Extensive HARRY ANDERSON Art Website!

[JimTN]

I'm an SDA in Tennessee who had the good fortune to be able to visit the late SDA artist HARRY ANDERSON at his home back in 1986 (4 years before he passed away) -- I took pics, and over the years I've been collecting *lots* of Harry's artwork, both religious and commercial, and I've posted a new website for everyone to see: www.HarryAndersonArt.com

[phkrause]

Thanks, these are just awesome, again thanks for sharing.

[Kevin H]

Thank you I really enjoy his art work

[doug yowell]

I'm an SDA in Tennessee who had the good fortune to be able to visit the late SDA artist HARRY ANDERSON at his home back in 1986 (4 years before he passed away) -- I took pics, and over the years I've been collecting *lots* of Harry's artwork, both religious and commercial, and I've posted a new website for everyone to see: www.HarryAndersonArt.com

Do you know who contacted him to paint for SDA's? I've got his biography. I heard he was a real humble man? The model for the father in the picture of the prodigal son was my grandpa.I think the mom at the door was my step grandma.Does the Review have the negatives of the modeling sessions? If I'm not mistaken, most, if not all, of Harry Anderson's SDA painting models were shot at the Review studio in Tacoma Park using local family members of employees to pose. I could be wrong.

[JimTN]

Hi Doug! That's neat that your grandparents modeled for Harry! I haven't located many photos of the modeling sessions, but I'm hoping that Lars Justinen & Nathan Greene will be able to locate more for me -- pages 34-55 in Harry's bio book tells the story of how he came to do art for the SDA church, it seems that Terrence "T.K." Martin was the head of the R&H art department in the mid-1940's, and Harry was working in Chicago when he painted "What Happened to Your Hand?" and he used a fellow artist named Gene Modesett as his model for Jesus... and then there was that very interesting fact that it took Harry 7 tries to get Jesus' face "just right"... hmmm, 7 tries...

Doug, if you find any pictures or hear more stories of your grandparents modeling for Harry, let me know -- I'm always interested in adding to the story of Harry Anderson! BTW, about 10 years ago I heard that Merwin Abbott's father posed for several of Harry's paintings, and Merwin posted them online -- unfortunately my recent attempts to re-contact Merwin have come up unsuccessful and his webpage is no longer posted.

[doug yowell]

Hi Doug! That's neat that your grandparents modeled for Harry! I haven't located many photos of the modeling sessions, but I'm hoping that Lars Justinen & Nathan Greene will be able to locate more for me -- pages 34-55 in Harry's bio book tells the story of how he came to do art for the SDA church, it seems that Terrence "T.K." Martin was the head of the R&H art department in the mid-1940's, and Harry was working in Chicago when he painted "What Happened to Your Hand?" and he used a fellow artist named Gene Modesett as his model for Jesus... and then there was that very interesting fact that it took Harry 7 tries to get Jesus' face "just right"... hmmm, 7 tries...

Doug, if you find any pictures or hear more stories of your grandparents modeling for Harry, let me know -- I'm always interested in adding to the story of Harry Anderson! BTW, about 10 years ago I heard that Merwin Abbott's father posed for several of Harry's paintings, and Merwin posted them online -- unfortunately my recent attempts to re-contact Merwin have come up unsuccessful and his webpage is no longer posted.

My grampa was T.K.M. He and Harry Anderson had a life long personal friendship.I was led to understand that Mr. Anderson was given most of his R&H painting "assignments" from T.K.'s brainstorms. I believe that my grampa told me that when he became art director of the R&H (around 1921 I think) Adventists only used other artists already published work to illustrate their literature. He told me that when he saw HA's work he was compelled to try to recruit his skills for our publications. T.K. was a very astute artist in his own right but wanted only the best for Adventism. He was convinced that Harry Anderson's addition to our publishing work was by Divine intervention. Wasn't "What Happened to Your Hand" a R&H exclusive? I know T.K. posed for some other of H.A.'s works published in the Bible Story Books and the Bed Time Story Books (I think) I'll see if I can spot him in other paintings.My mom knew lots of those details about the art dept. but, unfortunately, lost her speech to a stroke in 2000 and died with that info a couple of years ago. My aunt lives in Avon Park,Florida. She might remember some details about T.K.'s and H.A.'s professional and personal history. I'll call her and ask her what she knows.

[nuff sed]

As much as I like Harry Anderson's painting I was a bit dismayed finding large paintings by him promoting Mormonism in Salt Lake City. I guess "a buck is a buck"........Nuff Sed

[doug yowell]

I can't find my biography of HA with all his pictures in it so I went to the Bible Story Books and looked thru them for my grampa's image. I found one that I know for sure he posed for.The Prodigal Son.I know there are others just can't find them yet.Some others here I'm not sure of.

[doug yowell]

As much as I like Harry Anderson's painting I was a bit dismayed finding large paintings by him promoting Mormonism in Salt Lake City. I guess "a buck is a buck"........Nuff Sed

It was noted before that he only painted Bible scenes for them. No extra-biblical stuff. The Bible doesn't really promote Mormonism but they (mis)use it anyway.

[JimTN]

Harry Anderson used his art as his witness, not just with the 300 or so paintings he did for the Adventist Church, but with the biblical paintings he did for the Mormons. In a superficial way we Adventists could look at Harry having done his biblical paintings for the Mormons as Harry "endorsing a false church," or we could see it in a more positive light -- every Mormon who ever looked at one of Harry Anderson's LDS paintings would (if they did any research at all) learn that Harry was a firm and unwavering life-long Seventh-day Adventist! What a powerful witness! And I'm sure that is how the LORD is going to treat Harry's work for the Mormons when it comes time in the Judgment for them to be shown how the LORD attempted to reach them with His Truth -- via Harry's wonderful artwork -- the Mormons teach their people to live a very up-right and restrained life in Christ, as we teach as SDAs, and so having Harry's art witness to them is a very polite and loving witness to all the LDS believers who need to one day leave that church and join us to be saved. Harry reached out to them in love for his Savior, which is a *GOOD* thing!

[phkrause]

Harry Anderson used his art as his witness, not just with the 300 or so paintings he did for the Adventist Church, but with the biblical paintings he did for the Mormons. In a superficial way we Adventists could look at Harry having done his biblical paintings for the Mormons as Harry "endorsing a false church," or we could see it in a more positive light -- every Mormon who ever looked at one of Harry Anderson's LDS paintings would (if they did any research at all) learn that Harry was a firm and unwavering life-long Seventh-day Adventist! What a powerful witness! And I'm sure that is how the LORD is going to treat Harry's work for the Mormons when it comes time in the Judgment for them to be shown how the LORD attempted to reach them with His Truth -- via Harry's wonderful artwork -- the Mormons teach their people to live a very up-right and restrained life in Christ, as we teach as SDAs, and so having Harry's art witness to them is a very polite and loving witness to all the LDS believers who need to one day leave that church and join us to be saved. Harry reached out to them in love for his Savior, which is a *GOOD* thing!

JimTN, first I'd like to say welcome to C/A, its good to have you here. Now let me comment on your post. I definitely agree with you. I believe witnessing is very much as you have mentioned. To me its not telling others, hey you are wrong, etc., etc., etc. Witnessing is in how we live our life's, how others see Christ in us. Sure there are those that need Bible studies, evangelistic meetings, etc. But in the end its do we walk the talk or do we just talk.

[Johann]

I'm an SDA in Tennessee who had the good fortune to be able to visit the late SDA artist HARRY ANDERSON at his home back in 1986 (4 years before he passed away) -- I took pics, and over the years I've been collecting *lots* of Harry's artwork, both religious and commercial, and I've posted a new website for everyone to see: www.HarryAndersonArt.com

Marvelous

[JimTN]

It's nice to see that the cover of the new REVIEW magazine (May 9, 2013) has Harry Anderson's art once again on the cover! A month or so ago I found out something that I never knew about Harry Anderson -- back in the 1930's he did illustrations for a magazine entitled "Pictorial Review" -- so in a way you could say that even before Harry became an Adventist in '44 he was doing work for "the Review"! <grin>

In the past month I have located several more rare & unseen Harry Anderson illustrations and I have posted them on my website at www.HarryAndersonArt.com -- check 'em out & let others know about the webpage!

[phkrause]

Some awesome, awesome paintings and website, and obviously great photography of those paintings Jim. Now I know you don't or didn't want any proof reading but under the calendar section there are some words that don't seem to be right! Having been in printing for 40+ years they just stuck right out to me. Sorry.

[JimTN]

By all means, contact me by direct e-mail and let me know where I have any misspellings on my webpage -- the website admin program doesn't have a spell-checker, so sometimes misspelled words happen! <grin> But when I hear about them I always want to correct them....

[CoAspen]

[Guest]

Harry Anderson made me want to be an artist, when I was very young. But I never could pull it off. So I ended up with music instead.

[Guest]

I'm an SDA in Tennessee who had the good fortune to be able to visit the late SDA artist HARRY ANDERSON at his home back in 1986 (4 years before he passed away) -- I took pics, and over the years I've been collecting *lots* of Harry's artwork, both religious and commercial, and I've posted a new website for everyone to see: www.HarryAndersonArt.com

Thank you for this.

[Merwin]

Well Hello everyone! Merwin Abbott here! :-)

Recently did a Google for my name and discovered this discussion. So .. let me add a few words/comments. I'm my parent's first born. They met at the R&H. My father posed for Harry Anderson in several different pictures. You can see them in this Youtube video.

"The Tapestry" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2voixZQvMQ

The video is a tribute to my parents so you will be watching first pictures of ancestors and then my father growing up. I have also included all the pictures my father posed for when Harry Anderson used him. I hope you enjoy it.

My father explained to me that Harry Anderson was allergic to oil base paint .. so his work was in some form of watercolor. (as I understand it.) Harry Anderson would not make the face of Jesus look like the person who was posing for him. However in other pictures .. the likeness of the person who posed was also included. Harry's development of Jesus was more about the visual message .. not the authentic record. Tall, slender, wearing white .. these all were intended to convey an idea.

Once when I was talking with my father I mentioned that he had posed as Jesus .. and he replied .. "I also posed as Satan!"

Indeed he did .. and you will see that picture in the video I linked to. My father posed as the good angel and also as Satan and both images resemble my father. It's the picture with the "Chess Game" and the Christian is about to move a piece.

We must remember that Jesus was Jewish .. not an SDA or LDS .. and as you view Harry's pictures of Jesus .. you might notice that he doesn't wear the traditional clothing of the Jewish people. It may seem like it .. but a little research will reveal things that are not included. This can be for several reasons .. one being that this information was not in Harry's landscape .. or that it would be considered offensive to portray Jesus as Jewish .. and there may be other reasons.

Harry's Jesus was always portrayed as a white Caucasian .. yet there is excessive evidence he was not. This portrayal can be offensive to those who are racially sensitive about that.

About Harry's working for the Mormons. I've been to Salt Lake City and viewed/photographed the paintings that Harry did there. They are all awesome in my opinion!

Isn't it interesting to notice the reaction of people who say in their heart, "He's our artist!" .. in a possessive sort of way. I have SDA friends who are surprised to learn that Harry Anderson did artwork for the LDS Church .. and they feel somewhat betrayed. But it's the same sort of reaction from the Mormans who proudly show off his work in their visitor's center .. and think he was a Morman artist!

Truth is .. an artist is a starving artist .. if they don't work for money to pay bills. The painting must be attractive to those paying for it.

Words are interesting! The root word for "Magic" is "Magi" .. and we understand that use to mean "Wise" -men. Indeed, the artist is a Magician! One who creates "reality" out of nothing (among other things). The artist was the one who created pictures when there were no cameras. Today we have some really great cameras .. and they do "magic" things.

Do a Wikipedia search for "magi" and you will learn that it is applied to many concepts .. like metallurgy .. or medicines .. etc. There's good magic and bad magic .. an atomic bomb is bad magic!

Harry Anderson's work was monumental .. I learned early to recognize his style and it was nice to watch it develop over the years. I never met Harry Anderson .. but I certainly wanted to. Let's continue to piece together this important part of history. Document and record comments about Harry Anderson and those associated with his life. Another artist who worked with and posed for Harry was Vernon Nye. See these links:

http://www.californiawatercolor.com/pages/vernon-nye-biography/

http://www.puc.edu/news/archives/2006/the-vernon-nye-lecture-hall-dedicated-to-an-art-giant

My father was an artist also but made his living mostly as a sign painter. He was good! He passed at 90 .. and my mother at 86.

I'm an artist also .. and you can connect with me on Facebook at this link.

https://www.facebook.com/MerwinAbbott

~all the best.

[Kevin H]

Thank you Merwin!

[Guest arnie]

Harry Andersen was an artist's artist. I lived in Utah among the Mormons and visited the visitors center where Harry's work was displayed many times. His largest work was a 60' mural in the visitors center depicting the story of Jesus life from beginning to end. When Harry painted, I would gather that he was depicting Jesus Christ saviour to the world and not as an Adventist or Mormon. As a painter, myself, I can somewhat understand His concepts, and am awed by the mechanics of his paintings; the color application, the display and usage of light, the compositional aspects and the human application of his subjects. He was an incredible artisan and used his talent to convey the wonderful story of Jesus Christ. Why should he not share it with the world and on every occation?

[JimTN]

Hi, Merwin! Glad to see you found this forum and posted on it about your dad posing for Harry!

My search for Harry Anderson illustrations continues, and in the past few months I have located maybe a dozen or so more of Harry's rarely seen commercial illustrations -- Christmas 2013 just came and went, and a couple weeks before it arrived I located a really cute 1944 Piston Rings ad with Santa and his reindeers by Harry -- it's posted on the "AD" page...

I also found another in Harry's series of a Boy & his Collie Dog calendar illustrations that no one has seen for 50-60 years, it's a real cute illustration of a boy sushhhing his dog to be quiet to hide behind a doghouse while his dad calls for him in the distance to come mow the lawn... cute....

I hope everybody enjoys seeing Harry Anderson's old art -- my 3-hour visit to see Harry back in 1986 was just too short, I just wish I could spend more time sitting and talking with him about all the 200-300 wonderful paintings of his that I have found since that visit...

Being able to talk with Harry in heaven may be somewhat bittersweet, if everything here on Earth is "burned up" it will be a bit hard to talk about those paintings when you can no longer see them!...

For that reason it's rather important to take some time viewing those gorgeous works of art now while we still can...

www.HarryAndersonArt.com

[phkrause]

I think we'll be surprised at what will be in the world made new! I know we always say "heaven," but I believe we actually mean "earth made new?"

[Jeannieb43]

I love this collection of Harry Anderson's paintings!

It seems like he should have died a very rich man -- if he was paid what he was worth, for all those paintings. He was a blessing, that's for certain.

Re: T.K. Martin. I remember seeing him several times in Takoma Park when I was a child; I think one of his daughters was in my elementary school class. This would have been in the 1940s. But I can't say I knew him personally.

[james423]

Thanks for the web address.