Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW SPECIAL REPORT: Medford Water Commission may have downplayed lead pipes, warnings of corrosion ... The Civil War lives this weekend at Hanley Farm ... Robber who wore underwear on head gets prison time ... SPECIAL REPORT: Medford Water Commission may have downplayed lead pipes, warnings of corrosion ... The Civil War lives this weekend at Hanley Farm ... Robber who wore underwear on head gets prison time ... ART A more familiar face Ashland artist paints a portrait of a former governor for South Dakota capitol Comment By John Darling for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 15, 2016 at 3:59 PM Updated Jul 15, 2016 at 8:12 PM By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 15, 2016 at 3:59 PM Updated Jul 15, 2016 at 8:12 PM » Social News His family always thought their father’s official portrait, hanging in the gallery of former governors at the South Dakota capitol, looked like what it was: an old man in a rocking chair showing advanced signs of aging and the malaria he caught as a colonel in the South Pacific in World War II. They wanted a new painting, one that showed Gov. Leslie Jensen’s wry humor and people-loving personality. So, his son Les Jensen, 85, creator of Ashland’s Shakespeare & Company Bookstore, accomplished that, using an old photo of the governor relaxing and smiling in younger years — and employing Ashland portrait painter David William Terry to execute it. Son Les and a dozen other relatives are just back from the official unveiling of the new oil portrait in the state capitol, with South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard presiding. “The whole family and I were really pleased with it,” says Les. “It’s really him.” Doing a portrait without the subject present is difficult, says Terry, who got input from many family members and used several old war photos to capture the eyes and mouth. It took him eight months. The governor, who died in 1974, was a lawyer who defeated the incumbent Republican, winning a two-year term in 1936. He completed the first paved highway across South Dakota and paid down the state debt. He ran the state’s first phone company, which was started by his frontiersman father, Chris Jensen, in 1895. Les Jensen, also a lawyer, ran the company for some years and moved to Ashland in 1988. “My father was a natural politician, very different from me,” says Les. “I’m an academic. He loved masses of people, but I find that boring. He was very charming and full of witty quips, and that came through in the painting.” Like Les Jensen, Terry followed his dad into law, but gave it up for what he loved. It’s best to get to know the person you’re painting, relax and tell stories and let their personality come out, so “the process is a blast, really,” he notes. “I always had this nagging passion for art and portrait painting, so I stopped being a trial lawyer in 2002 and mentored under a master portrait painter,” says Terry, who teaches the art at Ashland Art Center every Wednesday evening. John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. By John Darling for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 15, 2016 at 3:59 PM Updated Jul 15, 2016 at 8:12 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501