George Wingate: Recollections

My name is Mary Hanlon, and I'm an independent filmmaker based in New York City. I am developing a documentary, Recollections, that explores the life and work of George Wingate, a remarkable artist who I have known for much of my life.

My first feature film, The Mirrored Road, was a personal exploration of my great-grandmother’s history.

You can learn more about it here: https://www.maryhanlon.com/

Recollections offers a glimpse into the past as well as the present-day life of artist George Wingate. Educated in the Western art canon, Wingate chose a creative life that has been self-directed and free from the commodification of art world merchandising. Blending study of traditional and plein air oil painting under Frank Mason at the Art Students League and a mentorship with abstract artist Henry Pearson, Wingate’s work has an extraordinary wing span: from classical realism to the playful, “there are no rules” of minimalism and postmodern conceptual art.

Wingate’s years in New York City in the 1970s were shaped by a vibrant artistic community. He sat for a portrait by Lois Dodd and socialized with figures like Betty Parsons, Will Barnet and Lucy Lippard. He worked out of a vast, sunlit studio at The Van Dyck, one of the city’s earliest artist spaces and home to painters, sculptors, musicians, dancers and writers. Alongside the nearby Carnegie Hall studios, it fostered generations of influential artists and provided the backdrop for Wingate’s creative evolution. The Van Dyck, surviving multiple fires and floods, is a standing testament to resilience much like Wingate himself.

Portrait: Lois Dodd

Through oral history and intimate interviews, the film explores how Wingate traveled a creative life path outside the conventional art world. Choosing the freedom of unfettered self-discovery over commercial success, Wingate’s work defies categorization. He has produced representational and abstract paintings and drawings as well as sculptures, poetry and installations. Influences on his work range from Chauncey Ryder and Claude Monet to Giorgio Morandi, Sol LeWitt, Cy Twombly and Richard Tuttle.

Elegantly structured as an evocative, cinéma vérité journey, Recollections weaves together a diverse range of media and experimental storytelling techniques, incorporating elements of meta-journalism to deepen the exploration of Wingate’s artistic process. These unconventional methods offer a unique portrait of an artist who has spent a lifetime breaking creative boundaries.

In addition to a moving portrait of an extraordinary artist, Recollections is a celebration of creativity that flourishes outside commercializing institutions. George Wingate embodies resilience, creative freedom, and passionate dedication to his craft. His life is a paragon for anyone who is drawn to the road less traveled.

George and Anne Wingate

Progress to Date:

We have made it through our first shoot, traversing the streets of New York City in a sprinter van with a crew of nine.

We started out on Jane St, George’s first apartment, then up to the Art Students League, where George studied under Frank Mason (where we were able to film in a private studio!)

We then made our way to The Van Dyck, the location of George's first studio. As we walked the halls, he noted how things had shifted. The space sparked something in all of us.

On our way out, we noticed a sliver of light spilling through a cracked door to the rooftop. We made our way up a seventh flight of stairs, and when the door opened, we were greeted by a bright blue sky and the gleaming Norman Foster building. George’s studio had been at the end of a row of skylights, just to the left of the door. We stood in awe, as the surrounding buildings around 56th and Eighth framed us—a wonderful blend of architecture that echoed some of the cityscapes George had painted during his time there.

This is a huge milestone, and we couldn’t have come this far without your support. Your generous contributions have helped make our first shoot a huge success. But there’s still much work ahead: post-production, development, producer’s fees, and an additional location shoot in New York to capture some landmarks we couldn’t fit in this time around.

Next Steps

We are eagerly planning the next shoots, which will take place in Massachusetts this spring. I can't wait to share more about those shoots with you soon—exciting events are on the horizon!

As we move forward, we’re still in need of support, so any donations or shares are greatly appreciated. No contribution is too small. As a token of our appreciation, we’re offering producer credits for donations of $2,500 or more, and Executive Producer credits for larger contributions.

I’m so grateful to each of you for being part of this journey. I've posted more updates on our fabulous crew on the main page—be sure to check them out!

Thank you all for your continued encouragement, support, and generosity.

Budget Breakdown

• Locations and permits

• Transportation, meals, and lodging

• Director fee

• Producer fee

• Cinematographer fee

• Sound recordist fee

• Image licensing

• Assistant fee

• Equipment rental

• Consulting fees

• Website and marketing expenses

• Legal clearances

• Editing

• Sound mixing

• Color grading

• Festival submission fees

• Promotional materials and marketing

Key Team

• Mary Hanlon (Producer/Director): https://www.maryhanlon.com/

• T. Stolpovskaya (Director of Photography): https://www.stolpovskaya.com/

• Paul Branca (Consultant): https://www.paulbranca.work/

• Sunny Liu (Sound engineer)

https://www.mocanyc.org/event/moca-cinema-pianoman/

• Matt Licari (Set Photogrpaher) https://www.mattlicari.com/

How You Can Help:

Any contribution, large or small, will make a meaningful difference in continuing to bring this project to life.

Thank you so much for your generosity. I truly appreciate your support!