Frank Hagel

Frank D. Hagel (born December 20, 1933) is an American realist and impressionist painter and sculptor. His artwork depicts Native Americans, trappers, and wildlife of the western American frontier.

Frank Hagel
Hagel, c. 1975
Born
Frank D. Hagel

(1933-12-20) December 20, 1933
Kalispell, Montana, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Known forPainting and sculpture
Notable work
Trapper with Bull Boat (2010)
MovementRealism, Impressionism
Spouse(s)
Ethel I. Houston
(
m. 1954⁠–⁠1967)

Rita Hagel
Patron(s)U.S. State Department[1]
Raymond James Financial
WebsiteOfficial website

For the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, he completed a corporate commission of a dozen paintings, three of which appeared in Smithsonian magazine's coverage of the Expedition. His paintings, known for their authenticity, are found in private as well as corporate art collections across the country and some have been selected for display by the U.S. State Department in American embassies abroad.

Early life

Hagel was born on December 20, 1933 in Kalispell, Montana, the son of Frederick A. Hagel and Winona Hagel (née Popham). Hagel's father, who was originally from Salmon, Idaho, worked as a sawyer in the white pine forests of Montana and Idaho and later worked for the U.S. Forest Service and opened up a tanning business specializing in white buckskins in Kalispell in 1929.[2][3] The tannery—which is still in operation today—has been operated by Hagel's son Michael since 1976. As a young man Frank worked in the tannery and also engaged in ranching, logging, and construction. After serving in the U.S. Navy (1952–55) during the Korean War, Hagel used the G.I. Bill and attended the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, California, graduating in 1959 after studying illustration.[1]

In May 1954, Hagel married Kalispell native Ethel Irene Houston who would die young at age 31 on November 28, 1967 in Ferndale, Michigan, due to a brain tumor.[4][5] Born to the couple were three sons: Scott, Michael, and Jack.

Career

After college graduation Hagel moved to Detroit, Michigan, where from 1959–70 he worked as a commercial artist for three Detroit art studios and produced illustrations for all major Detroit ad agencies and the big three auto manufacturers.[6] From 1959–61 he worked for Allied Artists, was at Lebeau Studios, Inc. from 1962–64, and thereafter worked for Graphic Productions, Inc., all of Detroit. In addition to the auto manufacturers, Hagel's work was commissioned by Shakespeare (a manufacturer of fishing rods) and Dow Chemical Company, among others.[7] In 1970 he moved back to his hometown of Kalispell. Hagel’s work is frequently juried into prominent western art shows including the C. M. Russell Museum art auction in Great Falls, Montana, where he has been exhibiting for a number of years.[8][9]

His paintings, known for their authenticity, are found in private as well as corporate art collections across the country.[10] Some of his work has been displayed by the U.S. State Department in American embassies abroad.[1]

On January 31, 1977 Hagel had a one-man show at the First Security Bank in Kalispell. At the time it was believed to be the largest collection of Hagel paintings ever assembled.[11]

Medal sculpture

In August 1971, Joseph B. Hartzog, Jr., director of the National Park Service, awarded a contract to the Kalispell firm of Roche Jaune Inc. to produce a series of 37 medals, called the “National Parks Centennial Series”, that depict a scene in each of America's national parks. The medals were struck by the Medallic Art Company of New York City.[12] At the time, Hagel was serving as the vice president of Roche Jaune Inc.[13] In 1974–75 he completed a series of five medals for the Montana Bicentennial and in 1989 completed a Montana statehood centennial medal.[14]

Painting

While involved in sculpting medals early in his career, the bulk of his lifetime work has been in painting where he specializes in works depicting genre scenes of American Indians—particularly those from the Pacific Northwest—as well as trappers and wildlife. A large number of his paintings feature the Piegan Blackfeet tribe. His Trapper with Bull Boat (2010), a 30x40 inch oil on canvas, sold in 2010 for $14,040 at the Coeur d'Alene Art Auction.[15]

Personal

Hagel is the father of three sons: Scott, Michael, and Jack. As a hobby he enjoys bird hunting and trout fishing and is an avid golfer and member of Buffalo Hill Golf Club. Hagel currently resides in Kalispell, Montana.

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References
  1. "Frank Hagel". Art.State.Gov. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  2. "Obituaries: Frederick Hagel, 82". The Daily Inter Lake. Kalispell, MT. December 6, 1976. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Hagels Return From African Sojourn to Reopen Tannery". The Daily Inter Lake. Kalispell, MT. June 19, 1960. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Hagel Funeral Rites Pending". The Daily Inter Lake. Kalispell, MT. December 1, 1967. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Former Resident Dies in Michigan". The Daily Inter Lake. Kalispell, MT. November 28, 1967. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Lewis and Clark Discovery: Works by Frank Hagel". tfaoi.com. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  7. "Hagel Works on Display at Hockaday Center". The Daily Inter Lake. Kalispell, MT. August 23, 1970. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "2013 Sales by Lot Number" (PDF). CMRussell.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  9. "The Russell Exhibition Artist Bios". CMRussell.org. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  10. "Frank Hagel Fine Art". FrankHagel.com. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  11. "Hagel show opens today". The Daily Inter Lake. Kalispell, MT. January 31, 1977. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "An Invitation to the Residents of Northwest Montana from Roche Jaune Inc. of Kalispell". The Daily Inter Lake. Kalispell, MT. April 9, 1972. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Kalispell Firm Awarded Park Centennial Contract". The Daily Inter Lake. Kalispell, MT. August 8, 1971. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Medalblog: Medal Making History by D. Wayne Johnson". medalblog.wordpress.com. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  15. "Fine Western and American Art". cdaartauction.com. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
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