Theme: Art
Tom Allen Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen and Karl McCreary.
September 1, 2015
Tom Allen (b. 1931) was a Botany professor at OSU from 1962 to his retirement in 1991.
Shortly after arriving on campus, Allen acquired the university's first electron microscope
and used it to study viruses in lilies, among many other plants. Allen is also an
artist of regional consequence who is especially well-known for his watercolor paintings.
While at OSU, Allen helped to found both the Corvallis Art Center as well as the Watercolor
Society of Oregon. He also led the annual Art About Agriculture juried competition
and traveling exhibit for more than twenty years. In his interview, Allen discusses
his evolution as a scientist and artist; shares his institutional memories of Botany
and agriculture at OSU; and reflects on his important involvement in the art community
in Corvallis and across Oregon.
Harrison Branch Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Mike Dicianna.
February 23, 2015
Harrison Branch (b. 1947) worked in the OSU Art department for forty years as a professor
of Photography, beginning with his arrival in 1973 and concluding with his retirement
in 2013. As an artist, Branch primarily used bellows cameras, often for large format
projects, and as a researcher he investigated platinum-palladium printmaking and Platinotypes,
among other topics. Branch likewise taught a variety of photography classes, including
courses on the history and science of the medium. In his interview, Branch touches
upon his evolution as a photographer, his interests in various technical aspects of
the art form, and his experiences as a teacher over four decades at Oregon State.
Henry Sayre Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
August 5, 2014
Henry Sayre (b. 1948) is a Distinguished Professor of Art History who has worked at
OSU since 1981 and at the OSU-Cascades campus since its opening in 2001. Sayre is
also an accomplished teacher and the author of a number of books, including a groundbreaking
art appreciation textbook, A World of Art, now in its seventh edition, and the children's book From Cave Paintings to Picasso, winner of an Oregon Book Award. As chair of the curriculum committee and as academic
provost, Sayre has also been instrumental in the on-going development of the Cascades
campus in Bend, Oregon. His interview focuses on his experiences as a professor in
the liberal arts at OSU, his leading role at OSU-Cascades, and his influential work
as an art historian and art educator.