Centenary Alumnus Featured at Meadows Museum
Photo by Jennifer Saldana
Centenary’s Meadows Museum of Art is known for showcasing various art exhibitions throughout the semester. One of the shows currently being displayed is titled Ode to East Texas: The Long Way Home, a collection of artworks put together by Lee Jamison, a Centenary alum from the class of 1979.
Jamison’s involvement with Centenary began long before he was a student, though. Both of his parents were students at the college when they met—his father was a pitcher for the Gents baseball team, and his mother was a pre-med student who became his tutor. Soon enough, they had Jamison, and he became the youngest Centenary resident. His first home was somewhere amongst the Gold Dome and the athletic fields (specifically the outfield of the current softball field). His extended family were also graduates and lived near the campus. He has many fond memories of visiting them, along with his parent’s friends in the dorms. Jamison would become a Centenary student himself in the late 1970s. As a student, Jamison studied art under Willard Cooper. After graduation, he worked as an art instructor at the Barnwell Garden and Art Center in Shreveport. He then became a full-time artist when he moved to Walker County, Texas, in 1983, where he focused on regional paintings and murals. Currently, Jamison has been recognized for his effort to “rehabilitate the region as a legitimate subject of uniquely Texan art” with his book Ode to East Texas. The autobiographical piece talks about the critical lessons he learned and the influences he felt at Centenary and the Barnwell as an artist and a man.
His exhibition at the Meadows showcases works from this book as well as other pieces he created as a Centenary student and during his time at the Barnwell Art Center. Selections from the museum’s permanent collection by Jamison’s artistic influences, such as Don Brown, Willard Cooper, and Clyde Connell, are also featured. These pieces are vibrant and eye-catching. Many reflect well-known Shreveport sceneries—some students and faculty may recognize Crumley Gardens, Jackson Hall, and the Meadows Museum itself—as well as various environments from Texas. Each in their own ornate gold frame, these paintings are delicately detailed. It is very easy to spend several minutes examining each piece.
In my four years working at the museum and viewing the art, this exhibition is one of my favorites that the Meadows has displayed. Once you enter the space, you are faced with so many art pieces; there are only a few spots where bare walls can be seen. Each painting depicts a different scene, yet there is an overall cohesiveness among them. There are so many small details within each picture; each time I have been able to look at them, I find something new. My favorites are the self and regular portraits done of Jamison. Among the collection, there is a photo of Jamison at the time of these paintings. It was fascinating to see what his art style was whenever he was a student and compare it to his works created later. Another one of my personal favorites is the painting of a convenience store or restaurant during the Christmas season. The background and store are dark and muted, especially given the nighttime setting of the painting. But this only helps highlight the multicolored, stringed lights and bright snow. It creates an environment that is new to me (especially with the heavy, fluffy snow), but it also feels homey, comforting, and well-known. I could honestly lose track of time examining the piece, and my words simply will never do it justice.
For those interested in seeing this stunning collection (which I could not recommend enough), Ode to East Texas: The Long Way Home will be displayed until December 3, 2022. Lee Jamison will also be holding an artist talk on the exhibition at the Meadows Museum on November 2, 2033, at 6:00 p.m. The event is free and open to anyone interested.
