Vintage Mary Field Neville Original Signed Illustration Art “March of the Wooden Soldiers” Mid-Century Holiday Production Board
Vintage Mary Field Neville Original Signed Illustration Art “March of the Wooden Soldiers” Mid-Century Holiday Production Board
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Description
Vintage Mary Field Neville Original Signed Illustration Art “March of the Wooden Soldiers” Mid-Century Holiday Production Board in Fair to Good condition, see photos. Measures 10 " H xx 10" W ... Capture the whimsical spirit of mid-century holiday design with this original illustration art piece titled March of the Wooden Soldiers by artist Mary Field Neville. Rendered in bold vermilion and stark black on heavy artist board, this stylized composition features a regiment of toy soldier sentries flanked above a charming marching band complete with a bass drum, fife, cymbals, horn, and baton twirler. Evidencing its authentic commercial studio or publishing provenance, the board retains perimeter tape masking, crop/registration marks, and margin color-swatch notes from its original production era. A delightful display piece with crisp mid-century modern aesthetic appeal, it makes an exceptional centerpiece for collectors of vintage holiday memorabilia, retro children's book art, or original commercial illustration.
About Artist
Mary Field Neville, a resident of Old Hickory, Tennessee, passed away on February 6, 2024 at age 92. Born in Charleston, West Virginia, she began her formal art training at West Virginia University before transferring to the prestigious Parsons School of Design in New York City, where she spent two formative years honing her talent.Upon returning to Charleston, Mary worked as a Layout Artist and Advertising Manager while also teaching Commercial Art at Charleston Technical High School. It was during this period that she met and married the love of her life, Garth E. Neville, a career engineer with the DuPont Corporation. The couple lived in several locations across the United States before settling in Nashville, Tennessee.
In Nashville, Mary served as Advertising Manager and Fashion Coordinator for the prestigious Gus Mayer Company. She later co-founded the Poyner-Neville Advertising Agency with her friend Lucy Poyner. Eventually, she transitioned to working full-time from her home studio in Old Hickory, dedicating herself to her fine art career.
A highly respected watercolorist, Ms. Neville held numerous leadership roles in the arts community, including Board Member of the Madison Art Center, and Regional Director, Secretary, and Exhibition Chair of the Tennessee Watercolor Society. She was a member of the Nashville Artists Guild and a Signature Member of the Kentucky, Southern, and Tennessee Watercolor Societies. Her work has been widely exhibited and is included in public collections, notably the Tennessee State Museum.
In 1988, she received a prestigious commission from the Hermitage Foundation to paint “Rachel’s Garden” at President Andrew Jackson’s historic home. These paintings have been viewed and admired by millions of visitors to the Andrew Jackson Center.