James Edward Deeds, Jr

 

Seamlessly from yesterdays post we move to the terrible story of James Edward Deeds, Jr (1908-1987), with these incredible drawings on pages of ledgers and hospital stationary from the asylum where James was interned for over 54 years of his life. At 64 in declining health he was moved to a nursing home where he spent the last 14 years of his life. I have selected some of his animal drawings, though he has multiple drawings of boats of people, engineering and trees. There is a book published of his work called the Electric pencil due to the electroconvulsive therapy he suffered.

Deeds lovingly bound his artwork in a cardboard and leather portfolio, a present for his mother. After being accidentally discarded in 1970, the album was miraculously rescued from the trash by a young boy and, thirty-six years later, came into the hands of artist and collector Harris Diamant.