One of the most amazing persons I've ever met died this week. H. Francis Sellers was an accomplished artist, a great storyteller, a bar hopper beyond comprehension, and, during the latter part of his life, he became a dedicated husband and father. Harry was one of the most innovative, resourceful, and creative people to grace this fair land, and extremely funny as well. He will be missed in the Southern Utah desert, down at Junior's on the North End, and in small bars in tiny towns across the West. Thankfully we still have his art, and we all have stories that will continue our memories until we are all long gone. Some pics of Harry, with friends and family.
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13 comments:
That's my grandpa :) He was a great guy!
that is my dad :) he was the world to me. I don't think saying I will miss him is even close to how it will be without him.I love you dad. thanks so much for giving me what no other could ever give. So much of what I am is because of you. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
I was just blogging about passing our two Seller's watercolors to the next generation (grand nieces and nephews) when I came across your blog. We acquired the pictures through what we called a "grubstake." We paid Mr. Sellers a certain amount every month at at the end of the year we got a painting. The paintings were distributed at a big party where you drew a number for your choice. My wife and I drew a very good number and got the picture of our choice. And then we were able to buy another at the grubstake price. We were living in Carbon County at the time and the pictures were done in neighboring Emery County. We love them. There was an urban myth at the time, I guess really a rural myth that Mr. Sellers and his bunch went to the little town of Ferron to celebrate his work in Emery County, and, according to the myth, drank the town dry and then instituted the tradition of returning to Ferron every year thereafter to do it again. Maybe it was not a myth at all. Thanks for you post.
David Alston
That was not a myth. We drank every beer in Emery and sent to Orangeville for reinforcements. There were (and still are) dozens of us, and we were known as the Army in Exile for having been refused entrance to a bar in Salt Lake and moving en mass to another. Harry pretty much planned all of our exploits.
Aloha Neal! And all of Harry's friends who may read this.
I too joined in the Ferron Freak Out and there was one called the Emery Enema. Camping out in the desert and eating various and sundry peyote, psilocybin, acid, Jack Daniels, Jose Cuervo, hashish, marijuana and lots and lots of BEER! It's a miracle that my hepatitis C didn't kill me right there! And the other miracle is that I have no evidence of HEP C anymore. Go figure.
I should say that after many years of trying to kill myself with drugs and alcohol, the day I found that I had HIV was the day that I quit trying to kill myself. And somehow the universe has conspired to keep me around for who knows what. Been living with HIV for 28 years and still kicking and been clean and sober for 28 years also!
But sometimes I think about the craziness that we did in good ol' Mormon country. Wish I could remember where Harry took Vince and me to check out the hot flume of mine tailing water flowing down the hill somewhere in Santaquin or who knows where. It was probably full of arsenic and mercury etc. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, eh?
So Neal, if you read this, check me out on Facebook but my name is now Patriq Satterthwaite. Do a search and let me know how and what all the old folks are doing! Dixon and Esther? I know Vince Miller has passed on, sad to say. Refrigerator Freddie?
Hope to hear from someone from that space and time!
my dad is also an artist and was friends with Harry in his earlier days. My father loves to tell of the wonderful times they had together.
Clara (McNeal) Cann
love to hear about some of the adventures with my crazy dad. thanks for sharing. miss my dad so much!!!!!!!! Kerri
Hello friends of Francis Sellers
around 15 years ago while browsing through my favorite antique store I ran upon one of the finest watercolors I've ever had the privaledge of seeing. I collect abstract but I knew this artist was special. A natural born artist. I paid for the painting and for years on my wall it hung until I one day decided to look up the name. That was one year to the day an amazing artist had passed away. Recently while moving it fell over but a larger framed Matisse litho saved it from getting so much as a scratch when the glass broke out of its frame I looked below the matting and written there in pencil was 10350 SO. 13th WEST. The painting is of a large brick house with cold steel blue mountains in the background. It had obviously been snowing heavily and the air he somehow imparted to a cold only men whose lives have been at its mercy would know. Does anyone out there know what the writing in pencil means? I can find no zip code with those numbers. I feel Mr Sellers thought highly of this house for some reason. It's refuge from the storm. It's friends and hot food and I guess for Harry a couple of cold ones. Any help would be appreciated. I live in Atlanta GA
When it gets really hot I just look at the painting and the heat doesn't seem that bad after all. Timothy J James
Hi again.
I would like to add that I can be reached by my email tjjam77@icloud.com if anyone knows where or whose house this might be. There are no other buildings or roads etc except for the snow covered road that winds down to the house. Sorry yall lost your dad,grandfather, husband and it seemsa countless numbers of friends. I wish I could have met him after all I've read about hi . I think he and I would hAve made good friends.
T. J. James
Harry was a big part of my childhood and still one of the most special person I have ever met! His story telling was beyond imagination! We never knew when Harry would show up and regale us with is latest adventures. He is missed and always will be. We were lucky to have numerous paintings and miniature paints and my family will never part with them. I hope family and friends will rejoice in just having known him!
Lynan Penman (Dave and June’s daughter)
We have a original water color painting of Park City done by mr. Sellers. It was left to us by my husbands parents. we need to find out its value so we can have it insured. Please contact us at our email
Hi. I have five originals from Francis. 1 is 1970 of Lehi Roller Mills, 1 is Molies Nipple San pete/ Sevier county. I'd like to meet and show to Family? Email me at darinh@ucswireless.com not the Gmail account.
Inherited 3 of Harry's paintings from my dad. He knew Harry from my Dads bar in SLC. It will be nice to have some of the art I saw everyday as a kid, on my walls at home now.
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