James Lavadour facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Lavadour
James Lavadour (right) with Spencer B. Beebe of Ecotrust
Born	James Lavadour 1951 (age 73–74) Pendleton, Oregon
Education	Self-taught
Known for	Painting, printmaking

James Lavadour (born 1951) is an American artist. He is known for his amazing landscape paintings and prints. James is a member of the Walla Walla people tribe. He often creates large sets of paintings that show different views of nature. He also helped start the Crow's Shadow Institute of the Arts.

I believe that a painting must stand up on its own without explanation. I think of myself as an abstract action painter. I just happen to see landscape in the abstract events of paint. - James Lavadour

About James Lavadour

Early Life and Inspiration

James Lavadour was born in 1951 in Pendleton, Oregon. His family has many different backgrounds, including Walla Walla tribe and Chinook people. From a young age, James loved to paint. Even though he didn't finish high school, his family always supported his art.

He found inspiration in a surprising place: the ceiling of his grandmother's house! It had peeling paint and water stains. James saw this as his own "Sistine Chapel". The layers and drips on the ceiling influenced his art for his whole life.

When he was young, James worked many different jobs. He was a delivery boy, a janitor, and even a firefighter. He didn't get formal art training. Instead, he learned about art by reading books. He studied artists like J. M. W. Turner and Franz Kline. He also became very interested in Asian art. He learned that making art could be a very active and energetic process.

Professional Art Journey

James Lavadour started showing his art in Seattle, Washington in the 1970s. His first big shows were at Sacred Circle, a gallery for Native American art.

James loves to hike in the mountains near his home. These outdoor adventures are a huge source of ideas for his artwork.

James Lavadour's Art Style

James Lavadour doesn't try to make his art mean something specific. He believes that a painting just becomes "something" on its own. This idea comes from his strong connection to nature. He grew up on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

I use two elemental structures, a landscape and an architectural abstraction (a vortex and a grid). There's the flow of landscape and then the intersection of the architectural structure, which is just like being in a room looking out a window, with floors, angles, walls, doors, ceilings, pathways. A painting is a complex event with many things going on at multiple levels. Close, far, color, layers, scrapes, and drips all swirled around by memories. I keep it all organized with structure. Structure is the bed to the river.

- James Lavadour

Early Artworks

James taught himself how to paint. He spent a lot of time exploring the Umatilla Indian Reservation and Western Oregon. His early paintings often showed how much geology and landscapes affected him. These works were often in one color (monochromatic) and looked like hazy, emotional pictures of the land. He called these paintings his Interiors.

James Lavadour at PDX Contemporary Art gallery, 2012

Current Artworks

In the 1990s, James started trying printmaking. He combined printmaking with his painting. This led to new works with many complex layers. These layers make the landscapes look like maps or as if they are moving.

He also explored other ideas. He was inspired by Chinese painting, abstract expressionism, and jazz music. He especially liked jazz artists like John Coltrane. Even with these new interests, landscapes are still the main focus of his art.

James often uses multiple panels in his work. He puts several paintings together to create a wide view. This helps viewers explore the environment through his eyes. You can find his art at PDX Contemporary Art in Portland.

How James Creates Art

James Lavadour wakes up very early, around 3:00 AM, to work in his studio. His studio is on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Music helps him get inspired and stay motivated. He often listens to jazz music by his favorite artists like John Coltrane, Sun Ra, and Miles Davis.

His art process involves putting on layers of paint. Then, he scrapes or wipes some of it away. This is like how nature erodes landscapes. He believes his art has two main parts. First, he captures the layers and shapes of the physical scenery. Second, he explores the energy and emotions of that scenery. This helps him discover how the paint moves and forms on the canvas. He focuses more on this movement than just on colors.

Crow's Shadow Institute of the Arts

In 1990, James Lavadour helped create the Crow's Shadow Institute of the Arts. He was inspired by his own experiences as an artist. This organization helps artists on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. It provides them with technology, teaching, and cultural exchange.

Where to See His Art

James Lavadour's art is in many important collections.

Major Exhibitions

James Lavadour's art has been shown in many important exhibitions:

• Stretching the Canvas: Eight Decades of Native Painting, 2019–21, National Museum of the American Indian George Gustav Heye Center
• Venice Biennale, 2013
• Vantage Point, 2010, National Museum of the American Indian
• James Lavadour: The Properties of Paint, 2008, Hallie Ford Museum of Art
• A Sense of Place: Selections from the Tacoma Art Museum Collection, 2005, Tacoma Art Museum
• Into the Fray: The Eiteljorg Fellowship for Native American Fine Art, 2005, Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art
• Lewis and Clark Territory: Contemporary Artists Revisit Place, Race and Memory, 2005, Tacoma Art Museum
• Site Unseen: A Contemporary Look at Landscape, 2005, Savannah College of Art and Design
• Seattle Perspective, 2004, Seattle Convention Center
• 2003 Oregon Biennial, 2003, Portland Art Museum
• Solo exhibition, 2002, Maryhill Museum of Art
• Solo exhibition, 2001, Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture
• Solo exhibition, 1998, Pacific Northwest College of Art
• Land, Spirit, Power, 1992, National Gallery of Canada
• Solo exhibition, 1990, Portland Art Museum
• Solo exhibition, 1990, Boise Art Museum

He has also shown his work in many private art galleries.

Awards and Honors

• Eiteljorg Fellowship, 2005, Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art
• Honorary Doctorates in Humane Letters, 1999, Eastern Oregon University
• Joan Mitchell Fellowship for Painting, 1998, Joan Mitchell Foundation
• Rutgers Center for Innovative Print Making Fellow, 1995, Rutgers University
• Oregon Governor's Arts Award, 1994
• Betty Bowen Award, 1991, Seattle Museum of Art