I had no idea how widely known and respected an artist she was, nor that her father was a famous art historian, and her great uncle was a famous artist whose work influenced her. Maybe people who knew her better than I did already know this.
I remember her very intricate drawings that were published in Chips magazine. She was driven to achieve at a very high level thanks to the influences of her family and her own creativity. How tragic that she lost her life just when she was contributing so much to the world of art.
And here is her drawing published in the B-CC literary magazine CHIPS, our senior year, for those of you who don't have a copy, or can't easily put your hands on it. The attention to detail, maybe one could say obsession with detail, is something in common with "Zwanbien," the painting I linked to from 1984.
Michael, thank you for the research. I can only say that I wish I'd taken the time to know her better. That is probably a comment I could make for many of our classmates.. so, shame on me. I do remember "Corny" as a quiet, beautiful and gentle soul who responded to a a classmate of ours who was infatuated with her and her beauty by agreeing to a "date". My memory is fuzzy concerning many of the details but it's very clear to me now that she sensed and reached out to a my friend with immense compassion.
Cornelia and I were joined at the hip from 5th grade to 9th grade. She was funny and mischievious in many ways. We did book reports and science projects together. I did all the writing she did all the illustrations and book covers. Her attention to detail in her art was obvious even then. We took separate paths in high school and the last time I spoke with her was in the late 70's when she was at UCLA. She was very reserved and her English accent was more pronounced. She accomplished a lot in her short life and will always be remembered as an acclaimed artist. I will remember her as the blue-eyed pony- tailed little girl with an impish grin who was my closest childhood friend.
Ellen, from what I remember you and Cornie were pretty close even in 10th grade, when you were both in Mrs. Dean's art class, and always seemed to be giggling together. In fact, I'm pretty sure that you and she were both involved in the mustache-painting incident that I mentioned in the message I posted above, a few months ago. Do you remember that, by any chance?
Mike, I don't remember that incident but it wouldn't surprise me. I spent many overnights at her home, sleeping in her screened in back porch. We were always thinking of ways to annoy the neighbors like ringing the doorbells and running away [Yes, we did that!]. Corny loved a good joke and a good prank. I am glad to see so many people have fond memories of her.
Many people have written me and asked about her death. I cannot and will not answer again. I know you mean well, but this is to paintful for me. She is gone, how she died does not matter now, let her rest in peace.
Michael Gerver
I came across this obituary from UCLA, which I think is well worth reading:
http://texts.cdlib.org/view?docId=hb6z09p0jh&doc.view=frames&chunk.id=div00006&toc.depth=1&toc.id=
I had no idea how widely known and respected an artist she was, nor that her father was a famous art historian, and her great uncle was a famous artist whose work influenced her. Maybe people who knew her better than I did already know this.
Susan Venners (Quinn)
Michael, that is one incredible read. Thank you. I can't even describe the depth of sadness...and her depth of beauty.
Charlotte Beckman (Brooks)
I remember her very intricate drawings that were published in Chips magazine. She was driven to achieve at a very high level thanks to the influences of her family and her own creativity. How tragic that she lost her life just when she was contributing so much to the world of art.
Michael Gerver
Here's a link to an image of one of her painted fabric works that she created in the last year of her life.
http://americanartluce.tumblr.com/post/91948948966/cornelia-breitenbach-zwanbien-1984-paint-on
This seems like a good example of her style as it is described (and as she described it) in the fourth paragraph of the obituary I linked to above.
Michael Gerver
And here is her drawing published in the B-CC literary magazine CHIPS, our senior year, for those of you who don't have a copy, or can't easily put your hands on it. The attention to detail, maybe one could say obsession with detail, is something in common with "Zwanbien," the painting I linked to from 1984.
Russell Jones
Michael, thank you for the research. I can only say that I wish I'd taken the time to know her better. That is probably a comment I could make for many of our classmates.. so, shame on me. I do remember "Corny" as a quiet, beautiful and gentle soul who responded to a a classmate of ours who was infatuated with her and her beauty by agreeing to a "date". My memory is fuzzy concerning many of the details but it's very clear to me now that she sensed and reached out to a my friend with immense compassion.
Ellen Plitman (White)
Cornelia and I were joined at the hip from 5th grade to 9th grade. She was funny and mischievious in many ways. We did book reports and science projects together. I did all the writing she did all the illustrations and book covers. Her attention to detail in her art was obvious even then. We took separate paths in high school and the last time I spoke with her was in the late 70's when she was at UCLA. She was very reserved and her English accent was more pronounced. She accomplished a lot in her short life and will always be remembered as an acclaimed artist. I will remember her as the blue-eyed pony- tailed little girl with an impish grin who was my closest childhood friend.
Michael Gerver
Ellen, from what I remember you and Cornie were pretty close even in 10th grade, when you were both in Mrs. Dean's art class, and always seemed to be giggling together. In fact, I'm pretty sure that you and she were both involved in the mustache-painting incident that I mentioned in the message I posted above, a few months ago. Do you remember that, by any chance?
Ellen Plitman (White)
Mike, I don't remember that incident but it wouldn't surprise me. I spent many overnights at her home, sleeping in her screened in back porch. We were always thinking of ways to annoy the neighbors like ringing the doorbells and running away [Yes, we did that!]. Corny loved a good joke and a good prank. I am glad to see so many people have fond memories of her.
Mark Young
Many people have written me and asked about her death. I cannot and will not answer again. I know you mean well, but this is to paintful for me. She is gone, how she died does not matter now, let her rest in peace.