Ginnie Low - wedding Picture

Sandy Low - fishing on Dollop - his Hubert Johnson - Jersey Sea Skiff

The “campground House in its native setting

The “Campground House” being moved

and settled into its new Harthaven home.

Sandy Low aboard Dollop

Sandy Low’s Artist Group

Unknown, Ned Allen, Walter Korder, Jim Cagney, unknown, Sandy Low, Irving Katzenstein. Steve Dohanos, Louis Fusari (former Harthaven Resident) , Unknown

“After Labor Day” - painting by Sandy Low

The artists’ often sketched each other - on left, a sketch of Sandy Low by Jim Cagney, on right, a sketch of Jim by Sandy Low

sketch of Thomas Hart Benton by Sandy

Untitled - Painting by Sandy Low

Cottage Christmas

work party - campground house

“I recall that when I was fifteen, Mr. Cagney invited me and my family for a sail aboard his Chesapeake Bay Bugeye Ketch - the Mary Ann. She was a big boat - maybe 50 feet, and heavy so she had a mind of her own when under sail. It was a thrill to be allowed at the helm for a while. I was shay around the great actor and spoke little but I do remember complementing him on a few of his movies. “Thanks, son,” he said (or words to that effect), “but I really did that mostly for the money. What I really liked to do was dance. I have always considered myself a hoofer.” I did, in fact, see him dance live - on the tiny dining room floor of our campground house in Harthaven after the table and chairs had been removed. It had been a particularly uproarious evening and he had known my parents and their friends for some time - so I guess that’s why he consented. I remember the soft swishing sounds of his feet on the floor and how nimble he was.” Sam Low

Every year Sandy Low convened a group of artists at his campground house to paint for a week. They fanned out all over the island and held a show at the end for Harthaven residents. This went on from about 1945 to Sandy's death in 1964. The core artists were from the New Britain area and included Harthaven resident Louis Fusari - who lived in what is now the Cenkl house. Jim Cagney was among that group as well. Here are some paintings made by Sandy, a sketch of Jim he made and one of Sandy made by Jim, and a sketch of the island's most famous artist - Thomas Hart Benton.

Impromptu art show