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Cover painting:Cambria Coast22x 30Watercolor2006Anderson Art Gallery

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The Art of Milford Zornes: Friendships and Inspiration

2011Gene Sasse

James Milford Zornes1908-2008

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This publication is produced in conjunctionwith the exhibition

The Art of Milford Zornes: Friendships and InspirationDecember 12, 2010 through February 20, 2011

Presented by

CCAA Museum of ArtLocated in the North Wing of the J. Filippi Winery

12467 Base Line Road, Rancho Cucamonga, California 91739www.ccaamuseum.org

Exhibit sponsored byBob & Connie Constant, CleoBell Heiple-Tice, Hofer Ranch, Patricia Jump,

Ruby & Wayne Leavitt, Harrison & Marguerite McIntosh, and Gary C. Ovitt Chairman & Fourth District Supervisor San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors

Book copyright 2010 CCAA Museum of ArtArtist portraits copyright 2010 Gene Sasse

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproducedin any form by any electronic or mechanical means

(including photocopying, recording or information storage or retrieval)without permission in writing from CCAA Museum of Art or Gene Sasse.

The Art of Milford Zornes: Friendships and Inspiration

Published by Gene Sasse5288 Ranch Gate Road, Alta Loma, CA 91701-1217

Web: www.sassebooks.com Email: gene@genesasse.comWritten by Brian Dale Bywater, Designed by Fred Hartson

Portrait & art photography by Gene SasseTypeset in Goudy Old Style, Printed and bound in South Korea

First Edition, December 2010Library of Congress Control Number: 2010914058

ISBN: 978-0-9842797-2-21

It is interesting that every artist Iinterviewed for this exhibition-editionsaid exactly the same two things; I aminspired by Milford Zornes, and I amin awe of Milford Zornes. Every artistsaid it. I had to ask, Why are you inawe of Milford Zornes and how doeshe inspire you? My questions weremet with some perplexity. One artistsaid, If I could explain it in words, Iwouldnt have to paint. It occurred to

me that every one of them had a story totell, they just didnt know how to tell it.They enjoyed talking, however, and

it was my great pleasure to sit and listen.I took notes. I heard wonderful stories.I lled notebooks. From the scribbledpile of pages I attempted to capture theessence of memory and to frame thatmemory in a visual, conceptual languagethat conveys experience in such a waythat it is emotionally palatangible to areading audience comprised primarily ofartists. The collected story of MilfordZornes is not the hard fact of history or

the cold, sculpted marble of mythology.It is the esh and beating heart of livingmemory.

Brian Dale Bywater Writer

PREFACE

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Milford Zornes was listed as one of theguest lecturers at the Riverside ArtMuseums Watercolor West Event in Fall,2002. I was working at the museum andI was a bit awed by the stir and hum ofexcitement caused by the anticipation ofhis lecture. I had no idea who MilfordZornes was. As I talked to those whoknew him, or had taken classes withhim, I couldnt help but notice how theirfaces brightened as they shared their

experiences with me. Milfo rds lecturequickly sold out and days before the eventthere was a great clamor and jockeying fortickets followed by great disappointmentthat there were none available. On themorning of the event the place was full,every seat was taken, and still there werethose milling in the foyer and more peoplekept arriving. I was on the museumstaff and other staff members and I werecontinually elding requests from thosewho said they knew Milford Zornes, thosewho had come a very long way, and thosewho were just star-eyed and hopeful. They

all wished to be admitted. We politelyasked, and Milford graciously listenedand said, Let them in, whoever wants in,let them in. He did not want to refuseanyone.

Those who knew Milford, or have takenclasses from him, have reminiscencesabout him they are very interested insharing with others, some humorous,some instructive, some inspiring. If you

speak with Chris Van Winkle he willtell you about Milfords compassion forothers. Chris was with Milford when hewas giving a lecture in Spain. A nursewheeled a paraplegic in a wheelchair upnear the podium. The patients headwas slumped, his eyes rolled, his mouthdrooled. Milford cut his lecture short andsat down next to the paraplegic to meetwith him and noticed he was clutching apicture book about an artist. Picasso!Milford said, I painted with Picasso!Zornes sat with him conversing andturning pages. He wrote a note in hisGrand Canyon

48 x 60Watercolor2005Collection of Maldonado Family Trust

54

INTRODUCTION

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book, hugged him, and stayed beside himuntil the nurse came to collect him.

Joanna Mersereau can tell you aboutMilfords practicality. Milford would stayin the eld munching chia seeds ratherthan stop for lunch because he didntwant to interrupt his creative momentum.Milford told Joanna that during theDepression, when no one had any money,he traded his artwork for a car and dentalservices.

Jan Wright will tell you about Milfordstheory on design, how meaning is subjectto ction-memory and can therefore bedescribed as value added. A bitter winterwhite landscape can become a lush fallharvest, with bursts of yellow and orange.The hills in the background can changefrom gray to golden. Its a choice. Theprotruding limb to the left can be movedto the right to achieve desired balance andcan change from pine to alder. The creekcan branch and ow directly into the

foreground. Milford said it is an artistsintellectual prerogative.

Tom Fong will tell you about the timeMilford demonstrated to him the use ofthe brush in painting. He likened theelegance and simplicity of each stroketo the art of Chinese calligraphy, andhow a simple line can convey a vastmeaning. Milford explained that anartists expression should be individual andpersonal, not imitative. Like Chinesecalligraphy, he said, each painting is anartists own signature. Ask any artist on special exhibition hereat the CCAA Museum of Art aboutMilford Zornes; they are his friends, hisstudents, his artist family, those who areencouraged and inspired by him. Askthem about Milford and allow them totell you of their remembrances, somehumorous, some instructive, someinspirational, and notice how their facesbrighten as they talk of him.

Milford Zornes is still very much with us.His person, his presence is with us. Hissignature is hanging on our walls. Foryour viewing pleasure we present to you 44

works of art by Milford Zornes, togetherwith 17 works by his friends and students,in this exhibition we have named, The

Art of Milford Zornes: Friendships andInspiration. Andto all those whowish to be admittedwe say, Let themin, anyone whowants in.

76

Denise Kraemer Artist, Curator

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PatriciaPalmerZornes1919-2009

Pat Palmer met MilfordZornes at the Otis ArtInstitute in 1939. Patstudied with Milford, ateacher at the institute,and they worked togetheron a number of projects,including the mural at theRamona Bowl in Hemet,California. They weremarried in 1942. Milfordoften said that Pat was his best critic. WhenMilford brought his work in from the studio,hed display it in the kitchen. Pat would sitat the kitchen table and give him a critique ofhis latest work. Milford said she was thoroughand to the point, sometimes blunt, but shewas always right on the mark and had his bestinterests at heart. He relied on her opinion.When Milford said that Pat was the more

talented of the two, Pat would always say, Oneartist in the family is enough. Pat Zorneshad an unusual sense of humor. On severaloccasions she was heard to say, After GeorgePost, Milford is my favorite artist. Milfordalways smiled, he found that highly amusing.Because Pat liked George Post, Milfordbought several George Post paintings for Patscollection.

facing page, Untitled11 x 14WatercolorCirca 1940sCollection ofHal and Maria Baker

Olvera Street11 x 14WatercolorCirca 1940sCollection ofHal and Maria Baker

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Sketch from the Alabama Hills12 x 16

Watercolor2002Collection of Tom Fong

1312

Barn at Knotable Arkansas22 x 30

Watercolor1989Anderson Art Gallery

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1716

Over Cayucas22 x 35Watercolor

1987Collection of CCAA

To an engineer, good enough means

perfect. With anartist, there's no suchthing as perfect.

Alexander Calder

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1918

Avalon Harbor22 x 30

Watercolor2001Anderson Art Gallery

The Harbor at Avalon22 x 30

Watercolor2002Collection of

Maldonado Family Trust

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2120

Raul Anguiano1915-2006

Raul Anguiano, Milford Zornes, and BillAnderson went to Pomona College to see anexhibit of Jose Clemente Orozcos planningdrawings for the Prometheus Mural on display atPomona College. As they walked through theexhibit, Raul and Milford talked about DiegoRivera, David Siqueiros, Clemente Orozco,and Ramos Martinez. Raul knew each of the

Mexican Masters personally and Milford hadseen each of them paint. Milford saw Riveraat the Worlds Fair in San Francisco, Orozco atPomona College, Martinez at Scripps College.Milford told about how Siqueiros was giving ademonstration and lecture at Chouinard ArtInstitute, and Siqueiros put his hand on hiship and pointed to the triangular void his armcreated and said, No holes, no holes. Fromthen on, whenever Milford painted the foliageof a tree, he thought of Siqueiros and eliminatedany open holes that would let the light comethrough, because as Siqueiros put it, this wouldcreate a distraction. Milford always said he wasgreatly inuenced by the Mexican Muralistsand had a deep respect for Raul Anguiano.Milford visited Raul Anguiano and Bill

Anderson in 2002 when they were working onthe East Los Angeles College mural entitled,20th Century Mexican Artists: As Seen Throughthe Eyes of Raul Anguiano. They had no photoof Orozcos arm from which they could do therendering, so they made Milford model for them.In the mural, Jose Clemente Orozcos arm isactually Milford Zornes.

facing pageLuma35 x 23Oil on Canvas1958AndersonArt Gallery

Portrait of Milford Zornes

24 x 18Conte Crayon

1996Collection of

Zornes Family

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In Carmel Valley22 x 30

Watercolor1999

Collection of Jan Wright and Roy Genger 2322

Rock and Shore at Laguna23 x 31Watercolor2002Collection of Robert andConnie Constant

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Elizabeth Chandler I distinctly remember the rst time Inoticed the work of Milford Zornes. Iwas still in school, majoring in math andscience. I enjoyed art but I considered itmore of a pastime than a vocation. Mygrandfather was a member of the JonathanClub in Los Angeles and he took me to theclub to introduce me to his business friends.The Jonathan Club was impressive. Ithad a high ceiling and was wood-paneledand richly furnished with antiques. Mostnotable, there was an entire wall of art byearly California painters, a large number ofwhich were watercolors. Of all the paintings,Milford Zornes painting of a Mexican villageimpressed me the most. It was in a warmpalette of ochre and red brick with blues andgrays, the white of the paper shining through.There was a winding cobblestone street thatcurved down and away through the gentleslope of the village, and at the end of thestreet, in the distance, there was a white-domed church. The valley was ringed by agray sawtooth of jagged mountains under ablue sky mist-gray with clouds, the afternoonsun reecting off the at of the white-washed

adobe in the foreground. I was noticeablystruck and still wide-eyed with wonder whenmy grandfather came up beside me and said,Were having lunch at the Hunting Inn, haveyou seen enough here? I couldnt articulatemy feelings, I kept uttering, How wonderful.He looked at me and asked, Do you reallylike this painting? I said, Its wonderful.He nodded and looked back at Milfordswatercolor, So, do you think you want to bean artist someday? I looked at him, Heavensno! I want to travel to Mexico! Milfordspainting made the place very real for me.

Coney Island 1344 x 62

Oil Painting on Panel2008

Collection of Elizabeth Chandler

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2726

Cambria, California22 x 30Watercolor2006Private Collection

The Shore of Rhodes24 x 32

Watercolor1993

Private Collection

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3130

Casa Prinera Pomona22 x 30Watercolor

2003Collection of John Meanor

Sketch at Avila6 x 8

Watercolor1991Collection of

Joanna Mersereau

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3332

Henry Fukuhara1913-2010 Henry Fukuhara and Milford Zornes had a l ongand lasting friendship. They were alike in someways, and in other ways they were op posites.One thing they shared in common was theirunwillingness to give in to physical challenges.They were both stubborn and determined whenit came to accomplishing their goals. On oneparticular adventure together they were visiting

Cuba and the rest of the group had plans to goto the beach. Henry and Milford went off bythemselves because they wanted to sketch thePublic Square and the Old Spanish Church.There were no buses that went to that location,so they hired a hand trolley, a kind of rickshawwith bike wheels, to take them. Henry, Milford,and the driver agreed on a price for the round-trip, but when it came time to return, the driverwanted to be paid again. Henry and Milfordsaid, Weve already paid you. The driver saidthat if they didnt pay, he would leave themthere. Thats thievery, they said, wed ratherwalk. Late in the evening the artists groupwas frantically trying to nd them. Henry andMilford were having a conversation as they

negotiated the cobble stones of some back alley,in the dark, in a strange town, both of themnearly blind, when the artists group nallyfound them. Too bad you found us, Henrysaid, we were having a grand adventure. They were much the same, but Milford oftennoted, Henry and I are opposite in this way,my life is lled with chaos and disorganization.The only place I can nd order is when I amdoing a painting. Henry, however, has a verydisciplined and orderly life and his escape fromthat is to be free and spontaneous in the directand enthusiastic way he paints."

facing pageCulver City - City Hall15 x 22

WatercolorCirca 1995Anderson Art Gallery

Westside Pavillion - Westwood18 x 24Watercolor

Circa 2000Anderson Art Gallery

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3736

Off San Simeon22 x 30

Watercolor1993Private Collection

Into Canyon de Muertes22 x 30

Watercolor1994Private Collection

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3938

The Bright Side15 x 22

Watercolor2009

Collection of Woody Hansen

Woody Hansen I followed the work of Milford Zornes formany years before nally meeting himat Henry Fukuharas annual ManzanarWatercolor Workshop in May of 2006.The workshop was held at the WhitneyPortal near Lone Pine, California. Wordspread quickly that Milford Zornes was inthe group, and by chance, I found myself astones-throw to the left of where Zornes waspainting. He was seated in the shade facingMount Whitney and I wanted to approach himand introduce myself but I was afraid I mightdisturb his concentration. Watching intently, Ibegan to draw a portrait of him. I noticed thatMilford would no sooner start to paint whenanother admirer would drop by with a cheeryword or two. I watched as painter after paintercame by expressing their good wishes. Eachtime he would graciously pause and patientlyspeak with them. After a time, I approached tosee his painting. He noticed me. Milford wasas gracious in conversation with me as he waswith all his friends. I asked a lot of questionsand at one point, though I knew he was havingtrouble with his eyesight, I told him I thought

his work was stronger than ever. He modestlyagreed. He said, Due to my failing eyesight,I feel in many cases, I can actually see andconcentrate on the shape and value of objectswithout the distraction of excessive detail.He said his vision was like someone hadsmeared a thin layer of Vaseline over the lensof his glasses, he could see only soft edges andlittle to no detail, but he could perceive generalshapes, values, and colors reasonably well. Tothis day, I use this technique with my studentswhen we are studying shapes and values. Wesmear a thin layer of Vaseline over the lens ofour glasses. It is a very useful exercise, and italways makes me think of Milford.

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Ocean & 2 Gulls22 x 30Watercolor1999Collection of Zornes Family

Untitled15 x 22

Watercolor1990

Collection of Zornes Family

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4342

Windy Sails22 x 30

Watercolor2003

Collection of Marciano Martinez

Marciano Martinez In 1988 I was driving MilfordZornes to his studio in Utah. Hetalked to me the whole time Iwas driving and as he talked,he sketched. Somewhere alongthat long, lonesome stretch ofdesert highway he said, Marcie?I want you to come to my 100thbirthday party. And I told him,Of course I will, Ill be sure tomark it on my calendar. He wasonly 80 at the time. Before we got to Las Vegasthe sun began to set and Milford directed meto pull over to the side of the road. He set uphis easel and proceeded to paint the blue castshadow mountains. When he completed thepainting he said, Well Marcie, I guess we haveearned our dinner for tonight. Lets go nda steakhouse. He lived to work, it kept himyoung. Many years later I was at a FullertonCollege Art Department meeting and the artstaff was taking nominations for the Artist-in-Residence Program. Many ne artistswere nominated. Many famous names werementioned. I proposed that Milford shouldbe our Artist-in-Residence for 1999, he was

at least 90 then. They immediately rejectedthe notion, saying he was too old. I assuredthem this was not the case. They commentedthey would have to set up a cot in the cornerso he could take frequent naps. I assuredthem that Milford would work them all toexhaustion. Thats exactly what happened. Atone point the staff said they were celebratingand wanted Milford to go to lunch with them.In truth, they were tired and needed to take abreak. Years later I attended Milfords 100thBirthday party at the Pasadena Art Museum.He promised to have one and I promised Idbe there. And what was Milford doing for his100th Birthday? Working.

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h d

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Richard Martinez Some of my fondest memories as an artistare the days I spent visiting and paintingwith Milford Zornes. We went on manyexpeditions over the years. One time hecalled me up and announced, We aregoing to Temecula to paint the oldestand largest oak tree in California. Itwas difcult to nd. We kept lookingand nally found it on the PechangaReservation behind a tall fence with a

locked gate. We tried to nd an ofcialat the Pechanga Casino to unlock thegate, but our requests were met with redtape and apathy. Nevertheless, we foundother ancient old oaks that seemed quitebeautiful to us. Milf ord talked and laughedas we painted, he told me about Vladimir

Nabokov, the Russian novelist, who was a goodfriend of his and would often visit him at hishome in Utah. He told me that Vladimir hadwritten Lolita while sitting at his kitchen table.He told me about the time he was in VeraCruz, Mexico and he had no water to mix hiswatercolor paints with, so he used red wine. It

was very hard to get the color right, he said.We talked and painted and had a few laughs,and when the west turned a ery red and theeast turned a Persian blue we headed north onthe 215. Milford sketched as always and atone point he pointed with the at end of hispencil at the luxurious homes in the hills andsaid, Do you see these homes? They need ourpaintings. Yours and mine. They need to haveone of our paintings in their homes.

Alabama Hills Gorge30 x 22

Watercolor2009

Collection of Richard Martinez

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4948

The Coast of Kerry23 x 31Watercolor

1999Collection of Robert andConnie Constant

Hills of Kerry22 x 32

Watercolor1990

Collection of Patricia Jump

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5150

Bridge5 x 7Watercolor1990Collection of Joyce Allingham

Source of the Nile at Ginga28 x 35

Watercolor1988

Collection of CCAA

Joanna

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5352

JoannaMersereau Critiques were very hardwith Milford Zornes,he was very strict. Heexplained to me he wasespecially hard on thosewho showed the mostpromise. I was hard onhim too. We had a eryrelationship. In 1977Milford, his wife Pat,Charlotte Chambers, andI were on a trip to visitthe Mission established byFather Kino in Caborca, Mexico. It was likecamping, we had to prepare our meals usingSterno. Im not sure what happened, exactly,but when I went to l ight the Sterno, the canexploded and spewed aming gel everywhereand it went all over Milford, burned his ear,singed his hair and eyebrows. Oh no! Ithought, I have murdered Milford Zornes! I

apologized profusely but he just laughed it off.He wouldnt go to the hospital. He purchasedsome granulated sulfur in town and applied itto the burns every day for two weeks until wereached the border. It didnt affect his painting,it didnt stop him. There was no poor meabout Milford. And if anyone were to ask, theanswer is Yes. We had a ery relationship.

Spring 30 x 22

Watercolor2008

Collection of Joanna Mersereau

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5554

On The Diamond Bar23 x 31Watercolor2004Private Collection

Road in Oklahoma14 x 20

Watercolor1998

Collection of Zornes Family

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5756

Walk to the Sea18 x 23Watercolor2005Collection of Jan Wrightand Roy Genger

Casino at Avalon Bay, Catalina Island22 x 30

Watercolor

2008Anderson Art Gallery

Cindy L. Moore

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5958

Padua Hills6 x 6Over glaze paint on Italian Porcelain2010Cindy Moore

Claremont Hills6 x 6Over glaze paint on Italian Porcelain2010Cindy Moore

y The Pomona HistoricalSociety was giving a guidedtour of two historic houses,the Casa Adobe and the CasaPrimera, which was the rsthome built in the PomonaValley. It was Ice CreamSocial weather, a perfectCalifornia day of blue skiesand gentle breezes. Milford

Zornes was sitting on thefront porch of the CasaAdobe painting a watercolorof the surrounding scene, aview of the grounds. Peoplewere gathered around him towatch and he talked as he painted. Milfordtold them he was very fond of the place andthat he felt an emotional attachment to it.I have been a frequent guest at the CasaAdobe, he said, I had a rented room here inmy younger years. He was very entertaining.Everyone enjoyed his quick wit and his sense

of humor and Milford seemed to be enjoyinghimself immensely. He told those gathered,I am painting more nudes now, but due tomy failing eyesight, they are missing somedetails. And though I am no longer in myyounger years, I can still appreciate paintingthe female form!

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6160

Nudes at the Beach12 x 14Watercolor1993Collection of

Maldonado Family Trust

Morning Bathers19 x 25

Watercolor1998Private Collection

Albert Setton

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6362

Barcelona, Spain48 x 34

Acrylic on Paper1998

Collection of Albert Setton

Milford Zornes traveled extensivelyand he painted everywhere he went.Milford, Henry Fukuhara and I wentwith a small group of artists to Cubain Spring, 2000. We traveled by bussome 70 miles to Holguin Villageon the far end of the island. It wasthe home of our host, Gladys Checa,whose family we were staying with.While en route, we watched the

scenery going by, elegant green oflush verdure, bright colored houses,Chevys and DeSotos from 1959 with pol ishedchrome, an old Soviet tractor beside a falloweld. Milford was the only one sketching.The rest of us were taking pictures. He wouldlook at the scenery with binoculars and sketch,and when he looked again, the scenery hadchanged, but then he would incorporate thosechanges into his drawing. I mentioned thisto him and he explained, I am capturing theessence of memory. When we arrived at thevillage Gladys family welcomed us. Henryand Milford were treated like esteemed elders.

The rest of us were having a look around anda Party member ran to tell the authoritiesthere were foreign journalists in his villagetaking a lot of pictures, and they sent Partyofcials and Policia to question us and wetried to explain we were taking innocuouspictures; a mop head leaning on a wall ofpeeling paint, a parrot on a clothesline. LaterMilford pretended to scold us, I have saidall along that an artist should never rely onphotographs. If you were drawing sketches,you wouldnt have gotten in trouble.

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6564

Cows & 2 Cowboys on Horses8 x 31

Watercolor1992

Collection of Zornes Family

Stallions8 x 10Watercolor

1991Collection of Maldonado Family Trust

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6766

Vaqueras8.5 x 11

Ink2006

Collection of Margarita Arellano

The Hitching Post10 x 10Ink2002Collection of Maldonado Family Trust

Millard Sheets1907-1989

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6968

While attending Scripps College inClaremont, Milford Zornes becamea student of Millard Sheets. Milfordassisted Millard in creating the muralsfor the 1939 Golden Gate InternationalExposition in San Francisco. Recentlyfound among Zornes personal letters isan extensive correspondence betweenSheets and Zornes about the nature

and logistics of such a large art project.They discussed what materials to use,the paints, the different challenges theyencountered, the possible solutions. Theytalked about the necessary qualities of thecanvas and how it should be stretched, howseveral 22 X 24 canvases, each over 500 sq.feet in size, could b e painted in SouthernCalifornia and then transported to SanFrancisco. And also, once the canvases arrived,what challenges they would face trying to hangthem. The letters demonstrated a great deal ofyouthful enthusiasm and determination. Theywere together again working side-by-side in

India during World War II, and after the warthey went their separate ways. Milford Zorneshad the greatest respect for Millard Sheets.Milford said many times that Millard was theacknowledged leader of the California StyleWatercolor Movement and that Millards workhad a profound inuence on his own. Milfordsaid that when he took a class from MillardSheets at Scripps College, he remembersMillard saying, It is not an arty thing, it is areal-life thing to paint the world around you.

facing pageThree Gay Birds13 x 18SerigraphCirca 1950sCollection of Gene Sasse

Old Wooden Bridge16 x 29WatercolorCirca 1941Collection of CCAA

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7170

Untitled8 x 10

Watercolor

2000Collection of

Richard Martinez

Mt. San Antonio22 x 30Watercolor2003

Collection ofRichard Martinez

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7372

San Jaciento22 x 30Watercolor1995Collection of Maldonado Family Trust

Sierra Farm, Owens Valley22 x 30

Watercolor

2004Private Collection

John EdwardSvenson

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Milford Zornes? Hewas real. There wereno frills about him. Notheatrics. No pretensions.

Just Milford. He wasjust himself, and he waspassionate about painting.In order to portray nature,he became a part of that

nature. He felt himselfone with the commonman, part of the workingclass. He identied withthe hand on the plow, mud on the shoes fol kof everyday America. He was a blue-collarartist. Late in life, when he was diagnosedwith macular degeneration, he brooded forabout a day and then he decided to presson, to continue. He needed to work. Heexplained to his students that he was stillvery able to see shapes and colors andthe dynamic lines of his subject. He used

binoculars if he needed to see detail in thesubject he was painting. As Milfords eyesslowly failed him, I noticed how the signatureon his paintings became progressively larger.Eventually, his signature became enormous.I pointed this out to him and he reacted as ifI had foiled some great plot. That was myplan, he said, the larger I sign my name, theless I have to paint!

7574

Doves In Flight49 x 12

Polychromed berglass pattern for bronze

circa 1975Collection of

John Svenson

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7776

The Sea of Cambria8 x 10Watercolor

1994Collection of John Thornsley Estate

Happiness is not inthe mere possession ofmoney; it lies in the joyof achievement, in thethrill of creative effort.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Durre Waseem I rst took notice of

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7978

Milford Zornes workone evening in Winter,2008. I was attending aLife Drawing Session atthe Riverside Art Museumwith a very close friend ofmine who is also an artist.My attention was drawnto several amazing workson display. They weremuch larger than any pleinair paintings I had everseen. They were bursting-ripe with stunning color, a combination ofsensitive and dynamic strokes executed withverve and condence that seemed to me tobe completely spontaneous. I marveled fora very long time and then I told my friend,I have denitely seen this style before.This man was featured in Artist Magazine,I told her, but the article does not do theman justice. He is much better in person.My artist friend was just as enamored withMilford Zornes as I was. At the Riverside

Museum there was a copy of a biographyabout Milford with color plates of many ofhis paintings. We pored over it together. Iwanted it madly, I needed it, but I didnt haveany money. My artist friend bought the bookand she promised to share it with me. It isa continuing source of inspiration for bothof us, but the book stays with her more thanwith me. So, when I need to visit the source Igo to the museum to view his paintings on thewall. He is much better in person.

An evening at the Rancho Santa Ana

Botanic Garden33 x 33

2009 Oil on Canvas

Collection ofDurre Waseem

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8180

Sun River, Florida22 x 30Watercolor1991Collection of

Jeff and Dottie Smith

Barn, Vermont22 x 30

Watercolor1994

Private Collection

Chris Van Winkle Milford Zornes and Itraveled to Europe together

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8382

Amsterdam Station21 x 27

Watercolor2009

Collection ofChris Van Winkle

traveled to Europe together.He taught me to be open toall stimulations. He didntjust look at the paintings.He wanted to see the artistsstudios, where they workedand played. He examinedtheir brushes, palettes, easels,their set-ups. He imagined.He took his time. Wevisited Rembrandts studio inAmsterdam, Vermeers studioin Delft, Sorollas studio inMadrid. When we were inGranada, Spain, we took ataxi to nd a special viewof the Alhambra. As we sketched, he talkedabout artists hed met and worked with, lifechanging moments, his art, his self-discoveries,his realizations, and his disappointments.When we had nished our sketches, we setup our easels, faced away from the scene, andpainted. Memory of place is much more than

a collection of details, Milford said, it is 360degrees of sounds, smells, colors, movements,and a myriad of other elements. He lookedto capture the essence of the landscape, itscaricature, as he described it, What remainsin the heart and memory long after we have leftthat place.

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Lake11 x 30

Watercolor2004

Collection of Zornes Family

Fishing Boats in Texas22 x 30Watercolor1992Collection of Zornes Family

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1908 Born January 25th in Camargo, Oklahoma.1922 Zornes family moves to Boise, Idaho.1925 Family moves to Southern California.1926 Milford graduates from San Fernando High

S h l

1942 Milford marries Patricia Palmer.1943-45 Drafted into the Army Air Force.

Becomes ofcial Army artist.1944 Maria Patricia Zornes is born on January

25th .

CHRONOLOGY

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Avalon7.25 x 9.75Linoleum Block Print

Circa 2004Collection of Connie Hiner

School.1927 Moves to Santa Maria and attends Santa

Maria Junior College.1929 Goes to sea as a common seaman and travels

through Holland, Germany and France.1930 Returns to Southern California and enrolls in Otis Art Institute.1931 Attends Pomona College. Studies with

Millard Sheets.

1933 Professor Munz commissions Milford toillustrate Botanical Manual of Plants ofSouthern California.

1934 Elected Member of the California Watercolor Society. President and Mrs. Roosevelt select

Old Adobe for placement in the WhiteHouse.

1935 Marries Gloria Codd.1936 Works on WPA projects, including the mural in the Claremont, California Post Ofce.1938-42 Teaches at Otis Art Institute.1939 Franz Milford Zornes is born.1940 The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New

York purchases Arizona Evening.1941 Milford and Gloria divorce. Milford is elected President of the California Water Color Society.

25th .1945 WWII ends. Milford returns to Southern

California and resumes teaching at Otis ArtInstitute.

1946 Starts teaching at Pomona College.1948 Elected Member of the American Watercolor

Society.1950 Resigns from Pomona College.1951-55 Spends 6-8 months each year working at

Thule Air Base. He paints Greenland in hisspare time.

1955 Becomes Art Director for Padua Theater inClaremont.

1956-61 Teaches at Pasadena School of Fine Art.1957-68 Teaches at Riverside Art Center.1963 Purchases the log home and studio of

Maynard Dixon in Mt. Carmel, Utah.1963-76 Teaches classes each year in Mt. Carmel.1964 Elected as Associate of the National

Academy of Design.1967 The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New

York includes a Zornes watercolor in amajor exhibit entitled 200 Years ofWatercolor in American.

1973 After several years of classes at Hacienda

It is my greatpleasure to havehad this specialopportunity tobe involved

It is the continuation of a long seriesof shows that Milford Zornes startedmany years ago and a legacy that ChaffeyCommunity Art Association hopes toestablish in perpetuity to honor the man

IN CLOSING

El Cobano (Colima, Mexico) the Universityof Oklahoma hires Milford to do a regularannual workshop.

1974 The University of Oklahoma and theProtestant Episcopal Church of Oklahomasponsor a trip to Nicaragua In 1977 the

2002 CCAA Museum of Art hosts show in March.2003 Pasadena Museum of Art hosts a major

retrospective - Milford Zornes: A CaliforniaStyle Painter.

2004 Carolyn Wing Greenlees book Nine Decades

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be involvedwith a projectthat showcasesthe work of thegreatly admiredand beloved artistMilford Zornes andto meet with someof the people he

has inspired bothpersonally andartistically.

This is the second annual exhibitcelebrating the art of Milford Zornes,hosted by the CCAA Museum of Art.

establish in perpetuity to honor the man.

Without the help of everyone involved,this project would not be the successthat it is. I especially wish to thank Hal& Maria Baker; Milfords daughter andson-in-law; Bill Anderson for helpingto keep the Zornes family legacy going;Denise Kraemer as the show curator;

Fred Hartson for helping to put this booktogether; Brian Bywater for helping towrite the copy; and all the artists whodevoted their time and energy to thisproject, and especially, for sharing theirreminiscences about Milford. Thank you,I am deeply grateful.

Gene SassePhotographer & Author Chairman of The Zornes Committee

sponsor a trip to Nicaragua. In 1977 thepaintings are used for production of a booktitled A Journey to Nicaragua.

1976 Milford and Pat begin to live almost full timeat Casa de Alvarado in Pomona.

1978 Milford develops an extensive workshopseries both in the U.S. and overseas.

1986 Sponsored by the University of Oklahomaand the Protestant Episcopal Church of theU.S., Milford goes to Uganda and paintslandscapes and people in their everydayenvironment.

1988 Receives the Southern Utah Honor Medallionfor Contributions to Quality of Life.

1990 Pomona College asks Milford to paint a seriesof watercolors of the college campus.

1991 Milford and Gordon McClelland publish abook titled Milford Zornes.

1994 The National Academy of Design votesMilford as a National Academician.

1996 Huell Howser lms Milford for an episode ofCalifornia Gold.

1998 The National Watercolor Society dedicatestheir 78th Annual Exhibit to Milford.

2000 Milford and Pat go to Cuba for a workshop.

with a Master Painter is released.2005 The National Water Color Society honors

Milford with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

CCAA Museum of Art hosts show in January.2008 Gordon McClelland releases Milford Zornes

An American Painter in time for Milfordsdemonstration for his 100th birthday at thePasadena Museum of California Art.

Milford passes away, February 24, Claremont,

California. CCAA Museum of Art hosts show.2010 CCAA Museum of Art hosts The Art of Milford Zornes from Private Collections, the rst of its

annual Milford Zornes celebration series.

CONTRIBUTORS

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Joyce Allingham Collector

Margarita Arellano Collector

Bill Anderson Artist, Gallery ownerwww.billandersonartgallery.com562-592-4393

Raul Anguiano (1916-2006) Artist

Brian Dale Bywater Writerwww.integrismg.com909-534-8472

Chaffey Community Art AssociationMuseum of Artwww.ccaamuseum.org909-463-3733

Elizabeth Chandler Artistwww.ewchandlerneart.com805-216-7704

Bob & Connie Constant Collectors

Tom Fong Artistwww.tomfongwatercolors.com626-282-3790

Henry Fukuhara (1913-2010) Artist

Woody Hansen Artistwww.allthingswatercolor.com916-383-3427

Fred Hartson Graphic Designerwww.fredhartson.com760-372-4939

Patricia Jump Collector

Denise Kraemer Artist, Curatorwww.kraemerprints.com951-522-6374

Maldonado Family Trust Collector

Marciano Martinez Artistmarcianomartinez.blogspot.com714-990-2517

Richard Martinez Artistwww.richmartinezartworks.com909-626-1122

Joanna Mersereau Artistwww.joannamersereau.com951-787-0847

John Meanor Collector

Cindy Moore Artist909-938-4885

Gene Sasse Photographerwww.genesasse.com909-941-3993

Albert Setton Artistwww.alsetton.com310-428-0051

Millard Sheets (1907-1989) Artist

Jeff & Dottie Smith - Collectors

John Edward Svenson Sculptorwww.svensonarts.com

909-981-1856 JohnThornsley Estate Collector

Chris Van Winkle Artistweb.mac.com/christianvanwinkle/chrisvw/Home.html805-772-8875

Durre Waseem Artistwww.absolutearts.com/portfolios/d/durrewaseem951-454-0221

Jan Wright Artistwww.jan-wright.com909-625-4128

Patricia Palmer Zornes (1919-2009) Artist & wife of Milford

Zornes Family Hal & Maria Baker

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