A few weeks ago we posted the story of a man who had purchased a painting by one of the artists whose estate the gallery represents. Mr. Jim Quinlan had the good fortune to purchase a painting by Frederick Remahl from the artist himself. We asked Mr. Quinlan to recount his memories of the artist so that we could post that story here. After some computer problems last week we lost the original post that contained that story, so I’m reposting it again now:

My initial encounter as best I can recall came about after I strolled by his little shop a few times, looked in the window and finally went in.  I think it was on North Clark Street and I was drawn in by mere curiosity. Painting has always been something which intrigued me and his place seemed more than a crafts type place. It had personality. Brushes and clean canvases, paints and frames.Nothing orderly, but I guess it was an artist’s idea of what a shop should look like. Paintings covered the walls like a mini museum. Mr. Remahl came out of the back room and welcomed me as if we had known each other for some time. I thought at first he was a clerk, a friendly man, but hardly imposing as I imagined an artist to be.We chatted about generalities. He talked about sailing and working on ships like the ones he had painted. I was a teacher and a new dad and had a few stories of my own. I also had little surplus cash for such things as paintings. He, as I recall, asked if there was anything I liked. I pointed out a couple of small framed oil paintings (bucolic reedy lake scenes) by an artist named Howard Karmele. I still have them and they are in fine condition. It was then that I noticed the larger (14 x 18) piece of the two ore freighters. He identified himself as their creator and I was impressed. They sat still in the water (Lake Michigan, he said) and a single gull drifts along on the wind in the upper right portion. I asked how much it cost and he said simply $50. The Karmele’s were $35 each and a bowl of fruit by a Mexican painter whose name I can’t remember was also $35. I bought his painting first then returned to buy the others as my finances improved. I should have taken better care of it but that is past and I moved around a bit. There is a paper notation attached on the back identifying the painting and his name.It is handwritten.

"Lake Freighters" by Frederick Remahl

We’d like to once again thank Mr. Quinlan for sending in his story. We love to learn all we can about the artists that we show. If you have a story about one of the artists whose estates we represent please get in touch with us at sales@sullivangoss.com.