Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 1195 – Thomas G. Moses and Fitch Fulton in California, 1924-1925

Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

Thomas G. Moses worked with Fitch Fulton on a variety of Scottish Rite scenery projects during 1924 and 1925. One was Pasadena Scottish Rite, a project that offered escape from the cold in Chicago.  Moses desperately wanted to spend his winters in California, and the Pasadena Scottish Rite project ensured a few months of work in a warm location. 

At the end of 1924, Moses wrote, “The last Sunday in the year we spent at the Fultons, where we enjoyed the day.  As I had hoped a year ago, we are spending the winter in California and so far we have thoroughly enjoyed it, as we have many winters in the past.”

Even when Moses and Fulton weren’t painting scenery, they enjoyed social gatherings and sketching trips. The two were a generation apart, with Fulton in his 40s and Moses in his 60s. Both were skilled artists and greatly enjoyed plein air painting. Of one excursion, Moses wrote, “Walter, Fulton and I went out for a day’s sketching at Sycamore Rock near Eagle Rock.  We had plenty of visitors.  I found a vast difference between the far east and California as far as atmosphere is concerned.  So, I was not as successful with my sketches as I had hoped to be.”

Later in 1925, Moses wrote, “We all enjoyed the many week-end trips, we took with wonderful lunches and good sketching grounds.  Mrs. Fulton looked after the eats and she certainly did not overlook anything, as we were overfed and did not feel like sketching after the meal.  We found some very good sketching down in Topanga Canyon, over towards Santa Monica and Flint Cliff.  I would like to make an extended sketching trip out here, but I am very much afraid I will never be able to, as business will keep me from it as it has always done in the past.  It has been very pleasant out of doors.  Some days the sun was so hot that we had to get under a tree – pretty good for January.”

To be continued…