Sunday, September 6, 2009

LILA MOORE KEEN





















The Lady of the Camellias

Lila Moore Keen loved the flowers of her native Georgia. With an unequaled talent for painting flowers, Mrs. Keen became nationally renowned for her paintings of camellias, magnolias, and other flowers of the South. Mrs. Keen, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Moore of Winder, Georgia, began her artistic career at the age of twelve. One day she sneaked off a secret place with her sister's paints and began to teach herself to paint. She attended Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia. Wayman Adams of Elizabethtown, New Jersey, gave the "budding artist" - pun intended - her formal training. Lila Moore married James L. Keen, Jr., son of James L. Keen, Sr., the founding president of Farmers and Merchants Bank. The couple moved to Laurens County after their marriage. Their last home was located at the southwest corner of North Calhoun Street and Highland Avenue. Their children, James L., III, and Jane were born here and graduated from high school here. Camellia Journal Magazine described Lila Moore Keen as "a missionary for truth and beauty."

One of Mrs. Keen's crowning moments was her management of the South Georgia division of American Art Week in 1944, for which she won statewide acclaim. After the chairman fell ill at the last minute, Mrs. Keen took over management of the entire state's celebration. Mrs. Keen organized exhibits all over the southern part of the state. She convinced four civic clubs of Dublin to each donate an art book to the library. Locally, Noble H. Marshall, Jr. and Mrs. Milo Smith were the county and city chairmen. Mrs. John Waldrep was co-chairman and Mrs. W.M. Harrison was publicity chairman. Misses Mildred Bishop, Virginia Joiner, Ida O'Neal, and Pearl Cofer were chairwomen of the city schools. Mrs. Tom Burts, Mrs. Sam Swinson, Mrs. Fred Brown, and Mrs. Roy Orr were committee members. Mrs. Orr put together a scrapbook of the activities of the art week. That book is now in the Dublin-Laurens Museum. The scrapbook contains paintings of magnolias and cherry blossoms done by Mrs. Keen.

During the celebration, art works were exhibited at the Women's Club House on North Drive. That building still stands and is located in front of the entrance to Dublin Junior High School on North Calhoun Street. The featured artist was Frances Jordan. Miss Jordan, a native of Wrightsville, was the first woman ever to graduate from Wesleyan Conservatory in Macon with a degree in sculpture. She was the first student at the college to have her work put on permanent display. Art works were also displayed in several downtown stores.

School children contributed their best works to the exhibits. The Savannah Art Club sent a large group of paintings by South Georgia artists for display at the Women's Center. Miss Frances Stewart, head of the University of Georgia Art Department, spoke at the chapel program at the High School. The women of the Parnassus Club served as hostesses throughout the week.

For her efforts, Lila Moore Keen was presented a blue ribbon for honorable mention by Art Digest Magazine. Mrs. Keen was one of only four to receive the distinct honor.

Mrs. Keen dedicated her life to preserving the beauty of southerns flower on her canvases. Her talent won her critical acclaim by art critics and the public all over the world. Her attention to detail was especially keen (pun intended.) The least deviation from the true color or detail of the flower was rejected and thrown away. Her standards of quality led to perfect prints of her works. One publisher misidentified a similar variety of camellia. Many readers wrote in to correct the publisher's error and to vindicate the perfect depiction of the camellia.

Mrs. Keen was personally fond of the magnolias of the South. She toured many gardens in order to select the perfect example of the fragrant beauty. Her portraits were often life-sized, captured at the moment of perfection. Mrs. Keen also captured the beauty of other southern flowers; the Narcissus, the Daffodil, the Violet, the Hyacinth, and the Periwinkle.

Lila Moore Keen was a member of the American Artists Professional League and was associated with a number of famous artists. She served as National Director of the 13th Annual Celebration of American Art Work.

Lila Moore Keen was honored nationwide for her paintings. Her works were exhibited at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., every other year. She was honored by the American Camellia Society. Keen's flowers adorned the covers of national flower publications. In addition to her floral portraits, Lila Moore Keen's landscapes and portraits were displayed in major cities of our country. Some of the children, who had their portraits done, didn't like them because Mrs. Keen left their freckles on their faces. Lila Moore Keen's originals are highly sought after by art lovers - some commanding prices above one thousand dollars. The prints of her camellias and magnolias are favorites among collectors and lovers of flowers everywhere.

Lila Moore Keen died in 1963. Her legacy lives on the walls of the Dublin-Laurens Museum. Her son, James L. Keen, III, gave a collection of eighty of her works to the museum several years ago. Other examples of her works have been donated by others. The museum displays a large portion of these paintings on a regular basis. Two of the camellia prints are available for sale at the museum. My words do no justice the works of Lila Moore Keen. They are an invitation to come by the museum and enjoy the beauty and splendor of the portraits of the most beautiful flowers of the South by Lila Moore Keen, "The Lady of the Camellias."

20 comments:

  1. Mr Thompson,
    My wife and I just bought a print by Mrs. Keen. The subject is a blue ribbon best in show Camellia Blossom submitted by Donna Osgood at the Charleston County SC Camellia Show. What we don't know is what year this show was held. We plan to give this print to a friend who belongs to the Virginia Camellia Society and would like to know. Can you point us in the right direction or perhaps you have this information. Thank you for the help. Mike Foley

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  2. I have two prints of Lila Moore Keen that was given to me I know as much as 20 years ago by two sisters The Dillard's
    If interested email address is grogers@ncat.com for more information on the prints/paintings.

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  3. I have three framed and sighned pitures of the camelias each different they were left to me from a dear woman. if interested email to maryleavitt14@yahoo.com for more information on the paintings

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  4. I have a set of 3 coordinating camellia prints (original frames)
    and would like more information if anyone is interested in replying. The one shown above next to the bird/magnolia painting is one of the 3 prints like I have. Thanks, Billie K. grapealley@gmail.com

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  5. I have a framed Camelia,, Chandleri Elegans" and wish to sell. Located in Courtenay, BC, Canada. Email address of walkert@telus.net

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  6. I am Lila Moore Keen's grand daughter, and I do know that my mother, Jane Keen Olix, donated a substantial collection to the Laurence County Library in approximately 1968.

    Lila Olix

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    Replies
    1. I have an original painting by Lila called Parrots and Magnolias it was purchased by my mother-in-law when she lived in Ga. possibly in the 1950's
      I would love to show it to a family member of her's. e-mail me joannmcm@epix.net thank you JoAnn McMullan

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    2. My Mother bought 2 rather large prints of Magnolias for our new home in 1963 from Arts by Alexander in High Point, NC!! And then 4 small Camellia prints that I still have and treasure to this day.

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    3. To Lila Olix,
      Do you have any information on either or both of two watercolor portrait subjects of Mrs. Keen? The first was an adult lady with dark hair named "Sophia" The second was a little girl named "Ruthie." You may email me at

      Thank you,

      Michael Wolf

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  7. Sorry for the Mis-spelling "Laurens County Library." Lila

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  8. Her son gave to me on my marriage in 1964 two of the camillia prints. I have loved the work all my life

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  9. Hi I purchased a storage unit and found what I believe is 1 of Lila Moore Keens works. Is there a place here in central florida I can get it checked out at. Please email Justmystyle11@gmail.com

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  10. I have a large Magnolia painting by Lila Moore Keen that hung in the Atlanta Athletic Club when the club was in downtown Atlanta.My husband and I purchased this from the club during their transition to the clubs new location in Duluth,Georgia.The finish of the moulding is genuine gold leaf,antiqued and rubbed down to give it a pleasing,soft,old finish.The glass is Pittsburg plate glass company's fine pennvernon glass.Does anyone have any idea of the current value of this lovely work.

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    Replies
    1. We have two large Magnolia prints and I would love to
      know how much they are worth!!!

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  11. If anyone currently has any I would love to know about them? Lila Keene was my Great-Grandmothers Sister. We had a few prints but they were ruined when my Grandmothers house flooded! Please email me at kimberlyloren@comcast.net

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    Replies
    1. I have a large oil painting of pink roses in an aqua vase that has been in my family probably 75 years. I have been trying to get info about it. In her photos of paintings I have never seen roses. It is a beautiful painting !

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  12. I have 2 paintings my grandfather have me when I was 3. They are 53 years old. The caption on the back, hand written, Ballerinetts No. 12.

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  13. I am interested in learning the identity of two of Lila Moore Keen's portrait subjects---an adult lady named "Sophia" and a little girl named "Ruthie."

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  14. I have a reproduction of a New Orleans street scene that was selected by Lila Moore King to frame. The artist is Drummond and there is a certificate of authenticity on the back. Any ideas n value?

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  15. i bought a georgeous needle point today, approx. 24x40". its in a nice gold frame and double matted. i loved it the moment i saw it. the hand work is perfectly beautiful! im curious to know if lila moore keen did it herself or if she framed another artists work? value?

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