Thirty years ago, artist A. Gilbert Haviland used to display his work at the annual Allied Artists of Schuykill County Juried Art Exhibit.
Now his work is making impressions once again.
One of his pastel landscapes, discovered in an attic of a Pottsville home in 2011, has been reconditioned and framed. And on Wednesday, in the middle of this year's week-long Allied Artists exhibit, the illustration is being displayed front and center.
"I think it's chalk pastel," said artist Kathy Connelly, Pottsville, one of the directors of the Allied Artists, as she gave the illustration a once over Wednesday afternoon.
The public can view the 18-by-22-inch illustration, as well as the other 90 photos and paintings on display, at the exhibit from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight, Friday and Saturday at the Foursquare Gospel Church, 2300 Mahantongo St., Pottsville. Admission is free, but donations are welcome, said Allied Artists President Madlen Piccioni, Pottsville.
Haviland was a native of Canada who lived in New York and Philadelphia before moving to the Pottsville area in 1952. A self-taught artist, he specialized in oils and pastels, according to the Aug. 6, 1981 edition of The Pottsville REPUBLICAN.
Kane Garzone and his wife, Donna, moved from Long Island, N.Y., to Pottsville. "We came up here for a change of scenery. It's a little more peaceful here," Garzone said.
In April 2011, they bought a home at 331 E. Second Mountain Road.
"The home was built in 1785 and the day we bought it I went up into the attic and I found it sandwhiched in between two pieces of cardboard. I showed it to my mother. She loved it, so I gave it to her," Garzone said.
His mother, Carol DeAngelis, Ferndale, took a special interest in the illustration and gave it a close inspection.
"I didn't see the artist's signature. She found it. And she looked it up and found out he was an artist from Pottsville," Garzone said.
His mother set about making arrangements to have the artwork cleaned and framed.
"That was about two months ago," Garzone said. "She said it's a Pottsville artist and you should keep it in Pottsville. And she gave it back to us as a house warming gift.
On Monday Garzone and his wife read an article in The Republican-Herald about the Allied Artists exhibit and decided to visit
"I figured if anybody knows anything about the history of Mr. Haviland, they might be affiliated with Allied Artists. And I went up Monday night," Garzone said.
Piccioni was impressed with the illustration and Garzone offered to display it for the remainder of the exhibit.
Garzone is still trying to find more information about the artist, including his obituary.
"I couldn't find anything about that on the Internet. I have no idea. We found photos of him up to 1985 in the newspaper," Garzone said.