCULPTURE

Cleo Hartwig (American, 1911-1988) "Owl," c. 1965, plaster, signed and monogrammed. Good condition, measures 4"x4"x10". Weight 5 pds 6 oz. Cleo Hartwig was an American sculptor who worked in stone, wood, terra cotta, plaster, paper, woodcut, and ceramic. She won a number of awards, including national awards, and her work is exhibited and included in museum collections across the US. Hartwig belongs to the generation of the 1930s and 1940s who advanced opportunities for women artists. She was an early member of the National Association of Women Artists (eventually serving as Vice President), and the New York Society of Women Artists (eventually serving as Recording Secretary). She is regarded as a member of The New York School, and her work was featured in the TV documentary, Women of the First Wave; Elders of the Century. Cleo Hartwigs papers are held at the Smithsonian Institution’s Archives of American Art. Her works are in such collections as: The Smithsonian, Montclair Art Museum, National Academy of Design, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and many others. During the last decade of her life (1980s) Hartwig exhibited in more shows than in any previous decade, 58 in all. Her Owlet, shown at the New York Botanical Gardens Conservatory, was also featured in The New York Times. She was invited to serve on juries around the country, including the 4th North American Sculpture Exhibition, for which she was co-juror with Francisco Zuniga. She received more awards, gave master classes, and continued to sculpt until just months before her death. Cleo Hartwig died on June 18, 1988 in New York City. After her passing, the Sculptors Guild dedicated its 1990 Hofstra University Exhibit Catalog to her memory, and the Audubon Society instituted an annual sculpture prize (still given today), in her honor.