For Immediate Release May 29, 2009

Portrait of Governor John Kitzhaber Unveiled at Oregon State Capitol Distinguished Artist Henk Pander Completes Commissioned Painting of Governor

Governor Kitzhaber’s last portrait sitting in Henk Pander’s studio.

On May 28, 2009, Henk Pander’s portrait of Governor John Kitzhaber was unveiled at the Oregon State Capitol to a crowd of well-wishers, former and current elected officials and the Governor’s friends and staff.

Creating the portrait took a fairly long time, explained the artist. The artist selection process, managed by the Oregon Arts Commission, began more than six years ago and once Pander was chosen, he made many life sketches and photographs of the former Governor. The artist was particularly drawn to Kitzhaber’s vitality and animated speaking style, all underscored by a resolute intellectualism.

John Kitzhaber was an emergency room physician in Roseburg, Oregon from 1973 – 1986. He was first elected to the Oregon House in 1979, then to the Senate in 1980, where he served as Senate president from 1985 – 1993. He was elected to two terms as Governor and served from 1995 – 2003. His work in Oregon state government revealed a passion for healthcare and environmental issues. He is an avid outdoorsman, skilled fly fisherman and river rafter who has made several solo journeys through the Rogue River’s challenging rapids. He is respected in arts and culture circles for his early concurrence to develop a Cultural Trust in Oregon.

Pander, a master portraitist, sought to unite the Governor’s environmental concerns with his healing skills. Seven formal sittings of approximately two hours each lead to the final 4’x 6’ oil on canvas painting, which depicts the former Governor in his trademark jeans and cowboy boots, his medical kit at his feet, perched on a bluff above the Rogue River.

The artist with the finished portrait, 2009

Pander kept his subject’s attention during the sittings by strategically placing a mirror to allow Kitzhaber to watch the progress of the portrait. Kitzhaber marveled that seeing his portrait emerge from the blank canvas "was truly magical."

The artist’s fee for the portrait was paid for through citizen contributions to the Oregon State Capitol Foundation (www.leg.state.or.us/capinfo/foundation.htm). The canvas was framed by Cosmos Editions in Portland.

Henk Pander is a classically trained Dutch artist who emigrated to the United States in the mid 60's, where he taught at the Museum Art School, now Pacific Northwest College of Art. Pander was a founding member of Portland's Storefront Theater, as well as a force behind the Visual Chronicle, a growing collection of works representing the city of Portland, managed by the Regional Arts and Culture Council. In 2005, Pander was recognized with a Governor’s Arts Award by Governor Ted Kulongoski. His work is included in many prominent museums, public and private collections, including the Portland Art Museum; Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands; Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA; Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Eugene. He has completed several commissions through Oregon's Percent for Art Program, including works for Oregon State University, the Department of Forestry and the Department of Public Safety Training Academy. Pander is represented by Laura Russo Gallery, Portland.

This is the second portrait of an Oregon governor by Pander. The first, of Governor Tom McCall, was installed in the Capitol in 1982.

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