Biographical Portraits
Having had no success with marketing his Marty Lynn comic strip, Wendell, embarked on another artistic journey which suited his interests in people and history perfectly. While driving east on River Road one day he thought of the covers of Time magazine which often featured the photograph of a famous person, and the idea came to him of creating portraits of individuals with illustrations of their life history surrounding their face. In 1959 he had used acrylic paint to portray a prominent Nashville businessman, Fred Smith, with illustrations of his life. He chose several prominent Louisville businessmen to do portraits of and then sought to sell them to family members or boards who might be seeking some way to honor the individual. Among the early people were Brooks Hays, an Arkansas Congressman and loyal Baptist; V.V. Cook, owner of a local automobile dealership and loyal Baptist layman; Dan Byck, owner of a local department store chain; and W.G. Violette, chairman of the board of Standard Oil and a member of Crescent Hill Baptist Church. He was successful in selling some of these and enjoyed the experience so much that he did several more portraits. Eventually he produced some brochures that featured his art work, and he titled the series, "Men of Achievement."
The following table lists portraits Wendell did with year noted.
This first group is the "pre leather" period and most of these were painted on canvas art board.
|
Fred |
Smith |
1959 |
Nashville businessman |
|
Brooks |
Hays |
1959 |
Arkansas Congressman, 1943-1959 |
|
V.V. |
Cook |
1959 |
Louisville automotive dealership |
|
Dann C. |
Byck |
1959 |
Louisville Department store owner |
|
Willis G. |
Violette |
1959 |
Standard Oil Executive |
|
John Emil |
Tilford |
1959 |
Pres, L&N Railroad |
|
Lee |
Miller |
1960 |
Pres, Citizen’s Fidelity Bank |
|
Doug |
Cornette |
1960 |
Courier-Journal & Times, Promotion Dept |
|
Mark F. |
Ethridge |
1960 |
Publisher, Courier-Journal & Lou Times |
|
Walter J. |
Tuohy |
1960 |
Pres., C&O Railroad |
|
Ronald E. |
Reitmeier |
1960 |
Catylyst & Chemicals Board Chairman |
|
Finis |
Davis |
1960 |
Pres. Lions International |
|
John Sherman |
Cooper |
1960 |
US Senator from Kentucky |
|
Robert |
Layman |
1960 |
|
|
Leo |
Weil |
1960 |
Owner of Leo's Hideaway restaurant |
|
Bennet |
Cerf |
1960 |
Publisher |
|
William C. |
Smith |
1960 |
Standard Oil executive |
|
Garvice D. |
Kincaid |
1960 |
Lexington banker & businessman |
|
Thomas J. |
Watson |
1960 |
Pres. IBM |
|
Rollin S. |
Burhans |
1960 |
Pastor of Crescent Hill Baptist Church |
|
Harry A. |
De Butts |
1961 |
no history avail |
|
W.C. |
Boone |
1961 |
Pres., Kentucky Baptist Asssociation |
|
Paul |
Maclean |
1962 |
Pres., Wood-Mosiac |
|
Angus |
Maclean |
1962 |
Exec., Wood-Mosiac |
|
Harold T. |
Dillon |
1964 |
|
|
Gen. Dillman |
Rash |
1964 |
100th Infantry, Chamber of Commerce |
|
Shackelford |
Miller |
1965 |
Federal Judge, 6th Court of Appeals |
|
Edward Owen |
Jones |
1965 |
Businessman, Lions International, CHBC |
|
John T. |
Acree |
1965 |
Lincoln Income Life Association |
|
W. Dwight |
Gahm |
1965 |
Kitchen Kompact Company |
|
L. Berkley |
Davis |
1966 |
Vice President, General Electric |
|
Deane Chand. |
Davis |
1966 |
Governor of Vermont |
|
Adolph |
Rupp |
1966 |
Basketball Coach, Univ of Kentucky |
|
Earl |
Templeman |
1966 |
|
|
Ralph |
Fontaine |
1967 |
|
|
R. Radcliffe |
Massey |
1966 |
|
|
Franklin |
Owen |
1966 |
President, Kentucky Baptist Association |
|
L. Eugene |
Johnson |
1966 |
Blue Boar Cafeteria; Brown & Williamson |
While in Nashville, Wendell attended the First Baptist
Church and made the acquaintance of Maxey Jarman who founded the Jarman Shoe
Company. Through this contact he was asked to do a painting of Henry Hale Rand,
and executive of the International Shoe Company. Wendell thought it would be
appropriate to use the natural color of the leather of cowhide as skin color and
paint with acrylics the features of the man and his life on the leather. He was
quite pleased with the result and did scores of portraits on leather. Some of
these were small 4x6 inch paintings just of the face which were given in 1963 to
salesmen of the Commonwealth Life Insurance Company. Most of the paintings in
this era, though, were the full size 18x24 inch biographical portraits. One of
his early painting on leather was given to Sam Rayburn, the Speaker of the House
from Texas. He thought this particularly appropriate because of the prominence
of the cattle industry. Wendell painted his three children, John, Mary Lou, and
Elaine, as a group on leather in about 1962, and this painting hung in their
Louisville living room. The following is a list of leather paintings:
|
Henry Hale |
Rand |
1961 |
International Shoe Company |
|
Sam |
Rayburn |
1962 |
Speakr of House; Sam R. library Bonham |
|
Johnson |
1962 |
V.P. Int Shoe |
|
|
Roger |
Maris |
1962 |
Baseball player for NY Yankees; "61*" fame |
|
Jn, ML, Elaine |
Arnett |
1962 |
Wendell’s children |
|
Charles |
Tandy |
1963 |
Tandy Leather Co. executive |
|
L. Glen |
Neikick |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Reed M. |
Lock |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
William L. |
Skees |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
P. W. |
Myers |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
G. M. |
Asher |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
A. T. |
Holsclaw |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
John |
Parker |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
William F. |
Barry |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Fred M. |
Gregg, Jr |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
R. I. |
Doane |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
W. H. |
Davies |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Joe Ben |
Simpson |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Clinton |
McKinney |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Kyle E. |
Cox |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Seldon E. |
Thomas |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Richard |
Seifert |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
R. L. |
Cartwright |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Lee |
Lykins, Jr |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Walter J. |
Nay |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Wayne |
Pope |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Wayne |
Flora |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Ed |
Blankenship |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Homer |
Draughn |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
son of Homer |
Draughn |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Homer |
Parker |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
William |
Abell |
1963 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
Curtis |
Hodges |
1964 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
James F. |
Kessee |
1964 |
for Commonwealth Life |
|
W. K. |
Whiteford |
1965 |
Chr of Gulf Oil Corp |
|
Cornelius E. |
Hubbuch |
1966 |
Owner of Hubbuch in KY; interior design |
|
Willis G. |
Moreman |
1966 |
letter |
|
Dave & Lee A |
Moreman |
1977 |
letter |
|
Al J. |
Schneider |
1966 |
Louisville builder, architect |
|
W. H. |
Michero |
1967 |
no photo |
|
Dr. |
Hudson |
1967 |
AMA assoc |
|
LB & Lady Brd |
Johnson |
President of US |
|
|
Lady Bird |
Johnson |
First Lady |
|
|
Girls |
Johnson |
First Lady and daughters |
|
|
Richard |
Nixon |
President of US |
|
|
Jimmy |
Carter |
President of US |
|
|
T.E. |
Ford |
1968 |
Friend and judge |
|
Roscoe |
Turner |
1968 |
letter |
|
Robert |
Norris |
1969 |
Philip Morris |
|
Walter |
Reeb |
1973 |
Philip Morris |
|
Joseph F. |
Cullman |
1973 |
Philip Morris |
|
A. C. |
Britton |
1973 |
Philip Morris |
|
James C. |
Bowling |
1974 |
Philip Morris; Burma Shave |
|
Jo T. |
Orendorf |
1970 |
Banker |
|
E. Paul |
Williams |
1970 |
Banker |
|
John R. |
Claypool |
1971 |
Pastor, Crescent Hill Baptist Church |
|
Gregory S. |
DeVine |
1971 |
C&O, B&O RR executive |
|
Pat |
Nixon |
1971 |
Wife of President Nixon |
|
Harland |
Sanders |
1971 |
Originator and Pres, KY Fried Chicken |
|
Dan |
Issel |
1971 |
UK and KY Colonels basketball player |
|
Jack |
Dolph |
1972 |
Commissioner of ABA |
|
Dr. |
Townes |
1972 |
Lou ophthalmologist |
|
Paul |
Blazer |
1972 |
Ashland Oil executive |
|
Rexford |
Blazer |
1972 |
Ashland Oil executive |
|
Kermit |
Schmidt |
1973 |
Associate Pastor, FBChurch of Tulsa, OK |
|
Edmund |
Muskie |
VP Candidate |
|
|
Sam |
Ervin |
1974 |
list |
|
John |
Biddinger |
1975 |
no photo (PIL, inc) |
|
Tony |
Hulman |
1975 |
no photo (PIL, inc) |
|
Mrs. Frank |
Woods |
1975 |
no photo (PIL, inc) |
|
Charlie |
Rich |
1975 |
no photo (PIL, inc) |
|
John |
Waits |
1975 |
no photo (PIL, inc) |
|
Terry Martin |
Walker |
1975 |
no photo (PIL, inc) |
|
Pat |
Hamilton |
1975 |
Secretary of J. Bruce Miller |
|
Max |
Durlauf |
1975 |
no photo (PIL, inc) |
|
Jack |
Gardner |
1976 |
|
|
William C. |
Johnstone |
1976 |
|
|
Clarence |
Cross |
1977 |
|
|
Bert |
Combs |
1977 |
Governor of Kentucky |
|
Col. Joe (Geo) |
Collins |
1977 |
U.S. Marine colonel |
|
Steve |
Cauthen |
1977 |
Jockey of Affirmed, Triple Crown 1978 |
|
Henlee |
Barnette |
1977 |
CHBC Friend, seminary professor |
|
Louis J."Todd" |
Hollenbach III |
1978 |
|
|
Ewel |
Cornett |
1970 |
|
|
Bob |
Kerr |
US Senator from Oklahoma |
Upon seeing some of leather paintings darken
especially the portrait of the children which hung on the wall of a sunny living
room, Leila persuaded Wendell to give up the leather portrait painting and
return to the canvas art board. After checking with the Tandy Leather company
and finding no good solution to slow down the darkening process of leather
exposed to light, Wendell agreed and returned to the original canvass boards
about 1978. This post leather period continued for nearly eighteen years. His
last portrait was of Bob Russell and by the time he finished that Alzheimer’s
had set in causing him to slow. Below is a list of painting done during this
period:
|
Happy |
Chandler |
? |
Governor of Kentucky; sketch on tissue |
|
Latrelle |
Stanfield |
1978 |
. |
|
unknown |
unknown |
1970 |
Mack Truck President |
|
Fuzzy |
Zoeller |
1979 |
Golfer who won Master’s in 1979 |
|
Mary |
Johnson |
1980 |
Member of Walnut St. Bapt Ch. |
|
Robert |
Goetzman |
1980 |
Accountant and Colonel in Army Reserves |
|
Ben |
Soyars |
1980 |
Philip Morris |
|
Martha Lane |
Collins |
. |
Governor of Kentucky |
|
. |
. |
. |
. |
|
Franklin |
Owens |
1982 |
. |
|
Homer |
Coggins |
1984 |
President of Ky Bapt Hospital System |
|
Henry B. |
Huff |
1984 |
CHBC friend, Louisville attorney |
|
Maj. Gen Jim |
Day |
1984 |
Marine general |
|
Gen. Jim |
Day |
1985 |
Marine general |
|
Wayne |
Dehoney |
1985 |
Pastor of Walnut St. Bapt. Church |
|
John |
Sandidge |
1970 |
CHBC friend, Louisville attorney |
|
Sue |
Schnur |
1978 |
CHBC friend, wife of Ray Schnur |
|
Welman |
1978 |
. |
|
|
John |
Kvindis |
1978 |
CHBC friend, electrician |
|
Dr. Tom |
Douglas |
1986 |
CHBC friend, Louisville dentist |
|
Wayne |
Dehoney |
1985 |
Pastor of Walnut St. Bapt. Ch. |
|
J. Bruce wife |
Miller |
1985 |
. |
|
Ernest |
Walls |
1987 |
. |
|
Paul Thomas |
Echsner |
1987 |
IRS official |
|
David |
Wilkinson |
1987 |
no photo |
|
Donald |
Clapps |
1987 |
possible photo ? Af-Am |
|
Rodger |
Murchison |
1987 |
. |
|
Sam |
McMahon |
1991 |
Days Inn Exec, SBTSeminary trustee |
|
Leonard |
Hardin |
1987 |
. |
|
Thomas |
Mabe |
1988 |
Seminary professor |
|
Wayne |
Oates |
1987 |
Assoc for Clin Past Educ magazine cover |
|
Anton T. |
Boisen |
1987 |
Assoc for Clin Past Educ magazine cover |
|
John A. |
Whitesel |
1987 |
Assoc for Clin Past Educ magazine cover |
|
Fred |
Kuether |
1987 |
Assoc for Clin Past Educ magazine cover |
|
Urias |
Beverly |
1987 |
Assoc for Clin Past Educ magazine cover |
|
Bonnie |
Woods |
1987 |
Assoc for Clin Past Educ magazine cover |
|
Jerry |
Abramson |
1989 |
Mayor of Louisville |
|
Fred |
Phannenschmidt |
1989 |
Realtor |
|
Mr. |
Van Sickle |
1989 |
Rohm & Haas executive |
|
Jack |
Wilson |
1989 |
. |
|
. |
unknown |
1990 |
Walnut St. Bapt Ch. Nursery worker |
|
Charles Chuck |
Bugg |
1990 |
Seminary professor |
|
Bossy |
Thompson |
1991 |
CHBC friend, machinist at Nav Ordance |
|
. |
. |
1991 |
First National Bank President |
|
Ken |
Chafin |
1991 |
Pastor of Walnut St. Baptist Church |
|
Jack J. |
Early |
1992 |
. |
|
. |
unknown |
1993 |
Louisville activist – steering wheel |
|
. |
. |
1993 |
Trucker with Coast to Coast |
|
Ken |
Michael |
1993 |
obit 1996 |
|
Mary |
Bingham |
1994 |
Wife of Barry Bingham of C-J & Times |
|
Bob |
Russell |
1996 |
Pastor of Southeast Christian Ch |
|
Bill |
Cooper |
. |
Tennis pro |