family oblilsk.
Thomas Emerson Ripley was an Elks member, businessman, artist, and writer. (This portrait of him by Jennifer Joyce is displayed at McMenamins Elks Temple.) He was born in Vermont in 1865, graduated from Yale, and moved out west, where he made his fortune in the quickly expanding lumber business in Tacoma, Washington. His father, a Civil War general, had urged his son into a sensible line of work, but Thomas' greatest wish was to be an artist and writer.
It wasn't until his 50s that Thomas finally had the chance to spread his wings as a painter and writer. While on business trips in Europe, he toured the grand cities and was greatly inspired by the fine art and culture. Although, between his separate social circles, there remained a discrepancy in how he was perceived. Said Thomas: "My business friends call me a painter, while my painter friends call me a businessman."
Thomas enrolled in the Santa Barbara School of Arts in California after retiring at age 62, to pursue his love of painting and writing. Even through crushing financial loss during the Great Depression, Thomas steadily continued on his artistic path. In 1950, he moved back to Tacoma, when in his mid-80s, and lived the rest of his life there, passing away in 1956. Thomas is the author of two books: πΊππππ ππππππ, his first-hand account of the early days of the logging industry in Tacoma, and π΄ πππππππ‘ π΅ππ¦βπππ, reflections on his youth. Thomas' story is a great example of how it's never too late to follow your heart. #tacoma #washingtonstatehistory #mcmenaminsart Jenny Joyce Art
family oblilsk.
Thomas Emerson Ripley was an Elks member, businessman, artist, and writer. (This portrait of him by Jennifer Joyce is displayed at McMenamins Elks Temple.) He was born in Vermont in 1865, graduated from Yale, and moved out west, where he made his fortune in the quickly expanding lumber business in Tacoma, Washington. His father, a Civil War general, had urged his son into a sensible line of work, but Thomas' greatest wish was to be an artist and writer.
It wasn't until his 50s that Thomas finally had the chance to spread his wings as a painter and writer. While on business trips in Europe, he toured the grand cities and was greatly inspired by the fine art and culture. Although, between his separate social circles, there remained a discrepancy in how he was perceived. Said Thomas: "My business friends call me a painter, while my painter friends call me a businessman."
Thomas enrolled in the Santa Barbara School of Arts in California after retiring at age 62, to pursue his love of painting and writing. Even through crushing financial loss during the Great Depression, Thomas steadily continued on his artistic path. In 1950, he moved back to Tacoma, when in his mid-80s, and lived the rest of his life there, passing away in 1956. Thomas is the author of two books: πΊππππ ππππππ, his first-hand account of the early days of the logging industry in Tacoma, and π΄ πππππππ‘ π΅ππ¦βπππ, reflections on his youth. Thomas' story is a great example of how it's never too late to follow your heart. #tacoma #washingtonstatehistory #mcmenaminsart Jenny Joyce Art
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