Archives of American Art

Oral history interview with Frank S. Okada

Summary

(Electronic Resource)

Oral history interview with Frank S. Okada, 1990 Aug. 16-17, Transcript
Collection ID:
AAA.okada90
Creators:
Okada, Frank S. (Frank Sumio), 1931-2000
Johns, Barbara
Dates:
1990 Aug. 16-17
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
87 Pages
Transcript
Repository:
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
An interview of Frank Okada conducted 1990 Aug. 16-17, in Seattle, Wash., by Barbara Johns, for the Archives of American Art Northwest Asian American Project. Okada discusses his parents' background; his family including his brothers, John, author of "No-No Boy," and Charlie, a graphic designer; traveling to Japan for the Pacific Northwest Artists and Japan exhibition; being in an internment camp; painting in Eugene, Ore. and Seattle, Wash.; his painting techniques; studying under Leon Derbyshire; his connection with the jazz scene in Seattle in the late 1940s and 1950s including musicians Sammy Davis, Ray Charles, and Quincy Jones; attending Cornish School of Art, Seattle; meeting Mark Tobey; comparision of his painting style to Tobey's; his stint in the Army; attending Cranbrook Academy of Art and studying with painter Fred Mitchell; his Whitney fellowship in New York; study of Japanese, Chinese, and Zen paintings; working for Boeings in the early 1960s; traveling to France on a Guggenheim; teaching at University of Oregon in Eugene; his minimalist work; influence of Japanese art in his painting. Okada mentions Lawson Inada (Asian American poet), Frank Chin (Asian American playwright), artists David Stone Martin, James Edward Peck, Yayoi Kusama, George Tsutakawa, Paul Horiuchi, Ben Shahn, Kenjiro Nomura, Louis Bunce, Bill Ivey, and art gallery owner Zoe Dusanne.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Frank S. Okada (1931-2000) was a Japanese American painter based in Seattle, Washington. He taught at University of Oregon from 1969-1999.
Administration
Sponsor
Funding for this interview was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Funding for the digital preservation of this interview was provided by a grant from the Save America's Treasures Program of the National Park Service.
Existence and Location of Copies
Transcript available on line
Existence and Location of Originals
Transcript also available at the University of Washington, Manuscripts Collection, and at the Oregon Historical Society.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These interviews are part of the Archives of American Art Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and administrators.
Digital Content

(Electronic Resource)

Oral history interview with Frank S. Okada, 1990 Aug. 16-17, Transcript

(Sound Recording)

Oral history interview with Frank S. Okada, 1990 Aug. 16-17, Digital Sound Recording (Excerpt)
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
More Information
General
General
Originally recorded on 5 sound cassettes. Reformatted in 2010 as 9 digital wav files. Duration is 4 hrs., 38 min.
Keywords
Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Asian American art Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Asian American artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Japanese American art Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Japanese American artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painting, Japanese Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painting, Modern -- 20th century -- Washington (State) -- Seattle Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painting, Chinese Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Asian American painters Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Asian American sculptors Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sculptors -- United States Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- Washington (State) -- Seattle Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Japanese Americans -- Forced removal and internment, 1942-1945 Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bunce, Louis, 1907-1983 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Charles, Ray, 1930-2004 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Chin, Frank, 1940- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Davis, Sammy, 1925- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Derbyshire, Leon Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dusanne, Zoe, 1884-1977 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Horiuchi, Paul, 1906- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Inada, Lawson Fusao Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ivey, William, 1919-1992 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Jones, Quincy, 1933- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kusama, Yayoi, 1929- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Martin, David Stone Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Nomura, Kenjiro, 1896-1956 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Okada, John Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Peck, James Edward, 1907- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Shahn, Ben, 1898-1969 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tobey, Mark Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tsutakawa, George Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cornish School of Allied Arts (Seattle, Wash.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
University of Oregon -- Faculty Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cranbrook Academy of Art -- Students Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Northwest Asian American Project Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Repository Contact
Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions