At 78, Denver native Jess DuBois has been a presence on the Mile High art scene for decades. He is still turning out work, ranging from large portraits to miniatures, what he calls his "postage stamp paintings." The man is at his easel seven days a week. Art is his calling, his passion, his life.
DuBois is a Marine Corps veteran, who served from 1952 to 1956. "It was something I felt I had to do," he says. It gave him his first chance to see the world: He did hitches in South Korea and Japan.
He came home to study at the Art Institute of Colorado courtesy of the G.I. Bill and was a member of the school's first graduating class in 1957. Today he is a member of the institute's hall of fame.
Married once — "we parted as friends" — DuBois has three daughters and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
DUBOIS ART STUDIO
DuBois has deep roots in Colorado. He was raised by his stepfather Obrey and mother Melba Hamlet (his biological father died when he was 12.) His stepfather built Winks Lodge, the first facility opened in Lincoln Hills, which was been founded in 1922 as a resort propertyfor black patrons. At the time, it was the only such resort west of the Mississippi River. When DuBois' mother married Hamlet, she became the growing resort's chef, turning out barbecue for the likes of Count Basie, Lena Horne and Duke Ellington.
"I loved living there," DuBois recalls of the idyllic spot near Pinecliffe. "I did a lot of fishing in those streams." DuBois had a studio in Estes Park for years, but it was wiped out in the devastating 1982 Lawn Lake Dam failure and flood. He returned to Denver and opened a studio at 2823 Welton St. in theFive Points neighborhood.
The room is fairly expansive, but a bit hard to navigate, packed as it is with everything from pastels done in chalk, paintings and even sculptures, including a bust he made ofJustina Ford, the first black doctor in Colorado who lived on California Street in Five Points and delivered an estimated 3,000 babies in her career.
He likes the space, which functions as both a place to work and teach and as sort of a museum chronicling his long history as an artist.
Not too many blocks away is the old Rossonian Hotel, where DuBois watched some of the jazz world's titans play back in the day.
He produces a set of soup spoons from his pocket, reverses them so their backs touch each other, and begins slapping time. He grins. "This is my instrument," he says.
The February sun pours through the studio window and an RTD train rolls by.
"I like this space," he says. "Don't know how long I'll be here, because they're talking about raising the rent, but I like it."
Question:When did you first know that you had artistic skill?
Answer:When I was young I had a neighbor who was a graduate ofWilberforce University(an Ohio school that is America's first college founded by African-Americans). He watched me draw and encouraged my mom to encourage me. And she did.
Q:What inspires you?
A:People, faces and landscapes. Just art in general.
Q:Any notable influences on your art?
A:Charlie Dyewas one of the founders of the Cowboy Artists of America. He was great. AndJohn Jellico, who founded theArt Institute of Colorado. Daniel Greene is probably one of the foremost portrait painters in America. I painted with him for a month. The guy's unbelievable.
Q:What is your greatest fear?
A:I hope that nothing happens to prevent me from doing my painting. It's my life. When I don't paint any more, I'll be out of here. I once saw a documentary of a man in his 90s who was confined to his bed, but was still painting from it. That might be me.
Q:What is your current state of mind?
A:I'm happy with what I'm doing to create.
Q:What is your favorite way of spending time?
A:I love traveling to different places and sketching them. I also have a conga drum that I enjoy. I can let off steam when I play it.
Q:What historical figures do you admire?
A:I like all the jazz and blues players I saw perform, and sometimes sat in with. I play the spoons.
Q:What is the one possession from your childhood that you wish you still had?
A:I can't think of one, really. I'm so loaded down with art supplies that I wouldn't have room for it.
Q:What trait do you most deplore in others?
A:Dishonesty is the main thing.
Q:What is your greatest extravagance?
A:Well, I wish I had a brand-new van that would get me around. I have one now but it's had its day.
Q:Your favorite journey?
A:I love the Southwest. Just the scenery. I really like the landscapes and the light. It's really special. I've spent a lot of time in Arizona and New Mexico. I used to go down to Scottsdale, Arizona, in the winter, and one year the newspaper did a story on me, and they talked about how "You know it must be winter because Jess DuBois is in town and out on the streets painting."
Q:What quality do you most admire in a man?
A:Honesty and the ability to appreciate what I'm doing.
Q:What quality do you most admire in a woman?
A:Biiiiig...(He breaks into a laugh.) OK, that was back then.
Q:How would you like to die?
A:Painting a picture, probably.
Q:What is your motto?
A:All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. But art IS playing for me.
DuBois is a Marine Corps veteran, who served from 1952 to 1956. "It was something I felt I had to do," he says. It gave him his first chance to see the world: He did hitches in South Korea and Japan.
He came home to study at the Art Institute of Colorado courtesy of the G.I. Bill and was a member of the school's first graduating class in 1957. Today he is a member of the institute's hall of fame.
Married once — "we parted as friends" — DuBois has three daughters and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
DUBOIS ART STUDIO
DuBois has deep roots in Colorado. He was raised by his stepfather Obrey and mother Melba Hamlet (his biological father died when he was 12.) His stepfather built Winks Lodge, the first facility opened in Lincoln Hills, which was been founded in 1922 as a resort propertyfor black patrons. At the time, it was the only such resort west of the Mississippi River. When DuBois' mother married Hamlet, she became the growing resort's chef, turning out barbecue for the likes of Count Basie, Lena Horne and Duke Ellington.
"I loved living there," DuBois recalls of the idyllic spot near Pinecliffe. "I did a lot of fishing in those streams." DuBois had a studio in Estes Park for years, but it was wiped out in the devastating 1982 Lawn Lake Dam failure and flood. He returned to Denver and opened a studio at 2823 Welton St. in theFive Points neighborhood.
The room is fairly expansive, but a bit hard to navigate, packed as it is with everything from pastels done in chalk, paintings and even sculptures, including a bust he made ofJustina Ford, the first black doctor in Colorado who lived on California Street in Five Points and delivered an estimated 3,000 babies in her career.
He likes the space, which functions as both a place to work and teach and as sort of a museum chronicling his long history as an artist.
Not too many blocks away is the old Rossonian Hotel, where DuBois watched some of the jazz world's titans play back in the day.
He produces a set of soup spoons from his pocket, reverses them so their backs touch each other, and begins slapping time. He grins. "This is my instrument," he says.
The February sun pours through the studio window and an RTD train rolls by.
"I like this space," he says. "Don't know how long I'll be here, because they're talking about raising the rent, but I like it."
Question:When did you first know that you had artistic skill?
Answer:When I was young I had a neighbor who was a graduate ofWilberforce University(an Ohio school that is America's first college founded by African-Americans). He watched me draw and encouraged my mom to encourage me. And she did.
Q:What inspires you?
A:People, faces and landscapes. Just art in general.
Q:Any notable influences on your art?
A:Charlie Dyewas one of the founders of the Cowboy Artists of America. He was great. AndJohn Jellico, who founded theArt Institute of Colorado. Daniel Greene is probably one of the foremost portrait painters in America. I painted with him for a month. The guy's unbelievable.
Q:What is your greatest fear?
A:I hope that nothing happens to prevent me from doing my painting. It's my life. When I don't paint any more, I'll be out of here. I once saw a documentary of a man in his 90s who was confined to his bed, but was still painting from it. That might be me.
Q:What is your current state of mind?
A:I'm happy with what I'm doing to create.
Q:What is your favorite way of spending time?
A:I love traveling to different places and sketching them. I also have a conga drum that I enjoy. I can let off steam when I play it.
Q:What historical figures do you admire?
A:I like all the jazz and blues players I saw perform, and sometimes sat in with. I play the spoons.
Q:What is the one possession from your childhood that you wish you still had?
A:I can't think of one, really. I'm so loaded down with art supplies that I wouldn't have room for it.
Q:What trait do you most deplore in others?
A:Dishonesty is the main thing.
Q:What is your greatest extravagance?
A:Well, I wish I had a brand-new van that would get me around. I have one now but it's had its day.
Q:Your favorite journey?
A:I love the Southwest. Just the scenery. I really like the landscapes and the light. It's really special. I've spent a lot of time in Arizona and New Mexico. I used to go down to Scottsdale, Arizona, in the winter, and one year the newspaper did a story on me, and they talked about how "You know it must be winter because Jess DuBois is in town and out on the streets painting."
Q:What quality do you most admire in a man?
A:Honesty and the ability to appreciate what I'm doing.
Q:What quality do you most admire in a woman?
A:Biiiiig...(He breaks into a laugh.) OK, that was back then.
Q:How would you like to die?
A:Painting a picture, probably.
Q:What is your motto?
A:All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. But art IS playing for me.