During the Great Depression, which started 95 years ago, President Roosevelt initiated a new federal program called the Works Project Administration, which provided Federally funded jobs.
In Durango, one of the projects was the Lion's Den, a stone building on the edge of the Fort Lewis College Mesa that is still used by the community for gatherings. They also completed a trail from the city below to the Lion's Den.
A unique agency within the department was called The Federal Art Project, which existed from 1935 to 1943 and was established to provide work for artists and artisans to create murals, easel paintings, sculpture, graphic art, posters, photography, and arts and crafts.
According to American Heritage, approximately 400,000 projects were funded by the agency. Most of them have been lost. Murals were a significant part of the program. The Weatherford, Oklahoma post office has a 1939 Section of a Fine Arts mural by Oscar Berninghaus. He went on to become one of America's finest artists.
Most artists in the program did not reach those heights. Sam H. Ray was one of the artists who worked in the Durango area and whose favorite subjects were Native American scenes and portraits. Occasionally, you will find his work in auctions and WPA collections.
In 1939, he painted a portrait of Tabeguache (Uncompahgre) Ute Chief, Ouray (1833-80). Painted from a photograph (Ouray was one of the most photographed Native Chiefs), he was an interesting choice. He was known as a peaceful leader and was responsible for negotiating peace with the government following the "Meeker Massacre" in Colorado. He was responsible for establishing a reservation for his people in Utah when the government refused to honor their original agreement to develop a larger reservation in Colorado.
The town of Ouray is named after him, and there is a Museum outside of Montrose, Colorado honoring him.
This painting has the original lease agreement from the WPA to the Long Lake School District #33 in Durango, Colorado affixed to the back of the work. It is an excellent portrait of a man who was responsible, in his eyes, for the survival of his band of Utes. Certainly, with the connection to the WPA, it is a piece of history.
