Museum of Northern Arizona
Shadows on the Mesa,
Paintings of the New West

In his 1960 Painters of the Desert, former Los Angeles Times editor and writer Ed Ainsworth wrote about Orpha Klinker's (1891-1964) having painted Death Valley Scotty's Portrait. He writes ... "Just a year or two before Death Valley Scotty died (1872-1954), he invited Orpha and Mrs. Robert William Walsh, whose father had been a longtime friend of Scotty, to take over his entire castle for a month if they wished. They did.

"I felt like a princess rattling around in that huge palace," Orpha recalls. "Scotty would come up from his own little shack in the back and pose for me by the front gate. He spun one yarn after another about the 'immigrants,' as he called all tourists and about the early days of Death Valley, about getting shot at. But he never told me the secret of his gold."

The fine portrait of Scotty done by Orpha is the last ever painted of him; just as the color photographs taken by painter John Hilton were the last photos. Orpha completed her Death Valley experiences by painting Shoshone Johnny at an encampment of the '49ers, the organization dedicated to preserving Death Valley lore. Shoshone Johnny, like Scotty, is dead now.

Death Valley Scotty (aka Walter Edward Scott) was born in Kentucky in 1872. From childhood on, he was on the move. His

family was involved in harness racing, giving young Scotty a whirlwind of an education. Then, after a trip to the ranching lands of Nevada and his first taste of Death Valley, he became an entertainer with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. The travel and showmanship of those years tooled Scotty for his next adventures as a gold miner, except rather than rely on a pick, shovel, and hard work, Scotty mined the gold belonging to his all-too-willing investors, men easily swayed by Scotty's charmingly seductive tales of wealth. |

Well into middle age, Scotty charmed his last investors, Albert and Bessie Johnson of Chicago. Albert Johnson was wealthy enough not to allow his losses with the con-man Scotty mar his liking for him. Scotty was always welcome and often present at the Johnsons' Death Valley Mansion, so much so that the place eventually became known as Scotty's Castle, in spite of the fact that Scotty never lived there or owned the place. And just as Scotty became a fixture of the castle, so he took root at the core of Death Valley lore.

Rugged desert painter and
high fashion artist
Orpha Klinker, here decked out in stylish furs and feathers,
from the Museum of the
San Fernando Valley

Orpha Klinker has received many honors. She received honors from the American International Academy, Washington, D.C. She has been honored in France, Belgium, Mexico and India. Her paintings were in the collections of Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, Edgar Bergen (to whom she had given art lessons), Percy Grainger and many others.

Orpha studied in Paris at the Julian and Colarossi Academies, worked professionally as an illustrator in New York, and worked for the "Ladies Home Journal" in Philadelphia. Prior to her trip to France, she studied with California artists Anna Althea Hills and Paul Lauritz.

Because Scotty was a good friend of desert painters such as John W. Hilton, it is no surprise that Orpha Klinker was invited to Scotty's Castle to do a portrait of the man behind the legend.

Today, Orpha Klinker is known for her portraits, her paintings of historical California buildings, and as a desert and pioneer painter. The Sullivan Goss Gallery in Santa Barbara has produced two films regarding Orpha's painting career, and the YouTube versions are posted below. The videos pay tribute to Orpha's paintings of the California adobes.

Sullivan Goss Gallery in Santa Barbara presented this biographical sketch of Orpha, noting her accomplishments and associations
as part of the Los Angeles Art Scene..

On Saturday, March 3, The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco's Presidio will host two special screenings of the Disney Classic, Bambi. Each screening is hosted by Disney Historian, J. B. Kauffman and will feature some Bambi artifacts drawn from the museum's collection.

Bambi (1942) is the sixth classic film from the Walt Disney Studios to be included in the National Film Registry. Previously chosen were Steamboat Willie (1928), The Three Little Pigs (1933), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1937, Fantasia (1940) and Pinoccio (1940).

Bambi was Walt's favorite of his studio's films, and since its debut seventy years ago, it has been well received by generations of fans. The film is filled with memorable characters and scenes. To create these moments, Disney artists designed nature studies, learning how to best capture realistic qualities. With skilled animation effects, these studies blended with Disney's experience as storyteller to create a film which connected and resonated with the audience. Bambi is a story of parental love and devotion for the ages. It has also become known for its eloquent and powerful call for the conservation of nature.

Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery celebrates along with the Walt Disney Family Museum because our gallery's artist Joshua Meador was one of the key effects animators who helped create this memorable film. After his graduation from the Art Institute in Chicago, Joshua Meador arrived at the Disney Studios in 1936. He had the privilege of participating in the creation of four the Disney Films now included in the National Film Registry, Snow White in 1937, Fantasia and Pinocchio in 1940, and now Bambi, 1942.

In 1988, Congress established the National Film Registry to actively preserve and protect the cultural heritage of American Film. By using a variety of physical and digital methods, films are preserved in as close to their original state and appearance as possible. For years, historic cultural treasures have been lost due to film degradation of materials, neglectful storage and care, and external events ranging from bankruptcies to wars.

No historical cultural treasure is immune from the impact of passing time. Even the Egyptian pyramids have been worn by the sands of time. But with the best efforts and resources, the National Film Registry protects the best of our film heritage for future generations.

Each year, the twenty-five new films are chosen. They must be culturally, historically or aesthetically significant to merit inclusion, and have an enduring significance to American culture. In 2011, there were 2,228 films recommended to be nominated, so it is indeed a high honor to be chosen. The registry currently includes 575 films.

The selections are not limited to Hollywood classics or full length features. Historically significant films including newsreels, silent films, experimental films, short subjects, television films, and music videos are considered as well as feature length films. For example, the personal 8mm Zapruder film taken the day of John F. Kennedy's assassination is included.

Like any honor, such as being accepted into the Baseball Hall of Fame or being nominated for this year's Academy Awards,

films included in the National Film Registry are subject to a wide range of opinion and critique. This year has been no exception, and a quick Google search will reveal some of what critics had to say. But in the end, a host of great films are chosen, and protected for posterity. Here is a list of the films chosen this year.

2011 Films ... Allures (1961), Bambi (1942), The Big Heat (1953), A Computer Animated Hand (1972), Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment (1963), The Cry of the Children (1912), A Cure for Pokeritis (1912), El Mariachi (1992), Faces (1968), Fake Fruit Factory (1986), Forrest Gump (1994) Growing Up Female (1971), Hester Street (1975), I, An Actress (1977), The Iron Horse (1924), The Kid (1921), The Lost Weekend (1945), The Negro Soldier (1944), Nicholas Brothers Family Home Movies (1930s-1940s), Norma Rae (1979), Porgy and Bess (1959) The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Stand and Deliver (1988), Twentieth Century (1934), and War of the Worlds (1953)

The Ren Brown Collection
"Established in 1989 and specializes in contemporary art from both sides of the Pacific.
NEW YEAR - OLD PRINTS
Japanese woodblock prints from 1850 to 1950 
Celebrating Traditional Imagery by such artists as Hiroshige, Hasui, Hokusai, Jacoulet & Yoshida
Now through March 2012
http://www.renbrown.com | Back to the Top

Local Color Artist Gallery
"Retrospective"
a look back at works by gallery partners Ron Sumner, Jody Shipp, Judy Henderson, Florence Brass,
Olga Storms, Pamela Wallace and Tom Moyers. through March 18
Gallery Hours, daily 10 AM to 5 PM
1580 Eastshore Dr., Bodega Bay
707-875-2744 | http://www.localcolorgallery.com | Back to the Top

IN DUNCANS MILLS Christopher Queen Galleries
3 miles east of Hwy 1 on Hwy 116 on the Russian River
Spring Ahead:
an outstanding selection of new work by our award winning artists:
Jack Cassinetto, Ray Carpenter, Christine Crozier, Don Ealy, Allen Figone,
Ronald Goldfinger, Jane Hofstetter, Paul Kratter, Sergio Lopez, Kyle Paliotto,
Dave Sellers, Robert Semans, Bart Walker, Wanda Westberg, & F. Michael Wood
reception Mar 11, 1-3, exhibition runs through April
http://www.christopherqueengallery.com |707-865-1318| Back to the Top

IN CALISTOGA the Lee Youngman Gallery
Featuring the work of contemporary painter Paul Youngman,
and the works of famed painter, Ralph Love (1907-1992)
http://www.leeyoungmangalleries.com | Back to the Top
Left ... Lee Youngman, Right ... Paul Yougman

IN TOMALES Tomales Fine Art
Host artist Janette LeGrue
Featuring local and national, award-winning artists:
Anne Blair Brown, Christin Coy, Timothy Horn, Debra Huse, Jeanette Le Grue,
John Poon, Randall Sexton, Brian Mark Taylor, and Antoinette Walker.
Located 30 seconds from the Continental Inn, 8 minutes from Nick's Cove, 20 minutes from Petaluma, 30 minutes from Point Reyes Station and Santa Rosa, 1 hour from San Francisco and the Napa Valley, 2 hours from Sacramento, 6 hours from New York, and 9 hours from Paris.
Open most weekends 12-5pm, and by appointment (707) 878-2525.
http://www.TomalesFineArt.com | Back to the Top

IN FORESTVILLE The Quicksilver Mine Co.
6671 Front St. (Hwy. 116) Downtown Forestville PHONE: 707.887.0799
March 2—April 8, 2012, ONE ANOTHER ONE
Chris Beards, Artist Reception: Saturday, March 3, 4—6pm
http://www.quicksilvermineco.com
Back to the Top

IN VALLEY FORD West County Design
West County Design provides an unexpected center of artistic sophistication in the charming town of Valley Ford in West Sonoma County. The business serves as a showroom for Bohemian Stoneworks, Current Carpets and Craig Collins Furniture. The gallery also showcases local artisans and quality furnishings for home and business.
(Across from the Valley Ford Hotel and its famed Rocker Oysterfeller's Restaurant)
http://www.westcountydesign.com | Back to the Top
Right ... Silouette of Cypress, Kai Samuel-Davis

IN PETALUMA Petaluma Arts Council
"... to celebrate local artists and their contributions and involve the whole community
11th Annual Member’s Exhibition
November 18, 2011 – January 8, 2012
Good Company: Great Clay and Glass in California, 1932 - 2012
Jan 20 - Mar 4, reception Jan 21, 2-4 pm
http://www.petalumaartscouncil.org | Back to the Top

San Francisco
Legion of Honor
The Cult of Beauty: The Victorian Avant-Garde, 1860–1900
through Jun 17

Oakland
Oakland Museum of California
ongoing Gallery of California Art
showcasing over 800 works from the OMCA's collecton
All of Us or None: Social Justice Posters
of the San Francisco Bay Area: Through May 4

San Francisco
Chinese Historical Society of America
Finding Jake Lee: The Paintings at Kan’s
Exhibition closing March 24
See our April '11 newsletter article
and your Jake Lee page

Ukiah
Grace Hudson Museum
Out of the Comfort Zone: New Directions in Quilting
through Jul 29
http://www.gracehudsonmuseum.org

Monterey
Monterey Museum of Art
From Dawn to Dusk:
Gottardo Piazzoni’s Final Murals
through Dec 12
http://www.montereyart.org

San Jose
San Jose Museum of Art
approximately 2,000 20th & 21st century artworks including paintings, sculptur, new media, photography, drawings, prints, and artist books.

Palm Springs
Palm Springs Art Museum
Night and Day, The Paintings of Lockwood DeForest
through April 8
Western and Native American Art
from the Permanent Collection
Reopening with new selections October 18, 2011|
Combining traditional and contemporary artworks, this installation presents a complex blend of cultures, landscapes, historical forces and artistic traditions that both inform and challenge our ever evolving notion of the West.

Prescott, AZ
Phippen Museum
Arizona’s Pioneering Women: Early Women Artists
(1905-1945)
through July 12

Portland, OR
Portland Art Museum
Mark Rothko
through May 27
Permanent Collection: American Art