It’s odd how sometimes things work out for an artist. This small painting by artist, James Frederick, lead to his largest art commission, $4950.00. The client wanted a larger portrayal. James was more than willing to paint the picture, and the client was more than pleased with the painting.
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I am showing two more graphite drawings of my daughter’s father-in-law, James Frederick, never before seen on the internet. James’ drawings have copyrights and prints are sold on signed and numbered basis.
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Art Center Information is posting more graphite drawings of, artist, James Frederick.
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Here are some of James Frederick’s oil paintings. Again, I had to have the camera at an angle to take the photo so the flash didn’t interrupt the painting.
My son-in-law, John, was the model for this painting. John was a teenager and he and his father, artist, James Frederick, were out in the East Texas woods.
The painting below is the front porch of his uncle’s place as James remembered it. Many years passed from the time his mind took the snapshot and he painted the picture, but it shows how the artist’s mind works.
I personally have always had trouble making what I consider a good pastel, but visiting James Frederick’s home, I couldn’t help but being impressed with his scope of the artist’s talent. I’m on vacation here in Texas, and it gives me great pleasure to present these three pastel paintings that James did some time back.
I had to get up on a stool and take the photos at an angle to get these pictures so the flash wouldn’t ruin them.
Two of my favorite drawings of James Frederick are the one of the old tracktor and the original American Indian. The pictures were photographed from the wall and at an angle to keep the reflection of the flash from blocking the drawing.
I am on vacation in Texas and the pictures are on the wall of my daughter and son-in-laws house. The artist, James Frederick, is the father of my son-in-law. Please enjoy.
As a young teenager in the early 1940s, I was fascinated with the various airplanes flying over central Texas. I could identify each one of them by the sound of its engine. In my mind the pilots were indeed the daring young men in their flying machines, and the wild blue yonder was the place to be. Each type of airplane was a personality as well as the collective product of many designers sweat and imagination. As we have learned, Each innovation was an almost imperceptible track in the path to the moon. And each airplane left its on track on the clouds~Artist, James Frederick
A few years ago James entered these graphite drawings in a contest challenging artist to depict airplanes of a certain type. He competed and was selected in the top acceptable category. The original was sent to the Smithsonian. When they realized that the drawing selected was a series of four, they had him send the original of each of the four drawings.
I am proud to say that James is the father-in-law of my daughter. We share six beautiful grandchildren and only extends the art of my family.
James not only does graphite drawings, but has painted in acrylics, oils and pastels. However, all of his works are in the realistic style. He chuckles now, because back in the 1950s when he was a student taking an art course (not his major but what he thought would be an easy grade) at the University of Texas, realistic style of painting was not the “in thing.” The Abstract movement was on its way, and James didn’t jump into that pool. He was happy staying realistic with his art.
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I remember when I was a little tyke, and I do mean tyke because I couldn’t have been much more than three years old, I couldn’t wait until Sunday morning because I could go to church. I’m sure that sounds odd that child that young would want to go to church , but I did. Probably, not for the reason that it should have been. I wanted to watch the cowboys ride their horses down the hill behind the church.
My older brother and I would stand on the porch of the old church and wait with anticipation, knowing that any moment the band of cowboys would ride their horses over the hill and come into our sight. We would see the dust rising over the hilltop before the old truck surrounded by a band of cowboys on horseback came into our view. It was a sight to see and so exciting that I feared wetting my Sunday-go-to-meeting pants.
The cowboys were coming in from their ranches some distance past the foothills. The bed of the vehicle had been made into a handmade flatbed with several chairs mounted on it. The cowboys wives, daughters, and small children sat in the chairs, and the cowboys would ride along the side of them. The road was not paved and was more of a dirt trail than a road.
They would follow the old truck until it came to a stop out in front of our church Upon their arrival, they would tie their horses to the hitching rail which was off to the side of the old building. Then they helped their wives and children off the bed of the truck and went inside.
In awe, my brother and I would follow them inside. It was a ritual. Some had six-shooters on their hips and always took them off and hanged them on post-rack inside the foyer but outside of the entrance to the sanctuary. I’m sure it was scenes like this in our New Mexico town that inspired my brother to paint some of his western scenes.
Scenes as you see in these two painting present the old West with a very present feeling. It brings back the not to distant past in a comfortable way.
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Watching Lynn Burton race up sandy West Texas slopes snapping his camera to record light and shadow values as reference for future paintings, snapping as fast as he can and then vanishing over the bank is indicative of his energy and general zest. He learned a long time ago the camera can be an artists best friend when used properly. And there is no artist alive that knows best how to use a camera in his art–or, at least, that is what he would say.
To say that Lynn is a bundle of enthusiasm, with an artistic attitude to match, doesn’t really describe the man; only when viewing his paintings does one discover his real depth of feeling and empathy for his favorite subjects–the Indian, the cowboy, and the pioneer American. The exploration of a growing young country by men of strength and ruggedness, and the dignity and color of the aboriginal Americans have consumed his canvases for years.
Lynn’s research is indicative of the consuming interest he has in the West, and is an important part of his work. He reads widely, and his studio is filled with saddles and tack, animal skulls and robes, Indian artifacts, pottery, feathers, and various printed matter. He surrounds himself in the past, in order to bring it to us in the present so that the invaluable heritage of the Old West will remain alive. His visions become real to us as each canvas comes to the public’s eye and the collector’s wall.
When predicting the American Indian Lynn’s palette takes on rich ochres and siennas with reds and blues. Many of his paintings show a certain melancholy, a sense that time past will never come again. Yet, he always treats the original Americans with the greatest respect, and with all the knowledge research can give.
The respect Lynn gives the Indian comes easy. He was raised in New Mexico not far from Signal Peak and Sitting Bull Falls. Seeing Indians on the roads and highways selling their wares was a common sight. It was nothing to stumble across arrowheads in the foothills on a Saturday afternoon hike. No wonder as an adult he is enamored by the original Americans.
