Brian Anderson
More than 100 artworks of America's past captured along historic Route
66 and other cross-country highways created by the late Western Illinois
University alumnus Warren H. Anderson were recently donated to the WIU
Art Gallery Permanent Collection.
Brian Anderson gave the
University the generous gift of a variety of his father’s artworks,
which include his “Retro Roadside America” and “Vanishing Roadside
America” series of neon diner and motel signs and old sculptured gas
pumps, as well as images of vintage cars and architectural details of
America’s pre-interstate highways from the 1930s-1950s.
The
collection stands as the largest donation in quantity and value per
single gift in history. It has been valued at $77,705.
"We
appreciate the generosity of Brian Anderson in giving his father's works
to Western, and the artistry of Warren Anderson in these wonderful
works,” Vice President for Advancement and Public Services Dan Hendricks
said.
His works have been widely exhibited across the U.S. and
are in the permanent collections of several museums. Art forms Anderson
incorporated include photography, two- and three-dimensional montages,
Prismacolor pencil drawings and boxed assemblages (found objects and
drawings combined).
"In all those varied forms, there is also a
hint of a slightly offbeat romanticism. In essence, my art commemorates
the vernacular of the past from the heightened perspective of the
present," said Anderson about his 2006 “Vanishing Roadside America”
exhibit at the Etherton Gallery in Tucson (AZ).
"We are proud
and privileged to receive this donation of Warren Anderson's work from
his son, Brian. Already some of the works are on loan due to their
relevance and popularity," said College of Fine Arts and Communication
Dean Paul Krieder.
Born in Moline (IL), Anderson earned his
Bachelor of Science in Education (art) from Western Illinois (State
College) in 1950 and his master’s degree from the University of Iowa in
1951. He taught in the Crystal Lake (IL) school district until 1956,
when he joined the University of Arizona faculty and founded the
department of art education. Anderson, who earned his Ph.D. at Stanford
University in 1961, taught for 30 years at Arizona, retiring in 1986. He
authored several articles and a widely recognized text book on art
education, "Art Learning Situations in Elementary Education."
Anderson, who was married to the late WIU alumna Audrey Anderson,
received Western's Alumni Achievement Award in 1980. His “Vanishing
Roadside America” exhibition was a featured solo show at Western’s Art
Gallery during the 1994 season.
"I remember him with great
fondness; he cared a lot about Western," said John Graham, curator of
exhibits at WIU’s Art Gallery. "I also greatly appreciate the efforts of
the staff at the Etherton Gallery in getting this extensive collection
to us. They were highly instrumental in this process."
The
Etherton Gallery includes a retrospective of Anderson’s work on its
website at ethertongallery.com/html/archive/temple/anderson/index.htm.
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