1977 still life of Marigolds by Arlene Skutch. Large composition by native Westport CT artist. Nice largecompostion on canvas of a floral still life . Housed in a thick solid wooden silver gilt frame.

Prior to Arlene Skutchs career as a visual artist, Arlene had a successful career as a singer in several Broadway musicals, most notably for 725 performances in Finian's Rainbow from 1947–1948 as well as 657 performances of Bloomer Girl 1944–1946 and a short run of the revival of George and Ira Gershwin's Of Thee I Sing .

Her father, Lorenz Anderson, was an accomplished concert violinist and toured much of the mid-west at beginning of the 20th century with his classical trio. Lorenz fostered the love and study of music in his two daughters and urged them to pursue professional acting and singing in New York City in 1945. Arlene moved there with her sister Betty and auditioned as a duet. They were exceptional singers and were constantly employed in the casts of major theatrical productions.[2]

Arlene worked with many luminaries of musical theater; Ira Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Burton Lane, Yip Harburg, Michael Kidd, Agnes de Mille, John Raitt, Celeste Holm, Ella Logan, David Wayne and others.

Arlene eventually left the theater and married screenwriter, advertising executive, and publisher of A Course in Miracles, Robert Skutch. The couple moved to Westport, Connecticut in 1952 and bought an 1876 saltbox colonial house they restored and painted pink after honeymooning in Cuba where they admired the brightly painted houses on the island.[3] At that time, Arlene also had a brief stint on CBS radio's "FBI in Peace and War" and television with John Raitt on "The Buick Circus Hour.' Arlene had two children, Laura and Andrew but was divorced from Robert in 1965 and remained in the Pink House in Westport. The house had a studio on the property that was designed by the famous postmodern architect Eliot Noyes which she eventually began to use as her art studio. She began to study with local painting instructors Ann Chernow, Gusti Wyman, Charles Reid, and Constance Kiermaier at Silvermine School of Art in New Canaan, CT when her children started school.[4].

Details

Dimensions

Height: 26.75 in (67.95 cm), Width: 32.5 in (82.55 cm), Depth: 2.75 in (6.99 cm)

Style: Expressionist (In the Style Of)

Materials and Techniques: Paint, Wood

Period: 1970-1979

Date of Manufacture: 1977

Condition: Good