From Brave Donatella
and the Jasmine Thief…
DONALD HENDRICKS (1932-2013)
My dear friend and colleague Donald
Hendricks passed away on the 23rd of March, 2013. He would have been
81 this year. Death was owing to a very
rare form of face cancer, an ailment so rare that his doctors asked his
permission to write about it in medical journals; of course, he acquiesced.
Donald, to the end, was a kind and generous human being.
I first made his acquaintance after the publication of my biography of Grace Dalrymple Elliott, My Lady Scandalous. Donald was entranced by the life and beauty of Grace Elliott and inspired to do a paper doll set of her. He said that he hoped I “wouldn’t mind”. Wouldn’t mind?! I was delighted
Here is Grace in her undergarments…from the paper doll set
Donald ran a paper doll business with a
friend called Legacy Designs. They closed the business and took down the
website a couple of years ago. Donald
specialized in drawing paper dolls of celebrities, artists, authors, and
literary figures. His work was exquisite! He did a number of paper doll sets of
Jane Austen characters as well as the March sisters from Little Women, fashion
icons, movie stars, et al.  |
| Mr. Darcy, hero of Pride and Prejudice |
 |
| Catherine Morland, a character in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey |
 |
| Playwright William Shakespeare |
One
of the last paper doll sets he drew was of Sally Hemings, whose controversial
and intimate relationship with Thomas Jefferson has inspired novels and
biographies.
The
Legacy Designs site was beautifully set up. A user clicked on an image – Grace
Elliott, Sally Hemings, Meg March, Mr Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, whoever, and the
doll’s clothing would change. It was a good deal of fun, and educational as
well. Donald’s research into clothing and fashion was impeccable, dating from
his years as an art student and fashion illustrator.
Donald
studied at the Arts Students League in New York and was a member of the Society
of Illustrators. In his lifetime, he illustrated well over 40 books, the last a
charming children’s book, Brave Donatella
And The Jasmine Thief, and he was working on a book about a mouse whose
sketches inspired a French clothing designer. He showed me the manuscript and
the drawings and I loved them. I am saddened that he never had a chance to
complete this delightful little book.
Donald’s work was exhibited at the Tate Modern in London and the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. His designs appeared with regularity in magazines, including, of course, The Paper Doll Review, and he was active wherever paper doll collectors met, a mainstay of the summer’s annual Paper Doll Society meetings in Los Angeles. (Where there will be a table honoring him and his career this year.
In 2008, he made a gift of some of his papers to the ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives in Los Angeles, Collection # Coll2008-041. These are original drawings by Don illustrating Rechy’s 2003 book The Life and Adventures of Lyle Clemens, together with emails from the author to Don, and a set of paper dolls from his Icons and Lovers series.
My Lady Scandalous is about to go into ebook format and I had hoped to use one of the paper doll illustrations by Donald for its new cover. We had talked about this a month or so before he passed away and he was thrilled at the prospect. In his honor, I hope this can be accomplished. He was a very dear man, a talented artist, and a most cherished colleague.
Grace Elliott as a French revolutionary…though she was anything but! Grace was a staunch Royalist to the end of her days, but this is Don Hendricks having a little bit of fun.
RIP to a talented gentleman, whose work I admired greatly. I'm so sorry to hear of his passing, Jo. I hope you can use his image for your e-book edition of My Lady Scandalous.
ReplyDeleteI was first given the date of Donald's death as the 23rd of March. Then came the photo and card from a friend of his with the date of the 24th. The receptionist at the apartment complex where he'd lived for many years told me it was the 23rd. So...what can I say? Absent a death certificate... I tried to get it right! I was assured that he died at home, surrounded by friends...in good spirits, no pain...and that was a good thing. That he passed away was a bad thing, but we take what we can from the worst situations...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Baroness.
ReplyDeleteI, too, hope I can use one of his images, in tribute to him. Have contacted his former business partner, but, to date, have heard nothing :(
I discovered Mr. Hendricks for the
ReplyDeletefirst time last year when I bought
a book that he illustrated - "Brave
Donatella." I collect children's
books and my first requirement is
that I love the illustrations. This fit.
I was also a bit curious about his
name. When my grandfather and his
family came to the United States
back in the very late 1800's, some
came over as Kristjaans and some
came over as Hendricks. The two
sides seem to have lost connections along the way and since genealogy is another passion
of mine, I try to find missing
Hendricks. Alas, it appears that
I am too late, but perhaps you
would know if he had a Dutch background.
P.S. When I was a kid, I loved
to play with paper dolls.
Unfortunately, I was unable to
pass that love along to my kids
but I do have a couple of grandkids who are very interested in them. Are Mr.
Hendrick's paper dolls available
anywhere?
I don't know about Don's family, not anything, sorry, so I can't help you, but will try to find out if the paper dolls are still available!
ReplyDeleteI am on Facebook. Contact me there.
Thanks!
Lee, I talked with one of Don's friends in California and asked the question about his family, but she had no idea, sorry.
ReplyDeleteBut, as for the paper dolls, look at this: https://kristinsdottir.wordpress.com/2006/07/14/legacy-pride-paper-dolls/
If you do a Google search: you will find other links. Good luck!