jabrunner

John A. Brunner was a local Westfield boy, having been born on Radley Road and raised on Westfield Avenue. He joined the family engraving business, which was founded by his father Frank. John had artistic talents and was well known as an artist and wood carver, recording scenes in watercolor and wood. He first studied drawing under Count Zalitsky at his school on Westfield Avenue. John then went on to attend the Cooper Union, taking courses in sculpture. During vacations he studied the works of master painters and sculptors in England, France, and Germany, specializing in sketches of rural scenes. Some of his works include a carved study of the face of George Washington, the medallions of Shirley Temple, a tousle-haired boy, a girl playing tennis, and Leigh Pearsall’s granddaughter Shirley Cooper. His depictions of Native American heads, weapons, and utensils were highly esteemed by connoisseurs. Working with the Boy Scouts, he directed nature studies and taught forestry and many other subjects. While in Melrose, Florida, with his friend Leigh Pearsall, he felled an oak tree and carved a perfect bust of a Native American, which was later donated to the Historical Society by his nephew Jack Brunner. The bust remains on display at the Westfield Historical Society and can also be found on its webpage. One of his most famous paintings was an overview of Westfield as it looked in 1863, painted from the hill near Summit Avenue early in 1900. At the time of his death, he resided at 224 Prospect Street.