Portland Observer O ctob er 18, 1979 Page 5
Lawrence presents works at Art Museum
by Kathryn H. Bogle
New York for the guidance and
training he received during those
formative years of his painting
career. He hadn't thought about
making a living from his painting,,
Lawrence told his audience. “ I just
wanted to know more about how to
use color, line, texture, space, design
- balance.”
The work of the artist is now
divided into periods as influences in
his life caused his work to become
more complex and as he became less
“ regional” in his outlook.
Lawrence showed examples of his
“ Harlem Life” , the “ Migration
Series", “ The Slave Revolt", "John
Brown” , the latter dealing with
episodes in American history. Two
pictures spoke of Harriett Tubman.
These were a distinct departure from
his Harlem period. One, called
“ Harriett in the Promised Land"
was a thing of fantasy, a delicate
dream like garden, an eerie tangle of
pale exotic blossoms nodding in a
breeze that-never-was.
Mr. Lawrence, honored by Bran
déis and many other universities and
museums across the land, is a
professor of Art at the University of
Washington.
Lawrence was accom panied to
Portland by his wife, Gwen, who is a
sculptor and a painter.
Jacob Lawrence, the distinguished
Black artist whose works first
loomed on the scene back in the
* depression years of the thirties, came
to Portland and brought with him,
this past week end, a small collection
of his own paintings not shown
locally before.
He brought these to the Wentz
gallery of the Portland Art Museum
to add to the several already in
possession of the Art Museum's one-
man show.
Visitors to the one-man show
viewed the paintings in Lawrence’s
favored style of using brash primary
colors, angular figures and geometric
lines. They saw Black men and Black
women pictured at daily tasks.
They saw life for Harlem people
pictured by the artist as harsh and
real with few softening influences.
They could perceive that a thread of
humor in Harlem life was existant
and had been reflected faithfully (or
instinctively) by Jacob Lawrence, the
young, budding artist.
When they had examined all of the
painings, the visitors hied themselves
off to the Museum’s Berg Swann
auditorium to hear a “ talk ” by
Jacob Lawrence himself.
In the auditorium, Lawrence con
ducted a slide show of a larger num
ber of his paintings and invited his
audience to call out questions or
comments as the showing continued.
What transpired from the random
questions, was the revelation of the
humble qualities abiding in this
dignified and sophisticated gen
tleman painter. He appeared not to
take affront at any of the personal
questions which sometimes hit at and
burrowed deep into the painter's
motives for doing this or that with
his work.
Lawrence endeavored to find ans
wers to all questions called to him
and he admitted that his work was
largely autobiographical.
He had lived in crowed Harlem.
He had painted what he saw. He was
poor. He used what materials he
had. Brown wrapping paper. Water
colors. No oils or canvas; just paper
and gouache.
And, the pictures, he said, “ came
out of my experience at that time.”
He was “ only 17 or so," Lawrence
said, when he began to paint. He
“ never intended to make a social
commentary, although it turned out
that way. Never thought of it as an
expressed philosophy — but it was
taking place.”
Lawrence took advantage of the
accessability of the Arts Centers in
by Stephanie Michael
LOOK FOR THE BIG "T"
"A Sure Sign of Good Taste"
Regular,
Thick, or
Hot
Vienna Sausagew .
•ovnd Foot'
USDA CK oks
SE 20th E» D IVISIO N
SE 72nd b FLAVEL
NE 15th b FREMONT
W BURNSIDE at 21st
SAN RAFAEL 19T0 NE 122nd
• | 59
5
2 s9
Forest Grove 2329 PACIFIC
Oregon City R78 MOLALLA
Candy-1051 SW 1st
LLOYD CENTER
The Oregon M ortage Bankers
Association will be sponsoring a
management development seminar.
The training workshop is designed
for persons already in management
positions. The session will be held
October 24, at the Holiday Inn at the
Portland Airport.
Jill S. Shulman of J.E. Shulman
and Associates, a San Francisco
based management consultant firm
will conduct the one-day seminar.
The class will begin at 8:30 a.m. Ms.
Shulman will cover various aspects
of leadership and management skills.
Workshop coordinator Maryellen
Brannon says usually an average of
125 persons attend the seminar. This
will be the third woorkshop held by
the OMBA. the goal of the
association is to hold at least one
workshop a month. Minorities are
strongly encouraged to attend the
session.
For more information inquiries
should be directed to the OMBA of
fice at 223-7004 or P.O. 8181, Por
tland, Oregon 97207.
, 54 ‘
O y s te rs
Fillet of Sole
«H
O plom atnc Eye Exam All Types Contact Lenses V<sa A M astercharge
(?alutt6iatt O p tic a l a^^icca
Downtown
! Lloyd Center ' Eastport
631 S W Alder
286-5363
771-3233
223-2171
I
|
I
Oregon City
Shopping Center
656-9727
attt 7 4 tA tycat
O s S Andereon ( Briggs A MeMquist K
W Siddens
”7 ie P la c e to Ifo ¿4 tUc "Watte "fyou Tattoo*
American State Bank
"The Bank that integration built"
2737 N.E. Union
282 2216
A rtists discuss M r. Law rence s w o rk on v ie w at W en tz Gallery in
P o rtla n d A rt M u s e u m . Al G o ldsb y, m e ta l s c u lp tu ris t. M rs . G w en
Lawrence, painter and sculptor, and Jacob Law rence.
Management
seminar
scheduled
Mediurw
5<ia
Even your best triend won t be able to
tell you're wearing bifocals with amazing
Blend-vue lenses'
Jacob Lawrence stands beside his painting in one-m an show.
Photos: Richard Brown
RUMP
ROAST
or lot'om
B ifocals
w ith o u t
lines...we’ve
g o t th e m !
Fr»sh
Fork
Country
Style
SPARE
RIBS
Turtle» can tell more
about the roads than hare»."
Kahlil Gibran
$ | 39
14410 SE D IV IS IO N
3966 SE POWELL
NE 74th b QLISAN
HILLSBORO 960 SE OAK
IB DDQQQ L L
Interested in current books about
African Liberation?
Visit:
JOHN REED BOOK STORE
In the Oekum Building
519 S.W . 3rd Avenue
Sixth Floor
Or call: 227 2902
Introducing Free Car Care Clinics.
Because car care isn’t for men only.
It's for women too.
ARCO Car Care Clinics, adminis
tered by the Portland Metro Area
League of Women Voters, are open
to anyone—including m en—the
age of sixteen and over.
These specially designed 2'/2 hour
clinics will consist of an instruc
tional slide show and important
hands on practice in such basics
as changing a tire, jump-starting
a battery, operating a self-serve
pump, checking tire pressure and
inspecting fluid levels
You even get a kit of reference
material to take home. Plus a free
tire pressure gauge
Remember, the Portland Metro
Area Leagues and participating
independent ARCO dealers stress
that a well-maintained car not only
reduces gasoline consumption and
conserves energy, but helps make
our air cleaner.
To assure reservations, call the
League at 227-7502, 9:30 am - 5 pm
(answering service after 5 pm).
Space is limited so make early
reservations
Participating independent ARCO dealers offering free clinics:
Portland
Oct. 28, Nov. 7, Bob Tinsley's Service Station. 18030 E Burnside Oct 28
2-4:30 PM; Nov. 7, 7:30-10 PM
Oct. 29, Nov. 5, Larry's Service Station, 1237 S.E. Hawthorne 7-9 30 PM
Oct. 30, 31, Arendell's Service Center, 3840 S.E Belmont 7 -9 30 PM
Nov. 1, 4, Don Ks Service, 1208 S.E 8th St Nov. 1, 7-9:30 PM
Nov. 4, 2-4 :3 0 PM
Nov. 2, 9, Sherry's Service Too, 8104 S E. 13th. 7-9:30 PM
Nov. 3, 10, Hillsdale Service, 6257 S W Capitol Hwy 9-11 30 AM
and 1-3:30 PM
Nov. 4, John s Service, 9808 S. E. Division 11 AM -1:30 PM
Nov. 6, 7, Scott s Service Station, 2304 W Burnside Nov. 6, 9-11 30 AM
1-3:30 PM and 6-8:30 PM, Nov. 7, 9-11:30 AM
Beaverton__
Oct, 30, 31, Bobs Service Station, 10975 S.W Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy
Oct. 30,7:15-10 PM; Oct. 31,9:15 A M -12 Noon
Lake Oswego____________
Oct. 29, Nov. 3, Friendly Chevrolet Service D e p t, 594 N State St OcT 29
7-9:30 PM. Nov 3,9-11:30 AM
Gresham____
Nov. 1, 8, Gresham Service, 57 W Powell 7:30-10 PM
Trou td a le _________________
Nov. 4, Bruce & Bill s Service Station, 2550 N.E. 238th Drive 1 3 0 -4 PM
League of Women Motors of Oregon.
ARCO <>