|
When following a hyperlink in the Biography...use your Browsers BACK
button to return you to your previous location.
Biography of the Artist
Introduction
Although Arthur Beaumont was not an American citizen by
birth, he felt deep love and respect for his adopted country. His classical training as an
artist and his fascination with the sea and the vessels which sail upon her led Beaumont
into an association with the U.S. Navy which lasted nearly five decades. The relationship
began in the early 1930s, when he was commissioned to paint formal portraits of several
Naval Officers, including Vice Admiral William D. Leahy. Leahy suggested that Beaumont
paint studies of the Fleet for the Navy. At once Beaumont recognized the opportunity to
record history and to create fine works of art simultaneously, as Henry Reuterdahl
(1871-1925) had done for the Navy during World War I. Thus his art acquired purpose and
meaning, allowing him to express creatively the patriotism evoked by his adopted land.
In an early article entitled "Artist Discovers Idealism, Rhythm
and Color in U.S. Fleet" Beaumont discussed his choice of subject matter:
"I am trying to create the impression, among other things, that
the Navy exists for a definite purpose. It is a protective and not an aggressive force. It
is manned by men of whose character and performance this nation should be proud....There
is a side of the Navy that the public knows little about. It has beauty and finesse in an
artistic and cultural sense. In picturing every phase of our Naval activity, I am trying
to emphasize that side of our gray wardens of the deep...I am accenting the beautiful and
the good in our Navy, which I really believe is its predominating quality."2
A Word From the Artist's Son
My early memories of my father are crowded with the
events surrounding the conclusion of World War II. Through the eyes of an eight year old
boy, in 1945, I witnessed the return of the victorious U.S. Pacific Fleet to its home
bases in Long Beach and San Diego, and I was thrilled to accompany my father as he
responded to the countless invitations by captains and admirals to visit their commands.
Beau would invariably spend two or three hours on the dock sketching the ever-changing
Navy scenes. The working conditions were frequently difficult. Apart from the occasional
inclement weather, the undertaking always attracted a crowd of admirers. The assemblage
watched in amazement at the speed with which he would complete a fine watercolor sketch of
a great Iowa class battleship or an equally impressive Essex class aircraft carrier, many
of which had just recently survived the constant risk of a Kamikaze attack.
The turmoil of the noisy shipyard activities made it difficult to
sustain concentration, yet the result was an exciting stream of "plein air"
works of art. Beau preferred to work on location, executing thousands of sketches on his
many naval tours and field trips. Working on a pencil sketch, he would invariably stand
the entire time, with his sketchbook held horizontally. If he was painting in watercolor,
his favorite medium, he would sit at a portable easel with the surface of the paper
vertical so that the paint would run down the paper, thus achieving great fluidity in the
final composition.
Our family called him "Pop" while close friends called him
"Beau" Whenever I was home from school, he would take me to the harbor, where I
eagerly awaited his announcement of which ship or base we would visit that day. A trip
always included an obligatory courtesy call on the Commanding Officer, and frequently
included a meal with the senior officers embarked. As a special treat, I was usually taken
on a thorough tour of the ship escorted by an orderly or a young Ensign. I especially
enjoyed visiting the USS Los Angeles. The "LA" was a particularly
graceful heavy cruiser which "Pop" had helped raise millions of dollars to build
through an extensive "War Bond" fundraising effort. I was Fascinated to visit
the hanger deck on the "fantail" where two or three seaplanes were stored, which
in time of war, served as scouts for the surface Fleet. The end of the day culminated with
the presentation of a just finished painting, followed by a visit to the local Officers
Club. Beau would exchange his ever present artist's hat, for that of the raconteur,
entertaining the assembled guests with his endless and frequently hilarious sea stories.
Beau lived to be nearly eighty-eight years old. He joked, in his later years, that his
longevity was attributable to the "re-charging" of his batteries which occurred
when he became highly radioactive while acting as Fleet Artist for the atomic bomb tests
at Bikini Atoll in 1946.
Our family was very fortunate to have him around for so many years, as
he had survived many brushes with death. In his early years, when he first arrived in
California as a twenty year old, he contracted typhoid fever and nearly died. Although he
was over six feet tall, he wasted away to less than one hundred pounds before mounting a
recovery. In later years, as a cowboy foreman on the Miller and Lux Ranch, he was savagely
beaten when he intruded on a group of cattle rustlers. We emerged from the fracas with a
fractured skull and impaired hearing for the rest of his life. In the 1930's. he was
crossing the Pacific Coast Highway in a "safety zone" when he was struck by a
speeding car in front of his studio at the Pacific Coast Club. The accident was another
close call. During the war years, the engine of a bomber in which he was flying as a
passenger erupted in flames. He was seconds away from making his first emergency parachute
jump when the fire was finally brought under control. At the war's end, he contracted a
tropical fever with symptoms similar to malaria while on maneuvers in the Caribbean aboard
the aircraft USS Midway. Finally, when he was seventy years old, he participated as staff
artist on an expedition to the Antarctic and the South Pole. While trekking across an ice
field, a snow bridge collapsed, and he fell into a shallow crevasse within a few feet of
the icy water. The floating ice was so slippery that he was unable to climb out. Its
movement threatened to crush him. A companion mustered sufficient strength to grab his
arm, and with one great yank pulled him to the surface. The effort saved his life, but the
price was the dislocation of his painting arm and a long and painful period of recover!
Beau will be remembered by his extensive and adoring family as its
benevolent patriarch. He will be remembered by his many friends as a great storyteller and
confidant. He would want to be remembered by everyone for his continuous search for
adventure, for his love of ships and the sea, and for his final legacy
Geoffrey Campbell Beaumont
Bio Index Next Page
|