December Issue 1999
Abstract Ideas of the Soul: William Halsey,
A Book Review
by Lese Corrigan
The best thing about a book on William Halsey
is what we have left of Halsey - his creations. William Halsey
is the title of a book produced by the Greenville County Museum
of Art in conjunction with a show of Halsey's work exhibited in
May and June of this year. The show was part of the Views from
the Edge of the Century, the South Carolina Arts Commission's
celebration of the millennium.
The introduction by Thomas Styron, the museum director, quotes
Otto Rank's words "the redeeming power of art ... resides
in the way in which it lends concrete existence to abstract ideas
of the soul." William Halsey was a master at the concrete,
material expression of soul. His works whisper, shout, sing, dance,
sit, move, laugh, cry and love -- all at one time. The textural
quality of his paintings and sculpture are intriguing journeys
for the eyes. His ability to communicate in an abstract format
was rare, especially for one living in a locale where representational
art was held so dearly.
Communication can take many forms. There are
those of us who have always believed that there are "other
languages" in the world besides the verbal. Consider the
crazed pattern of old paint, the marks on eroding sea shells,
the paths of snails, the footprints of crabs and birds on the
sand, the hieroglyphics in stones, the curved form of discarded
bits of wire, the rust pattern on metal, and the wear pattern
on weathered wood. Our souls recognize the marks as language,
communication. Our minds struggle to translate. Halsey recognized
these languages, and he responded. He spoke the languages, and
he translated them in paint, sand, marble dust, wood and fabric.
Halsey talked about symbols and a universal language of man often.
He tapped into this universality by his expert handling of the
basic elements of visual communication, especially color and line.
Halsey's sense of history was not one of dates and facts but a
visual sense of the vestiges, the physical wear of time. Materials,
"the detritus of civilization," "things that have
a past," as he said would be turned into something new -
a work of art with its own collective beauty beyond that of the
original discarded scraps. Most people ignore the charm of aging,
dilapidated buildings, but Halsey, in true Charleston style, respected
them. He gained inspiration from them and shared their significance
with others through his work.
A description of Halsey's approach to his work,
the inspirations of Charleston and Mexico and his love of color
and space give the reader a real sense of his work process. Martha
Severens's presentation in her overview of Halsey's life and decision
to stay in Charleston is aided by wonderful quotations from the
artist himself. His strong influence in the Charleston community
as a teacher and the success of several of his students is illuminated.
It is lovely that these insights are available to the art lover.
With the spectacular nature of Halsey's sense of color and line,
he continues to teach us with his vision. Twenty three of the
thirty works of art that illustrate the book are accompanied by
a few lines that describe, explain or elucidate the creations
by either telling of the inspiration or someone's reaction to
the work. Often, it is Halsey who is quoted. To have the artist's
words describing his passion, his preferences and the stories
behind the paintings is an additional joy. This book is a must
see for all art lovers and those who follow the creative history
of the Lowcountry.
It is said that the best gift a teacher can give the art student is permission. Halsey said "a sketch is thinking with your fingers" in his introduction to A Travel Sketchbook which he co-produced with his talented wife, Corrie McCallum. If more of us would think with our fingers, communicating with visual language, we would be so much more aware of all that goes on around us and closer to our own souls. Halsey gives that permission each and every time we read about him and especially when we stop in front of his work and allow the communication to flow from his soul to ours.
William Halsey can be purchased from the Greenville County Museum of Art, Halsey's studio as well as The Eva Carter Gallery which carries Halsey's work in Charleston. The book is 83 pages, full color with 30 images and costs $20.
There are several other publications William M. Halsey: Retrospective a monograph written by Jack Morris and also produced by The Greenville Museum of Art, the Maya Journal, words and pictures by Halsey, A Travel Sketchbook by Halsey and Corrie McCallum. Second hand book stores and libraries are the best sources for these publications.
The Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, GA, will present the exhibit, "William Halsey," on Jan. 27 through Mar. 27, 2000.
Lese Corrigan is a native Charlestonian who is an artist, educator, writer and consultant in the visual arts' field.
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