Art in Action: More Surprising Hidden Artists
By Darla McCammon
and DeeAnna Muraski
Guest columnists
A baby was born on Feb.15, 1951, in London, England. She was named Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg, which is quite a name for such a tiny little girl.
Her Jewish father was a respected gynecologist, and her Dutch Protestant prisoner-of-war mother was a nurse. Other distinguished relatives include a grandfather who started his own medical company before enlisting to help England in the war. Frankenberg’s youth was incredibly multi-cultural, and since both her parents were involved in the medical field, she was surrounded by successful and intelligent people.
Frankenberg yearned to act and earned her credentials at the Tring Park School for the Performing Arts. While there, she realized that the stage name of Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg might be a little daunting. She chose the name Jane Seymour, in part to honor the queen and secondly, because she felt the name was a more appealing moniker for an acting career. We agree.
By 1969, Seymour was ready for her first film called “Oh! What a Lovely War.” From then her opportunities grew. Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, a weekly TV series, made her a household name. With her stunning eternal beauty and her diverse storyline, Dr. Quinn would still be popular even today. Another movie, especially popular in our area was “Somewhere in Time,” which was filmed in parts of Indiana and Michigan — notably, Mackinac Island.
DeeAnna’s favorite film is her lesser-known depiction of the aristocracy during the “reign of terror” in the movie “The Scarlett Pimpernel.” Seymour falls in love with a foppish Sir Percival Blakeney, whom she marries to help her as she tries to keep aristocrats from the guillotine, only to find out her husband is secretly trying to do the same.
Seymour has won many awards as an actress for her heartfelt, dramatically depicted characters. However, her recognition in another artist category has gained her equal awards. Seymour is an exceptional painter. Using oil and watercolors, she typically depicts children and nature scenes. She draws inspiration from her own four children (see photo provided-girl with red pail). It is done in very nice impasto strokes that capture us instantly. Seymour presents her work almost exclusively in giclée in order to reach a larger audience. Giclée is a method of reproducing high-quality artwork on archival paper or canvas using an inkjet printer. The final product looks very close to the original.
Seymour has also created extraordinary jewelry based on her art. These designs are captured in sculptures and in ads for Kay Jewelers. It may be a little ironic that her most famous jewelry design is an open heart. She says this reminds people to always keep their hearts open — which the four-time divorcee, may, or may not have done, depending on how you look at it. However, her general love for all human beings is evident in her generous fundraising for her Open Hearts Foundation and other not-for-profit charities.
Events: watch for the annual Winona Lake Art Fair coming soon. Brenda Ramseier at Warsaw City Hall Gallery closes June 30, 2022. Lakeland Art Association’s Spring Show winners are open for viewing until May 28, 2022, at 302 E. Winona Ave. Warsaw. If you would like to be an exhibitor at Warsaw City Hall Art Gallery, contact Darla McCammon, Curator at [email protected].