Vintage Wisconsin Art

Morley Hicks was a prominent Wisconsin artist, active in Milwaukee from the 1920’s through the 1940’s. He was born in Canada in 1877, and he died in 1959. He arrived in Milwaukee in 1911 and started taking art classes by the early 1920’s, all the while working for a paint company and practicing his craft in his spare time. Apparently he didn’t start painting until he arrived in Milwaukee, so he started rather late in life.

He was a member of Wisconsin Painters and Sculptors, the most prominent organization for artists; he exhibited often with WPS. In addition, he exhibited at the Milwaukee Journal Gallery of Art, which operated from 1924-1931. He also exhibited at the Wisconsin Salon of Art, which was held at the student union at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Milwaukee Art Institute, and other venues.

I believe Hicks worked exclusively in oil. I have never seen a watercolor painting, an original print, or even a sketch. The paintings are nearly always on artist board, or something similar---I have only seen one canvas. The paintings vary considerably in size, the smallest being about 8” x 10” and the largest 24” x 30”. All the paintings I have seen have been signed “Morley Hicks” or “M Hicks.” Hicks primarily painted outdoor scenes, frequently marine subjects. I can’t think of a single interior scene by Hicks, and I have probably seen nearly 100 of his paintings.

Hicks often made the frames for his paintings. After he made a frame, he sometimes carved his name in the back of the frame, and occasionally the date or other information. The reverse of the frame was often painted orange. The back of the painting itself (he always painted on an artist board) is usually unpainted, but I have seen more than a few that he painted silver or gold.

Collectors are grateful to Hicks because of his extensive documentation of his paintings. He numbered virtually every painting, and he dated many of them. As a result, if the painting only has a number, a reasonable date can be determined. Hicks also titled many of his paintings, and frequently included the location.