In Memoriam
Gordon Wetmore
1938-2011
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Founder and Board Chairman, Gordon Wetmore. Gordon leaves behind the legacy of passion, for his own art, for helping others develop their talent and for his family. He was a true leader and influenced the resurgence of representational art in America. Gordon had a way of making you feel as though he had known you for years. He was the face of the Portrait Society and had a Southern Charm that welcomed members into our Portrait Family. His had an extraordinary gift of being able to easily relate and communicate with people. He will be remembered as a great man, a wonderful artist and a visionary.
Gordon attended The Art Students League in New York. He was a member of the Artist’s Fellowship of New York, the Oil Painters of America and served on the board of Overseers of Opera Boston. He was the founding Chairman of the Portrait Society of America.
He created over 700 portraits of distinguished subjects including: President Richard M. Nixon, Jack Nicklaus, Fred Couples, Dr. and Mrs. Norman Vincent Peale, Leon Uris, Princess Grace, Prince Rainier and Prince Albert of Monaco. His artwork hangs in the collections of the White House, the Royal Palace of Monaco, the Knessett in Jerusalem, the Hunter Museum of American Art, Harvard, Duke, Emory, and Northwestern Universities, as well as UNC Chapel Hill and the University of Texas in Houston, Texas. His artwork has been published in
Promised Land
, with text by noted author Leon Uris and Israeli statesman Abba Eban.
Ireland - Portrayed by Gordon Wetmore
, with text by the artist and a foreword by Princess Grace of Monaco was published in 1980. Gordon Wetmore's
Prayers for Boys and Girls
was published in 1986. In 2004,
Vanishing Kingdoms
, with 20 portraits by Wetmore and text by Ambassador Walter J.P. Curley, was published in Ireland by Lilliput Press.
Gordon passed away on August 25, 2011, shortly after being diagnosed with exremely rare Prion diease. He is survived by his wife, Connie, and three daughters, Amy, Alexandra and Abigail. Funeral arrangements are by Chattanooga Funeral Home, East Chapel.
You can make donations to a legacy scholarship fund (at left) established in Gordon's name. We welcome your comments, stories, photos or experiences on our
Facebook page
. If you would like to send your condolences to the family, we will be forwarding correspondence addressed as below to the Wetmore family:
Wetmore Family
c/o Portrait Society of America
P.O. Box 11272
Tallahassee, FL 32302
We are all grateful for knowing Gordon and benefiting from his passion for his art and the Portrait Society.
