JAMES JEAN JARVAISE

James Jarvaise: February 16, 1924 - June 19, 2015

CHRONOLOGY

  • 1924: Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on February 16 to James Alexis (1888-1965) and Suzanne (Conlin) Jarvaise (1890-1978). (His father, born in Turkey of French parents, was a man of many interests. A scholar of Greek studies, who spoke five languages, he was a collector of antiques. As a result of his various interests, the family, which included his sisters, Julia and Catherine, spent time in such places as New York City and Chicago, but Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania remained its main residence until 1940.)
  • 1933-1934: Attends Carnegie Institute of Technology, Department of Painting and Design (now Carnegie Mellon College of Fine Arts), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; studies under Sam Rosenberg
  • ca. 1937 Graduates from Henry Clay Frick Elementary School and begins high school at Taylor Allderdice
  • ca. 1940 Family moves to Los Angeles where he enters John Marshall High School
  • 1942 Graduates from John Marshall High School
  • 1943: Enlists in the United States Army on April 23 in Los Angeles; receives training at Camp Roberts, California; he is selected for the Army Air Corps and receives training at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln
  • 1944-1945: Is shipped overseas to Heidelberg, Germany with the United States Army Air Corps, where he remains until the war ends.
  • 1945-1946 Remains in Europe and travels through France and Germany. Studies briefly with Fernand Leger in his studios in Paris and Biarritz, France; meets Matsumi “Mike” Kanemitsu while studying in Paris.
  • 1946 Returns to the Los Angeles.
  • 1946-52: Enters the University of Southern California in the fall, studying at College of Letters, Arts and Science’s Fine Arts Department under Francis de Erdely and Edgar Ewing
  • Meets future wife Olive Lorraine Weber (1924-2011), who prefers Lorraine, while both are attending USC . She is a Literature major.
  • 1950: Marries Lorraine Weber in Inglewood, California and resides in Manhattan Beach. They have five children, Anna Alexis, Jeanne Marie, Julie Lorraine, James Laurens, and Jean Rene.
  • 1952 Graduates with Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, University of Southern California, College of Letters, Arts and Science, Fine Arts Department
  • His Crystal Lamp receives purchase award ($1500) at Annual Exhibition “Art Schools U.S.A.” Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, Massachusetts in November
  • 1953: Is invited to attend Rico Le Brun’s Art Workshop at Yale University; sits in on classes of Josef Albers
  • 1953-1954: Lorraine receives a teaching assignment from the U.S. Air Force in France; he travels with her and studies throughout Europe
  • 1954: He and Lorraine return to U.S. in August
  • Completes a Master of Fine Arts, University of Southern California, College of Letters, Arts and Science, Fine Arts Department.
  • 1956: The family live in Tujunga, California
  • 1956-1957: Serves as lecturer for classes in the fundamentals of drawing and painting at the University of Southern California, College of Letters, Arts and Science, Fine Arts Department in the Fall semester.
  • 1957-1958: Teaches Drawing from Life I, II, III at USC in the Fall Semester
  • 1958: Teaches Drawing from Life I, II, III at USC in the Spring Semester
  • 1958-1959: Teaches Design I; Drawing from Life I, II, III and Painting Workshop at USC in the Fall Semester
  • 1959-1960: Teaches Design I and Drawing from Life I at USC in the Fall Semester
  • 1960: Family lives in Altadena
  • Teaches Drawing from Life I, II, III at USC in the Spring Semester
  • Albright-Knox Gallery, Buffalo, N.Y., purchases “Hudson River Series” painting for its permanent collection.
  • 1960-1961: Teaches Drawing from Life I, II, III at USC in the Fall Semester
  • 1961: Teaches summer session courses at U.S.C.
  • 1961-1962: Teaches Drawing from Life I, II, III and Drawing and Painting Workshop at USC in the Fall Semester
  • 1962: Family continues to live in Altadena

    Teaches Drawing from Life I and Drawing and Painting Workshop at USC in the Spring Semester
  • Is a guest instructor during the summer at Pennsylvania State University, University Park.
  • Teaches Fundamentals of Drawing and Painting II; Painting I, II, III and Landscape Painting at USC in the Summer Session
  • 1963: Takes a sabbatical leave and travels to Spain; teaches at the Chrystal Palace, University of Madrid (two terms) in connection with the International Art Exposition.
  • 1964: Is a guest instructor during the summer at Pennsylvania State University.
  • 1965: Teaches at Occidental College
  • Teaches at Chouinard Art School/California Institute of Art as a visiting instructor for 16 weeks, beginning November 29. He teaches painting fundamentals.
  • 1966: Teaches Painting Fundamentals I, II, III, IV; Painting I, II from July-August at Chouinard Art School/CalArts
  • Teaches at Occidental College
  • Teaches at the University of Southern California
  • 1967: Family continues to live in Altadena
  • Teaches at USC in the summer session.
  • Teaches Color and Design I and II; Painting Fundamentals II and Composition IV from September-December at Chouinard Art School/CalArts
  • Untitled painting is used to illustrate Anthony Boucher’s article, “Criminal At Large,” New York Times, January 15, 1967.
  • 1967-68: Teaches part-time at Occidental College
  • 1968: Family lives in Altadena
    Teaches Color and Design I, III, VI; Composition II, IV, V; Beginning and Intermediate Painting III and IV; and Painting V, VI from January-August at Chouinard Art School/ CalArts.
  • 1969: Teaches Painting Fundamentals V; Painting II; and Painting Lab VI from May-August at Chouinard Art School/CalArts
  • 1969-70: Family moves to Santa Barbara, California
    Is Artist in Residence at the University of California, Santa Barbara
  • Serves as Chairman of Seminar Committee and is a member of Screening Committee at the University of California, Santa Barbara
  • 1970-74: Teaches at Santa Barbara Art Institute
  • 1972: Family lives in Santa Barbara
    Teaches at Brooks Institute School of Fine Arts, Santa Barbara
  • 1973: Serves as Painting Department chairman and as director of Seminar Projects, Santa Barbara Art Institute
  • 1974-1975 Is Artist in Residence at Moorpark College
  • 1975-2004 Teaches and serves as Department Chair of the Fine and Performing Arts, and Communication Departments at Oxnard College
  • 1983: Family resides in Santa Barbara
  • 1993: Family lives in Santa Barbara
  • 2004 Retires from Oxnard College
  • 2011 Lorraine passes away on December 9th
  • 2012 Currently lives in Santa Barbara, CA
  • June 19, 2015 Passed away in Santa Barbara, CA