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Childers, Russell
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- 2 p. Russell Childers' 1991 biography., In 1970 Childers had a one man show that opened in the University Of Oregon Museum Of Art and has toured colleges, galleries and libraries in the Northwest including a very successful exhibit in Sapporo, Japan. His wood carvings are being purchased by museums and private collectors who gladly pay up to $2,000.00 for his pieces. Russell has truly gained recognition as a gifted artist. This was not always the case. On January 11, 1926 at the age at 10 has was committed to Fairview State Home for the Feeble Minded because of "fits" that quite possibly could have been epileptic seizures stemming from early childhood falls and several bouts with extremely high fevers. Records show that his first- and second- grade teachers regarded him as incorrigible. In those days that was enough reason to have a child institutionalized. While at Fairview he received several diagnoses including autism. Perhaps because of deafness he found it difficult to communicate so he was labeled as being retarded. As a former superintendent of Fairview, Merry McGee said, "When a person was labeled as retarded, all services ceased." Patients were fed and clothed but received no training. Russell spent the next forty years in silence. Russell is not sure when he started to carve but thinks it was during World War II. While thumbing through an issue of Life Magazine, he saw an illustration of a woodcarver at work and this triggered something in him. Woodcarving was Childers' only significant activity for most of the forty years he spent there. He was not allowed to have a knife for many years, so he sharpened bits of metal and with donated wood he eagerly created wooden cowboys, bartenders and bears for the ward attendants. He charged 50 cents for his work. In 1965, Pauline Lindell, one of the founders of Willamette Valley Rehabilitation Center felt that Russell was capable of "leading a more useful life" and helped in obtaining his release. Russell moved to Lebanon to reside in a foster home. At Willamette Valley Rehabilitation Center he was given a set of hearing aids, extensive reading and writing classes and a place to continue his carving. In his new open environment, Russell has thrived. He is paid a salary at the center, with which he shares the proceeds from his carvings. As he works at his bench, Russell will occasionally chat with workers who pass by, but his thoughts stay with the steady strokes of his coping saw as he shapes a piece of maple or oak into a delicate figure. His self-portraits and the poignant pre-Fairview family scenes are works of art. One of the most acclaimed is of Childers, a brother and an aunt who are sitting together on a bench the day before he was committed. As Jan Zach, retired professor of sculpture at the University of Oregon and a good friend of Russell, said a few years ago, "Russell's work is beautiful, it's absolutely astonishing." When asked, Russell thinks he does good work, but calls it a hobby -- one that he has pursued eight hours a day for a good part of his 73 years., The Oregon Arts Commission has ten Regional Arts Councils that provide delivery of art services and information. The Council for this location is: Regional Arts & Culture. You may view their website at http://www.racc.org/
