ARTIST: J Craig Thorpe (Washington, born 1948)
NAME: Train - Alabama Locomotive
YEAR: 1994
MEDIUM: oil on heavy paper
CONDITION: Very good. No visible inpaint under UV light.
SIGHT SIZE: 14 x 12 inches / 35 x 30 cm
PAPER SIZE: 18 x 15 inches / 45 x 38 cm
SIGNATURE: lower right
NOTE: This painting is the original which appeared on the Fleetwood Legendary Locomotives of the 50 States Alabama Commemorative Cover postmarked September 6, 1994. "The Lord put the mountains between Birmingham and the sea, and the man who tries to bring them together undertakes heroic work." On September 6, 1908, such a railroad line was completed, and soon thereafter, Harry M. Atkinson, president of the Atlanta, Birmingham & Atlantic Railroad (AB&A), spoke these dramatic words at the dedication of his new railway. Piercing the mountains of eastern Alabama, the AB&A's workers created a link that eventually connected Birmingham and the Midwest to Georgia and Florida. The route was one of the last main rail lines constructed in the United States, thus it is comparatively well engineered. Despite the mountainous stretch in the middle of the route, all curves were held to a maximum of just six degrees. This translated into a mere restriction of 40 miles per hour for freight trains negotiating bends, even those chiseled into the jagged walls of the Appalachian Mountains. Traffic on this route increased in 1926 when the system was reorganized and taken over by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. In 1967, that line merged with another railway to become the Seaboard Coast Line. Today, the original AB&A is part of CSX Transportation. Presently it is heavily used by CSX's diesel-powered freight trains, continuing to be a vital link between the Midwest and the South. The "Bee Line," as it was once touted, is handsomely commemorated by this artwork, which depicts the 4-6-0 type engine, No. 1501, at Birmingham Station's arched train shed.
PROVENANCE: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.
CATEGORY: antique vintage painting
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BIOGRAPHY:
J. Craig Thorpe is a nationally recognized artist specializing in conceptual renderings and landscape paintings. Says Robert Eaton, Mayor of Leavenworth, WA, ???Craig understands the history, needs, and mission of our community. Our investment in his talents has more than paid for itself. Craig's interest in art dates from his formative years in Pittsburgh, PA. The landscapes of the area, with its undulating topography, rivers, industrial plants and railroads captured his imagination. The imagery of those experiences shaped the foundation of a career.Thorpe studied at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and graduated from Carnegie-Mellon University with a BFA in Industrial Design. Following a short stint in the US Army Transportation Corps, he worked for architects in Virginia. After graduate school in New England, where he earned a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Thorpe moved to Seattle, WA and served as a Presbyterian pastor.In 1985 he chose to leave parish work to begin free-lance architectural and transportation illustration. When Amtrak featured his painting of the new Olympia, WA station on its 1993 corporate calendar, Thorpe's rail art began to be recognized nationally. He continues to produce commissioned works for Amtrak including the commemorative centennial paintings of Washington D.C. Union Station (2008) and Glacier National Park (2010). His most recent work is a collection of vignettes celebrating Amtrak's 40th anniversary in 2011.Craig is widely known for these and commissions by other rail clients such as the White Pass & Yukon Route in Alaska. Says Michael Brandt, the railway's Vice President, Craig has embraced the WP&YR brand and created iconic legacy artworks for us. They reflect his relationship with the company, its people, history and future. Other noted Alaskan clients include Holland America Line and Alaska Marine Lines. The grandeur and scale of Alaska and indeed all the west itself have expanded his literal and figurative horizons. A new series of smaller Northwest landscapes is growing in popularity.Thorpe is foremost a landscape painter and even his industrial commissions set the subjects in their unique settings. Says the artist, "The haste, cynicism and expediency of our age has blurred an ability to see beauty. These paintings help people refocus." He combines a technical accuracy with a painterly style evoking an emotional response from the viewer: "That painting makes me want to be right there!" He partners with clients to create art which honors tradition, celebrates the present and creates a legacy. While working in a variety of media, most of Thorpe's published works are oil-on-canvas.His paintings have appeared on calendars, posters, cards, menus, timetables and a host of other items.J. Craig Thorpe's work has been published in various papers and journals such as the Arizona Republic, Denver Post, and USA Today, National Parks Magazine, Audubon and books such as Alfred Runte's Allies of the Earth: Railroads and the Soul of Preservation and Trains of Discovery: Railroads and the Legacy of Our National Parks. Thorpe and his wife Cathy, a counselor in private practice, live in Bellevue, Washington and have three grown children, each an artist in his own way.