Art Career
In 1953 their careers took a new path when one of their customers, the wealthy New York socialite, art dealer, and future co-owner of the New York Mets, Joan Whitney Payson convinced them to frame some of their designs. Furthermore, Payson offered to show their works in her Long Island Gallery. Their foray from furniture decoration into "wall art" proved successful and both Cahoons went onto to produce numerous works over the ensuing decades.
While much of their earlier furniture decoration shared the same Pennsylvania Dutch inspired motifs, their easel paintings marked the first significant diversion in Ralph and Martha's palettes and styles. While Martha continued to work in muted tones and 19th century naive styles, Ralph experimented with brighter and more contrasting colors, and developed his signature style of frolicking mermaids and sailors set against fantasized New England settings. Although Martha did adopt portions of her husband's style her work remained softer and less playful, focusing more on idyllic and soothing subjects.
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