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CHAPEL HILL PRO SHOP ALL KINDS » OF GIFTS -FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2,1*79 :• ' " " h-T I T.V. ! • j> pfpr* *»r<' «*-*•* =».»•» * *•»% PLA1NDEALEE Celebrate Christmas art of Sister Berta Hummel Perhaps no art of this century has become as popular, espe­ cially at Christmas, as that of Sister Berta Hummel, the Bavarian artist and Franciscan nun whose works have won the hearts of collectors for almost five decades Offering a Christmas gift that reflects the spirit and original two-dimensional form of Berta Hummers sketches and paint­ ings became an American tradi­ tion in 1971. That year Schmid, assigned' exclusive rights to reproduce motifs from the Hummel family's private collection, in­ troduced the first in a series of Christmas plates depicting the original art of Sister Berta Hummel. For the first time, the collect­ ing public was to share a yule- tide joy that had been inextrica­ bly woven into the lives and memories of Sister Berta's fam­ ily Special story * "The Hummel family always celebrated Christmas together as we still do," recalls Adolf Hummel, Sister Berta's brother who lives in the Massing, Ger­ many, home where Berta was born. "I remember one occasion in particular. Berta was preparing surprise Christmas gins for the family and had spent many hours working secretly in her bedroom. "By Christmas Eve, our tra­ ditional time to celebrate, the suspense had totally captivated everyone. That evening, he? mysterious preoccupation was revealed as she presented each of us a special painting or draw­ ing. Afterwards, when we gathered around the Christmas feast of roast goose and apple stuffing, Berta shared her inter­ pretations of the paintings she had given us. "I Will never forget her play-, ful, almost mischievous smile when she began to tell the story behind my gift," Adolf says. ' A tall tale "The drawing was of a Bavarian boy carrying an eraser, ruler and book bag. Berta titled if 'The Hookey Player' which caused much amusement be­ tween us. large oil "She asked my father if he re­ membered the day I returned earlv from school with tales of ACCESSORIES CHAPEL HILL GOLF CLUB PRO SHOP; < 385-0333 mm •v*/» < a K f- < l l 'B 2509 N. Chapel Hill Rd I^^AAcH en ry the measles epidemic. Having believed me, he had allowed,me to stay home for a week. "As we continued to laugh, my father looked again at the drawing and soon realized this 'epidemic' had been a hoax. Even then, months after it hap­ pened, he was not at all amused." That same drawing was cho­ sen many years later by the late artist's mother and legal heir, Mrs. Viktoria Hummel, now in her 90s, to be the design for the first Mother's Day plate created by Schmid in 1972. Many of Sister Berta's cre­ ations were inspired by such in­ cidents from her early life in the village of Massing, Germany. Mrs. Hummel still chuckles over one episode that inspired Sister Berta's charcoal and crayon drawing which was cho­ sen for the 1977 Mother's Day plate, "Moonlight Return." "Adolf was » good student who could handle after-school jobs," she remembersy "But on one occasion, Adolf fell asleep in the haystack of a neighboring farm, bone tired from school and work. He awoke well past midnight, and the drawing, entitled 'Moon­ light Return,' shows him hurry­ ing home with the moon high over his shoulder and hay falling from beneath his arm. "Berta added two crickets, probably fon good luck, for Adolf had a lot of explaining to do when he reached home." Quality assured Paul A. Schmid III, president of Schmid, continues to meet with Mrs. Viktoria Hummel to assure the quality of porcelains that are inspired by Sister Berta's original art. They have chosen a drawing entitled "Pa­ rade into Toy land" for the 1980 Christmas plate. "It is a beautiful scene, one that shows a new technique in the religious theme that was al­ ready starting to occupy her," Schmid says.« "The motif shows two child­ like angels in a Christmas set­ ting. It is an important example of her development as an artist." Devotees of Sister Berta Hummel and her art will be able to see the 1980 Christmas plate, "Parade Into Toyland," in January. For more information about the original art of Sister Berta and her family's private collec­ tion, write Schmid, 55 Pacella Park Drive, Randolph, MA 02368. Mistletoe isan old English custom, so old in fact that it dates back to Druidic times. Hang a sprig over a heavily traf­ ficked doorway. You might consider preparing a wassail bowl--a great bowl of spiced wine that is sure to warm the insides of your brood, when they've returned from caroling in the snowy streets. IVaditionally, a cup of wassail was given in thanks to carolers at each house they visited after --tilth 'cunleit had finished.