In memory of Edward Lund: a trip to London for Fresno State art students. He would have been pleased.
Jamie Boley didn’t realize it when she first got to know him, but the quiet man in the black T-shirt would make an impact on her life.
She was an art student at Fresno State studying painting. He was Edward Lund, a noted local artist who wore a variety of hats: founder of the contemporary Corridor 2122 gallery; a respected curator at nearly every important art venue in town; a whiskey enthusiast; and an avid cyclist. In his capacity as a gallery technician at Fresno State, where he was known for his exacting standards of style and presentation, Lund kept a close eye on students’ work. And Boley’s paintings impressed him.
Pictured above: Danny DeMeza’s ‘to say everything without saying nothing.’ Photo: courtesy of the artist
“He’s probably one of the first people to notice my work,” she says.
As she studied and painted as a student, she appreciated Lund’s encouragement. And she especially enjoyed working with him when it was time for her work to be displayed at the campus Phebe Conley Art Gallery.
“You knew that Ed was going to hang your show, and you knew it was going to be special,” she says.
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Fast forward a few years. Lund’s life was sadly cut short in a cycling accident in 2015. The Edward O. Lund Foundation was established to honor his name and support Fresno State art students. Through the foundation, Boley in 2016 traveled on an all-expenses paid, three-week trip to England as part of Fresno State’s study-abroad London Program.
“I’d dreamed of going to Europe, and I had come to the conclusion that it wasn’t going to happen,” she says. “I think the trip really changed my perspective and opened up the world more to me.”
Three scholarship recipients were picked for that first year’s “class” of art scholars. Four scholarships were awarded for the 2017 class.
The foundation holds an annual fundraiser to help pay for those scholarships. (It’s part of a Weekend of Lund Jollity, which kicks off Saturday, Oct. 20, with a bike race and music festival, a nod to Lund’s eclectic tastes. He also, the foundation website notes, was a “ballet and modern dancer, metalsmith, carpenter, gardener, classic Volvo enthusiast, rock climber, outdoor adventurer, and gourmet chef.”) On Sunday, “A Whisky, Brew & Art Affair” will feature fine Japanese whiskies, artisan beers and a fine-arts auction. The event is 4-7 p.m. at The Mad Duck.
One of the artworks available for purchase is a painting by Danny DeMeza titled “to say everything without saying nothing.”
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The plein air work is the first that DeMeza painted upon his return to Fresno after his experience as a Lund Foundation scholarship winner in the 2017 class. And it’s one of his favorites. He came back from London inspired by all the great art he got to see.
“Seeing a Caravaggio in person definitely changed my life,” he says. “After seeing all that beautiful work, I realized I needed to raise the standard for myself.”
DeMeza and Boley are both still at Fresno State, though in different roles: She’s teaching back in her old department (and making lots of new work herself) while finishing up postgraduate work at the Chicago Art Institute. He’s going to graduate in the spring, all the while making a name for himself with various mural projects, including one in the Dominican Republic and one on campus.
Though they were just a year apart in terms of their London study experience, there is a major difference between them. She knew Edward Lund well. He never met him.
But that gap is easily bridged. DeMeza’s mentor at Fresno State, Nick Potter, was close friends with Lund. Sometimes, DeMeza says, his mentor takes a long look at him and says: “You remind me of him.”
That’s one reason why DeMeza is so willing to have his “to say everything” painting sold at Sunday’s auction. It’s one of his favorites. He turned down multiple offers to sell it. But this is a good cause.
“For this event, for Ed Lund,” he says, “I couldn’t think of a better piece.”
Event info
‘A Whisky, Brew & Art Affair,’ 4-7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21, The Mad Duck, 3085 E. Campus Pointe Dr., Fresno. Tickets are $35.
