Henry Villierme
Lakeview, 1957
Henry Villierme Biography
Henry Pierre Villierme was born on August 21, 1928 in San Francisco to Louis Justin Henri Faustin Villierme and Emilia Rusconi. Emilia was from San Salvador, El Salvador and his father was a member of a French family from Lorient, Brittany, who had settled in Tahiti, French Polynesia, before eventually moving to San Francisco. Sadly, Emilia passed away, and Henry and his two younger brothers, Louis and Emile were entrusted to their aunt, who raised them in their Father’s French family in Tahiti.
During their time in Tahiti, the three brothers formed a deep connection to their French roots and became fluent in French. However, when Henry was in middle school, the brothers returned to the Bay Area, where they experienced a memorable homecoming. They arrived in San Francisco on a steamship and were awestruck by the sight of the newly built Golden Gate Bridge and the illuminated city lights.
Henry joined the United States Army and served as a medic on the front line of the Korean War. He was awarded the Bronze Star in 1951 and, after he was honorably discharged, Henry enrolled in California College of Arts and Crafts on the G.I. Bill.
Henry met his classmate, Barbara Albers in 1953. They were married one year later and remained devoted to each other for 58 years.
In Oakland, Henry and Barbara owned and operated an ice cream parlor called Farrin Frosty. In the late ‘50s, they moved to Hermosa Beach, California and to Ojai in 1973 where they raised four children and plenty of cats and dogs.
Henry worked as a painter at The Thatcher School until he retired at the age of 70. He loved the beautiful campus and the energy of the school, and he found happiness in working in his garden.
California College of Arts and Crafts
Henry received a Bachelor of Arts in painting from CCAC (now California College of the Arts) and studied under Harry Krell, Richard Diebenkorn, and Sarbo Hasegawa, the Japanese abstractionist and abstract calligrapher.
Henry’s teachers inspired him for over 50 years
During an interview at his home in 2006, Henry reflected upon the time he spent in art school. “Harry Krell was my most inspirational professor, he taught me the relationship between warm and cool colors that is the structure of my paintings. Harry was extremely supportive in class; socially, he was a confidant and a friend. Diebenkorn told me “to paint”; Bischoff and Parks paintings influenced me the most in school.
Bay Area Figurative Movement
In 1957, Richard Diebenkorn approached Henry to be in the “Contemporary Bay Area Figurative Painting” show which was curated by Paul Mills and shown at the Oakland Art Museum. Mr Mills wrote: “this exhibition consists of figurative paintings - that is, paintings with a recognizable subject, a more-or-less realistic view of a landscape, an object, a figure, or a group of figures.”
The show later traveled to the Los Angeles County Art Museum. In addition to Richard Diebenkorn, the show also featured Elmer Bischoff, Joseph Brooks, William T. Brown, Robert Downs, Bruce McGraw, David Park, Robert Qualters, Walter Snelgrove, Henry Villierme, James Weeks, and Paul Wonner.
Richard Diebenkorn and Henry Villierme
The Aqueduct by Henry Villierme, 1957
oil on canvas | 56.5 x 56.5 | Private Collection
“How fortunate I was to attend California College of Arts and Crafts at that time the school had much energy, good teachers including Harry Krell and Richard Diebenkorn. David Park and Elmer Bischoff taught nearby.
Diebenkorn’s paintings, especially the abstract impressionistic works drew me to take his class. This was the painter I would wish to follow. I appreciate and understand the importance spent on the learning of the basics to bring about a finished work. At some point Diebenkorn saw I was spending too much time on the basics. “Henry”, he said. “Open up the doors and start painting”.
The day came when Richard asked me to go landscape painting. What a complement. On this outing I was at a loss for words but soon Richard put me to ease and I had the most memorable time. It was then I painted The Aqueduct. Happy to have that time with Richard.”
— Henry Villierme April 28, 2005
“When Henry Villierme told me that he was leaving the Bay Area for Southern California – to take a job in a bank? – I was stunned and desperately disappointed. Of all the painting students at the California College of Arts and Crafts who might have abandoned his direction, Henry was one whose defection could hit me the hardest.
In the studio it was always a pleasure to confront him and his painting. He was a hard and intense worker. He was anxious for words from me and I would usually come up with some nonsense, which I would interrupt by saying “Look Henry – just keep painting.” But he usually had some questions and you could feel their extreme need for answers. There were never evasions, apologies or excuses as with some students.
I enjoyed my critiques with Henry. His work was always wet and difficult to handle, would have been through hell but would not be tortured. It would be rich and very solid and just faintly bruised and slightly bloodied – ineffaceable evidence of a desperate fight. Henry would respond. “What fight?”
Beyond this Henry’s painting had, and still has, instinctual understanding of that universal human activity in which colors are applied to the surface. Henry’s capacity to bring a work to a final state of open, nonintrospective resolution is impressive. There is no one whom I would feel better about describing as “a real painter”.
Anyone who can bring to realization a canvas on a hilltop in a high wind as I once observed is to be profoundly respected.”
This last sentence in Diebenkorn’s letter was written in regard to a painting session that he and Henry shared in the Oakland hills. During this session, Diebenkorn painted Freeway and Aqueduct (oil on canvas 23 ¼ x 28”, 1957), and Henry painted The Aqueduct (oil on canvas 56 ½ x 56 ½”, 1957, also referred to in the past as Spillway). This was the only time the two artists ever painted together on location.”
— Richard Diebenkorn February 26, 1992
California School of Fine Arts
After Henry got his degree, he took a few classes at California School of Fine Arts (now San Francisco Art Institute). While there, he attended classes taught by Elmer Bischoff and some of his fellow students were Robert Downs, Manuel Neri and Bruce McGraw.
Vincent Price was a fan
In his 1959 book, I Like What I Know, Vincent Price included a list of American artists to whom he referred as “better than good, and a few who are great”; Pollack, Rothko, Motherwell, Kline, Park, Villierme, de Koening, and Diebenkorn.
Exhibitions
Henry has exhibited his work at the Oakland Art Museum, the Los Angeles County Art Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the de Young Museum, the Downey Museum of Art, the Laguna Art Museum, the Crocker Art Museum, the Bolinas Museum and the UCI Institute and Museum of California Art.
Want to Learn More?
We would love to tell you more about the wonderful man named Henry Villierme
Please reach out to Paul Villierme at art@henryvillierme.org