Hundreds of artworks by John W. Hatch (1919-1998), beloved artist and teacher, will be sold Oct. 1st

DURHAM, N.H. - Sept. 7, 2016 - PRLog -- Hundreds of artworks by the late Regionalist-Modernist painter and former University of New Hampshire art professor John W. Hatch (1919-1998) – a beloved figure who instructed more than 5,000 art students over the course of his 36-year teaching career – will be sold at an exhibition, sale and auction of Hatch's work on Saturday, Oct. 1^st, at 12 o'clock noon.

The event will be held in the Fellowship Room of the Community Church of Durham, located at 17 Main Street, just off the UNH campus, on the road leading into and out of the university. It is timed to coincide with UNH's Homecoming weekend and football game, giving students, alumni and art collectors a rare opportunity to acquire an original artwork by John Hatch while in town.

A preview, sale and reception will be held on Friday, Sept. 30^th, from 5-8 pm, where guests can examine the many artworks Hatch produced beginning when he was just 16 years old, in 1935, through his student work at Yale University, then into his World War II US Army service in the Philippines and Australia, and concluding with his tenure at UNH (1949-1985) and retirement. There will also be a Saturday morning preview, from 9 am until the start of auction at 12 noon.

The collection, which has been in the hands of Hatch's family since the time of his death and has never before been offered for sale or auction, will include figure studies and portraits, scenes of the South Pacific from his time in service during World War II, Modernism, mural studies, still lifes, abstract works, landscapes and more – hundreds of works, executed in multiple genres.

Some of the pieces in the collection will be offered for sale, at a fixed price that will range from just $25 to around $200. These will include sketches, drawings, portfolios, sketch pads and a few watercolors. The subjects will mirror those being sold in the live auction, slated to begin around 3:30 pm, with estimates there ranging from $40 to $6,000 – a price point for nearly every budget.

"October 1^st will be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to choose from over 245 drawings, watercolors, collages and oil paintings by this truly gifted artist and educator," said Jay Williamson of John McInnis Auctioneers, the Amesbury, Mass.-based firm handling the auction component, and himself a UNH graduate (Class of 1986). "This event will be interesting and not to be missed."

A lecture preceding the auction, from 11:30 am until noon on auction day, and from 7-7:30 pm on the evening prior (Friday, September 30^th), will be given by Sam Cady, a former student of Mr. Hatch's. "He was a wonderful mix of jokester and sage," Cady said, "a man who loved people and loved teaching. Many artists teach by necessity, and resent what they see as a drain on their creative energies. But John found great fulfillment both as an artist and a teacher."

It's been said that John W. Hatch was a man of style and a man of many styles. His repertoire included German expressionism, cubism and Chinese "po mo," among others. Over the course of his rich, 50-year career, he explored the people, the landscape and the seascape around him. His effectiveness in these areas were tied to his ironclad commitment to use his talent to help others.

Through watercolor, ink and sand, he depicted the grandeur of the White Mountains. His acrylic and tempera paintings reflected the crisp light and distinct topography of the Isles of Shoals and Great Bay Estuary. Hatch's ability to convey the enormity of mountains and the sea, juxtaposed the fleeting nature of human life, serves as a reminder that nature is to be revered and preserved.

The paintings up for auction will include stunning renderings of the Isle of Shoals, Monhegan Island, Durham, China, Maine, Manila, Cuba, the Connecticut coastline, the White Mountains, New York City and Canada. Now, the family of John and Maryanna Hatch invites UNH alumni and the public to bid on and buy – or purchase for a fixed price – on of these incredible artworks.

Hatch's resume is both extensive and impressive. He graduated from the Massachusetts College of Arts in 1941, then spent four years fighting in World War II. In 1946, he enrolled at the Yale University School of Fine Arts, where he received BA and MFA degrees in painting and art history. After that he embarked on a 36-year teaching career at University of New Hampshire.

Hatch was a draftsman, an artist and a muralist. His works can be found in public and private collections throughout the region. He exhibited at the New Hampshire Art Association; the Currier Gallery of Art (1949-1965); the United States Information Agency in Russia (1961); the De Cordova & Dana Museum (1962, 1964); and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (1967-1969).

For those people unable to attend the exhibition, sale and auction in person, internet bidding will be provided by LiveAuctioneers.com. The full catalog, showing all the artworks being offered in the auction component, may be viewed online now, at www.mcinnisauctions.com. For those who do plan to attend, Durham is located in southeastern New Hampshire, not far off Interstate 95.

John McInnis Auctioneers is always accepting quality consignments for future auctions. To consign a single piece, a collection or an estate, you may call them at (978) 388-0400; or, you can e-mail them at mcinnisauctions@yahoo.com (mailto:mcinnisauctions@ayahoo.com). To learn more about John McInnis Auctioneers and the upcoming Hatch at Homecoming event Oct. 1^st, please visit www.mcinnisauctions.com.