Earle N. Scherm (American, 1899-1959) Western New York painter and illustrator known for his oil paintings of landscapes, seascapes, harbor and waterfront scenes, executed throughout the United States, Canada, Bermuda and Haiti. Scherm was born in 1899 in Buffalo, NY, to Peter J. Scherm (1868-1934) and Emma M. (née Fries) Scherm (1873-1967), and he had a younger sister, Mildred C. Scherm (Mrs. William A. Dietrich, Camden, SC, 1902-1960) and two younger brothers, Sidney F. Scherm (1904-1981) and Clyde V. Scherm (1909-1976). His general education was in the Buffalo schools, and he later studied art at the Buffalo School of Fine Arts under noted painter and sculptor, Florence Julia Bach (American, 1887-1979). He furthered his art studies privately with other artists in Buffalo and also Florida. His name is sometimes listed as Earl N. Scherm.
Earle made Buffalo his permanent home and he worked in the banking industry for thirty-eight years for the Marine Trust Co., where he retired in 1953. He maintained his residence and studio at 140 Harvard Place and was a member of the Buffalo Society of Artists, and exhibited in their annual exhibitions.
In regard to his paintings, Earle once stated at his 1957 solo show at the Marine Trust Co. Tribute Show: “I just like to show a mood which one can enjoy. I like fog, storm and sun, especially in seascapes. I seldom use figures, because I don’t think they help a picture. As a rule I am not trying to tell a story. A painting is to me like a window from which we can look out and see something beautiful.”[1]
Chronology:
1899- Born, Buffalo, NY to Peter J. Scherm (1868-1934) and Emma M. (née Fries) Scherm (1873-1967). He had a younger sister Mildred C. Scherm (Mrs. William A. Dietrich, Camden, SC, 1902-1960) and two younger brothers, Sidney F. Scherm (1904-1981) and Clyde V. Scherm (1909-1976).
1914- Started employment as a messenger at the Marine Trust Company (and rose to senior clerk in the trust department by 1948 then was transferred to the personnel department, retired in 1953), Buffalo, NY.
1923-26- Exhibited, group shows, “Annual Buffalo Society of Artists Exhibitions” and the “Annual Thumb Box Exhibitions”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1925- Exhibited, group show, “House Beautiful Exhibit”, Boston, MA.
From 1925-26- He traveled to Bermuda.
1927- November 26-December 19, exhibited, group show, “20th Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1928- February 28-March 21, exhibited, group show, “34th Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for painting “Portland Headlight, Maine”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1929- February 2-25, exhibited, group show, “35th Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. November 17-?, exhibited, group show, “22nd Annual Thumb Box Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Gallery IV, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1930- January 18-?, exhibited, group show, “Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. November 15-December 14, exhibited, group show, “23rd Annual Thumb Box Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1931- November 21-December 28, exhibited, group show, “24th Annual Thumb Box Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1932- January 28-February 18, exhibited, group show, “38th Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for painting “Portland Headlight, Maine”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. April 3-15, exhibited, group show, “40th Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Fillmore Room, Hotel Statler, Buffalo, NY.
1933- February 19-?, exhibited, group show, “Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for the landscape painting “High in the Alps”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. October 18-, exhibited, group show, “Annual Fall Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1934- January 25, exhibited group show, “Town Club Art Committee”, Town Club, Buffalo, NY. February 3-28, exhibited, group show, “1st Watercolor Exhibition”, sponsored by the Buffalo Society of Artists, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. April 3-17, exhibited, group show, “40th Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Fillmore Room, Hotel Statler, Buffalo, NY.
1935- July 3-24, exhibited group show, “Summer Show of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for the painting “Tranquil Cove, Bermuda”, at the Park Lane (Gates Circle & Delaware Avenue), lounge & rose rooms of the old Porter Norton Home, Buffalo, NY.
1936- December 5-31, exhibited, group show, “29th Annual Thumb Box Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Print Room, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1937- December 7-?, exhibited, group show, “30th Annual Thumb Box Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for the marine scene painting “Morning”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1938- April 30-May 9, exhibited, group show, “44th Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Hotel Statler, Buffalo, NY. June 4-rest of summer, exhibited group show, by members of the Buffalo Society of Artists, for the painting “Low Tide, North Shore, Bermuda”, held in the “Little Gallery”, Town Club, Buffalo, NY.
1939- June, exhibited group show, “Floral Still Life Exhibit by the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for the painting “Chinese Magnolias”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. December 2-31, exhibited, group show, “32nd Annual Thumb Box Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1940- February 3-28, exhibited, group show, “Buffalo Society of Artists: Industrial Buffalo Exhibit”, Earle’s painting was chosen to be given away during the exhibit along with three other artist’s works as a feature attraction to ‘identify the subject’ of an untitled painting, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. April 1-?, exhibited, group show, “The Fakirs Show”, by members of the Buffalo Society of Artists, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1941- April ?-14, exhibited, group show, “47th Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for the painting “Monhegan Surf”, Hotel Statler, Buffalo, NY. December 6-31, exhibited, group show, “34th Annual Small Paintings Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for painting “Abandoned Beach House”, This was the year they changed the name of the show (Previously known as the Thumb Box Exhibition) due to the fact that artists no longer used the thumb boxes and the sizes of the small paintings became a bit larger too, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1942- January 31-February 28, exhibited, “Monochrome Show of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. April 4-13, exhibited, group show (Prize, Honorable Mention), “48th Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for the painting “Lower Michigan Avenue”, also exhibited painting “Morning Sea”, Hotel Statler, Buffalo, NY.
1943- April 11-?, exhibited, group show, “49th Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for the painting “Solitude”, Hotel Statler, Buffalo, NY. November 27-December 27?, exhibited, group show, “36th Annual Small Paintings Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for a painting of “October Pastoral”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1944- January 30-February 28, exhibited, group show, “Buffalo Society of Artists’ Still Life Exhibit”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. June 11-?, exhibited, group show, “Buffalo Society of Artists’ Monochrome Exhibit”, for the painting study ‘Gulls and Boathouse’, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. December 2-?, exhibited, group show, “37th Annual Small Paintings Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for a painting of ‘Zoar Valley’, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1945- February 4-?, exhibited, “Exhibition of Interiors: Kitchens, Studio Corners, Barns and Smithies”, by members of the Buffalo Society of Artists, Room of Local Art, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. March 31-?, exhibited, group show, “50th Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for the painting “Rockport Wharf”, Fillmore Room of the Hotel Statler, Buffalo, NY. He traveled to Bermuda again. October 7-?, exhibited, group show, “First General Show of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Room of Local Art, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1946- April 20-April 28, exhibited, group show, “51st Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for the painting “Moonlit Lake Erie”, Fillmore Room of the Hotel Statler, Buffalo, NY. October 6-?, exhibited, group show, “Second General Show of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for a ‘floral’ painting, Room of Local Art, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. December 1-29, exhibited, group show, “39th Annual Small Paintings Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Room of Local Art, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1947- April 5-13, exhibited, group show, “52nd Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for the painting “Gothic Romantic Mountain Tops in Mist”, Mezzanine Floor of the Hotel Statler, Buffalo, NY. October 4-?, exhibited, group show, “Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for oil painting “Summer Retreat, Prospect Point”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. November 30-December 28, exhibited, group show, “40th Annual Small Paintings Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1948- February 8-29, exhibited, group show, “Buffalo Society of Artists: Industrial Buffalo Exhibit”, for the painting “Coke Yard”, which depicts furnaces belching clouds of smoke into the air as a string of railroad cars waits to be loaded, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. March 27-April 3, exhibited, group show, “53rd Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for painting “Easter Lilies”, Hotel Statler, Buffalo, NY. October 3-24, exhibited, group show, “Buffalo Society of Artists: Buffalo & Environs Show”, for still life painting ‘White Lilies in a Blue Vase’, Room of Local Art, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1949- April 16-24, exhibited, group show, “54th Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Hotel Statler, Buffalo, NY. October 9-23, exhibited, group show, “Buffalo Society of Artists Exhibition”, for the painting “Alighting Gulls”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1950- January 21-February 11, exhibited, group show, “Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY. December 17-31, exhibited, group show, “43rd Annual Small Paintings Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, painting “Sundown, Rockport, Mass.”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1951- May 17-?, exhibited, group show, ‘Exhibition of Oils and Watercolors by the Buffalo Society of Artists’, for paintings scenes of ‘Lake Erie’ and ‘The Niagara River’, Room of Local Art, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1952- December 7-28, exhibited, group show, “45th Annual Small Paintings Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1953- Retired from the Marine Trust Co., where he worked for 38 years, Buffalo, NY. December 20-January 17, group show, “46th Annual Exhibition of Small Paintings”, Buffalo Society of Artists, Room of Local Art, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1954- November 1-7, exhibited, group show, “American Art Week Exhibition”, by members of the Buffalo Society of Artists, held at the Adam, Meldrum & Anderson downtown window display, Buffalo, NY. December ?-January 1, group show, “47th Annual Exhibition of Small Paintings”, for painting “Autumnal Pageant”, Buffalo Society of Artists, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1955- December 11-January 8, group show, “48th Annual Exhibition of Small Paintings”, Buffalo Society of Artists, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1956- March 31-April 8, group show, “61st Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, Albright Art Gallery , Buffalo, NY. November 28-December 30, exhibited, group show, “Annual Thumb Box Exhibition”, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1957- November 11-25, exhibited, solo show, “Tribute Exhibition”, twelve oil paintings, Marine Trust Company’s Main-Seneca Office, Buffalo, NY.
1959- May 3-17, exhibited, group show, “64th Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, 456 West Utica Street, Buffalo, NY. July 27, died in Douglas Memorial Hospital in Fort Erie at the age of sixty, and he was buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Kenmore, NY.
1969- July 28-August 9, retrospective exhibition, “A retrospective exhibit of paintings by Earle N. Scherm, American (1899-1959)”, of thumb-box sketches and larger canvases, Hemingway Galleries in Jamestown, NY.
Memberships/Associations: Buffalo Society of Artists, also past treasurer, officer, trustee and was on council, Buffalo, NY; Town Club of Buffalo, NY; Holy Name Society, Buffalo, NY; and St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Buffalo, NY.
Awards/Prizes: Honorable Mention at the “48th Annual Exhibition of the Buffalo Society of Artists”, for the painting “Lower Michigan Avenue”, Hotel Statler, Buffalo, NY, 1942.
(Written & compiled chronologically by Mark Strong of Meibohm Fine Arts, Inc., East Aurora, NY, meibohmfinearts.com, sources: Too long to list here and are furnished upon request.)
