Suburbanite Economist from Chicago, Illinois • Page 21

Talent Tells; Shy Artist Back In Spotlight Again BY TOM DI CANIO Joseph Palumbo, a shy soft- spoken man who once gave up a career in opera because of stage fright, has once again found himself in the i spotlight, facing an audience. Focal point of the attention are Palumbo's paintings which 'have captured the eye and imagination of many of his friends and neighbors in the Austin area where Palumbo has lived for 38 years. Palumbo, a bookkeeper by day for Meadowmoor Dairy and a. painter by night, admittedly "knows very little about art." But his paintings, i adorn the walls of the Palumbo home, 1243 N. Laramie, where he lives with his wife, Josephine and three children, are alive with color and meticulous in detail.

"Some of my friends say I try to put to much detail in my work," Palumbo said, his dark eyes flitting about the room as he tried to overcome the shyness that once prompted him to give up opera. "They tell me artists don't concentrate on a i anymore. But I like detail work." A HUSKY MAN, looks much younger a his 48 years, Palumbo picked up one of his paintings an oil "depicting two Tom a and Huckleberry Finn like youths, fishing at a mill pond. He pointed to the weeping- willow tree in the foreground with its green, a a branches arching gracefully to the ground. At work in the living room of his home, 1243 N.

Iiaramie, Joseph Palumbo, a bookkeeper by day and an artist by night, prepares to apply paint to canvas. Palumbo's latest work, seen here, is a copy of a painting of the internationally famous, sad-eyed clown, Emmett Kelly. Joseph Palumbo displays some of the many works he has painted in his living room studio. Meticulous detail and vivid colors characterize the local artist's work. "Everyone of these leaves were put on with a separate brush stroke," he said.

"It takes a lot of tune and patience but this is the way I like to paint. I like realism. I don't like modern art. I think these modern artists are hoodwinking the public. When I paint a horse, I warA people to know it's a horse." Almost all of Palumbo's works are copies of masterpieces, post-cards or snapshots.

The copies of masterpieces are exact and the brush strokes are so fine the painting looks as though they may have been reproduced by machine. REUPHOLSTER Your Torn and Worn Out Kitchen Dinette CHAIRS Free Estimates Pickup and Deliver; Tomes Padding Chrome Cleaning Boren 6-3O4O DINETTE CITY 4215 W. Madison St. HOWEVER, when not copying a master work, Palumbo embellishes and adds to the scene what he feels the picture needs to be complete--a delicate, wisp of grey, pink tinted clouds or dark, boiling storm clouds or a boat slipping silently across the placid, blue waters of a lagoon. One of the reasons Palumbo works from other paintings and snapshots is' the fear of audiences that has gripped him since he was a young man studying music and voice.

"Fve been out in the woods painting," he said. "But before you know it there's a crowd of people around me and they're asking questions. I usually end up packing everything up and finishing the painting at home." Palumbo said, however, that this fall he expects to journey out of the living room of his home which serves as his studio and into the woods again. "I have my eye on a tree out west," he said. "It's a beautiful tree and as soon as it turns colors, I'm i to paint it." PALUMBO confesses that he prefers painting landscapes and seascapes.

However, he has done a portrait of a fellow worker's son and several figure paintings from snapshots and other drawings. While an eighth grade student at the John Hay school, Palumbo first displayed a talent for drawing, but it was not until that he returned to art as a means of creative expression. "I won a board of education scholarship to the Art Institute when I was 14," Palumbo said. "But I didn't take It because I was interested in music and voice at the tune." Palumbo also plays i a and piano a i and toured with a combo for several years before he took the job at the dairy where he has worked for 28 years. "I studied voice and sang in the chorus in a few local opera productions, but I could never get used to facing an audience.

Finally I got to sing the lead in Cavalleria Rusticana." HE PAUSED and ran his hands through his short cropped, black hair. He continued: "I knew then I would never get over stage fright and I left opera." In 1957 Palumbo a "fooling around" painting ceramic tiles and he decided to try painting on canvas. For six months Palumbo studied pencil work with the late Joseph De Salvi, former owner of the Art Gallery and Gift Shop in the 5200 block of Madison, and for one a he worked with De Salvi with oils. Salvi died in 1960 and Palumbo's i in art stopped, but he continued to work on his own at home. Palumbo is now trying to make to study in his free time at the American Academy of Art.

But Palumbo is a realist when it comes to life also. Unlike a Paul Gauguin, he will not forsake family and friends and flee to some South Sea island. "I'M MARRIED. I have a family and obligations to meet," Palumbo said. "I work from four in the morning until SUBWAY DISCOUNT HOUSE 3945 W.

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to 6 P.M. Closed Monday and Wednesday Page 3, 1962 YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER Golden Anniversary West Side officials of the Chicago assembly of the Catholic Daughters of America enjoy a spot of tea as they reminisce in anticipation of organization's golden anniversary they'll help celebrate Saturday. Left to right, Miss Marie Scanlon, 5052 Washington, past national director and past state regent; Mrs. Dennis E. McGrath, 4300 West End, organizer of Chicago assembly and past national director and Miss Genevieve Scanlon, 5052 Washington, president of Chicago assembly.

A mass of thanksgiving will be said at St. Mary's chapel, Van Buren and Wabash, followed by a luncheon at the Sheraton-Chicago hotel. Miss Harriet Mayer, 226 S. LaVergne and Miss Mabel B. Burns, 4942 Adams, are also past presidents of the Chicago assembly.

(Bobbitt Photo) Set Anniversary Mass The golden anniversary of the i a assembly, Catholic Daughters of America, will be celebrated with an 11:30 a.m. mass of thanksgiving Saturday in St. Mary's chapel, Van Buren and Wabash, and a 1 p.m. luncheon in the Sheraton-Chicago hotel, 505 N. Michigan.

The group, which was organized in 1912, is headed by Genevieve Scanlon, 5052 Wash- ington, newly-installed president. General chairman of the celebration is Mrs. a Johnson, state monitor and a past president of the Chicago assembly. She will be assisted by Joan Fitzgerald, first vice president. Other committee members are Marie Scanlon, 5052 Washington; Harriet Mayer, 226 S.

LaVergne and Mabel R. Burns, 4942 Adams. Planning Loyola Show "Out of This World" is the theme for the Loyola university Alumnae fashion show and luncheon set for Nov. 3, at the Guildhall of the Ambassador West hotel. Discussing plans for the show are Mrs.

John Molony, 5418 Monroe, and Miss Mary Morgan, 45 N. Austin. Mrs. MulvihiU Hits 85, And Sticks To Her Sewing The year was 1893. New to Chicago in that year was the Metropolitan service.

New botn to Chicago and to the was 16-year-old Branch, a recent arrival to the big city from the small town of Niles, Mich. "I was Just a green country girl then come to the big city for the first time," recalls Mrs. Florence Mulvihill, the former Miss Branch of Niles. "That was 69 years ago, but the memory of my first ride on that awesome mode of transportation is still the outstanding recollection of my first a in Chicago," continued the spry, West Side grandmother who celebrated her 85th birthday Friday. "I was living with friends of my mother at Jackson and Racine then.

The day I took my first ride I was downtown and decided to use the to go home. Somehow I got turned around and found myself on Lake st. and in a strange neighborhood. I was scared to death," reminisced Mrs. Mulvihill.

"But I finally managed by much Inquiry to return to my point of departure, from which I started again arriving at my correct destination. But I was still a when I reached home." Since then Mrs. Mulvihill, in her 69 years of living in Chicago has ridden the many, many times--but never without recalling her first experience. A dressmaker i she first came to the city so many years ago, Mrs. Mulvihill continues her dressmaking business in her at 4144 Washington where she has lived since 1940.

Many large retail stores use her services for alterations and she has a large clientele for whom she sews. Spry, agile and blessed with keen eyesight and good health, the Side octogenarian, who looks at a 20 years younger than her age, ascribes her good health to a life-long habit of "keeping and working hard." Her advice to others on how to achieve good health and longevity includes, "keep hours, don't drink or smoke, work hard and keep busy." "I ALWAYS kept good hours. In fact, when the children were young I to bed at the same time they did and arose at the same time as they," declared Mrs. Mulvihill. "Although my husband was a tavern-keeper in the early years, I have always stayed out of taverns.

Our home and children were the center of my life --and my sewing. I guess you could say I had a needle in my hand most of my life." Asked to compare a work- Ing girl's life before the turn of the century with that of today, she laughed and said, "Today's rk i women Plant Broken Into An electric typewriter and adding machine valued at $700 were taken in a burglary Saturday of the Chambers Gas ket and Manufacturing 4701 Rice. Police said entrance was made by breaking a side window. 12:30 in the afternoon, and it's hard to find classes scheduled during the hours when I can attend. They're either scheduled too early or too late for me." There is possibility he may be able to attend classes on Saturday morning at the academy, Palumbo said.

Mrs. Palumbo and the children do all they can to keep the Palumbo home i when "Daddy is painting." This is no easy task and Palumbo admittedly "gets angry with the children" from time to time. "When I'm concentrating on something I don't like to be disturbed. Once my train of thought is broken, it's hard to get back to work." Despite the occasional bawling outs, the children, Florence, 13, Joan, 10, and Joe 5, are proud of their father's artistic talents and bring neighborhood children in to view the paintings. ADULTS in the area are also interested in Palumbo's work.

"Several of the neighbors want to buy some of my paintings and others have requested that I paint specific scenes for them," Palumbo said. Many of Palumbo's paintings are not for sale. "My family won't let me sell a lot of them," he said. "And I promised them I would not sell them." Palumbo said he has had several paintings exhibited St. Patrick Mothers New officers of St.

Patrick's academy Mothers club take time out for refreshments as they plan first meeting of the club to be held Monday in newly refinished reception room of the school. From left (seated) are Mrs. Lorado Monoco, 733 N. XrumbuII, president; Mrs. Robert Scanlon, 117 N.

Long, 2nd vice president; Mrs. George Kistner, 3903 Harrison, secretary; standing (from left) Mrs. Anthony Girolami, 729 N. St. Louis, publicity chairman and Mrs.

John Boffa, 739 N. Homan. Plans were also discussed for the annual card and bunco party to be held by the club in November. (Staff Photo) at West Side restaurants and made a few sales. Possibly the best description of Palumbo's work was supplied by his daughter Florence when she was asked if she liked her father's paintings.

"Yes, I do," she said. "I think they're sharp!" And sharp they are; sharp in line, sharp in color and sharp and clear for the eve to behold. NEWSPAPERS. Per 100 Lbs. When Brought To Yard We also buy: Rags, Brass, Lead, Aluminum, Batteries, Copper -SPECIAL SERVICE ON PAPER DRIVES- WEST END PAPER STOCK Co.

5600 W. Armirage Ave. Phone A 2-1277 1 Block West of Central, 1 Block South of Grand Enter Parkside Avc. off Grand go south to Armitags to market change Loony Library "How to Drive a Horse and Buggy," by Wilbur Whiffletree. "Hysterical Wisteria," by Ethan Beetham.

"With the Underground in Upper Uruguay," fay Upson Downs. "Lady Chattered No Lover," by Rowena Roundhouse. "Scandal in Claptrap, Ohio," by Gerty Twerp. "Do-It-Yourself Brain Surgery," by Aikson Paynes. "The Gentle Hobby of Bone Crushing," by Low Blow.

"Invest in Balloons and Capitalize on Inflation," by Haffa Buck. A West Side resident for many years and a sought-after dressmaker for many more years, Mrs. Florence MulvihiU, 4144 Washington, admires bouquet she received Friday, along with scores of cards and gifts on her 85th birthday. (Staff Photo) have it all over the men. They can get jobs when the men can't.

"It was different years ago when I came to Chicago alone to get a job to earn my living. There was little for women to work at outside of sewing, domestic work and i Women just didn't work outside their homes then except through dire necessity. "I had to work because I was my own sole support. When I came here to live I left my family i in Niles and made my home with friends." MARRIED to the late Martin C. MulvihiU in old St.

Patrick's- church in 1897, then a tavern- keeper and a one of the city's outstanding members of the police force, she still continued to sew for her family, relatives and friends. "And I never did stop. I didnt need to do it to support myself my husband was living, nor when my children were grown. But I liked to do it and it made me feel that I was contributing something," explained the 85-year- old West Sider. Martin Mulvihill during the many years he was on the police force was considered the department's finest plainclothps- man with the detective bureau.

He successfully cleaned out one of the worst red light districts in the city and earned many citations for bravery during his police career. He died in 1928. MRS. MULVIHILL, who has resided in the Garfield Park area since 1930, is the mother of a son Martin, real estate salesman for Robert Bartlett Realty and two daughters, Mrs. Ruth Martin, Palos Heights, and Mrs.

Kathleen Ash of the North Side. Her grandchildren are Mary Ruth Ash and Nancy Lynn Mulvihill. A member of St. Mel's parish, she is known by her many friends, customers, family and friends for her ability at baking "extra-special delicious pies -particularly apple pies." One Minute Interviews QUESTION What, in your job (or life) do you value most prestige, money or devotion? WHERE ASKED Madison and Pulaski; North and FulaskL Mrs. Phillip Bendone, 3937 Cornelia, housewife Easily the most important thing in any person's life is love.

Love given unselfishly, of course. To any woman, devotion given and received first. My husband is a school teacher and we have three young children. Money and prestige are ordinary things. We live comfortably and my husband is well respected in the community.

But the finest time of all, to me, is at day's end when my husband returns and I can enjoy being with my whole family. Yes, the most important thing in life is devotion true devotion! Mrs. Virginia Wojdyla, 4542 Wellington, bank clerk Well, let's take the three conditions one by one and tick them off as to importance. Money? Both my a and I work. a money.

Easily enough to be happy. Prestige? We both have pretty good jobs and our employers have confidence-in us. Devotion? There's the important thing. Nothing can replace a closely-knitted family where love is predominant. But I honestly think none of these things make for a well-rounded life nearly as much as happiness and good health.

Truthfully, money or prestige are of little concern to me, except for what they assure a person in happiness. L. B. Smith, 1337 N. Ridgeway I'll tell you, sir that's a loaded quest i Money, of course, is the answer you are seeking.

But I'm going to fool you. Money's a i Let's analyze this question. To any man, satisfaction in a job well done is a source of i of course, enters the picture, too. For a job well done merits prestige and greater recognition from the higher-ups. Of course, unless one is devoted to his work, he can't very well do his best.

So, there you have devotion: Money, naturally, is the end result. Pete White, 4100 Monroe, factory worker O.K., Mac, here's the formula. Turn out quality. a a you're doing, that you do to your ability. Then, it's simple.

A good a good pay---the raises start coming along, one right after another. And, having done any job to the best of your ability, you gain importance in the eyes of your employer. That's prestige. Of course, quality work is possible only if you ara devoted to that work. Mrs.

Joseph Battaglia, 815 S. Central, housewife--Oh, I'm so busy. But I've always wanted to get in these interviews. It's ex- i i a is getting married Saturday, so I'm in a bit of a tizzy, running i and yon, everywhere. Now what was your question? Oh, none of those things make life any easier to live.

Health is most important. Good health creates happiness. And a happy person enjoys life to the hilt. Money helps. Anyone who says living comfortably without financial worry is not important is not being true to himself.

But, when all is weighed, the most wonderful thing in life to a woman is mutual love of family that's what makes life worth living. Joseph Koridek, 1 N. Pulasld, interviewer a a we must value all three, for life is full only by having a winning combina- i encompassing prestige, and devotion. To a i who is ambitious and industrious, money is secondary prestige is mosi important. With the prestige, though, will come remuneration.

Of course, one cannot very well advance in a position unless he truly is devoted to his work..