CONNECTIONS IN HAWAII

 In one of my last visits to the Big Island, I did a Blog on Madge Tennent, the "first lady of Hawaiian art". Now I discover one of her students, who was also famous for her  paintings of  Hawaiian women. 

 

CORNELIA MACINTYRE FOLEY  was born in Honolulu in 1909. She was a third generation descendent of Missionaries from Boston, arriving in 1835. Her father was born in Scotand, arriving in Honolulu in the early 1900s. She attended Punahu School (THE school on Oahu).

She began her art training under the first art instructor of the University of Hawaii, Huc Mazelet Luquiens (d. 1961).  She then studied at the University of Washington ( I have no clue why she wound up there), where she got her degree.  She then moved to London  and spent two years at the Slade  School of Art under Henry Tanks (d. 1937)

She returned to Hawaii where she studied under Madge, 1934-37. She then married Paul Foley, who became a Rear Admiral in the US Navy.  The couple lived in Long Beach California and Seattle during the early war years. They then moved east and her husband was at Annapolis. They lived in Newport, Rhode Island 6 years before permanently settling in Manhasset, New York where Cornelia lived till she died.

Paul died in 1990 at the age of 81 and Cornelia in 2010 at the age of 101.  She must have been a Catholic, as there was a funeral Mass for her.  She is buried at Arlington National Cememary, most probably with Paul.

She, like Madge Tennent, was best known for her  paintings  of  voluptuous Hawaiian women and  the majority hang in Honolulu.  In 1992 the Honolulu Academy of Arts did and exhibition of 2 centuries of Hawaiian art and included one of her works from the 1930s. This work caused quiet a stir and coming in her 80s was most gratifying.