Mabel Landrum Torrey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mabel Landrum Torrey
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Torrey's Wynken, Blynken and Nod Fountain in Denver, Colorado
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Mabel Landrum
June 23, 1886 Sterling, Colorado, U.S.
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| Died | April 1, 1974 (aged 87) Ames, Iowa, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | Art Institute of Chicago |
| Known for | Sculpture |
| Spouse(s) | Fred Torrey |
Mabel Landrum Torrey (born June 23, 1886 – died April 1, 1974) was an American artist who made sculptures. She was famous for her small statues and larger sculptures, especially those of children. Many of her artworks were inspired by poems written by Eugene Field.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Mabel Torrey was born in 1886 in Sterling, Colorado. Her home had a roof made of sod, which is like grass and dirt. Her father was a judge in their town.
Discovering Her Talent
Mabel went to the Colorado State College of Education. One day, an art teacher saw her working on a clay model. The teacher told her, "You are a sculptor!" This meant she had a special talent for making sculptures.
After college, Mabel worked as a schoolteacher in Sterling. She saved her money so she could study art more. In 1912, she went to Chicago to learn sculpture. She studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). Her teachers taught her to make perfect human shapes from clay. These shapes often showed big ideas or feelings.
Family and Home
In 1916, Mabel married Fred Torrey. He was also a sculpture student at SAIC. They moved into a place called Lorado Taft Midway Studios. This was a special community where many artists lived and worked.
Mabel also taught art at the Francis Parker School. On October 5, 1920, Mabel and Fred had a daughter named Elizabeth Jane. They called her "Betty." Betty became a model for at least 14 of Mabel's sculptures. The Torrey family lived at Midway Studios until 1947.
Her Artworks
Mabel Torrey got her first big art job in 1918. The Mayor of Denver, Colorado asked her to create a sculpture.
The Wynken, Blynken and Nod Fountain
Her most famous work is the "Wynken, Blynken and Nod Fountain." It was finished in 1919 in Denver's Washington Park. This sculpture was inspired by a poem called "Dutch Lullaby" by Eugene Field. The fountain is still a very important landmark in Denver today. A famous sculptor named Lorado Taft said it was Mabel's most important work.
Mabel kept getting many requests for her sculptures. She also gave many talks about art.
Small Statues and Later Works
Mabel also made many small statues. These were based on her larger sculptures. In 1957, the Torreys moved to Des Moines, Iowa. There, Mabel worked with a company that made art from porcelain. This helped her sell her small statues.
Mabel's last sculpture was finished in 1961. It was a team effort with her husband, Fred. It showed Abraham Lincoln reading to his son, Tad. Fred sculpted Abraham Lincoln, and Mabel sculpted Tad.
