Bay of Arcachon Series

Catalogue Foreword

For nearly a dozen years James Jarvaise has painted in southern California. The technical proficiency of his art has roots in early study with Samuel Rosenberg in Pittsburgh and in undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Southern California. especially. with Edgar Ewing. Sculpture. ceramics and music have also been explored and are a real part of his life. Recently Mr. and Mrs. Jarvaise returned from a year in Southwestern France where they lived on the Bay of Arcachon. The present exhibition consists of paintings done during that period. In the quiet fishing village life ebbed and flowed with cycles of the seasons. the hours. the lights. the tides. with the imperceptible changes of the oyster beds. All were important matters and became for the painter suggestions for art. Within the measured rhythm of such an environment there was contemplation of elemental life sequences: Growth. decay and renewal. The result was the more recent burial birth compositions. the monumental SEED Of LIfE series.

In these we see the usual technical assurance of JARVAISE, but his structural organization and color are at once more compelling. while looser and freer. than earlier. Nets or vapors of color emanate from or gather about nuclear forms. Dispersal and dissolution of physical or astral bodies are accompanied by the red warmth of recreation. Transparencies take on mystic and symbolic relationship to measureless firmament or transcendent light. Rexford Newcomb has spoken of Jarvaise. "Free organic forms which are rich in representative material". The Los Angeles art community is fortunate to be able to claim and to acclaim this authoritative young painter.

Edward S. Peck
Associate Professor of F.A.
University of Southern California

EXHIBITION & AWARDS, JAMES JARVAISE

- First purchase award (OIL) Andover Exhibition, Andover, Mass. , 1951.
Permanent Collection: Addison Gallery.
- Second Purchase Award (W.C.) Modern Art Museum: Beverly Hills,
California, 19~8.
- Recommended Purchase Award 1952. Annual Exhibition: Los Angeles
County Museum. - Recommended Purchase Award 1953. Annual Exhibition: Los Angeles
County Museum.
- Honorable Mention. 1952 State Exhibition: California State Fair.
- American Federation of Art: Traveling Exhibition, 1952.
- National Competitive Exhibition: Metropolitan Museum of Art,
1952, New York.
- University of Illinois Biennial Exhibition: American Painting
and Sculpture, 1953.
23rd Biennial Exhibition of American Art 1953: Corcoran Gallery,
Washington, D.C.
57th and 58th Annual Exhibition of Western Art: Denver Art Museum.
Denver, Colorado.
- 72nd Annual Painting and Sculpture Exhibition: San Francisco
Museum of Art, 1953.
- Survey of West Coast Painting 1951: Walnut Creek, California.
- Seattle Art Museum, 1951.
- Oakland Art Gallery, 1950 - 52.
- Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1951.
Los Angeles City Hall, 1952.
First One Man Show (water colors) Landau Gallery, 1952.
BIOGRAPHY
Awarded Scholarship for Study at Carnegie Tech: Pittsburgh, PA.
1938-39.
U.S.A.A.F. War Service 19~3 - ~6.
University of Southern California 19~7 - 53.
Awarded B.F.A. - 1952 M.F.A. 1953.
European Travel and Study 1953 - 5~.
JARVAISE IS REPRESENTED IN NUMEROUS PRIVATE COLLECT IONS
LANDAU GALLERY
702 N. LaCienega. Los Angeles 46. Calif
OLympia 2-1444
PREVIEW - Monday, May 23,8:00 to 11:00 P.M.
EXHIBITION From May 2~ to June II, 1955