23 / Fish Story
Darrell Austin, a native-Northwest painter and WPA artist, created figurative paintings to highlight the hope of a human during an era of loss and despair. His collection of five oil paintings is an intended focal point of Timberline Lodge’s hexagonal Mezzanine, a place where viewers can get an up-close exposure to the Depression-era fine art owned by the US Government Services and provided to public spaces by the WPA. His depictions of the human experience enliven viewers to proceed to each of his paintings along the Mezzanine, as if the viewer is anticipating the next page of a book about this extraordinary period of US history.
- Austin’s “Fish Story” (a.k.a. #3 Fishermen) was created in 1937, as part of the Oregon WPA Art Project. It was displayed at Tongue Point Naval Base, Astoria, Oregon, then at Grant High School of the Portland Public Schools (PPS).
- The Austin family confirmed that “Fish Story’s” original intent was to display with the complete series here at historic Timberline Lodge. In part because the community understood its origins and wanted the collection together and in part because PPS did not have a plan for it, a PPS loan document allowed the painting to display at Timberline for the past three decades.
- In an effort to catalog and understand what artworks PPS has in its vast inventory, PPS recently found a discrepancy. The loan agreement expired in 2023.
- In the spirit of cooperation and shared missions, the US Forest Service (USFS), Friends of Timberline (FOT) and R.L.K. and Company agreed to return “Fish Story” to PPS where it will hang at Grant High School this school year 2023-24.
- Jointly, the USFS, FOT and R.L.K all vehemently agree that the Austin five painting collection be displayed for the general public, in context at Timberline Lodge.
- PPS wants your input to help in their decision. It is currently going through a public process to help determine the long-term disposition of this and other artworks.
- Details will be available soon so you can offer feedback via QR Scan Code.
LOCATION: MEZZANINE (SOUTH)
PAINTINGS