July 2006 Page 5

> Joplin's early art history
This town's pre-european art history was, like most American settlements, exclusively that of indigenous "indian" tribes; beadwork, carving, textiles, basketry and the like mainly of the Wyandotte and Seneca people, but later also of the White River Cherokee band. In the 1870's lead was discovered here in great abundance. Joplin as such quickly became a mining boom town, eventually to include zinc (called "jack" in those days.)
As early as 1876, once wives and children began to civilize this rowdy region, in what was known then as Barbee Park (out west near 20th Street and Maiden Lane), an art and floral hall was established as part of The Joplin Exposition facility, under the Jockey Club and Fair Association.
That same year a young easterner named E.O. Bartlett arrived to invent and patent a method of capturing lead waste fumes coming from the stacks of several Joplin smelters. The product was a substance resembling white flour, and it became the major element in recipes for manufacturing white lead paint; then the only white pigment artists used other than gesso. The US government was Bartlett's primary customer. They bought the chemical for use in producing paint for US Navy battleships. Eventually the White Lead Works evolved to become what is today known as Eagle-Picher Company, a firm still existing in the profession of making military and other specialized batteries. Although white lead pigment has not too long ago fallen out of favor due to its toxicity, any artist who has ever used white lead knows the uncommonly beautiful pearly quality it gives to transparent glazes overlain.

> Ozark artist discovery?
Came across a remarkable painter said to have lived in Rocky Comfort, MO sometime during the 1950s... named Ms. E. BUFFORD (don't know her full first name yet). Donna and Terry Hart of Joplin own 2 of her works from that general time period; one is a folk primitive titled "Log Cabin Home" and the other is provisionally titled "Camp Site" - both are signed BR recto, oil on illustration board, ca. 20 x 18" or so. Terry is a native of Neosho, and worked as a city constable there and in Granby before co-owning with Donna the famous (for its truly crispy frenchfries, fresh pie and down-home hospitality) Eagle Diner in Joplin. The "Camp Site" piece shows a quite sophisticated post-impressionist treatment of the subject, and caught my eye... making me want to know if there are any other paintings of hers around here and what her story was. There is some history that she was once known for doing the finish painting on the folk-art bows and arrows of a Mr. Sam "Fitz" Looney also of Rocky Comfort... an example of which was seen in Las Vegas, NV by Mr. Hart.

> Dioko Coffee Company (514 S. Main, Joplin) art display
Robin Wampler showed me a great Joplin Globe article describing that in December 2005 Dioko showed magnificent paintings and woven rugs (Swedish or Navajo wool) by Joplin artist Gerald A. Johnson, thanks to the efforts of his wife, Lisa. Her husband studied with Ilya Bolotowsky (one of my few favorite formalists of all time)in NYC, and creates tributes of his own to that learning. Quite remarkable work... Dioko has since closed, but the artist may be reached at 417.659.9140