A Collection of Hand Made Christmas Cards and Other Correspondence of Enamel Artist Kay Whitcomb

La Jolla, CA, [1961-1965]. General wear. . A collection of five items relating to Kay Whitcomb (1921-2015) who was an American enamel artist who graduated from Rhode Island School of Design and worked mostly in California but exhibited her work world wide. Most of Whitcomb's work was abstract, and while she most often worked with enamel, she was also known for her painting and print work. All of the items within the collection are some form of correspondence with Douglas Rowley of Massachusetts, a long time friend and printer of some of Whitcomb's photographic work. Three of the items are handmade Christmas cards from December 1963, 1964, and 1965 that feature Whitcomb's artwork. Each card features an image created by Whitcomb and a short note. The 1963 card is most likely a linocut print of what appears to be an artist rendering of a church and short generic holiday message. The 1964 card features a photograph of one of her enamel works entitled "Angel Panel, Enamel on Copper" beside a bible quote from the Gospel of Luke. Additionally there is a handwritten note describing the changes in the skyline and at a local art museum. The last card, from 1964, features what appears to be another linocut, that was printed on dark pink tissue paper and is an artist rendering of a shepherd and one of his sheep. There is also a short handwritten note in this card, updating Rowley on one of their mutual friends as well as requesting an enlargement of a photograph that Rowley had previously printed for her. The last two items in this collection are exhibition cards. The first is for an undated exhibition of Whitcomb's, "Paintings & Enamels", at the Library Gallery in La Jolla. The card is black and white set on a brown card stock, and features a collage of several drawings, most likely some of which were featured in the exhibit. The last item is for an exhibit in August of 1961. This card's information is in Italian, and appears to have been for a series of enameling workshops and corresponding exhibit of Whitcomb's in Positano, Italy at the Palazzo Murat Hotel. The card features a black and white printed photograph of what appears to be a large outdoor piece of Whitcomb's at the top of an outdoor stairway. On the back of the card is a note to Rowley, which describes several items that Whitcomb would like Rowley to print for her along with a short personal note. Measures: 8 1/2" x 11" (largest, 1963 card unfolded), smallest 7" x 5" (undated exhibition card).

Kay Whitcomb Keith was born in 1921 in Arlington, MA into a family with a long line of metalsmiths. She went to the Rhode Island School of Design graduating in 1942. In 1944 she joined the US Marine Corps Women's Reserve at Camp Pendleton, CA where she used her drafting skills. After apprenticing under artist Doris Hall, she moved to Winchester, MA, using a GI loan she opened her own studio in Winchester, MA. She briefly was married to a man by the last name of Keith and had two children. After the divorce, she and her children would move to California, eventually settling in La Jolla, CA. She eventually began teaching enamel art at La Jolla Art Museum and the San Diego Museum of Art. She continued creating art and exhibiting her art work all over the world, even celebrating her sixtieth year in enameling in 2006. She died in 2015 and is buried in Cambridge, MA.