Dong Kingman

Acapulco Beach Scene, Watercolor by Dong Kingman

1968

Artist: Reginald Marsh, American (1898 - 1954) Title: The "Cannonball" Year: 1936 Medium: Watercolor on Paper, signed, titled, and dated l.r. Size: 16.5 in. x 22.5 in. (41.91 cm x 57...

Artist: Margaretha E. Albers, American (1881 - 1977) Title: South Street, New York Year: circa 1940 Medium: Oil on Canvas, signed l.r. Size: 20 in. x 16 in. (50.8 cm x 40.64 cm)

Gorgeous watercolor landscape of Alaska's Aleutian Islands by Chikara "Don" Oka (American, 1920-2015). Signed and dated "Don '44" lower right. Notation on verso, Don C. Oka for Don Chikara Oka. Unframed. Presented in mat. Image 14"L x 21"W. During World War II, Oka painted beautiful watercolors of the Alaskan wilderness. In the 1920s, his parents operated a migrant labor hotel in Castroville, a farm town in central California. Chikara Oka "Don" was born on January 5, 1920, in Watsonville, California. He was the third of seven sons born to Shutaro Oka and Ariyo Itano. His older brothers were Isao, Masao; his younger brothers, Takeo, Teiji, Terumasa (Ted) and Hidekazu (Danny). From the age of five to seventeen, he lived in Japan, living with an aunt until 1932, then with his father who returned to Japan after Ariyo's death. Wanting to become a successful farmer, Chikara remained in Japan until 1937 to attend Takamatsu Agricultural High School. Upon graduation, he returned at the age of seventeen to the United States, traveling alone from Kobe to Castroville, California, where he began seasonal work harvesting lettuce and cutting grass for $0.35 an hour. Back then, 35 cents was enought to pay for a movie and a hamburger. Despite being older, Don attended 8th grade at the local grammar school to learn English, studying through breaks, lunch and even after school. During winter, he traveled down to Los Angeles with Masao, attending Belmont High School during the week and working at a produce market on weekends. At the suggestion of one of his teachers, who felt he had an artistic sense, Don applied to and was accepted to the Otis Art Institute where he began his art studies in 1941. Three months later, on December 7, 1941, the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor by Imperial forces took place. On February 16, 1942, Don enlisted in the United States Army at the Presidio. After infantry training at Camp Robinson in Arkansas, he was assigned duty at Camp Crowder, Missouri and then Camp Carson, Colorado. While in Colorado, Don interviewed and tested for a position with the Military Intelligence Service, resulting in a move to Camp Savage, Minnesota, to attend MIS language school and training. The MIS soldiers served with every major unit and headqurters in the Army, Navy and Air Force, ciphering codes and cryptographs and serving as interpreters and translators in interrogation of enemy prisoners. Don himself served tours of duty in the Joint Intelligence Center – Pacific Ocean Area (aka JICPOA), the Aleutians Islands, the South Pacific, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima. He always said he made US history by being the puniest gunnery sargeant ever at 5'7" and 117 pounds, soaking wet! Despite his modesty, the work performed by the MIS was credited with reducing the Allied war casualties and shortening the war by two years, an honorable service. Don was a quiet, peaceful man who disliked the war and was devasted by the loss of his brothers, Takeo and Teiji who served on the side of Japan. However, when he was called to duty, he willingly served his country to the best of his ability. After his discharge in 1945, he had to have five ribs removed and spent the next seven years rehabilitating from service-related tuberculosis in Arizona. During those years, he drew upon his artistic talent to occupy his time, drawing cartoons depicting his daily life. In 1952, he won the Cartoon Contest for Hospitalized Veterans, sponsored by the National Cartoonist Society. Not well enough to travel, he was unable to attend the awards ceremony in New York, so he was sent a special award consisting of a collection of famous cartoon characters, including "Nancy", "Popeye", "Snuffy" and "Steve Canyon" drawn and autographed by the famous cartoonists of the time. Grampa treasured the framed award, especially the drawing of Steve Canyon by artist Milton Caniff...

Canyon Country by Lu Haskew Pastel 16x20" image size Landscape view of the Grand Canyon ABOUT THE ARTIST: Lu Haskew 1921-2009 "Life is good to me. Being able to go to my studio five days weekly and paint for several hours, living in a supportive community, having family and friends who encourage me--all have contributed to helping me become an artist. Being fortunate to study with some of the artists I admire has kept me painting from the garden, people and my favorite things. With the support of galleries, teaching and doing demos, how could I do anything else? My goal is to try to be the best I can be by always being a student, looking for new ideas and stretching my horizons." Upon retirement from a 33-year teaching career, Lu rented a studio in Loveland and began concentrating on her oil and watercolor painting. Learning from artists she had followed and admired throughout the years her painting became a full time career. Since 1992, she has studied with renowned painters Richard Schmid, Clyde Aspevig, Joyce Pike, and others at the Scottsdale Art...