Paul and the President
Portrait of a Friendship
one man, president
one man, artist
space, dissension, pretension fall away
reveal true selves
bound by time, place, grace
brothers for life
In 1976, Paul Collins became the first person of color to paint a President of the United States. Collins did more than put oil to gesso. He told the story of a man, of a life, of a wife and children and a nation in transition. This story, a mural on permanent display at Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has stood the test of time, as has the friendship between the artist and the President.
Gerald R. Ford Jr. became the 38th President of the United States of America on Aug. 9, 1974, during a time of national crisis. In a brief speech that summer day, the new leader from Grand Rapids said to the American people, “ … let brotherly love purge our hearts of suspicion and hate.” These were words by which Paul Collins had always lived. He sought both the broken and the bold, whom he would paint and break bread with. His passion took him from the streets of Grand Rapids to the far corners of the globe to the inner sanctums of the elite. The two men – leaders and lovers of life – transcended time, space, race. It was a natural, then, that Paul would paint the President. Paul Collins and President Gerald R. Ford
art isn’t easy
the Sondheim song goes
the artist is compelled
never felled
by failure
and so he does
and is
his art
Michigan-born Collins never went to college, preferring to learn simply by living. He became a painter simply by doing. By the early 1970s, he had made a name for himself as an artist – and as an activist. He had been to West Africa to study and portray the Senegalese people in their native environment. He had lived on the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Indian reservations of South Dakota to document the lives and the state of Native Americans. While on the reservations, he became a diplomatic liaison during a confrontation between the Oglala Sioux Indians and the United States government. For his help in averting a potentially bloody conflict, the Sioux honored Collins, naming him “Bright Eagle.”
As Ford – known to many as Jerry – was interviewed by a Grand Rapids Press reporter on that August day in 1975, Collins worked like a soft shadow, quietly sketching the President. “Jerry was probably the most dressed-down person in Vail. He was comfortable, relaxed,” Collins observed. “I had an opportunity that day which most Americans did not: To see what a unique person Gerald Ford was – to see that he was open-minded and pragmatic. To hear first hand that he had pardoned our previous President not for political reasons but to move the entire nation forward and beyond the events of the past years. To learn that Ford truly was a uniter.” Collins completed seven pencil sketches that day.
Back home in Michigan, friends of Ford had heard of Collins’ artistic and humanistic triumphs and, when Ford became President in 1974, enthusiastically recommended Paul as the one who should paint the President. Collins envisioned something on a grand scale: a mural that would be displayed in the Grand Rapids airport – then known as Kent County Airport. The mural would blend the facets of Ford’s presidency with the people and the milestones that had led him to the moment. The concept was embraced by the President and the local community, but the process wasn’t always easy: Varying opinions emerged, clouding and over-complicating Collins’ original vision and threatening to halt the project. Collins stood up and stood firm: “I said – as I had said from the beginning – this mural is about a man and his family and his country. It’s not about a politician.”
“Paul, this is beautiful,” the President said upon viewing the sketches. “The Presidency is written on your face,” Paul replied.
Collins returned to his Grand Rapids studio where he continued to sketch, drawing upon personal and official photographs of the President. And then he hit a wall. “It was wrong, all wrong,” he said. Many of his sketches, he felt, exuded “politician” and “power” – exactly what he had been telling others he wanted to avoid. “I got sidetracked into the glamour of the presidency.” He burned many of his sketches and started over.
Ford agreed with Collins, and the viewpoints that had been constricting the creative process fell away.
Ford asked Collins to visit him – first at the White House and then in Vail, Colorado, where the President had a vacation home. It was in Vail that the artist got to know the man behind the presidency.
Collins’ early sketches of Ford.
life is more
than mere image
harness the spirit
of what is and was and will be
set it free
Collins immersed himself in his original concept, and the mural began to take shape. Working on gessoed masonite panels, he captured the moments and the people in the President’s life. A believer in realism, he worked meticulously to portray the true Ford and his family, and this was not lost on the President. Then-U.S. Congressman Guy VanderJagt said in a telegram to Collins: “I had the opportunity aboard Air Force One to show the President the prints of the mural you are doing depicting the sweep of Gerald R. Ford’s life from his boyhood in Grand Rapids to world leadership in the White House. To say he was delighted would be an understatement. ...” Ultimately, the mural would be 8 feet by 18 feet and would include images of Ford with his parents, childhood friends, his wife Betty, their children, and the roles Ford had played in life, including athlete, Navy officer, congressman and President. The mural also featured Ford’s childhood home in Grand Rapids, his first car, scrapbook-like clippings and photos, and symbols of the Presidency.
At work on the mural.
sum
greater than part
wrapped around a world
sprung from art
the hum
of humanity
On the eve of the 1976 Presidential election, Ford and Collins and their families joined together to unveil the mural that had been 18 months in the making.
Representatives from Jefferson Elementary School joined President Ford, his wife Betty, and Collins for the mural’s dedication.
Dignitaries and celebrities and citizens swirled about the airport where the mural hung, about to be revealed. Good people, important people. But to Ford and Collins, some of the most precious people in the room were children from Grand Rapids’ Jefferson Elementary School. The children were the first to raise money to pay for the mural: They had sold popsicles and Kool-Aid in the summer of 1975. Many other individuals and groups generously contributed their time, talent and treasure to raise funds for the mural. Corporate and community leaders formed a mural fundraising committee. The local Bethel Pentecostal Church choir held a benefit concert to raise money and also performed at the unveiling. “It was an amazing event, a community effort, a culmination,” Collins recalled. “All kinds of people were there – black, white, conservative, liberal, old, young. The President was visibly moved. And I was in awe of how this man truly was the people’s person.”
The mural is unveiled.
The Honor Guard … the Star Spangled Banner … words of thanks and praise … and then, the curtain that shrouded the mural was swept aside. A hush and then thunderous applause for Paul and the President and the art that would bond them for life.
Collins, Mrs. Ford and President Ford.
immersion
completion
beginning
end
cycle circles
round the bend ‌
The following weeks were a whirlwind: dinner at The White House and opportunities for Collins to share with others his story of painting the President. Weeks stretched into months and then into years. Collins continued in his journey as painter and chronicler of the human experience. In 1981, the Gerald R. Ford Museum opened on the banks of the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids. Collins was asked to create the official museum dedication poster, and he and Ford helped to dedicate the museum. Many of Collins’ sketches from the mural and poster projects were exhibited at various times at the Ford Museum. Years later, on May 11, 2000, Collins and Ford were together again for the renaming of Kent County International Airport to Gerald R. Ford International Airport. At that time, the mural was rededicated. And Collins and Ford – the artist and the President – picked up where they had left off as if no time had passed. “He is my friend and always will be my friend,” Collins said. “People meet and connect and are there for each other even as time passes and space spreads and plans take you far from home. But in your heart, you always come home. You always come home when you have a true friend.”
About Paul Collins North American-born artist Paul Collins’ prolific career is marked by a continuous dedication to his craft that allows him to flow between international artistic recognition and humanitarian efforts. Collins has explored a variety of cultures on his journeys through Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America, always trying to bring the world a little closer. In 1969, the self-taught artist traveled to West Africa to study and portray the Senegalese people in their native environment. The resulting series, “Black Portrait of an African Journey,” was displayed throughout Africa, Europe and the United States. The series was well-received by critics; as the Detroit Free Press noted, “The immediate result of the African trip was the establishment of Collins’ name as a potent new visual commentator on the human condition.” In 1972, Collins relocated to the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Indian reservations of South Dakota to document the state of the American Indian. While on the reservations, Collins found himself acting as a diplomatic liaison between the Sioux Indians and the United States government. Collins played a major role in the negotiations, bringing both sides to an agreement and helping to avert a potentially bloody conflict. The Sioux honored Collins by naming him “Bright Eagle.” According to Frank Foolscrow, Head Chief of the Oglala Sioux, Collins’ series “Other Voices – A Native American Tableau” reflects “… the power, tradition and beauty of the Indian nation, as well as their struggles for justice, freedom and human dignity.”
The collection originally was scheduled to tour for two years, but its journey was extended to six years because of its immense popularity. Moving on to portray ‘ordinary’ people in real-life experiences, Collins completed the “American at Work” series in 1983. It was first exhibited at the Great Hall of the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. The popularity of this series continues to grow, as does the collection, with continual additions, including “Mother Theresa.” The collection can be seen at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 1987, Collins’ travels took him to the Middle East. The result: “The Voices of Israel.” Marking Israel’s 40th anniversary as a recognized, unified entity, “Voices” sheds light upon the unique mesh of cultures and religions that comprise the traditionally rooted yet newly forming identity of the nation. In 1989, Collins began “Contributions of Blacks in America” with the famous painting “Harriet Tubman’s Underground Railroad.” The summer of 1989 marked Collins’ return to African soil. While in Lake Turkana, Kenya, Collins completed “Burning Spears of Kenya,” capturing the individual qualities of the Turkana, Samburu and Maasai tribes.
In 1975, Collins was asked to create an 18-foot by 8-foot mural of Grand Rapids native President Gerald R. Ford. The mural is on display at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and reveals various facets of Ford’s life as President of the United States and as an athlete, a father and a husband.
Collins then answered the call of the Pacific Rim, moving to Omihachiman, Japan, in 1994. Through his immersion in Japanese culture, he created paintings that acted as a bridge of insight for the Western eye, offering a view into the customs, rituals and harmony of the Japanese people.
For Anheuser-Busch’s 10th anniversary celebration, Collins was a contributor for the company’s “Great Kings of Africa” collection. Collins’ “King Shaka,” completed in 1976, was one of only four portraits commissioned for the series.
In 1998, Collins was invited to represent the United States of America with a 60-piece retrospective entitled “Visions” by the International Peace Center to reinitiate the annual International Arts Festival in Bosnia-Herzegovinia that had been halted during years of war.
One year later, Collins premiered “The Special Olympics Collection” at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The 14-piece series remains at the center where it is on permanent display.
The latest addition to Collins’ repertory, “Who is Key West?”, is an attempt to capture the flavor of Americans on their native soil. The collection is on display at the newly restored Key West Custom House Museum of Art and History and is part of the museum’s permanent collection.
“Great Beautiful Black Women,” a record of the journey of black women from their African origins to the present day, premiered at the Chicago Cultural Center in 1978. The unveiling was witnessed by driving forces in the cultural evolution, including Rosa Parks, Wilma Rudolph and Coretta Scott King.
In April 2001, Collins began work on an 8-foot by 16-foot tribute mural to salute the valor and commemorate the sacrifice of law enforcement officials.
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Collins is currently working on a project in Cuba. The collection will open eyes to the people of Cuba, their culture and nationalism. Collins also has designed many distinguished awards and emblems. He is the creator of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Non-Violent Peace Prize Medal, which has been bestowed upon such leaders as Rosa Parks, Cesar Chavez and President Jimmy Carter. Collins was commissioned by the Association of Promoting Tourism to create a mural, “The Faces of Israel,” to celebrate Israel’s 40th anniversary. He also designed the Challenger 7 Space Shuttle logo and the American Woman Commemorative Medal, which was presented in 1983 to Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. Paul Collins’ humanitarian contributions speak for themselves. His work can be viewed not only in the most prestigious galleries on the planet – from the Pushkin Museum in Moscow to the Kennedy Center and National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. – but also in various libraries, schools, gymnasiums, community centers and hospitals. Collins has received many awards for his efforts throughout the years, including the Mead Book Award, The Tadlow Fine Arts Award, The People’s Choice Award in Paris, The Golden Centaur of Italy, and The Ceba Award for Excellence, and was marked as one of the top 20 painters in America by the WatsonGuptill Publication. He also has served on a number of executive boards for various organizations, including the Martin Luther King, Jr. Board, the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and the Arts Council of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Collins has created scholarship funds for deserving students: the Paul Collins Scholarship is available through the Grand Rapids Foundation and the Paul Collins Business Scholarship is facilitated by Davenport College. 2000 marked the inaugural presentation of the Paul Collins Humanitarian Award, which will recognize socially active individuals on a yearly basis for their contributions to society. Collins’ passion for portraying humanity through his own personal lens continues to drive his career. He repeatedly uses his gift for revealing the essence behind the life of noblemen, warriors, smugglers, children, political icons and so-called ‘commoners’ alike. As the application of brush to canvas, Paul Collins applies determination to craft and challenges the world to view its reflection through the eyes of one of its own.
Carol Collins 220 Lyon NW, Suite 101 Grand Rapids, MI 49503 USA 616-742-2000 (Telephone) 616-361-1415 (Fax) www.collinsart.com carol@collinsart.com
“We as citizens of the United States never fully got to know Gerald R. Ford – never got to know what a great person and great father and great President he was. That’s because so many of us put political party and ideology before people. Party and ideology blind us, separate us. But President Ford, I believe, united us as a people, as a nation. I’m grateful to have become his friend.”
President Gerald R. Ford Mural Oil on gessoed masonite panels 18 feet x 8 feet On display at Gerald R. Ford International Airport