Monday, August 30, 2010

Memories of Dalton

Mark in middle, maybe 1989

Dalton was a musical hero and inspiration to me, as well a kind and truthful man. I will never forget the twinkle in his eyes when I shared this with him.

Mark Roseberry, Lawrence

In the late '60s

You know how much I adored him, all my life. Someone once asked me, "Did your brother ever fall from hero status once you grew up?" I said, "Never". And that's still true today.

Brenda, New Mexico


Carroll and Daughter, 1976

In the end, it wasn't really Dalton's art that drew a packed crowd to his Liberty Hall memorial service (adorned in part by his whimsical and beautiful murals) last Sunday. It was his character. Dalton radiated love for his family first and affirmed that value for the rest of us. He was a loyal and generous friend. He could be counted on, whether in the esoteric world of painting on canvas or the mundane world of painting a house. And he was so, so funny. When your own life broke down, he took the time to reassure with a twinkle in his eye, a funny comment and a look that said, "Buck up, little Buckaroo."
Carroll Hoke, Wichita

See Carroll's entire posting at the University Daily Kansas by clicking here:
http://www.kansan.com/news/2010/aug/30/letter-spencer-exhibit-recommended/


For 30 years I admired Dalton as an artist, danced to his beat and will miss him sorely every time I enter Spencer. He was a warm and kind man whose smile and greeting made the day better for many. My deepest sympathies on your loss.

Sharyn Brooks Katzman, New York



Dalton Howard had a Zen appreciation for the humanity that unites us. It showed in his music. It showed in his life….Dalton was indeed an Everyman in a million.

Steve Wilson, Topeka


Josh, Dalton, Wilma and Don

Dalton's greatest masterpiece was the man himself.
Josh

....Sentiments found on the online memorial, webpages and emails, etc.

Friday, August 27, 2010

From the Howard Family Album


Dalton was born in February, 1943, when his Dad was in the Army during World War II.


Wilma raised him alone for 3 years.

After Chad came back he got a job driving a bakery route in Northeastern Kansas.

This is NOT Chad's truck, but the bread business must have been good.
When Dalton got dressed up as a cowboy when he was 5 he got a real horse.


Wilma and Dalton in the past few years.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

These Moved Me: Exhibit at Spencer


The Spencer Museum of Art sent out an email:

A special exhibition at the Spencer honors the life and legacy of Dalton Howard (1943-2010), a longtime member of the SMA family and a beloved local artist, musician, raconteur, and thinker. The tribute includes a slide show at the Museum's entrance featuring a multitude of images taken of Howard over the years, and a small installation in the South Balcony entitled These Moved Me and assembled by Steve Goddard, Kate Meyer, and Sue Ashline.


"Dalton was a Museum treasure because of his passion for the arts, his toe-tapping enthusiasm when performing for us with guitar in hand, and his wonderful sense of humor," says Janet Dreiling, Assistant Director for Collections. "We hope these small displays will give our viewers a look at a side of Dalton with which they were not previously familiar, bring back fond memories of wonderful times shared, and encourage all of us to live life to its fullest."



These Moved Me includes a few of Howard's own paintings, borrowed from area collections, plus a selection of several pairs of works from the Spencer's collection by artists that Howard himself had written down a few years ago when Goddard, the Spencer's Senior Curator of Prints & Drawings, asked him about his favorites. Howard responded with a list that included the comment "these for the 20th century moved me"—words that inspired the title of the exhibition. Artists on his list included Philip Guston, David Hockney, Hans Hofmann, Ellsworth Kelly, Robert Motherwell, Emil Nolde, Fairfield Porter, Richard Smith, Frank Stella, and Wayne Thiebaud, among others.

Robert Motherwell/ Nude, 1947 / ink, wash on paper / Museum purchase: Peter T. Bohan Art Acquisition Fund and the R. Charles and Mary Margaret Clevenger Fund and Gift of the Dedalus Foundation, 1995.0037

As Goddard recalls in the exhibition's introduction, "The list he jotted down after much reflection was not just a run down of his favorites, but a thoughtful pairing of figurative artists with abstract artists. As it turned out, a number of the artists were represented in the Spencer's collections by works that are wonderful to see together."

On view through September 19 / South Balcony

http://www.spencerart.ku.edu/

Monday, August 23, 2010

Wake of the Century


The memorial service for Dalton at Liberty Hall on Sunday was something we won't forget.
Thanks to Janet, Chad, Josh, Tim, Chub and Dalton for putting it on.



Dalton planned the whole thing. He especially wanted us to hear an Elvis song: "Fame and Fortune."
Click here to see a 3 minute video of Elvis from 1960.


And play it often.
He said the first verse was for Janet.
The others for the rest of us.
Chub and Tim played it twice as instructed.


The boys gave eulogies that captured their Dad to perfection.

And captured them to perfection too.
We should all take a bow because we all helped raise them with Dalton and Janet.
Josh said his pop never failed to tell them how proud he was of them. We certainly are.

There was a photo show

A little music

Old friends like Blasdel on the left
And Brenda here.

Kottman
And a heap of Howards.


Saturday, August 21, 2010

RE: Tribute on the radio

Hobo friend Barry Lee is going to pay tribute to Dalton during a portion of his radio show, Signal to Noise, Sunday at 8pm on KKFI, 90.1 FM.  Listen in.  Web site:  www.kkfi.org/.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

RE: Article on Lawrencedotcom

Lawrence music historian Steve Wilson has an article up at http://www.lawrence.com/ remembering Dalton.  He, we think, has captured the feelings that many, many of us felt.
http://www.lawrence.com/news/2010/aug/18/dalton-howard-everyman-million/#comments

Dalton's Paintings at Spencer

Security Officer at Work
by Steve Goddard
The Spencer Museum of Art staff have organized an impromptu exhibit of Dalton's work. Drop by the South Balcony this weekend to see paintings and drawings from local collections.


Coyote Woman,  1970s

The Museum will be open from 2-4 on Sunday August 22nd (altered hours so everyone can attend the memorial.)

Click here for more information about hours, location etc.
http://www.spencerart.ku.edu/exhibitions/

As an impromptu exhibit, it is scheduled to be up "for a while."

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Dogman



Leon Dogbone by Dalton Howard, 1977

Tim sent pictures he has taken of Dalton's paintings.

The Line by Dalton Howard, 1979


Air Hero by Dalton Howard, 1981


Saturday, August 14, 2010

Go-Cats


The Go-Cats played at the 1980 Arty-Gras party. Rick Balda under the first A in the middle row; Dave Stuckey under the S; Dalton in the yellow shirt and giant glasses and Dan Cuz Fleming in the front row, second from right.










Friday, August 13, 2010

Zydeco Tougeau

Barry Barnes on the left, Dalton and Tommee Sherwood
Zydeco Tougeau
2009
From the Zydeco Tougeau MySpace page
"Zydeco Tougeau started out & continues to play most of our music on the
corner of 8th and Mass St in downtown Lawrence Kansas. There is a wonderful
feeling that comes from making people stop and dance, smile & visit with
their neighbors. We quickly got hooked on the little kids who dance to our music
on the sidewalk. Thanks everyone who has stopped to listen, given us a smile or
a tip or some applause, played along with us, danced, or just not tried to run
us off! We like playing our music and are happy if someone else enjoys it too!"
Tommee has sent several links to videos on You Tube


Zydeco Tougeau oftens plays on Friday nights at the corner of 8th and Mass.
Barry and Tommee will probably be there tonight.


A Mardi-Gras party at the Percolator Art Gallery

More YouTube videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0DNi60J_Cs&feature=email
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBwgNGEweeY&feature=email
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4jEeVsckIc&feature=email

The thing about most of these YouTube videos is that the passers-by made the recordings, so one can't thank the sound engineer.

Do a YouTube search for Zydeco Tougeau.





Practicing at the Church

Ignore that date stamp---it is 1997




The church was actually combination gym/practice hall.
Here are a few local boys, Walt, Wake, Eli


Maybe Michael

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Dalton Howard

Tim Forcade took this picture of Dalton a few weeks ago. He was signing one of the print-on-demand books of his paintings that Josh published.



Our visit turned into an impromptu book signing with Dalton telling stories while several of us ate Martin Cheng's noodles between bouts of laughter and warmth.

I'll never forget how careful he was, his incredible sense of timing applying his mix of humor and knowledge, not to mention his uncanny ability to communicate straight to the heart--every time.
Here's an online obituary from the Journal World in Lawrence:




And an online guest book for messages to the family:

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Email from Jan


Dalton passed away this morning about 3:30 AM. He fought a hard battle very bravely and died peacefully in his sleep at home. He was lucky to have had you all in his life and he treasured each of you.


We will celebrate Dalton's life on Sunday, August 22 at Liberty Hall in Lawrence from 12 to 4 PM. His obituary will be in the Topeka and Lawrence papers.

We will miss him but his art, music, personality, humor and love will live on through us all.

Bully by John

Bully, Sue and Jim's dog, by John. Cover of The Large Print Version.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

The 1970s

Thanksgiving 1975 on New Hampshire Street
Cuz, an alley ranger named Oscar, Win, James








LaFong, Mindy and James