Over the past year the Lock 52 Historical Society has added to its collection of Regina Gates paintings. The most recent painting was donated by a lady from Norwich, NY who wished to see the painting returned to its Port Byron home. This donation led the members of the collections committee to wonder how many Regina Gates paintings are out there. It can be dangerous writing about someone so many people knew and learned from. However, here is a little background.
New York Birch Trees
Regina Gates was born as Regina Martin and she used the name Regina Martin Gates on her artistic work. She was born in Watervliet (near Albany) in 1895, the daughter to a single mother named Anna. Regina trained as an artist at the Troy School of Arts. At this point, the timeline becomes bit muddled. She took a course on machine design, and after graduating in 1913, she took a job in Washington, D.C. as a wartime marine draftsman. Then in in 1915 she became the Superintendent of Arts in the Watervliet schools. It is likely that this is where she met her future husband, Arthur, as he also took a job in the same school as a science teacher. The couple were married in 1919. In 1921 Arthur took the job of school principal at Port Byron. The couple moved to the village and lived in a house on Main Street. Arthur would hold this job until 1960. It could not be a surprise that Regina was given the job as the art teacher.
In addition to her teaching role, Regina carried on an active life as a painter/artist. Her small painters’ studio was behind the Gates home on Main Street, and from what I have been told, it remains somewhat intact. She is known to have created over 2000 works of art, including paintings, sculpture, jewelry, wood carvings, copper, brass, ceramics and glass.
New England Light House
Regina continued her art education at Syracuse University by attending summer session at the New York Hudson River School of Painting and the Art Students League of New York City at Woodstock.
Regina’s obituary cites her training under some artists of note, such as John F. Carlson, Stanley Wingate Woodward, and Emile Gruppe. You can see this training is reflected in some of her landscape paintings. One of the reviews I found noted that she was very fond of the “bright shade of green.” In 1962 she wrote an article titled “The Joy of Being an Artist.” Her artistic talents were not confined to the art studio as she also taught piano and gave voice lessons.
If you mention Mrs. Gates’ name to some in the community you might be reminded of her senior class level classes in etiquette. These seem to have started in 1947 when Regina Gates and Elizabeth Townsend presented a class on etiquette to the Port Byron Home Bureau. A class on etiquette was then formed under the title, “Cues for You” where the students studied proper social manners and then put these to use in hosting adult guests. In 1947 the class gave itself the name “The Little Charmers” and listed activities that included a social tea, a student party, a buffet dinner, and a formal dinner party. Apparently, each class was allowed to name itself. I found mention of a group being called “The Little Foxes.” In a 1952 Port Byron Chronicle article it was noted that Regina Gates’ etiquette class had resumed after a few years with thirty-three-seniors taking the course. The article notes that the class would host members of the teaching staff and their spouses for tea and show off their good manners. This class appears to have faded away after 1954. If you took this class we would enjoy hearing from you. Members of our Lock 52 crew have mentioned that Mrs. Gates hosted “pearl and white glove” socials at her home and an invitation was highly sought after for the young ladies of the village.
Regina and Arthur retired to Florida, and that is where both died. Regina died in 1981 and Arthur in 1983. Many folks have mentioned that they have a Regina Martin Gates painting in their home, and we would like to know about it if you do. Perhaps you can share a photo of it with the Society?