Copyright © 2021 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
Watkins “Wat” Williams was a scenic artist who worked at Sosman & Landis from 1909-1916. Later in life he credited Truman Curtis for helping him secure his first scenic art job with Walter W. Burridge in Chicago. He credited Curtis as his first art patron, having bought a couple of his studies when attending John Francis Smith’s Art Academy and the Art Institute of Chicago.
In 1909, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Watt Williams came into the studio and worked as my assistant. Pretty good, but very careless.” There is no indication as to how long Williams worked at Sosman & Landis. However, by 1916, he had moved to New York where he continued scene painting and then opened an art gallery in Greenwich Village.
Wat Williams was an incredibly difficult individual to track down, but after piecing together a variety of random historic sources, his story was quite interesting. Wats was another scenic artist who worked in both Chicago and New York during the early twentieth century.
Watkins “Wat” Williams was born on August 9, 1882, in Detroit, Michigan. He was one of two children of Judson M. Williams (1856-1929) and Elizabeth “Lizzie” A. Arthur (1860-1925). Judson was a printer in Detroit who worked for the Free Press during the 1880s. In 1896, the Williams family moved to Chicago in 1896, where Judson continued to work in the printing industry. At the time of the move, Wat was only fourteen years old, and his sister Lucy (1885-1942) was eleven years old.
By the 1910 Federal Census, Watkins Williams was listed was as an artist in the scenery industry, still living at home with his parents. This would have been the year after Moses hired him at Sosman & Landis. Wat continued to live and work in Chicago throughout 1915. Like Moses and many other Sosman & Landis scenic artists, he became a member of the Palette & Chisel Club. Williams executed Gus Baumann’s designs for the Club’s private production of “The Shredded Vest” on May 18, 1912. He was also involved in another production in 1915. On May 4, 1915, the “Edwardsville Intelligencer” reported, “The Limit in Chicago. Chicago May 4 – Shades of Maj. Funkhouser and Anthony Comstock! With little on them but the spotlight, three young girls, who, those who saw declare, could have given Miss V. De Milo a tussle in a beauty show contest, last night performed before the Chicago Society of Artists in the rooms of the Palette and Chisel Club. ‘Sea Nymph,’ ‘Dawn,’ ‘The Vestals’ and ‘Luxury’ were some of the living pictures shown. The young women were posed by Glen C. Sheffer and Watt Williams, artists. They announced it is time ‘people began to lose their prudery’ and that they are negotiating with one of Chicago’s largest theatres to put the living pictures before the public. Some of the men and women who saw last night’s affair said something larger than the biggest theatre would have to be selected.” (Edwardsville, Illinois, page 8).
Williams also exhibited stage designs for a Palette & Chisel Club exhibition in April 1916 at the Art Institute of Chicago. The “Chicago Tribune” reported, ““New Exhibit at Institute. A unique event in the life of the Palette and Chisel Club in Chicago will take place on Tuesday evening, April 25, at the Art Institute. For twenty years the club has been holding its annual exhibitions at its own clubrooms. Tuesday night all precedent and tradition will be violated and its large and interesting collection of the last year’s activities along art lines will be shown at the Art Institute of Chicago. It is to be an extremely comprehensive exhibit, including in its scope not only paintings and sculpture, but the work of some master craftsman as well, men who apply their artistic talents to the usable things of life, incurring thereby the lasting gratitude of the practical masses.” The article noted that Wat Williams was a scenic artist at Sosman & Landis who “designed and painted the scenery for the immortal Sarah Bernhardt on her last American tour.”
In 1915, Watt married Elwyn Jennings. Their wedding announcement was published on Dec. 14 1915 in the Alexandria Times-Tribune (Alexandria, Indiana, page 3): “Announce Engagement. Word has been received here of the approaching marriage of Miss Elwyn Jennings of Chicago, Ill., to Watkins Williams, and artist, also of Chicago. Miss Jennings is the niece of Mrs. Thomas Downs, of this city.” The couple was married in Wilmette, Illinois, on Dec. 15 of that year. Wilmette is due north of Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan, near Evanston. Illinois.
Jennings was the daughter of John H. and Ida Jennings of Wilmette, born on Dec. 20. 1894. Her father was a clerk at the First National Bank of Chicago, and the family lived at 426 10th St. There is no indication as to how Jennings and Williams met, but it was likely in the theatre as Elwyn was a costume designer. Much of the couple’s early marriage can be tracked on their passport applications and port arrivals.
By 1916, Wat was working in New York City as scene painter. That year he applied for a passport to visit France on behalf of the Y.M.C.A. He was described at 36 years old, 5’-8” with broad forehead, grey eyes (and glasses), prominent nose, drooping mouth, square chin, brown hair, dark complexion and oval face. Picture included with passport. Also included was a letter from the War department stating that they had no objection to “Williams, Wat of 150 West 4th St., N.Y.C. being sent for duty with the A. E. F. in connection with Y. M. C. A., signed by J. S. Moore, Capt. U.S. Army. After returning from overseas, the Williams settled in Greenwich Village where they were associated with The Paint Box Gallery. Williams also began working on various projects at Fort Dix, including painting murals in several recreation buildings. On July 18, 1918, the “Trenton Evening Times” reported, “A number of New York mural artists have offered their services in decorating the building, among them being David Robinson, portrait and magazine painter and his wife, Adella Klaer, also a noted painter; Howard Heath and wife, and Watt Williams of the famous Watt Williams Art Gallery. These will assist in the planning of the decorations and in the work itself and Elmer Adler, secretary in charge of the hut, has received offers from a few friends of part of the funds to pay for the work.” It was a close-knit community of artists and the works of Klaer (monotypes and paintings) were exhibited at The Paint Gallery in 1919. Williams’ 1918 draft registration listed that he was self-employed as a painter and working at 43 Washington Square, the address of The Paint Box.
On September 14, 1918, “American Art News,” reported, “The Old Paint Box Gallery of Greenwich Village is no more. The stable with its white-washed stalls has passed because Wat Williams is going ‘over there’ with the Y. M. C. A. His wife will remain here however, and she will have a greater Paint Box at No. 43 Washington Squ., where she can show paintings and play chess between times” (Vol. 16, No. 37). Well, his wife Elwyn also applied for a passport and began her own travels as a costume designer by the fall of 1919.
In 1918, Williams also worked on an outdoor event that simulated an Italian County fair. On June 28, 1918, New York’s “The Sun” reported, “Fifth Ave. Festa For Italy’s Blind. Real Old Country Fair Held in Front of Public Library. Italy moved to Fifth Avenue yesterday – not war-stricken Italy today but rural Italy of a happier time when the people in the quaint and beautiful old towns could make merry in their county fairs and there were no lovers and husbands at the front door to be anxious about – no enemy hammering at the door. A bright colored, singings, dancing Italy it was the liens guarding the Public Library looked down upon.
Bobby Edwards, whose normal occupation around Greenwich village is playing his ukulele made out of a cigar box, designed the whole fete from drawings by De Falle and other Italian artists. Watt Williams helped him, and flocks of pretty girls, and the Metropolitan opera chorus, and Giordani, the donkey, and his picturesque green and red garbed driver, and vegetable men, who nobly contributed their almost priceless wares. And movie actresses, and Raymond Hitchcock assisted in carrying out the ideas of Wat and Bobby” (page 6).
Wat was mentioned by the “New York Tribune” on Dec. 15, 1918, in the article “Poets Who Toil” by Lionel C. Moise. The subheading for the article noted, “In Greenwich, war left a golden trail of prosperity behind.” Wat was included as “another prominent villager who got a job at the plant and held it was Watt Williams, who runs art of perpetual exhibition, entitled “The Paint Box” – admission 10 cents. He doubled the previous rate of production for the job to which he was assigned within a week after he entered.”
Wat also became a contributing editor to Greenwich Village’s “The Quill.” Between 1918 and 1919 there were multiple announcements and advertisements for “The Paint Box Gallery.” Keep in mind that New York’s’ Greenwich Village was considered America’s Bohemian capital in the 1910s and 1920s. Photographer Jessie Tarbox Beals (1870-1942) captured images of many shops at the time and exhibited her work at The Paint Box Gallery in 1919 (“Evening World,” 6 Sept 1919, page 7).
In April 1919, “The Quill” reported, “Old Wat Williams is showing some new art at the Paint Box Gallery; conservative and extreme art by the master of Duplex art, Howard Heath; art that the public can understand as well as art that the artist can understand. Art to art to art re–.” Also included in “Round Our Square,” was: ”Wat Williams says, anent the Provincetown Players, ‘The too-muchness of nothingness is a feeling of life gone out.’” The Paint Box also featured the psychochrome theories of Leon Engers Kennedy. On February 16, 1919, the “New York Tribune” announced, ““Mr. Leon Engers Kennedy is exhibiting a group of Psychochromes at the Paint Box Galleries, Washington Square South. Mr. Kennedy explains that “Psychochromes” translated means “soul color,” and “the eye of the soul directs the hand of the craftsman.” Earlier in January, 1919, “The Quill” reported, ““Wat Williams [owner of The Paint Box and contributing editor of The Quill] tells us that he is to have an exhibition for the coming month of the psychochromes of Leon Kennedy. Rallying the remnants of our education, which did included Greek, we should infer that the gentleman indicates with color what he thinks of your soul. We do not hazard a guess as to the meaning of an excessively blue portrait of Alestair [sic] Crowley, but we remember that dark red indicates a lust for murder, and would hesitate to have ourselves committed to canvas. When one stands in front of the portrait of la belle Madame X in the Metropolitan, one understands that she may have suspected Mr. Sargent of treating her a bit roughly, but with Mr. Kennedy, if you only have the color key, ‘it makes no doubts,’ as a charming French friend’s English has it. You know just what he thinks of you.”
On July 8, 1919, “The Evening World” included an article entitled “Hugh Ferris Shows His Work at the Paint Box” (NY page 10). He included a sketch of the gallery as part of his exhibit that was mentioned in the review: “His drawing of the old Paint Box, adapted from the converted stable, is very delicately executed.”
This was the same year that Elwyn Williams applied for her first passport. Her application noted that she was a Costume Designer, sailing to France for work. The Paint Box Gallery address on Washington was listed for the address of her employer, with her home residence at 213 W 147th St. Elwyn was planning to travel for six months. In 1920, she returned, and was listed on the incoming passenger list from London, arriving in Montreal November 1920. She was listed as a Costume Designer “c/o the American Consul, London.” Elwyn continued to travel, an in 1921 venture to Yokohama, Japan, also for work. Information pertaining to Incoming passengers notes that she was currently residing at 426 10th St, Wilmette, Illinois; this was her parents’ home at the time.
Despite Elwyn’s travels, the 1920 Census did not list her living with Wat. Although he was listed as married, Wat was now living with James A. Giel, a 37 yrs. old newspaper reporter from New Jersey. The couple eventually divorced, but I have yet to locate any records to verify their legal separation. I have also been unable to discover any other information about Elwyn Jennings Williams.
In regard to Wat, he continued to work as a scenic artist and was repeatedly mentioned in the “Scenic Artist” section of “The Billboard.” On September 24, 1921, “The Billboard” reported Williams has been engaged to paint the sets of the Irving Place Theater. ‘Lilliom’ is to be the first production. This is the same production that is playing on Broadway, and the Jewish production received a very flattering comment on the beautiful scenic work” (page 21).
On March 1, 1928, “The Scenic Artist” included an article entitle “Wat Williams Speaking” (Vo. 1, No. 11, page 1).
“My Dear Editor:
You are going on to the first coast to coast conference with Bro. Toner: John Toner and I used to work for the well-known Sosman & Landis of the City of Chicago where you will meet.
You were telling me the other day of your experience in Chicago (in the day of the wooden sidewalk) and your experience as an impresario for real bottled beer. Beside the Chicago boys you will probably, I hope, have Truman Curtis, the president of the Los Angeles Local, as one of the delegates. Truman was my first art patron, having bought a couple of my studies when we were studying at ‘Smith’s Art Academy.’ Truman got me my first job in a scene painting place (don’t hold it against him” with Walter Burridge, then in Chicago. This goes back about a quarter of a century. At that time the urge to form some organization of the scene painter was dreamed of but that it should extend from coast to coast was not thought of. I should like you to bring attention to the fact preached to us by Walter Burridge that it is not simply a job of scenery; but that the main purpose of the artist in the theatre is a service problem; that of making the stage ensemble a work of art as truly as any picture of designs. The second thought would be to bring to the attention of the conference the desirability of establishing Examining Committees to stop the entry of people who will finally be a drag to the organization and themselves. These two problems are just as alive now as a quarter of a century ago.
Can I tack on a little about due collection? Nels Astner and myself are planning a drive to have our members see the desirability of paying their dues three months or more in advance instead of quarterly in arrears. It will not only lighten the burden of housekeeping but stop the damage that suspension brings to our members. On each month a third of our members are notified that they will be suspended if payment is not made at the end of the month. I believe that they will really see that the advance payment plan is desirable for all concerned.
I would like to make a personal appeal to our members to make their payments direct to the Financial Secretary of mail it, addressed to him. The habit of giving it to anyone else, especially without forwarding book at the same time, may cause everyone connected with it loss of money as well as extra work for those, already busy up to their neck.
We are making no new laws – simply enforcing those now on the books. Laws are not flexible or open to interpretation to suit individual cases – by officers less than anyone. Individual cases needing special construction will be laid before the Executive Board and a member’s chance for serious and just consideration of his appeal will not be depending on his nearness to the local. If you don’t advise us, we do not know your troubles.”
The report was published the next month in “The Scenic Artist” – Official organ of the United Scenic Artists Association at 161 West 44th Street, New York City (Vol. 1, April 1928, No. 12, page 1), entitled “The Chicago Conference.” It started “The report of the Chicago and New York delegates to the Scenic Artists Conference in Chicago held at Chicago on the last three days of last month has been read to their several members and approved by them. The recommendations are clear, concise and easy to understand.
It may be hoped that every scenic artist regardless of what special line he follows, will see the advantage of a uniform basis upon which we as a craft may sell our services.
By a commonly accepted definition of the term stock, production and presentation, we shall without causing the slightest flurry, neither in our own of the producer’s ranks, have arrived at a definite way of knowing how to classify what a member is doing. Not what he must do – or must not do; but simply made it possible to really know whether work – of any sort – is being done according to Union rules or not.
Productions must of course be done under rules laid down for a Studio – let the Studio be permanent or temporary – old established or primitive; no one presumes to dictate as to the shape or nature of the building. The rules concerning Studios are as before as regards to charge-man, artist and helpers. Scenery traveling from place to place is of course a production: – or else what is?
Members running Studios shall not contract for Stock in such places as our rules clearly state that an artist shall be employed on contract.
Stock, as far as our craft is concerned, is scenery built and painted for a theatre to which a member is under contract.
The salary of the artist is stipulated with that specific clause being clearly understood.
As before, an artist under stock contract shall – by organization – be required to limit his work to the theatre he is employed in, and shall not engage in outside contracting or production work during the time of such employment.
Presentations may be done by one artist if necessary, provided it is only for one house.
A member may design and contract for as many presentation houses as he can handle provided his work is carried on according to the rules of the association. A rising scale of pay based on equity and economy was agreed on and a field very apt to run wild, and for that matter pretty difficult to control properly, has been defined.
Every angle of the craft was given close attention and where necessary thoroughly discussed. The object of the conference was not to inject a lot of new kinks, but for the explicit purpose of arriving at a uniform wording and interpretation of all rules, by-laws, contracts etc. thereby making the first great step toward a unification of the entire craft. The ambition of single members to rise and soar is fine; but it should have a proper take-off. Too often the member who throws his lot with the side to whom he has to look for monetary returns makes a fatal mistake. Agreed that he has the right to conduct business, even to destroy himself; but he has no right to jeopardize the livelihood of fellow members. It would be better all around if he should lend all his strength to his organization and help to convince purchasers of our work that the best way is the cheapest after all.
There is no call for individual members of our craft to make frantic efforts to cheapen either our standards or our product. The cheapening of scenic art may be safely left to those who are not members of our craft.
The rules are there. The rules are simple; it only remains with the members to take advantage of them.
The Chicago conference consisted of Chas. E. Lessing, chairman; NY; Orville Lyman, Chicago; Peter Donegan, Chicago; Herman Bartels, Chicago, and John Toner and G. VC. Fisher, New York.”
Williams continued to live and work in Manhattan throughout the 1930s. Although still listed as married, he was living by himself at 74 West 37th Street .
By the 1940s, Williams returned to Chicago. His 1942 draft registration card listed Williams residing at 1447 N. Wells St. In the box that noted the person who would always know his address, Williams wrote: “United Scenic Artist – Woods Bldg.”
Williams died in Chicago on Oct. 19, 1945. He was buried on Oct. 23 1945 in Mount Hope Cemetery in Worth, Illinois.
