Back to work on the collage portraits for the Liberty Bank Building. This week I'm staring down some formidable faces.
Dr. Rev. Samuel B. McKinney (from the Liberty Bank & McKinney family archives)
Dr. Rev. Samuel McKinney was an activist who moved mountains. During his tenure as leader of the iconic Mount Zion Baptist Church, he co-founded Liberty Bank as well as a housing complex for the elderly and working poor. He was also a gracious person with a resonant, Morgan Freeman-as-God-level voice. I just hope I can do his portrait justice.
And just a few days ago, I learned about the architect DeNorval Unthank Jr. He and fellow architect Mel Streeter teamed up to design the original Liberty Bank. "De," as he was called, was also the first black man to earn an architecture degree from the University of Oregon. One of the university residence halls has been renamed for him.
Unthank Hall sign unveiling (credit: Around the O/University. of Oregon)
So... just making a couple more collage portraits of Northwest icons. No pressure.