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English Lawn Bowling Tea Oct 13 2021 w

Have you ever walked along the edge of the English Bowling Green (the long narrow strip of sunken lawn 110' x 14') at Chandor Gardens and wondered what it must have been like to have spent some leisure time with Douglas and Ina in this part of the gardens? 
 
On the overcast and drizzly morning of October 13, 2021, a group of twenty Friends of Chandor Gardens members gathered and had morning tea (Texas style - iced tea & biscuits with Texas fruit jelly) in the gazebo at Chandor Gardens. The group got the opportunity to glimpse into the 1940's and early1950's when White Shadows, now known as Chandor Gardens, was the home of Douglas and Ina Chandor. The area around the Bowling Geen and the Bowling Green itself was Douglas and Ina's favorite spot in the gardens to entertain guests.
 
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While having tea there was a presentation by Gayle Strangmeyer about the fashions of the 1940's and 1950', and a presentation by Eileen Leslie on the hisory of the game of Bowls  (not the same as Bocce) of which concluded with instructions on the basics of playing the game. The group then tried their hand at delivering a few "bowls" down Douglas Chandor's Bowling Green, just like Douglas Chandor and Thomas Mann are doing in the top right insert photo in the first photo above from 1939.
 
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 A number of ladies came dressed in 1940's and early 1950's period fashion, just like Ina and her friends.
 
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Darlene Chapman & Ann Geer each delivering a bowl down the green!
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Since rain was moving in very quickly the "Modified Pairs Bowls Tournament" that had been planned was shortened down to a "Closest to the Jack on First Try" contest. 
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 1st Place - Holly Johnson & 2nd Place - Barbara Zeman
 
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The group of happy "Bowls Players" on the Bowling Green at Chandor Gardens
 
As the event wrapped up those who attended agreed that it was easy to see why Douglas and Ina enjoyed entertaining guests in this part of their gardens, and why Douglas made a point to create a Bowling Green in his Texas garden, as lawn bowling is surprisingly a very fun game.
 
Could this be the start of a Friends of Chandor Gardens Lawn Bowls Club or a least a few members getting together for a friendly game now and then? Maybe so.  
 
Attached below is the pdf file about the history of the game of bowls which was part of the presentation given during this event:
 

Sept 18 Christopher McGuire fb link image updated w

Chandor Gardens Foundation Inc. was pleased to present an intimate evening with classical guitarist Christopher McGuire, with special guest Steve Harlos on piano, performing "Bach, Brazil, and The Beatles", in the courtyard of the beautiful Chandor Gardens, Weatherford, Texas.  

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American guitarist Christopher McGuire commands the many expressive qualities of the guitar with what one critic called "unselfconscious intensity." His engaging performance style invites people of all ages to feel they are taking part, not just taking a seat. Audiences and critics on five continents fulfill the prediction by Andrés Segovia that "…he will be appreciated and applauded everywhere." In his 1981 letter of recommendation, Segovia also said he is “…an artist, sensitive, with perfect technique.” 

He has studied with or performed in master classes for several of the world’s foremost guitarists including; Andrés Segovia, Oscar Ghiglia, Pepe Romero, Robert Guthrie and José Tomás.

McGuire has performed hundreds of solo concerts in the United States, Mexico, Japan, Venezuela, Germany, Spain and the Canary Islands. He has played his guitar for presidents of the United States of America and Mexico, three former governors of Texas and members of the Spanish Royal Family. He has performed more than 1500 informal performances in schools and other community venues in cities throughout North America, Spain, Venezuela and Japan. 

His direct influences are as varied as they come, ranging from private lessons with Maestro Segovia to jam sessions with Stevie Ray Vaughn. He has performed with some of the great musicians of our time, including Charlie Byrd, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Bucky Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, Roland Dyens, Carlos Bonell, Karin Schaupp, Robert Guthrie, Van Cliburn Gold Medalist José Feghali and violinist Swang Lin.  In October of 2005 Chris shared the stage with the legendary Van Cliburn in a tribute concert for Fort Worth philanthropist Roz Rosenthal.

He is currently Artistic Director of the Fort Worth Classic Guitar Society (FWCGS) and the Allegro Guitar Society of Dallas (AGSD).

Song selections performed during the concert by Christopher & Steve:

Duo:

Girl From Ipanema                Antonio Carlos (Tom) Jobim

One Note Samba                   Antonio Carlos (Tom) Jobim

Chris solo: 

Sound of Bells                       João (Pernambuco) Teixeira Guimarães    

Chôros No. 1                          Heitor Villa-Lobos

Preludes #1                            Heitor Villa-Lobos  

Prelude in G major                Johann Sebastian Bach   (from 1st Cello Suite)

Steve’s solos:

Invention (?)                           Johann Sebastian Bach  

(???)                                         Steven Harlos (solo)

Duo:

Concerto in D major              Antonio Vivaldi  

         *** INTERMISSION ****

Chris solo: 

Romance                                Trad.

Tío Pepe                                  Christopher McGuire 

Duos Jazz/Pop:

Yesterday/& I Love Her         Paul McCartney 

Norwegian Wood                   John Lennon

Here Comes the Sun             George Harrison  

Chris Solo:

Chasing Cars                         Snow Patrol (Gary Lightbody)

Duos:

Autumn Leaves                    Joseph Kosma

Take 5                                    Paul Desmond 

Is That Your Foot                 Christopher McGuire

#9                                           Christopher McGuire 

Black Cat                               Christopher McGuire 

Oh! Susanna                         Stephen Foster (arr. James Taylor and C. McGuire)

 

Doors opened at 6:30 P.M.
Show started at 7:00 P.M.
Note: There was a 20 minute intermission 1/2 way through the show

Water and light snacks were available for purchase at this event.

Tickets were $30

 mcguire sept17 2021 w2

 

 

joseph pelich jr douglaschandor 1937

It is with much excitment that we are pleased to announce that a third Douglas Chandor original portrait has taken up residence at Chandor Gardens.

It was upon the passing of Olive Beaton Pelich, this past January, that Chandor Gardens Foundation Inc. learned that she had so thoughtfully bequeathed the portrait by Douglas Chandor of her late husband, Joseph Pelich Jr, to Chandor Gardens Foundation Inc. The Foundation is extremely honoured to be entrusted with this exquisite example of Douglas Chandor’s artistic talent.

The portrait is of a then twelve year-old Joseph Pelich Jr. of Fort Worth, Texas, which Douglas Chandor painted in 1936-37.

In the book Chandor’s Portraits by Malcolm Vaughn the following was noted about this portrait:

The painting of children is a nerve-trying, raddle-daddle job, if for no other reason than that the children seldom keep still. The freckled little fellow in the present portrait, the artist says, was worse than most. He fidgeted throughout, until at the last sitting, he happened to drift into thoughts and dreams of his own. (Vaughan, 1942, p 60)             

 Douglas was able to palpably capture young Joseph’s momentary meditative mood.

This portrait has been said to parallel Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s refrain in his poem “My Lost Youth”:

 “A boy’s will is the wind’s will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts”

It only seems fitting that this portrait now resides in the artist’s home, a home which was designed by the subject’s architect father, Joseph Pelich.

This stunning portrait, can be viewed in the studio above the fireplace at Chandor Gardens.

joseph pelich jr portrait chandorgardens

 

NOTE: Chandor Gardens Foundation Inc. also wishes to acknowledge and thank Greg Dow of Dow Art Galleries, LLC, Fort Worth, TX for the generous in-kind donation of frame restoration and appraisal report on the Joseph R. Pelich Jr. portrait.