Label
Self-Portrait, c. 1945
Francis Colburn (1909-1984)
Burlington, Vermont
Oil on artboard
Gift of J. Brooks Buxton, #2007.8.1
By the middle of the 1940s, Francis Colburn had established himself as the leader of the art scene in Burlington, if not Northern Vermont. As the first artist-in-residence, and later a faculty member and chair of the UVM art department in 1946, he held a lot of sway with young artists. With the majority of his painting production behind him, Colburn focused his time at UVM on education and the inspiration of young artists.
Colburn believed in the importance of representational art, he encouraged his students to paint what they saw or felt and to be comfortable in their own talents. To the consternation of some students, he did not feel that art had to be pretty or beautiful. Instead, it must reflect the artist. He also did not particularly believe in grading art education so was apt to give all of his students A’s until the University told him otherwise. He felt very strongly that an arts education for all students was very important – art instruction did not make every student an artist, but it did allow them to open their minds to “see outside convention and understand original invention.”
Based on style, materials, size, and age of sitters, it’s very probable that this self-portrait and the portrait of his wife Gladys (2024.24.1) were painted around the same time. Gladys and Francis, along with their son David had fully settled in Burlington by the 1940s and made that city their home and muse for the rest of their lives.