John Bell’s work continues with First National Bank, War Eagle Mill

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by The City Wire staff ([email protected]) February 3, 2010 6:42 pm 112 views 

John Bell’s latest commissioned work for First National Bank of Fort Smith is the latest project for the popular local artist who will be featured in a documentary about War Eagle Mill.

Bell’s commissioned portrait for Fort Smith-based First National Bank of Fort Smith was timed for the bank’s 100 year celebration of its landmark white building in the heart of downtown Fort Smith. The painting was unveiled Wednesday (Feb. 3) morning in the bank’s main lobby.

First National Bank of Fort Smith was founded in 1872 and the bank’s first three decades of growth required a new building. Construction on the eight-story building began in 1909 and was occupied by the bank Jan. 31, 1910. (William H. Taft was in his first and only term as the 27th U.S. President when the new building was built.)

Bell said he worked on the bank portrait for about 2.5 months. When originally approached about the commission, Bell said bank officials brought him an architectural drawing. Bell argued instead for a painting that showed the bank “in the midst of a vibrant downtown Fort Smith” that reflected a 1910 scene when the bank was built and opened.

The finished piece shows the bank attached on the east by the three-story ornate Hotel Main. An electric trolley, early model vehicle and horse-drawn carriages are part of the activity on Garrison Avenue.

SUBIACO COMMISSION
Bell said he is grateful to the bank for thinking of him. He said he still enjoys capturing the historic buildings and scene of Fort Smith. Bell’s previous commissioned work includes the Coca-Cola Bottling plant in Fort Smith, the original building used by Weldon Williams & Lick and the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.

The unique and impressive architecture of the Subiaco Abbey & Academy in Logan County east of Paris is the focus of Bell’s next commissioned project. Former students of the academy have pitched in to pay Bell to for his work. The effort is to help raise awareness of the Academy and to possibly use prints of the work as part of a fundraiser, Bell said. He said the Subiaco piece should be finished by the end of this year.

WAR EAGLE PROJECT
And then there is a documentary of War Eagle Mill being produced by Larry Foley, a Fort Smith-area native who is a professor of journalism at the University of Arkansas and a documentary writer and producer.

One of Foley’s best known efforts is “The Buffalo Flows,” a one-hour documentary that captures the river’s beauty through four seasons and attempts to explain why “America’s first national river” located in northcentral Arkansas continues to gain in popularity.

Foley is now deep in the War Eagle Creek with “Bridges of the War Eagle.” Foley has known of Bell’s work for many years, in particular a Bell piece that captured the mill and the adjacent bridge. Foley asked Bell to come back to the location and paint another piece. Bell obliged, and is painting a scene from the opposite direction as his first piece. Foley said he approached Bell about the project during Bell’s reception for his exhibit at Mullins Library on the UA campus in September.

“We’re thrilled to have John involved, just absolutely thrilled,” Foley said. explaining that Bell’s work will be an integral part of the documentary.

BELL IN MOTION
When Foley says Bell’s work will tie together the entire documentary, he means that in a literal sense. A camera has been placed in Bell’s Fort Smith studio to capture a few photos each day that Bell works on the new War Eagle Mill painting. Foley said Bell’s daily work will be “time-lapsed” during transitions in the documentary, with the end of film showing the completed image.

Having anyone look over his shoulder is not something Bell has allowed. But he says the Foley approach with a camera was a “cool idea” he couldn’t resist.

“You know, that’s probably one of the more interesting things I’ve done, to see that (time-lapsed photography) show the painting come to life,” Bell said.

It will be some time before the rest of us can see Bell’s work come to life before our eyes. Foley said the documentary will be released near the winter of 2011.

Foley has two documentaries set for release. A piece on legendary University of Arkansas track coach John McDonald will air on AETN at 6:30 p.m., March 10. A documentary on architect Fay Jones is scheduled for AETN broadcast on March 25.