Artwork copyright William Cumming. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2021.

Artwork copyright William Cumming. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2021.

Artwork copyright William Cumming. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2021.

Artwork copyright William Cumming. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2021.

Artwork copyright William Cumming. Photo courtesy of the artist, 2021.

“Tribute” (Foster High School, Tukwila WA), 1991

William Cumming
American (born 1917, died 2010)

Location: Foster High School, Tukwila

About the Artwork

Artist William Cumming created this colorful and expressive two-panel painting for Foster High School. Cumming himself graduated from Foster High in 1934. As noted by the 1991 school board chair Ron Lamb, the school chose to commission Cumming to show "current and future students that a Foster grad could accomplish great things in their chosen field, including art." The left panel represents Cumming's past memories of Foster, and include an abstract figure wearing a letterman's jacket. The right panel shows a contemporary era, with students playing soccer. A bulldog figure represents the school's mascot. The foreground of the right panel features an important rock in the school's history. Each year, graduating students paint the rock as part of their graduation ceremony. It is also used as a memorial for alumni. Together this energetic composition highlights the relationship between past, present, and future.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Tukwila School District.

About the Artist

Late artist William Cumming (1917-2010) was a celebrated painter whose figurative compositions explored the line between realism and abstraction. He was a member of the Northwest School, a Pacific Northwest-based art movement influenced by the region's natural environment and cultural symbols. Cumming's artworks are characterized by their movement, light, and color. Born in Montana, he grew up in Tukwila, Washington, beginning his career painting for the WPA Federal Art Project in Seattle from 1938 to 1940.