Drawing in an Early Autograph Letter Signed about Painting

Benton included a sketch of himself in this early letter to his mother from Martha's Vineyard in the 1920's. The pencil drawing shows Benton picking plums and his friend, Thomas Craven, cooking them for preserves. Thomas Craven (1888-1968), art historian and critic, was a close friend of Benton and frequent model for him in their early years. Benton writes that his summer is almost over and he is ready to, "begin the grind...the summer has been pretty successful...I have the foundation for months of work...My big canvas is ready for the color. I have four landscapes started and a small figure thing...I'm coming back poor as possible...." He comments on (truncated) the beautiful days and nights and the water's warmth then describes the beach plums he picked and the "very successful" preserves Craven cooked. Benton illustrates how he picked the fruit and Craven cooked. Finally he writes, "I am tougher than a rusty nail a& ready to swing the paint brush...." Benton signs, "Tom."
Autograph Letter Signed, 2 pages one one sheet of lined paper, 9 7/8 x almost 8 inches, n.p., n.d. but Martha's Vineyard, 1920's. The humorous sketch including local wildlife measures approximately 5 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches. Condition. This paper has two remnants of old mounting tape at the margins visible on the sketch side, margin tear on the right at the fold extending to the spoon handle, chip on the lower edge and fold at lower left corner. Normal aging to paper including light foxing and soiling at edges and folds. (Inventory #: 5045)