Hey hey USA - 1st November - the Taos Art Museum at Fechin House

 


Nicolai Fechin was an artist and woodworker who left Kazan in Russia with his wife Alexandra and his daughter Eya and immigrated to New York in 1923. In New York Fechin obtained a large number of portrait commissions and started to teach at the Grand Central School of Art. However he developed tuberculosis and, as his doctor recommended moving to a warmer climate, the Fechin family relocated to Taos. They rented a house from the socialite Mabel Dodge Lohan and, missing Russia, Fechin spent his afternoons and evenings making and carving furniture and fittings for his home in a Russian style. He also created a large body of art work while he was there. 
In 1933 his wife filed for divorce so, ironically,  Fechin and his daughter left Taos and went back to New York, later moving to California. 
The house contains pieces of Fechin's woodwork and artefacts as well as his pictures. It was a wonderful building and very 'arts and crafts'. But obviously the family had not been happy living there.













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