James D. Dean: Championing Art in the Space Age (1931-2024)
James D. Dean's life transcended the boundaries between scientific exploration and artistic expression. He leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come.
James D. Dean, a pivotal figure in bridging the gap between art and the American space program, passed away in Washington, DC on March 22, 2024, at the age of 92.
Mr. Dean's legacy is a testament to the power of artistic expression in capturing the awe and wonder of humanity's push beyond our planet. As he himself once said: "At the core, both art and aerospace exploration search for a meaning to life."
Mr. Dean's career began at NASA, where he became the founding director of the Art Program in the early 1960s. Recognizing the profound historical significance of the nascent space missions, Mr. Dean championed the role of artists in documenting this incredible journey. He wasn't just an administrator; Mr. Dean, himself an artist, understood the artists' needs and became their advocate within NASA. He facilitated access to restricted areas and fostered a creative environment, ensuring iconic moments like the Apollo missions were not just captured by technology, but also by the human spirit.
Following his tenure at NASA, Mr. Dean's dedication to spaceflight art continued. From 1974 to 1980, he served as the first Curator of Art at the National Air and Space Museum. It was under his leadership that over 2,000 artworks from the NASA Art Program found a permanent home in the museum, creating a cornerstone of the vast collection we see today. These artworks, including large-scale murals commissioned by Mr. Dean for the opening of the museum, have become an integral part of the museum experience, silently inspiring over 300 million visitors who have walked past them since the museum's opening.
Mr. Dean's vision not only preserved a crucial chapter in human history, but also broadened our understanding of space exploration through the lens of art. He will be remembered for his unwavering belief in the power of artistic expression to inspire and illuminate the human experience, even amongst the stars.
Beyond the halls of NASA and the Smithsonian, Mr. Dean's artistic talents reached a national audience. His realistic paintings and drawings not only graced the walls of prestigious institutions like the National Gallery of Art, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and his studio at Torpedo Factory Art Center, but also adorned countless pieces of American mail as his paintings were featured on several U.S. postage stamps.
The late H. Lester Cooke, curator of painting at the National Gallery of Art, commented on Mr. Dean's work: "I have seen more interest and beauty in the commonplace since I've owned his paintings and I thank him for opening my eyes."
In 2020, Mr. Dean was awarded the Lucien Rudaux Award for Lifetime Achievement in appreciation and commemoration of a lifetime of contribution to the development, dissemination, and public awareness of the genre of Astronomical Art. His name is on the Wall of Honor at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udar-Hazy Center.
James D. Dean's life transcended the boundaries between scientific exploration and artistic expression. He leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come.
Leave a note on Mr. Dean's obituary on legacy.com: HERE.
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At times there seem to be a million ideas worth painting. However, there are days when it's a challenge to have the drive, the strength, the inspiration to pull any ideas together. On these days I go to my studio, leaf through an art history book, and tell myself that I am part of this great tradition. An hour or two of learning from the masters is usually enough to recharge my artistic batteries.
At other times I crave a trip to a museum. Standing in front of a Rembrandt at about the distance he stood while painting makes the hair on the nape of my neck stand on end. I walk through the museum with my sketchbook, making thumbnail drawings of the paintings I like. I fill my pages with notes of all kinds - both words and pictures - about color, brush technique, paper, feelings, and my own observations. When I leave the museum, I'm excited and inspired and thinking productively about my own art.
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"I like Dean's work because he doesn't shout at me; neither does he put all his cards on the table at once. I've had one of his watercolors for three years, hanging where I can see it every day, and I don't get tired of it. There's always something I hadn't quite appreciated before. Dean doesn't paint an oak tree; he paints a portrait of a particular oak tree- or a particular plank of wood, or even a particular clump of grass. I like that. I have seen more interest and beauty in the commonplace since I've owned his paintings and I thank him for opening my eyes."
H. Lester Cooke
Curator of Painting
National Gallery of Art
Washington, DC
