Four Generations of Artists.
Julia Ann Morrison Blount.
Helen’s great-grandmother Julia was the wife of the Reverend William Conner Blount, a chaplain in the Confederate army and a Methodist preacher. Rev. Blount died when his daughter, Sallie Lee, was only 18 months old. A devout Christian, the widow Blount drew and painted until her death at age 46.
Sallie Lee Blount Mahood.
Helen’s grandmother Sallie Mahood practiced her art from an early age, drawing constantly on slates, tablets, and in autograph albums. She began her career as a portrait artist, and was able to make a living from it. Although she desired to study art in New York, her dream to study was thwarted until after she became a grandmother. In 1928 she went to Paris and studied under Rosa Bonheur, but was urged to discontinue training because she was already a fully developed artist.
Helen Mahood McGehee.
(1892-1980)
Helen Gray McGehee Umaña.
Helen also began her artistry early. Even as an eight-year-old she painted a lovely portrait of her cousin Jack. She designed and sketched many costumes and sketched scenes of the places she traveled.
Billy McGehee
Billy McGehee was the son of Helen Mahood McGehee and brother to Helen Umaña