Besharo, very few knew that he painted pictures. Fraley owned two of his paintings, but had no idea how intensely Besharo pursued his art-making. While unable to locate the paintings that the artist gave him, Fraley recalled that they were of space-related subjects, and expressed regret that he did not think they had special value. Besharo's New Hampshire cousin recalled that he once sent her a small landscape, but she, too, neither treasured that artwork nor knew its current whereabouts. After the artist died, the Leechburg man who owned the garage which stored Peter's equipment contacted the cousin to discuss the disposal of his property. Believing that the garage contained nothing but old ladders, brushes, drop cloths and cans of paint, she declined to pay shipping costs. She had no idea that among the contents were sixty nine of his paintings. The diligence ofthis author, Museum researcher Ann Wrenn, artist Bennett Bean and the interest and support of
Museum of American Folk Art Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century American Folk Artists by Chuck and Jan Rosenalc will be published in February 1991 by Abbeville Press. The Encyclopedia is a cloth-bound book of 416 pages, 301 color plates and 79 black and white photographs. 255 artists are included with vital statistics, biographical data, and discussion of artists' techniques and materials. It can be ordered from the Museum of American Folk Art Book and Gift Shop, Two Lincoln Square, New York, NY 10023 ($75.00 hardcover plus $5.00 shipping; Special Members price $59.95 plus $5.00 shipping. Add local sales tax if you live in New York State).
James Crane erected this "wing-flapping flying machine" from plans he envisioned in a dream several decades earlier.
Hale G. Joy of the local historical society led to another important discovery for the Encyclopedia: The formerly unknown but fascinating life story of the New England artist James Crane was uncovered. Crane's interest in the sea — and its disasters — can be traced to his early years in Bath, Maine where he worked as a fisherman, as well as to, Ellsworth, Maine, a seacoast town where he lived during the latter part of his life. Crane also undoubtedly suffered all his life with the memory of the death of his fisherman father when the boy was 14. Crane demonstrated a creative side while working in Pittsburgh as a machinist-mechanic, designing and manufacturing a lockwasher. The business he organized in 1917 to produce the ingenious washer had marketing potential but failed during the Depression. This persistent creative urge expressed itself also in a lifelong dream to create an airship powered by "birdmotion flight:' This dream started years before with a heavenly vision.
James Crane And His Flying Machine
was wondering if his lockwash- his attorney had retained er would be successful. They partner's control in the sale sat, he recalls, halfway back in the patent or the sale of its us James Augustus Crane is the inventor of "bird - motion the audience of five hundred. Mr. Crane, not dismaye( flight", a term he uses to describe the wing-flapping machine The curtains parted. Mine. for- proceeded to manufacture II he has built according to plans given him in a dream fifty- don stood up, smacked the table lockwasher himself in a pin tine years ago. with her hand, and said, "Yo. in Bristol, Conn., selling tl Most people scoff at his invention and his dream. Others ung man, you want to talk to finished article to the auto i By JOHN R. WIGGINS
Winter 1990
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