JAMES,
BERNARD ALBERT
BERNARD ALBERT JAMES WAS BORN OCTOBER 2, 1929, IN THE CITY OF
DAYTON, TENNESSEE, ONE BLOCK FROM THE FAMOUS COURTHOUSE IN WHICH THE
“MONKEY TRIAL”, THE SCOPES “EVOLUTION”
TRIAL OCCURRED. HE WAS A
FRAGILE CHILD, SUFFERING FROM ASTHMA, WITH THE CONSEQUENCE THAT HE SPENT
MUCH OF HIS RECREATIONAL TIME AT “THE MOVIES”.
THIS SEEMS TO HAVE HAD A SUBLIMINAL EFFECT TO PRODUCE AN AWARENESS
THAT WAS DIRECTED TO VISUAL VALUES AND BEAUTIES.
HAVING
ARRIVED AT COLLEGE AGE, HE CHOSE THE ART SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW
MEXICO FOR STUDY; PARTLY FOR ITS QUALITY, AND DEFINITELY FOR THE HEALTHFUL
CLIMATE OF THE HIGH DESERT SURROUNDING ALBUQUERQUE.
IT IS PROBABLY EVIDENT THAT HE ABSORBED SOME OF THE QUALITIES OF
THE TEACHINGS OF RICHARD DIEBENKORN, WHO WAS ON THE FACULTY THERE.
AFTER
GRADUATION HE MOVED TO LOS ANGELES, AND DEVELOPED A CAREER IN COMMERCIAL
ART, AND FINALLY EARNED THE BULK OF HIS INCOME AS A BUYER FOR AND MANAGER
OF SEVERAL EXCLUSIVE APPAREL DEPARTMENTS IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA.
HE NEVER ACHIEVED NATIONAL FAME, BUT IT IS OUR OPINION THAT HIS
WORKS ARE ORIGINAL, OF HIGH VALUE, AND WORTHY OF BEING TREASURED AND
PRESERVED IN THE “JAMES ART MUSEUM” OF PARKSTON, SOUTH DAKOTA.
HE
DIED ON JANUARY 23, 1994.