Oral Histories

Interview of William Pajaud

African American artist.
Subtitle:
African-American Artists of Los Angeles: William Pajaud
Series:
African American Artists of Los Angeles
Topic:
African American History
Art
Biographical Note:
African American artist.
Interviewer:
Mason, Karen Anne
Interviewee:
Pajaud, William
Persons Present:
Pajaud and Mason.
Place Conducted:
Pajaud's studio in Los Angeles, California.
Supporting Documents:
Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research.
Interviewer Background and Preparation:
The interview was conducted by Karen Mason; B.A., English, Simmons College; M.A., Art History, UCLA.
Processing of Interview:
Alex Cline, editor, edited the interview. He checked the verbatim transcript of the interview against the original tape recordings, edited for punctuation, paragraphing, and spelling, and verified proper names. Words and phrases inserted by the editor have been bracketed. Pajaud reviewed the transcript. He verified proper names and made minor corrections and additions. Steven J. Novak, editor, prepared the table of contents, biographical summary, and index. Cline prepared the interview history.
Length:
6.2 hrs.
Language:
English
Copyright:
Regents of the University of California, UCLA Library.
Audio:
Series Statement:
The interviews in the series African American Artists of Los Angeles document significant African American Artists and others in the Los Angeles metropolitan area who have worked to expand exhibition opportunities and public support for African American visual culture. The series was made possible in part by support from the UCLA Center for African American Studies, Institute of American Cultures.
Childhood in New Orleans--Illness--Learning to draw--Moves to Nashville--Selling moonshine whiskey in Tyler, Texas.
High school years--Marriage and move to Chicago--Moves to Los Angeles.
Art education at Xavier University--Studies African and African-American history--Interest in Chinese art--Teacher Numa Rousseve--Watercolor technique.
Southside Community Arts Center in Chicago--Working as a sign painter in Los Angeles--Painting neckties--Selling watercolors to Robinson's department store--Starting the Eleven Associated gallery--Individualistic style--Shows works in a leftist art exhibit.
Musical influences on Pajaud as a child--Decision to attend Chouinard Art Institute--Going to school full-time while working full-time at the post office--Chouinard faculty--Becomes art director for Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company.
More on Golden State--Exhibiting his watercolors--Nonbohemian life-style--Tendency to paint a series of subjects--The Tutor/Art program.
More on the Tutor/Art program--Irrationality of the art market--Working with different media.
Wendell Collins's firehouse studio--Difference between artists and illustrators--Pajaud's artistic influences--His themes--Afrocentrism.
The Golden State Mutual Afro-American Art Collection--Commissioning portraits of Golden State leaders--Acquisitions.
Acquisition criteria--Guided tours of the exhibit--Security concerns--The market for African-American art.