An Artist Who Inspires- Arvie Smith

Arvie Smith (born 1938) is a nationally recognized African American painter based in my hometown of Portland, Oregon.

Arvie Smith, Ease on Down the Road, 30x22

There is a nice little bio of him here on the Hallie Ford Museum website, where he is having an exhibition from January 22- March 26th, 2022.

Smith's work is so, so, so many things. 

Arvie Smith, Dem Golden Slippers, 2007 68x68

Some words I think of when seeing his work:

Arvie Smith, Steppin' Out, 30x22

Beautiful

Sad

Ironic

Tragic

Funny

Sensual

Alive

Courageous 

Sharp

Glorious   

 

 

The figures in his paintings shift from being vivid individuals, to embodying biting racist tropes, and back again.  He celebrates Black culture and tradition, and in the same image crams racist symbols from the larger, white dominated culture. These images live side by side in the same painting, which is what I imagine it may be like for African Americans every day, all day long.

Arvie Smith BestMan 2016 72x60

As a "nice white lady" my impulse is to avert my eyes from the ugly racist images, and yet, Arvie Smith's paintings are just so gorgeous, so funny and alive, I cannot help but bask in them. I must look and look and look. 

Arvie Smith, Honkie Tonk, 68x78 2015

Seeing these paintings on your tiny phone or desk top will in no way indicate what it is like to see them in person. They fairly leap off the wall at you, and they seem to pulse with color and light. 

His website is here: www.arviesmith.com

Arvie Smith Scare Crow 2016 60x48

Arvie Smith, Trial of Tears 68x60

Arvie Smith 68x60 diptic right

Pursuit

She glances out the back window at a waiting yellow taxi. Who is it that pursues her and why?

©lesliepetersonsapp Pursuit 24x48

Scenes of women in trouble is very touchy. I do not want to perpetuate stereotypes of helplessness. I always want to make it seem like she has agency. Though there may be danger, you get the feeling she has a good chance of pulling through and landing on her feet!

This is a piece that went through many changes. Originally I had multiple people in the street scene as if there where a bunch of people milling around. But as things developed I could see the figures were just a distraction from the real drama. I even considered taking out the figure near the door and just leaving the car- I still don’t know if I made the right choice. Don’t be surprised if you see another version of this one. (I often feel compelled to do certain images again and again.) 

This one was just really fun. I loved working with the street light creating a cone of a lighter color. The back window of her vehicle creates a frame within a frame, and the dark color flows into her silhouetted profile and the buildings on the street. I tried to make a contrast with the bright yellow, the cool watercolor blues, and the flat dark brown/black.

Keep your eye open for a woodcut version of this piece!

An Artist Who Inspires- Leland Bell

In my current work in progress, I have been toying around with a bright window behind my protagonist. This is inspired by the great Leland Bell. ⁠
*I should note that there is another artist named Leland Bell who's work is inspired from his Native American heritage, and his work looks very different than the Leland Bell I am referring to. ⁠

 Leland Bell, Morning III 1985 Acrylic on canvas, 62x43

Leland Bell (September 17, 1922 – September 18, 1991) was an American painter, who was introduced to me as an art student at Queens College in NYC. (In fact, a may have even met him at an opening for his wife, artist Louisa Matthíasdóttir… it was so darn long ago, I can’t be sure!)

Leland Bell, Frank O'Brian, 1979, Acrylic on canvas, 24x32

Leland Bell, Morning II 1985 Acrylic on canvas, 74x58

Bell has been a guide and an inspiration for me for so many years, I find it surprising to see that there is an absolute dirge of information and images about him on the internet. I was always under the impression that he was famous.

Leland Bell, Skull and Plant, 1978, Acrylic on canvas 40x42

Leland Bell, Three Figures with Butterfly 1979-82, 52x102

Leland Bell, Ulla and Frank Playing Cards, 1975-78, Oil on canvas, 52x64

One of the things I share with Leland Bell is his obsessive repetition of certain themes, creating many versions of the same basic image. He also sometimes worked on one painting for many years. ⁠
I love the way he simplifies, his use of that heavy black line, and his compositions. I refer to him often as I am working on my art.⁠

Leland Bell, Morning V 1985 Acrylic on canvas 71x56

Ulla, Temma, and Frank, 1978, Oil on canvas, 72x66