The Christy Quest

by Helen F. Copley

What began as curiosity over a painting of Christ became a fascination that led Helen Copley through a decade of research into the amazing life of famed artist and illustrator Howard Chandler Christy.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1880397307
• ISBN13: 9781880397305
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Patrice Press
• Length: 185 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Ms. Copley's Quest

What a delightful read! I did not know that I was familiar with Howard Chandler Christy, until I reviewed some of his works. His paintings are captivating; I can imagine how that portrait of Christ could have begun this journey. Ms. Copley's story of twists and turns, and "coincidences" that continued to lead her on capture the reader. Remembrances of life at The Hotel des Artistes, and the hints of Christy's own independent and fascinating life have whetted my appetite for more writings of the artist, the man. But I am even more impressed by the author herself. She followed her interest, listened to those little strong voices, and accepted encouragement to complete a wonderful story. Her travels and discoveries in New York and elsewhere are inspiring. I anxiously await more work by Helen Copley.

A Research Guide

The Christy Quest is the story of Helen Copley's diligent research about the artist Howard Chandler Christy. The artist and his work is certainly central to the book but not the real story. The book is a joyous tale of the author's quest for knowledge about herself and her subject. The miracles encountered and so easily communicated are the product of many right next steps taken by the author. The book is a roadmap for anyone who is considering writing a nonfiction book. It is also a must read for anyone who needs a little encouragement to take a chance on themselves and a dream.

Connections

The Christy in "The Christy Quest" is Howard Chandler Christy, one of the leading figures in America's Golden Age of Illustration. A fascinating and prolific artist, Christy produced a vast diversity of work over a lengthy career, ranging from Gibson-girl sweethearts to the nudes adorning the walls of New York's Cafe des Artistes to religious paintings done in his last years. But this is not really a book about Christy's work, or for that matter about his life either, other than tangentially! I've heard a theory to the effect that you can pick any two people on earth, and forge a connection between them involving no more than eight other people. In other words, starting at one end of the chain, there is some person you know or know of, who could lead you to a second person they know or know of, who in turn could lead you to a third, and eventually, you would reach the target individual. The trick, of course, is to find the right eight people! Helen Copley's book tells the story of the connections she forged, over about a dozen years, following her first exposure to a Christy image. The beginning is (and apparently was, for her also) slow and somewhat painful. But after hitting the real start of the quest, on p. 22, one is quickly swept into the details of the hunt -- the places she travelled to find Christy's paintings, his relatives, those people still alive who knew him personally. The cast includes many well-known characters, both in the public and illustration history worlds, and their depictions often seem like much of Christy's own work, generous and ebullient. Over and over again, Ms. Copley found the right connections -- just the right "eight people" to advance her quest. She often ascribes these successes to some almost divine or miraculous intervention, but the reader can tell their real source. It is the hard work, painstaking research, dogged determination, and in the end, the strength of her love for Christy's work, that produced the results. In this case, the fates certainly helped those who helped themselves, and the result is an entertaining canvas of its own.

A Spiritual Lift

Helen Copley writes as she speaks and lives. Her journey, in learning of the life of Howard Chandler Christy, is full of humor, spiritual insight, and curiosity. Helen shows us the way to learn through joy, and to enjoy whatever unfolds. I can't wait for the biography to be published!

A Must Read

Helen Copley has created a "must-read" for any fan of the artwork of Howard Chandler Christy or for folks interested in the Golden Age of Illustration. Her accounts of an almost magical quest for information on the artist and the many paths, people and places she was led to on her quest make for a fascinating story. This is a pioneering book on one of America's most talented and interesting artists from the early 20th century. Ms. Copley not only documents her "miracle-filled" research process in a most effective way, but also uncovers a number of previously undocumented facts, stories and human interest elements concerning Christy. This book will certainly establish her as one of the leaders in the revival of interest in the works of Howard Chandler Christy, whose paintings can be seen in the White House, the Smithsonian, the U.S. Capitol, et.al., and whose illustration art permeated the magazine and book world from the late 1800s to the early 1900s.