While Rachel Hawkins was here for the James Yale Legacy team’s interview, I asked her to talk about James’ portrait of Don Tyson. The Don Tyson portrait James had painted for himself.
The only one who I wanted to talk with about this painting was Rachel Hawkins, from her perspective of being one of James’ students. Also as someone who knew the man Don Tyson and the history of James’ Tyson corporate portraits.
“On my breaks I would stroll through the Tyson corporate headquarters that host an amazing art collection. One day I walked into Oak Hall looking at the painting of founder John Tyson, and when I looked at his hands… I knew that this is a James Yale painting, and I couldn’t wait to talk to Mr. Yale.”
James was close to retiring as a portrait artist when he got the call after his friend Don Tyson had passed. The last time James saw Don was at a Willie Nelson concert. Don had just been in the newspaper in graduation robes receiving an Honorary Degree from The University of Arkansas. At the concert when James brought up Don’s photo in the paper, Don said, “Jim, if you give them enough money… they will give you a degree.” That last concert was where I witnessed all three men together one last time.
That newspaper photo is the image James locked into for this portrait. In my conversation with Rachel I said, “I call this painting The Old Lion, someone who has been through the battles and seen it all.”
Rachel answered, “I call it Solemn Don. The two paintings the family had Mr. Yale paint were of smiling Don, the face of the Tyson Company. In this one, Solemn Don, Mr. Yale captured the man. The man who could be soft and solemn. He put his heart into this portrait for Don. He painted from his heart here. The other two he painted out of duty. But every painting he did, he had his heart in it. You can see what he is passionate about. See the level of excellence and then marvel at the technique. Each person or model, he would interview first to understand your soul.”
My special heartfelt thanks goes out to James’ friend, student and champion, Rachel Hawkins for this interview.
— Charlotte Buchanan Yale
