Biography: Millard Sheets, N.A. (1907-1989) Born: Pomona, CA; Studied: Chouinard Art Institute (Los Angeles); Member: National Academy of Design, New York Water Color Club, American Watercolor Society, California Water Color Society. Millard Sheets was a native California artist and grew up in the Pomona Valley near Los Angeles. He attended the...... read more
The following information was provided by Millard's son, Tony Sheets.
Dad was hired to teach at the University of Hawaii in 1950-1951, so he decided to move the whole family to the Big Island of Hawaii for the year. He rented a home on the Kona Coast just above Kealakekua Bay. I was the youngest at eight and my oldest brother was in his first year of college. He transferred to the U of H for the year and my brother David, my sister Carolyn and I went to school locally. It was the most wonderful year of my life. Barefoot for a whole year except for one weekend when Dad had to buy us shoes for a fancy wedding we were invited to at the only Inn in Kona at the time. Things were so rural then that the ranch hands still drove the cattle down the main street and swam them out to the anchored ship, while still on horseback, for transport to market. They picked up the cattle with slings and swung them on board into deck-top corrals.
Dad was also doing calendar paintings for United Airlines and teaching part time at Scripps College on the Mainland. So when he came to Kona for a much needed rest he either took us kids out to catch tropical fish for him to do paintings of or to the beach where he would paint and we would play. His paintings of that time were extremely fresh and direct, a reflection of a man relaxing, doing what he loved.
Tony Sheets
