Artists Are Found!
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Author: Ward Whitley and Grady Gaston Early
Released 15 July 2003
We are all overwhelmed at the help and the speed thereof -- bless the internet -- in this little stroll down memory lane, Assistance Please!!! The artists of these paintings have all been identified and the families have been contacted.
Shirlee Blank
Shirlee Blank was a well-known amateur artist who sold many paintings while in Arabia. She was married to Herb Blank and had two sons, Paul and Brian, and a daughter-in-law, Karin, currently living in Dhahran. Shirlee has passed away and Herb is living in Tucson, Arizona. The Blank family is deciding what they want do with Shirlee's painting and will get back to Grady.
Georgene Van Schoiack Buckley
The painting of the Arab man is by a former Ras Tanura secretary named Georgene Van Schoiack who married Joe Buckley. She and Joe live in Laguna Hills, California. Georgene was very active in the Ras Tanura Art Group and was most famous for her Money Trees.
When Grady contacted Georgene, she said she has many of her own paintings and would like for Grady to keep this one.
Upon further examination of the map, Grady found that there were apparently two people involved in the artwork; Helen Helbach and Adnan Barad'i.
Helen Helbach and Adnan Barad'i
Helen Helbach worked for the Arabian Research Division as a secretary from about 1949 to 1952-53. She has not been located and if anyone knows her whereabouts, please e-mail info@aramcoexpats.com.
Sumbat Kiureghian
The dhow painting done in 1965 by "Sumbat" looks professional because it is. Sumbat Kiureghian was a very well-known Iranian artist. Marian Howard, a Ras Tanura resident, sponsored Sumbat's visit to Saudi Arabia in the 1960s and he sold many paintings while there.
Sumbat would also paint on old newsprint. He would wipe his brush on an old newspaper, then later create figures and faces out of the brush strokes.
Grady has been corresponding with Sumbat's son, Dr. Armen Der Kiureghian who is writing a book on his father.
Aramco ExPats, Ward Whitley and Grady Gaston Early would like to thank everyone who sent us e-mails to help identify these artists. We very much appreciate your responses. Thank you.