DARWIN WILLIAM DUNCAN (1905-2002)
Darwin Duncan was born in St. James, Minnesota, on July
28, 1905. His parents brought him to California at age five because of his
asthma. As a child, he developed a love of drawing, which stayed with him
for life. At ge of 29, he met the painter Karl Albert,
who said to him, "You draw better than I do. Maybe you should start
painting." He and Albert soon met Edgar Payne,
who had stopped at the Albert family's grocery store in Oro Grande, California
to outfit himself for one of his trips to the Sierras. This encounter began
Duncan's development as a plein-aire painter under the tutelage of
Payne, which continued until Payne's death in 1947. Duncan was soon also
started lessons with Samuel Hyde Harris and a
close friendship developed that lasted some 30 years. During the 1940's,
Duncan also studied figure painting at the Los Angeles Business Men's Institute
with Christian Von Schneidau. Starting in 1957, he instructed art for 17
years for Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California, followed by 7
years at Palomar College in San Marcos, California. In 1985, he was commissioned
by the Rev. Dr. Robert Schuller to paint several large landscapes for Baldwin
Manor on Maui Island, Hawaii. His paintings are included in many collections
in the United States and abroad and a fine desert diorama is on permanent
exhibit in The Living Desert Museum in Palm Desert, California. He has lectured
and demonstrated throughout the Southwest, Hawaii, Canada, and Mexico and
he held life memberships in the Laguna Beach Art Association and Museum
in Laguna Beach, California, the Paramount Art Association in Paramount,
California, Huntington Beach Art Association in Huntington Beach, California,
and Southland Art Association in Montebello, California. Duncan was president
of the Long Beach Spectrum Club.He has been featured in "Forgotten
California Artists," February, 1989 issue of "Antiques & Fine
Art", "Artists in California, 1786-1940" by Hughes, 1989,
"Art and Artists" published by The Desert Art Center, 1964 (Palm
Springs, California), "Widening Horizons" (Painters of the Western
Desert) in "Western Woman, 1952," Treasury of Living Art,"
published by The Desert Art Center in 1975 and "Artists of Southern
California, Vol. II" published by Mountain Productions Of Texas, Inc.,
1991.
Arroyo View
Oil on canvas, 16" x 20"
Signed lower right: D. W. Duncan
Inscribed on stretcher verso: "Arroyo View"/ #63
NOW AND THEN
Oil on board, 11" x 14"
Signed lower right: Darwin Duncan
Titled on card affixed verso: "Now and Then"
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