Oral history interview with Manuel Izquierdo

Collection

Identifier: SR 9528

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This oral history interview with Manuel Izquierdo was conducted by Charles Digregorio at the Izuierdo’s home in Portland, Oregon, on July 21, 1978, as part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library’s oral history program.

In this interview, Izquierdo discusses his education at the Museum Art School in Portland, now known as the Pacific Northwest College of Art, and describes how he became interested in welding as an art form. He talks about his artistic process, and about his personal art style. He discusses some of his sculptures and woodcuts and describes why he would like to sculpt a cow. He closes the interview by sharing why he believes art is important.

Dates

1978 July 21

Creator

Izquierdo, Manuel, 1925-2009 (Interviewee, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Joint copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society and the estate of Manuel Izquierdo. Use is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright – Non-Commercial Use Permitted, https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/

Biographical note

Manuel Torres Izquierdo was born in Madrid, Spain, in 1925. In 1941, he studied art in Marseilles, France. During World War II, his parents sent him and his two brothers to the United States via the United States Committee for the Care of European Children. In 1942, Manuel T. Izquierdo arrived in Portland, Oregon. In 1951, he graduated from the Museum Art School, now known as the Pacific Northwest College of Art. He taught at the Museum Art School until his retirement in 1997. As an artist, he specialized in welded metal sculptures and woodcuts. His work was exhibited in Oregon, Washington, and California, and he created sculptures for 27 public and corporate commissions. In 1991, he received the Oregon Governor’s Arts Award.

Izquierdo married Lois Alice Baker in 1956. They had four children, and divorced in 1969. Manuel Izquierdo died in 2009.

Sources: "Manuel Izquierdo," by Roger Hull, Oregon Encyclopedia (accessed August 2023), https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/izquierdo_manuel_1925_2009_/; vital records on Ancestry.com; information provided by Izquierdo in his interview.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (1 audiocassette (1 hr., 4 min., 34 sec.) + transcript (23 pages))

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Oral history interview with Manuel Izquierdo conducted by Charles Digregorio on July 21, 1978. Izquierdo discusses his career as a sculptor in Portland, Oregon.