October Meeting at James Lee Hanson’s Studio

       On October 18th members of PNWS will be meeting at the studio of James Lee Hansen. Unless you are a newcomer to the Northwest, it is unlikely you have not not had the privilege of viewing  a Hansen sculpture in your journeys of the area. His large abstract bronzes can be seen in the sculpture garden at the Portland Art Museum, Maryhill Museum, Seattle Art Museum, Washington State Capitol Campus in Olympia,  Civic Center Salem Oregon, Clark College and other locations throughout the Pacific northwest.

James long and successful art career began taking shape in 1944 when he  returned to Vancouver after serving in the military during WWII.  He enrolled in the Portland Art Museum School (now PNCA) on the G.I. Bill and befriended and collaborated with many classmates who went on to have distinguished art careers. He built his own foundry (Burnt Bridge Studio) in north Vancouver and became a recognized master of lost wax bronze casting. At this point he was invited to New York to work with cubist sculptor Jacques Lipchitz but James turned him down, being rooted in the place he called home, The Pacific Northwest. James first major successes came in 1952 when his bronze “The Huntress” was purchased by the San Francisco Art Museum and “The Call” was acquired by the Seattle Art Museum. 

One chapter of his amazing and storied life as an artist particularly captured my interest: In the late 1950s James was instrumental in recording many prehistoric Native petroglyphs in the Columbia River Gorge. He and his wife of the time can be seen in a photo on the bank of Columbia in the snow, melting paraffin on an open fire to pour into the glyphs prior to the flooding of the area by the completion of the  Dalles and John Day Dams.

Hansen’s “Shaman” series speaks to his respect and reverence for indigenous cultures. He viewed shamans as ritual specialists, predating current inquirers into the arts, sciences and religion. James is a poet, a philosopher and an art educator. He taught sculpture at Oregon State, UC Berkley and the University of Oregon.

PNWS members will meet at 3pm. in front of the Hansen’s home and studio at 28219NE 63rd ave Battleground 98604. 

Jane Hansen will act as our hostess and James (a centurion) will likely be available for a meet and greet. The Hanson property is a sprawling 13 acres and James sculptures are to be seen all over the grounds. There is also a gallery building that has a nice library that covers most of Hanson’s work and the importance of this period in the history of sculpture. Most interesting is the large studio the Hansen’s built to house the foundry and melting kilns that define James’s work. 

James was a tireless worker all of his active art life. It is a rare opportunity to be able to view his studio left exactly as is was years ago when an injury caused him to stop the physically demanding rigors of his process. Many of the ideas he has explored as maquettes are perched throughout the studio.