Noted Maine artists leave an artistic legacy
Ted and Consuelo Hanks, noted Maine artists, died within one week of each other this month. Their daughter Robyn notes their accomplishments in this memorial. Courtesy of the author
Ted and Consuelo Hanks, noted Maine artists, died within one week of each other this month. Their daughter Robyn notes their accomplishments in this memorial. Courtesy of the author
One of Maine’s most beloved artist-couples, Ted and Consuelo Hanks, passed away within a week of each other on Dec. 1 and 8 at their home in Jefferson. It was their experience and acute observation of the sea and sailing that inspired much of their artwork.
They moved to Maine in the 1960s to fulfill their lifetime goal of landscape and seascape painting, carving, and sailing off the coast of Maine. Ted and Consuelo spent a lifetime together observing the essence of the Maine landscape: atmosphere and light, sky and sea, and that always-changing space where the ocean meets the land. Fog, approaching storms, grand four-masted schooners, lobster boats, and little dinghies have all captured their eye and imagination.
Both came from a strong sailing background. Consuelo had her first sailboat at age 12 and learned the basics of sailing and observing the sea in Boothbay Harbor. Ted grew up in the sailing community of Oxford, Maryland, and built his first sailboat, unbeknownst to his parents, fashioning a bedsheet for a sail. Ted was a competitive sailor winning many regattas. Both especially loved racing and cruising the Maine coast in their Friendship Sloop, Sarah Mead.
Ted and Consuelo led an adventurous life with travels to many exotic places, though their home state of Maine provided their favorite subject matter. They frequently painted en plein air during their trips,capturing the essence of landscapes, skies, and boats.
Ted Hanks graduated from Webb Institute of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering in Glen Cove, New York. He is best known for his wildlife wood carvings, especially waterfowl common on the Chesapeake Bay, which have been featured in exhibitions around the country. He learned how to carve, beginning at age 5 from his grandfather Ed Parsons, a renowned decoy carver on the Eastern Shore.
Ted carved the Black Ducks that have graced the trout pond at the flagship L.L. Bean store in Freeport for many years. Over the years he studied the details, habitats, and behavior of birds. He learned to hunt and scout for geese, ducks, doves, and quail developing and refining his understanding of birds that was reflected in his carvings. In his lifetime he carved thousands of birds, many full sized and in flight. He learned to draw from his father, Fletcher Hanks, Sr., who was an influential illustrator and cartoon artist. As a painter, Ted’s subjects included seascapes, landscapes, and sailboats.
Consuelo attended schools in England, France, and the U.S., receiving a baccalaureate degree from the Lycee Francias de New York and a B.A., magna cum laude, from Wheaton College in Massachusetts. Her intricate drawing and detailed painting style is influenced by the work of her father, John Heagan Eames, a member of the National Academy of Design and a senior member of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers in England.
In 1976 Consuelo illustrated the Pulitzer Prize winning book “Beautiful Swimmers: Watermen, Crabs and the Chesapeake Bay,” written by William W. Warner. For many years she did all the maritime illustrations in the New Yorker magazine. She also illustrated books by Maine humorist and storyteller, John Gould, and contributed to Roger Duncan’s 1992 “Coastal Maine: A Maritime History.” Her illustrations have been used in Wooden Boat Magazine and in 1981 her work was featured on the cover of Down East Magazine. The Pine Tree Society used her watercolors for many of their holiday cards.
Consuelo was also a Signature Member of the American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA), with work in many ASMA touring exhibits.
Consuelo’s work has been exhibited in many local and national galleries including Mystic Seaport Maritime Art Gallery in Mystic, Connecticut. She received the Award of Excellence for the Mystic International Exhibitions in 1987, 1991, 2004, and 2006. Her drawings and watercolors are in permanent collections in the U.S. and Europe; reproductions of her work are widely distributed.
Ted and Consuelo leave 5 children, 11 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild, and 2 great-great grandchildren.
It is the family’s wish that their art will continue to enrich people’s lives, bring them joy, and awaken fond memories of life on the coast of Maine where Ted and Consuelo shared their best years.
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