“Pancho” Exhibit Features Some of the More Famous Sketches of His Career
Frank “Pancho” Willmarth was born right here in Barrington in 1906.
After attending the University of Missouri as a journalism major and writing for a humorous newspaper during his time at the university, Frank headed west with hopes of pursuing a career where he could put his artistic talent to use. His travels took him all over the United States where he would sketch the people and the places that surrounded him wherever he was.
This quote from an article discussing an art show by the Tolpo teens Vince and Carolyn poetically describes the Tolpo family’s busy and productive years in Barrington. Carl Tolpo and his wife Lily were both professionally trained artists who had developed a positive reputation and successful business in the Chicago art community. By 1955, they could afford to buy a nice chunk of land and build their own home and studio complex. The home quickly became a productive center for Carl to work on his commissioned portraits, for Lily to paint and sketch, and for both of them to begin exploring sculpture as a serious medium. Their three children, Tina, Carolyn, and Vincent, all went to Barrington High School and were quite involved with theater, baseball, and the Broncettes. Carl received national acclaim for his giant depictions of Abraham Lincoln, which can be seen on the Barrington High School campus, outside the Lake County Courthouse, and inside the historic Ford’s Theatre where Lincoln was assassinated.
In this exhibit, many works are featured that present an intimate look at a family whose creative instinct seems boundless. It includes sculptures, paintings, newspaper articles, and sketches, most of which have never been exhibited outside the family home before, providing an excellent opportunity to understand the exciting lives of a local family. The Barrington Historical Society would like to thank Vincent Tolpo for the donation of almost all of the works on display.