Moses wrote extensively about the Columbian Exposition in his typed manuscript. He commented that the “Great Fair” opened with bad weather, but soon changed, and there wasn’t rain for 106 days. Moses recalled, “We continued to get work at the Fair, away up into July.”
On June 1, 1893, work was still plentiful and Moses hired Fred McGreer at the annex theatre on the West Side. Moses recorded that McGreer “proved to be a good man.” It was McGreer’s speed that was the key for Moses’ approval. Moses was also known for his speed, having written in 1881, “The others were able to draw more, because they were better in the artistic end, but I had it over them when it came to speed.” McGreer was also fast and built his reputation on the rapidity of his painting.
Very little is known of McGreer beyond a few articles that mention his artistic speed and skill as a scenic artist. The first time Fred McGreer appears in print is in 1887. He was reported as providing “an hour’s divertissement” in rapid oil painting at the Continental Council No. 55 under National Union section of the Inter Ocean (10 April 1887, page 20).
A year later, there is an advertisement in the Chicago Tribune about a free art exhibition by Fred McGreer at the store James Wilde Jr. & Co. on the corner of State and Madison Streets. (28 Nov 1888, page 8). It reported that McGreer was “the most Wonderful Artist in the World – the rapidity of his work is marvelous. Hundreds of thousands of people visited him at the New Orleans Exposition.” Every afternoon between 1 and 5pm, McGreer was exhibiting his great talent in the James Wilde Jr. & Co. Boys’ and Children’s Department. He was advertised as completing an 8×12 oil painting in ten minutes while customers waited. If customers spent more than $10 in the store, they could select any painting free of charge as a Christmas Gift.
By August 1888, McGreer partnered with his cousin Ernest Cooke to exhibit their rapid painting skills. They were featured at E. W. Viall’s store on Main Street in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The two artists showed how fast paintings could be created and also gave lessons. Their art classes numbered 20 students and were offered in Elgin and Janesville, Illinois. I chuckled as the advertisement noted “Ladies are specially invited to the Entertainment; seats will be kept for them.”
Four years later, McGreer is still exhibiting art in Chicago at A. H. Abbott & Co.’s with several other local artists, including Norwegian artist Svend Svendson and Adele Ross. McGreer exhibited two landscapes: “The Grove” and “A Scene Near Allegheny, Pa.” (Chicago Tribune, 22 May 1892, page 40). It is around this time that Moses hires McGreer. He remains with Moses until 1897. That year, Moses writes, “Early fall found Mr. Landis and Mr. Hunt camped on my trail; offering me the Pyke Theatre Stock Company work at Cincinnati for the season. They agreed to send down enough drops from the studio to complete my contract. I accepted $75.00 per week and went, taking McGreer and Loitz from Chicago.” It appears as if McGreer never left Cincinnati and soon became the scenic artist for the Pike Theatre.” By 1900, the Cincinnati Enquirer did an entire article on Fred McGreer, the scenic artist. He was still successfully employed at the Pike.
To be continued…
