Artwork copyright James Burns and Maxine Martell. Photo courtesy of the artist, 1978.

Artwork copyright James Burns and Maxine Martell. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2016.

Artwork copyright James Burns and Maxine Martell. Photo courtesy of the artist, 1978.

Untitled, 1978

James Burns and Maxine Martell
James Burns (American (born 1921, died 2007)) - Maxine Martell (American (born 1937))

Location: Washington State Arts Commission, Olympia

About the Artwork

Artist team James Burns and Maxine Martell created this photographic mural for Wy'East Junior High School in Vancouver, Southwest Washington. It is comprised of 28 portrait and landscape photographs that show life past and present in the area. The vintage photographs of the Columbia River region are from the Photography Collection of the University of Washington Library. They were taken by unknown photographers with the exception of the woman from the Puyallup Tribe who was photographed by the late Dr. E.H. Latham of Nespelem, Northeastern Washington. The other, contemporary photographs were made by James Burns. Maxine Martell designed the montage.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Washington State Arts Commission.

About the Artist

The late James Burns (1921-2007) studied at Stanford University and the University of Chicago. He developed a lumber company in Montana and helped found St. George's School in Spokane, Eastern Washington. After marrying Maxine Martell in 1971, he enrolled in writing workshops, explored photography, and studied editing. He served as the managing editor of Photography Northwest in Seattle for several years.

Maxine Martell creates paintings, prints, and glass artworks. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fort Wright College in Spokane, Eastern Washington, and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Washington in Seattle in 1962. She served as the curator for the Cheney Cowles Museum (now the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture) and director of the Spokane Arts School (both in Spokane, Eastern Washington). She has been an artist-in-residence at Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, at Western Washington University, and at the Centrum Foundation in Port Townsend (all in Western Washington). She now lives and works on Whidbey Island, Northwestern Washington. The Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner in Spokane held a retrospective of her art in 2010.