You’ve probably walked past these pieces of art hundreds of times, never realizing what they are or where they’re from. As a school with more than a century of history, Hockaday possesses numerous historic and valuable pieces, many of which were donated decades ago.
The Onderdonks (1822-1922)
Julian Onderdonk, a Texan Impressionist painter nicknamed “the father of Texas painting,” is known for his Impressionist landscapes and bluebonnet paintings. In summer 1901, he studied under renowned Impressionist painter William Merritt Chase at Chase’s Shinnecock Hills Summer School of Art. There, his style of painting foregrounds changed dramatically as students were taught to paint the foreground first and then work back to the skyline. Onderdonk’s pieces, especially those depicting bluebonnets, now sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. A similar Onderdonk painting, “A Field of Bluebonnets, San Antonio,” sold for $112,500 at an auction event in June 2024. Other bluebonnet Onderdonk paintings have sold for between $87,500 and $93,750 in recent years.
Hockaday has two Onderdonks. One of Onderdonk’s oil paintings titled, “Field of Bluebonnets Under a Cloudy Sky,” currently hangs in the Whittenburg dining room. As a testament to Onderdonk’s artistry, President George W. Bush had many of Onderdonk’s pieces put in the White House during his stay there. Among one of his requests was the “Field of Bluebonnets Under a Cloudy Sky.” Despite his request, Hockaday refused. In addition to the “Field of Bluebonnets Under a Cloudy Sky,” Hockaday owns another untitled Onderdonk, hanging in the Memorial dining room. Both artworks were donated by Kathryn Amsler Priddy, a Hockaday Life Trustee.
William Merritt Chase (1849-1916)
William Merritt Chase was best known as an American Impressionist painter and teacher. He was a dominant figure in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Chase drew his inspiration from international styles, some contemporary and some traditional, creating a distinct and signature technique. In 1896, he established the Chase School of Art in New York, now known as the Parsons School of Design. Many of Chase’s students went on to become influential artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe and Edward Hopper.
His paintings range from tens of thousands of dollars to his most valuable worth almost $7 million. In the Hockaday Memorial living room sits a Chase painting titled “Portrait of a Young Lady in White.” The painting was acquired from Miss Ela Hockaday’s estate after her death in 1956.
Contemporary Artwork
Along with many valuable traditional pieces of art, Hockaday also has modern pieces acquired through donations, estates and students.
Middle School teacher Susan Sanders-Rosenberg, who is also the Visual Arts Department Chair, helps to curate some of the more contemporary pieces and student artwork hanging on the walls.
“Sometimes an estate will donate artwork to Hockaday,” Sanders said. “One estate invited me to go to their storage space, and I got to choose specific artworks.”
Some of the artwork Sanders helped to pick hangs in the administrative hallway. To curate pieces, she draws from her experience as an artist herself.
“When I look at art, I can be really influenced by how I’m feeling or a period of my life,” Sanders said. “It’s all very personal. I’m a very visual, tactile person in my own work, and so I relate to those kinds of things [when choosing artwork].”
Sanders also helps organize the installation of some artwork. When walls were repainted a few years ago, Sanders helped decide where to rehang pieces. In a bustling school with more than 1,000 students, art is displayed to ensure the safety of the artwork, but also to maximize its visibility.
“Sometimes you hang something a little bit higher because people are sitting against the wall,” Sanders said. “Some pieces are hung extra high because there used to be a table there or kids will lean against that piece.”
Hockaday’s collection also consists of student work. Acquired through the Hockaday Collection Award, Hockaday purchases pieces from students after each year over many different art disciplines.
“The school also purchases a piece of artwork each year from each discipline through the Hockaday Collection Award,” Sanders said.
Once archivally framed, the student artwork is hung in a variety of places, including offices and common areas.
Throughout the school, the artwork hanging in the halls is a representation of not only our deep history but also the innovative work of current students. So, the next time you walk around, make sure to stop and appreciate our own form of a timeline through artwork.
