Feature Articles


September Issue 1999

Artist West Fraser Honored At White House Reception

Artist West Fraser of Charleston, SC, was one of 14 artists honored in Washington, DC, recently for his artwork included in the White House Year 2000 Commemorative Calendar. The event included a calendar signing and media event at the White House Visitor Center, followed by a reception at the White House hosted by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. Fraser's painting, Sunrise on the North Portico, is one of 14 featured paintings by American artists in the calendar. The original works of art were commissioned by the White House Historical Association to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the occupancy of the White House.

The artists documented in oil or watercolor their personal impressions of the President's residence and grounds as they appear today or at a specific period in its 200-year history. Fraser's painting, which illustrates the month of August, was inspired by a magnificent elm tree that shades the ground near the North Portico like an umbrella. "I paint from life, so this painting is my experience of early morning light in late summer, on the lawn of the White House," Fraser said. "It is a memory I will carry with me always."

A native of Savannah, GA, Fraser grew up on unspoiled Hilton Head Island, SC, quite at home with the marsh and sea. After graduating from the University of Georgia in 1979, he worked as an illustrator and graphic designer to support himself as a painter. Later, he moved to New England and became very interested in its harbors and shores, gaining acclaim as a maritime artist. His real love, however, is the Lowcountry of South Carolina. His paintings have been shown in more than forty one-man shows in galleries, museums and juried competitions. His landscapes and nocturnes are frequently featured in national publications including Southwest Art and American Artist.

The White House Historical Association, in conjunction with WRE/AMI of Greensboro, NC, developed the Year 2000 Commemorative Calendar whose purpose is twofold: to heighten the public's awareness of the significance of the house at this special time in its history and to use the proceeds from the sale of the calendar to acquire a historic object as a 200th anniversary gift to the permanent White House collection. An exhibition of the original paintings titled, White House Impressions: The President's House through the Eye of the Artist, is open to the public daily through Sept. 5 at the White House Visitors Center, on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC. During the Year 2000, the exhibit will travel to Presidential libraries across the country.

The White House Historical Association is a nonprofit organization chartered on Nov. 3, 1961, to enhance understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the historic While House. Proceeds from the sale of publications and other items are used to fund acquisitions of historic furnishings and artwork for the permanent White House collection, assist in the preservation of the public rooms, and further its educational mission.

The White House Year 2000 Commemorative Calendar is now available at The Charleston Renaissance Gallery, 103 Church Street, Charleston, SC, or by calling the gallery at 843/723-0025. Fraser will offer a calendar signing in the Fall. The calendar is also available in fine bookstores and department stores.

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