LET TERS
GODMOTHER OF
PRINTMAKERS
Bob Keefer writes, “the godfather
of printmaking here is Gordon Gilkey”
(“Printmaking Explodes in Oregon,"
11/30). However, his article conveniently
excludes LaVerne Krause, who I consider
the godmother of Oregon printmaking.
Krause graduated from the University
of Oregon art department in 1946, and
lived in Portland after graduation, then re-
turned to the UO to found the printmaking
department.
Generations of artists, including me,
marveled at her teaching skills and im-
portance in championing young artists. In
1972 she gave my fellow printmaking stu-
dents and me our first professional gallery
experience in a summer showing at Port-
land’s prestigious Fountain Gallery, owned
and directed by Arlene Schintzer (mother
of noted print collector Jordan Schnitzer).
Mention “moody blues,” “lyrical
abstraction” and “landscape” prints,
and Krause always comes to mind. As the
only woman on the UO visual arts faculty
for much of her career, she often felt inse-
cure when grouped with mostly male art-
ists of her generation. Her work was con-
veniently excluded from the Smithsonian
National Collection survey, Art of the Pa-
cific Northwest from 1930s to the Present,
exhibited in Washington, D.C., Seattle and
Portland in 1974.
I consider Krause an important mentor
not only for me but also for generations
of Oregon-based artists and printmakers.
4
Much of her strength and success will be
remembered as a teacher and also a prolific
printmaker.
Krause inspired me to continue making
prints after graduating in 1972, and these
prints have been collected by the Port-
land Art Museum’s Gilkey Print Center
as well as the Hallie Ford Museum, Wil-
lamette University, Salem.
Mike E. Walsh
Eugene
THE SOUL OF DIGITAL ART
As a relative newcomer to the art world,
its artists, observers and critics, I was ex-
cited to read the Weekly’s cover story on
Oregon printmaking. It was not long into
the article, however, that a comment made
by Eugene printmaker Tallmadge Doyle
broke my focus and both surprised and
saddened me.
In explaining a renewed interest in
printmaking shown by many artists, Doyle
made the declarative statement that “digi-
tal has no soul.”
I suppose I shouldn’t have been sur-
prised, as the art world seems to have es-
tablished a hierarchy of two-dimensional
media evaluation, beginning with oil paint-
ing at the very top and then moving down-
ward dismissively towards watercolor and
mixed media, with textiles always taking
the bottom rung of this ladder.
It’s unfortunate and unknowing when a
non-artist dismisses digital art as soulless,
but for an artist to do the same — that is,
to elevate his or her process with a sweep-
December 7, 2017 • eugeneweekly.com
ing negative generalization of another — is
truly sad.
I rely heavily upon digital tools in my
work, but I can assure Doyle that the hours
and days I spend on each piece are no less
imbued with my soul than are hers. She is
certainly entitled to dislike any particular
work of art, whatever the medium, but the
statement condemning as “soulless” any
medium she believes to be inferior to her
own has no place in what should be an art
world that embraces all new tools for self-
expression.
Karen Lee
Eugene
tion with traditional etching.
Gordon’s MFA was the first one award-
ed in “printmaking” in 1936 at University
of Oregon and probably first in the country
in printmaking as most had been in paint-
ing and sculpture prior to this time. It was
not, however, the first MFA degree award-
ed at the UO.
The first MFA was awarded in 1926 at
the University of Oregon. The art school
was started in 1914. Most U.S. art schools
did not formally award the MFA degree
until the 1940s.
Kenneth O’Connell
Former head of the
UO Department of Art
NOTING GILKEY
Great article on “Printmaking Explodes
in Oregon” (11/30). There have been so
many excellent artists involved in this art
form throughout the Northwest.
It was proper to note Gorden Gilkey as
the vital force in the development of print-
making throughout the region and beyond.
I knew him for years and he helped La-
Verne Krause and Ken Paul set up a full-
fledged printmaking program at the UO.
I visited Gilkey in the 1980s when he
was a sort of permanent artist-in-residence
at the Portland Art Museum School (now
PNWCA) when it was attached directly to
the Portland Art Museum. He used their
printmaking presses and was always will-
ing to talk with and help students and visi-
tors. He was very interested in new tech-
nologies, including the computer, and was
exploring digital printmaking in combina-
LIVING IN FEAR
I know the fear of raising a family of
three children without insurance. That was
my life for 12 years. My then-husband
worked seasonally. I prayed there would
be no bill too big I couldn’t pay off. It was
before the Oregon Health Plan.
The only thing that popped up was my
husband getting sick. Now he was sick and
out of work. I knew not where to turn. My
mother suggested the Veterans Administra-
ton. I didn’t know he qualified.
The VA was a lifesaver. Before the di-
agnosis of a very serious, life threatening
illness, there was a surprise trip in an am-
bulance and then the bill. FireMed forgave
our bill. I have maintained membership
since. He returned to good health. It was
three years until he could return to work.
Don’t let us return to that fearful time.