Obituary of James Smith Pierce

JAMES SMITH PIERCE, 80, passed away peacefully May 13, 2010 in Belfast. He was born April 26, 1930 in Brooklyn, NY, the son of Edward Lloyd and Florence May (Young) Pierce. From 1959-1969 he taught art and architectural history at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH where he was associate professor and acting chairman of the Art Department. He was Chairman of the Art Department at the University of Kentucky from 1969 to 1973 and continued to serve as Professor of Art until retiring in 1989 as Professor Emeritus. While semi-retired in Camden, he was Visiting Professor of Art at Colby College in Waterville from 1990-1991 and Artist-in-Residence at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham in 1993. Professor Pierce published widely in the areas of medieval, Renaissance and Twentieth-Century fine art and folk art, including a book on the Swiss-German painter, Paul Klee, and a textbook, From Abacus to Zeus, continuously in print for over forty years and widely assigned in art history classes throughout the United States and Canada. In addition to his contributions to the history of art, Pierce was an early contributor to the Land Art movement during the 1970s and 1980s. He exhibited widely throughout Maine, the United States and Europe. He is survived by his wife Carol Smyers of Belfast; his children, Christopher Dion Pierce of Lexington, KY and David Elliott Pierce of Royal Oak, MI; a brother, Franklin Wadsworth Pierce of Scottsdale, AZ; grandchildren, Samuel Elliot Pierce and Giulia Isabella Pierce; a niece and nephews. Funeral service will be held 9 a.m. Monday, May 17th at Maine Veterans Cemetery where he will be buried with military honors. Arrangements under the care of Crabiel-Riposta Funeral Home, 182 Waldo Avenue, Belfast.