Memorial Pastel Painting The Honorable Lawson E. Thomas by
Artist, L.A. Charnack/Cline
This image reflects the rendition of the Original Pastel Memorial Portrait of Lawson E. Thomas 1898-1989, I created for the Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse Center Dedicated, October 13, 2000. Now a reproduction of this painting can be seen in the “Living Artists File” at the Smithsonian Institute in their, American Art and Portrait Gallery Library, in Washington DC.
I was blessed to have the opportunity to create this Memorial Pastel Portrait of Judge Thomas. I remember sitting with the Judge’s wife, Eugenia Thomas at her kitchen table thinking how dignified and beautiful she was even in her seventies. We sat for hours talking about their life and looking through a lifetime of family pictures. Her husband was able to achieve so much from such humble beginnings, having worked as a janitor while waiting for notice of his law school graduation. Thomas was the only Afro-American Law Graduate from the University of Michigan in 1923. Eugenia Thomas and I had a wonderful afternoon and kept in touch every Christmas for years. I was delighted that she approved of the portrait I created of her husband.
As a side note, at the time I created this painting of Judge Lawson E. Thomas my last name was Charnack and since my marriage in 2007, I sign all my work L.A. Cline my older works go by L.A. Charnack/Cline.
A Fine Art Giclee Reproduction of the original memorial pastel portrait of Judge Lawson E. Thomas and a Fine Art Giclee Reproduction of another original memorial pastel portrait of Judge Sidney M. Aronovitz, are both now in the “Living Artists File” at the Smithsonian Institute, in Washington DC’s, American Art and Portrait Gallery Library for the public not only to view in this file as a recommendation for future commissions but also to learn about our American Hero’s and the Artist’s who created their images. It is a great honor to have two of reproductions of my original commissioned pastel portraits in this file.
Both Memorial Portraits can also be viewed in my corporate portraits gallery.
Written by: Master Pastel Artist, L.A. Cline, L.A.C. Fine Art