Murals at West are 'great asset'
By Travis Coleman Journal Staff Writer | Posted: Wednesday, July 11, 2007
As the often-shared legend goes, Chuck Raymond was 4 years old when he massaged a ball of clay into the form of a face and proudly displayed it to his grandmother.
"She saw that and said, 'That boy is going to be an artist all his life,'" said Grace Linden, curator of history at the Sioux City Public Museum. "It was a real-looking figure. They knew he had natural talent."
Raymond, a member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, went on to brush his way into cultural history by becoming the most famous artist to come from the Winnebago tribe. And until his death in 1989, he taught many people about daily American Indian life along with creating sports scenes and portraits of well-known people.
"He wanted to show people what they did, how they hunted and their families," Linden said.
Raymond's impact in Siouxland was part of the reason the Sioux City Community School District wanted to dispel rumors that four murals by him at West High School would be painted over when new artwork was created for the school this summer.
"These murals are a great asset to our school and community," said James Vanderloo, West High principal. "There has never been a discussion to move, alter or paint over this wonderful work."
The murals illustrate events such as the burial of Sgt. Charles Floyd in 1804 and events leading up to the founding of Sioux City.
Raymond painted murals for radio stations, banks and, in 1975, Winnebago High School. Nearly 20 years later, Garan Coons was moved when he saw Raymond's images of U.S. Medal of Honor recipient Mitchell Red Cloud in the school.
"He brings them to life," said Coons, now the marketing director at Woodland Trails arts and crafts center on the Winnebago Indian Reservation.
Coons said he's a fan of Raymond's sketches of Indian artifacts, many of which were drawn when he worked for the Sioux City Public Museum. His pencil and ink drawings were often simple and realistic, Linden said; he was a naturalistic, uncluttered artist, she added. The museum would display Raymond's drawings as a backdrop for such Indian artifacts as bowls, weapons and clothing. He was also a nationally recognized artist, with shows throughout the region, Linden said, including a gallery of his work currently on exhibit at Woodland Trails.
He became an accomplished artist before he took his first college-level art class as a studio art major at Morningside College.
He died months before he was set to graduate but was posthumously awarded his Bachelor of Science degree in 1989. Linden said it's still remarkable how, despite having little formal training, Raymond was able to teach so many about art and American Indian life.
"He educated people through his art on what Native American daily life was all about," she said.
"She saw that and said, 'That boy is going to be an artist all his life,'" said Grace Linden, curator of history at the Sioux City Public Museum. "It was a real-looking figure. They knew he had natural talent."
Raymond, a member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, went on to brush his way into cultural history by becoming the most famous artist to come from the Winnebago tribe. And until his death in 1989, he taught many people about daily American Indian life along with creating sports scenes and portraits of well-known people.
"He wanted to show people what they did, how they hunted and their families," Linden said.
Raymond's impact in Siouxland was part of the reason the Sioux City Community School District wanted to dispel rumors that four murals by him at West High School would be painted over when new artwork was created for the school this summer.
"These murals are a great asset to our school and community," said James Vanderloo, West High principal. "There has never been a discussion to move, alter or paint over this wonderful work."
The murals illustrate events such as the burial of Sgt. Charles Floyd in 1804 and events leading up to the founding of Sioux City.
Raymond painted murals for radio stations, banks and, in 1975, Winnebago High School. Nearly 20 years later, Garan Coons was moved when he saw Raymond's images of U.S. Medal of Honor recipient Mitchell Red Cloud in the school.
"He brings them to life," said Coons, now the marketing director at Woodland Trails arts and crafts center on the Winnebago Indian Reservation.
Coons said he's a fan of Raymond's sketches of Indian artifacts, many of which were drawn when he worked for the Sioux City Public Museum. His pencil and ink drawings were often simple and realistic, Linden said; he was a naturalistic, uncluttered artist, she added. The museum would display Raymond's drawings as a backdrop for such Indian artifacts as bowls, weapons and clothing. He was also a nationally recognized artist, with shows throughout the region, Linden said, including a gallery of his work currently on exhibit at Woodland Trails.
He became an accomplished artist before he took his first college-level art class as a studio art major at Morningside College.
He died months before he was set to graduate but was posthumously awarded his Bachelor of Science degree in 1989. Linden said it's still remarkable how, despite having little formal training, Raymond was able to teach so many about art and American Indian life.
"He educated people through his art on what Native American daily life was all about," she said.
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