One of the more prominent artists in the area, Fincastle resident Harold Little passed away, Little has been known for his well defined etchings and prints of everything from the Roanoke City Market to seascape scenes to country impressions.
Harold Little, a Fincastle artist whose etchings and paintings were exhibited and collected worldwide, died early Tuesday after having a stroke. He was 70.
The stroke happened Monday morning, which was his and wife Harriet's 47th wedding anniversary.
An artist, musician and lover of fine food and drink, Little and his wife made a life's work of art and entertaining friends at their historical home in downtown Fincastle.
"Harold was outgoing, kind, extremely funny and clever," Harriet Little said. "That's why I am having such a hard time with this. He had so much left to do."
Longtime friend and Roanoke art collector Dorsey Taylor called Little's death "a hard blow to the art world. He was a treasure."
Other than teaching high school English for a while, Little spent his working life as an artist after returning from Florence, Italy, where he and Harriet lived in the 1960s. He gained attention for his detailed etchings and prints he made on an Italian etching press he bought in 1971.
Inspired by the etchings and lithographs of James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Little made prints of many rural Virginia settings and cityscapes. His series of Roanoke City Market etchings were among his most popular works. Later, he turned to oils and painted seascapes and woodsy scenes in a style that evoked pointillism. He became one of the Roanoke Valley's best-known painters.
"He made a career out of it," said Jeff DeBell, former arts reporter for The Roanoke Times, who was a longtime friend of Little's. "He made the decision early in life to be an artist, and that's what he did."
All the while, Harriet Little taught in Botetourt County schools. The couple had one son, Ian, and were famous for the elegant dinners they served guests at their 1827 house in Fincastle.
"They were big on the evening meal, a lot of china, a lot of drinking," DeBell said.
In a 1977 interview with The Roanoke Times & World-News, Little said that he and his wife "don't care about much in life except music, art and fulfilling a lot of our desires. We want to live an elegant life. We like to pretend we live in the 19th century."
Little also played guitar and banjo, and he and Harriet hosted a folk-music show on public television station WBRA. Known for his humor almost as much as his art, he once claimed he played music "only when I'm intoxicated or with friends."
Little's work is still on display throughout the valley and currently hangs in Dorsey's LinDor Arts gallery on First Street in Roanoke.
"He was a good painter and one of the best etchers I ever saw," Dorsey said. "The boy was an artist."
Harold Edward Little, 70, of Fincastle, died suddenly on Tuesday, June 21, 2011, at Lewis Gale Medical Center. Harold was born on September 24, 1940, in Aurora, Ill., and lived in Botetourt County since 1967. He was the son of the late Harold E. and Elizabeth Devinney Little. He was a graduate of Jefferson High School and was graduated from Virginia Tech in 1964. He taught at Lord Botetourt High School from 1967 to 1972. Harold was a wellknown artist. He worked in two mediums: oil painting and print making, and was an accomplished musician playing guitar and banjo. Harold is survived by his wife of 47 years, Harriet Hunt Little. They were married on June 20, 1964. He is also survived by his son, Ian Little, of Roanoke; one brother, Mark Little, of Naples, Fla.; a sister and brother-in-law, Anne and Victor Baranauskas, of Roanoke; a nephew, Jess Underwood, of Roanoke; and a niece, Emily Maxymiv, of Christiansburg. A Celebration of Harold's Life will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, June 24, 2011, at Rader Funeral Home, 630 Roanoke Road, Daleville with Sue Molumphy presiding. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to a charity of one's choice in Harold's memory. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.rader-funeralhome.com
Harold Little, a Fincastle artist whose etchings and paintings were exhibited and collected worldwide, died early Tuesday after having a stroke. He was 70.
The stroke happened Monday morning, which was his and wife Harriet's 47th wedding anniversary.
An artist, musician and lover of fine food and drink, Little and his wife made a life's work of art and entertaining friends at their historical home in downtown Fincastle.
"Harold was outgoing, kind, extremely funny and clever," Harriet Little said. "That's why I am having such a hard time with this. He had so much left to do."
Longtime friend and Roanoke art collector Dorsey Taylor called Little's death "a hard blow to the art world. He was a treasure."
Other than teaching high school English for a while, Little spent his working life as an artist after returning from Florence, Italy, where he and Harriet lived in the 1960s. He gained attention for his detailed etchings and prints he made on an Italian etching press he bought in 1971.
Inspired by the etchings and lithographs of James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Little made prints of many rural Virginia settings and cityscapes. His series of Roanoke City Market etchings were among his most popular works. Later, he turned to oils and painted seascapes and woodsy scenes in a style that evoked pointillism. He became one of the Roanoke Valley's best-known painters.
"He made a career out of it," said Jeff DeBell, former arts reporter for The Roanoke Times, who was a longtime friend of Little's. "He made the decision early in life to be an artist, and that's what he did."
All the while, Harriet Little taught in Botetourt County schools. The couple had one son, Ian, and were famous for the elegant dinners they served guests at their 1827 house in Fincastle.
"They were big on the evening meal, a lot of china, a lot of drinking," DeBell said.
In a 1977 interview with The Roanoke Times & World-News, Little said that he and his wife "don't care about much in life except music, art and fulfilling a lot of our desires. We want to live an elegant life. We like to pretend we live in the 19th century."
Little also played guitar and banjo, and he and Harriet hosted a folk-music show on public television station WBRA. Known for his humor almost as much as his art, he once claimed he played music "only when I'm intoxicated or with friends."
Little's work is still on display throughout the valley and currently hangs in Dorsey's LinDor Arts gallery on First Street in Roanoke.
"He was a good painter and one of the best etchers I ever saw," Dorsey said. "The boy was an artist."
Harold Edward Little, 70, of Fincastle, died suddenly on Tuesday, June 21, 2011, at Lewis Gale Medical Center. Harold was born on September 24, 1940, in Aurora, Ill., and lived in Botetourt County since 1967. He was the son of the late Harold E. and Elizabeth Devinney Little. He was a graduate of Jefferson High School and was graduated from Virginia Tech in 1964. He taught at Lord Botetourt High School from 1967 to 1972. Harold was a wellknown artist. He worked in two mediums: oil painting and print making, and was an accomplished musician playing guitar and banjo. Harold is survived by his wife of 47 years, Harriet Hunt Little. They were married on June 20, 1964. He is also survived by his son, Ian Little, of Roanoke; one brother, Mark Little, of Naples, Fla.; a sister and brother-in-law, Anne and Victor Baranauskas, of Roanoke; a nephew, Jess Underwood, of Roanoke; and a niece, Emily Maxymiv, of Christiansburg. A Celebration of Harold's Life will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, June 24, 2011, at Rader Funeral Home, 630 Roanoke Road, Daleville with Sue Molumphy presiding. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to a charity of one's choice in Harold's memory. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.rader-funeralhome.com
One of the more prominent artists in the area, Fincastle resident Harold Little passed away, Little has been known for his well defined etchings and prints of everything from the Roanoke City Market to seascape scenes to country impressions.
Harold Little, a Fincastle artist whose etchings and paintings were exhibited and collected worldwide, died early Tuesday after having a stroke. He was 70.
The stroke happened Monday morning, which was his and wife Harriet's 47th wedding anniversary.
An artist, musician and lover of fine food and drink, Little and his wife made a life's work of art and entertaining friends at their historical home in downtown Fincastle.
"Harold was outgoing, kind, extremely funny and clever," Harriet Little said. "That's why I am having such a hard time with this. He had so much left to do."
Longtime friend and Roanoke art collector Dorsey Taylor called Little's death "a hard blow to the art world. He was a treasure."
Other than teaching high school English for a while, Little spent his working life as an artist after returning from Florence, Italy, where he and Harriet lived in the 1960s. He gained attention for his detailed etchings and prints he made on an Italian etching press he bought in 1971.
Inspired by the etchings and lithographs of James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Little made prints of many rural Virginia settings and cityscapes. His series of Roanoke City Market etchings were among his most popular works. Later, he turned to oils and painted seascapes and woodsy scenes in a style that evoked pointillism. He became one of the Roanoke Valley's best-known painters.
"He made a career out of it," said Jeff DeBell, former arts reporter for The Roanoke Times, who was a longtime friend of Little's. "He made the decision early in life to be an artist, and that's what he did."
All the while, Harriet Little taught in Botetourt County schools. The couple had one son, Ian, and were famous for the elegant dinners they served guests at their 1827 house in Fincastle.
"They were big on the evening meal, a lot of china, a lot of drinking," DeBell said.
In a 1977 interview with The Roanoke Times & World-News, Little said that he and his wife "don't care about much in life except music, art and fulfilling a lot of our desires. We want to live an elegant life. We like to pretend we live in the 19th century."
Little also played guitar and banjo, and he and Harriet hosted a folk-music show on public television station WBRA. Known for his humor almost as much as his art, he once claimed he played music "only when I'm intoxicated or with friends."
Little's work is still on display throughout the valley and currently hangs in Dorsey's LinDor Arts gallery on First Street in Roanoke.
"He was a good painter and one of the best etchers I ever saw," Dorsey said. "The boy was an artist."
Harold Edward Little, 70, of Fincastle, died suddenly on Tuesday, June 21, 2011, at Lewis Gale Medical Center. Harold was born on September 24, 1940, in Aurora, Ill., and lived in Botetourt County since 1967. He was the son of the late Harold E. and Elizabeth Devinney Little. He was a graduate of Jefferson High School and was graduated from Virginia Tech in 1964. He taught at Lord Botetourt High School from 1967 to 1972. Harold was a wellknown artist. He worked in two mediums: oil painting and print making, and was an accomplished musician playing guitar and banjo. Harold is survived by his wife of 47 years, Harriet Hunt Little. They were married on June 20, 1964. He is also survived by his son, Ian Little, of Roanoke; one brother, Mark Little, of Naples, Fla.; a sister and brother-in-law, Anne and Victor Baranauskas, of Roanoke; a nephew, Jess Underwood, of Roanoke; and a niece, Emily Maxymiv, of Christiansburg. A Celebration of Harold's Life will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, June 24, 2011, at Rader Funeral Home, 630 Roanoke Road, Daleville with Sue Molumphy presiding. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to a charity of one's choice in Harold's memory. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.rader-funeralhome.com
Harold Little, a Fincastle artist whose etchings and paintings were exhibited and collected worldwide, died early Tuesday after having a stroke. He was 70.
The stroke happened Monday morning, which was his and wife Harriet's 47th wedding anniversary.
An artist, musician and lover of fine food and drink, Little and his wife made a life's work of art and entertaining friends at their historical home in downtown Fincastle.
"Harold was outgoing, kind, extremely funny and clever," Harriet Little said. "That's why I am having such a hard time with this. He had so much left to do."
Longtime friend and Roanoke art collector Dorsey Taylor called Little's death "a hard blow to the art world. He was a treasure."
Other than teaching high school English for a while, Little spent his working life as an artist after returning from Florence, Italy, where he and Harriet lived in the 1960s. He gained attention for his detailed etchings and prints he made on an Italian etching press he bought in 1971.
Inspired by the etchings and lithographs of James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Little made prints of many rural Virginia settings and cityscapes. His series of Roanoke City Market etchings were among his most popular works. Later, he turned to oils and painted seascapes and woodsy scenes in a style that evoked pointillism. He became one of the Roanoke Valley's best-known painters.
"He made a career out of it," said Jeff DeBell, former arts reporter for The Roanoke Times, who was a longtime friend of Little's. "He made the decision early in life to be an artist, and that's what he did."
All the while, Harriet Little taught in Botetourt County schools. The couple had one son, Ian, and were famous for the elegant dinners they served guests at their 1827 house in Fincastle.
"They were big on the evening meal, a lot of china, a lot of drinking," DeBell said.
In a 1977 interview with The Roanoke Times & World-News, Little said that he and his wife "don't care about much in life except music, art and fulfilling a lot of our desires. We want to live an elegant life. We like to pretend we live in the 19th century."
Little also played guitar and banjo, and he and Harriet hosted a folk-music show on public television station WBRA. Known for his humor almost as much as his art, he once claimed he played music "only when I'm intoxicated or with friends."
Little's work is still on display throughout the valley and currently hangs in Dorsey's LinDor Arts gallery on First Street in Roanoke.
"He was a good painter and one of the best etchers I ever saw," Dorsey said. "The boy was an artist."
Harold Edward Little, 70, of Fincastle, died suddenly on Tuesday, June 21, 2011, at Lewis Gale Medical Center. Harold was born on September 24, 1940, in Aurora, Ill., and lived in Botetourt County since 1967. He was the son of the late Harold E. and Elizabeth Devinney Little. He was a graduate of Jefferson High School and was graduated from Virginia Tech in 1964. He taught at Lord Botetourt High School from 1967 to 1972. Harold was a wellknown artist. He worked in two mediums: oil painting and print making, and was an accomplished musician playing guitar and banjo. Harold is survived by his wife of 47 years, Harriet Hunt Little. They were married on June 20, 1964. He is also survived by his son, Ian Little, of Roanoke; one brother, Mark Little, of Naples, Fla.; a sister and brother-in-law, Anne and Victor Baranauskas, of Roanoke; a nephew, Jess Underwood, of Roanoke; and a niece, Emily Maxymiv, of Christiansburg. A Celebration of Harold's Life will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, June 24, 2011, at Rader Funeral Home, 630 Roanoke Road, Daleville with Sue Molumphy presiding. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to a charity of one's choice in Harold's memory. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.rader-funeralhome.com
