FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Charles Banks Wilson was born in Arkansas but he is revered in Oklahoma, where he grew up and spent most of his working life. Wilson is best known among artists for his “Indian pureblood” portraits; tens of thousands of Oklahomans know him for the historical murals he painted in the rotunda of the state capitol, and for his portraits of famous Oklahomans that hang on the walls of the capitol building. If Oklahoma has a “state artist,” it’s Charles Banks Wilson.

Larry Foley, a University of Arkansas journalism professor, met Wilson five years ago in Fayetteville. Foley was making a video documentary and needed some historical images of what he called “fierce Osage Indians.” He saw one of Wilson’s paintings of an Osage warrior (Osage Dreams), and contacted him about using it. Wilson was 82 years old at the time, and had moved to Fayetteville a few years earlier to be close to his daughter and grandchildren. It turned out he and Foley lived within a few blocks of each other. The artist invited the filmmaker to his home.

“He couldn’t have been more gracious and generous,” Foley recalled. Wilson showed him his paintings, and gave Foley permission to use any that he wanted. Foley was captivated by the artwork, but even more by the artist, his conversation, and the stories Wilson told of his life.  Foley left with the images he needed for his film, with the beginning of a new friendship, and with an idea for another documentary.

Oddly enough, it took Foley five years to get around to making that film: Charles Banks Wilson: Portrait of an American Artist. He made four other documentaries in the interim, but kept putting off the Wilson project. During this time he and the painter became “great friends.”

“Charles is one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met. Last year I realized he was 87 years old, and it was high time I got started on this if I was going to do it.”

Wilson was more than willing. In fact, he had film of himself painting in the 1930s, the 1950s, and even television news footage from the 1970s, all of which he was happy to make available. Still, Foley had trouble deciding how to approach the subject. He had always made films as an outside observer. This was more personal. 

“Charles has an incredible zest for life, and a love of what he does. He’s 88 years old now, but he gets up every morning to work on a new drawing or painting. When you call him up he’s going to tell you what he’s working on today. I wanted to capture the essence of who Charles is.”

Finally, Foley decided to “just tell the story, from my perspective.” He became a kind of correspondent in his documentary, bringing the audience into the life of this artist, introducing them to his friend. The conversation in the film is very personal, with Wilson recounting the stories behind his paintings, telling of the people he knew, and the people he painted. At one point in the film Wilson is at home talking with Foley about a portrait he did of his friend and mentor, Thomas Hart Benton. That leads to this exchange:

Foley: “This is pretty life-like. Do you ever look over there and talk to him?

Wilson: “Oh yes. I find him admonishing me about something all the time, and I, as I walk by, I quite often will say, 'Tom, mind your own business!”

Portrait of an American Artist is an entertaining biography, and it serves as an excellent introduction to Charles Banks Wilson’s artwork: from the paintings themselves, to his philosophy of portrait art, to his insights into the practical task of putting one color next to another on canvas. The film also manages to carry on Wilson’s tradition, in another medium.

“Charles told me that when he was painting his pureblood Indian series, the people he was painting didn’t care about his 'art’ — they’re only concern was 'does it look like me?’ Charles said that made him a better painter.” Foley took the same approach to his film, creating a portrait that “looks like” Charles Banks Wilson.

Charles Banks Wilson: Portrait of an American Artist will have its first screening in Giffels auditorium at 7 p.m. Sept. 25, as part of the 13^th annual Native American Symposium at the University of Arkansas. It will be shown Sept. 26 in a private screening at the Gilcrease museum — which houses Wilson’s Pureblood paintings. The documentary will have a theatrical debut at the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival Oct. 22, and both the Arkansas and Oklahoma educational television networks plan to show it during their November fund-raisers.

As for Charles Banks Wilson himself, he’ll take a little time from his painting for this new round of public recognition. First, he’ll attend the screenings at Giffels and the Gilcrease. Then on Oct. 4 he’ll travel to the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion to receive a Governor’s Arts 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Arkansas Arts Council. He will be accompanied by his friend, Larry Foley, who nominated him for the award. Wilson is the only artist to receive such an award in both Oklahoma and Arkansas.