Art in Focus: To Liz Ingram “You are my Valentine” by Gordon W. Gilkey

“To Liz Ingram “You are my Valentine””, date unknown; ink on paper; linocut; Gordon W. Gilkey: Born Scio, United States, 1912; Died Portland, United States 2000; University of Alberta Museums, University of Alberta Museums Art Collection; 1999.15.1

Across North America, the month of February is commonly associated with St. Valentine’s Day and the expression of both romantic and platonic love. While consumerism has largely overshadowed sentiments of love or the historical figure of the Roman Saint Valentine, the theme of love has influenced contemporary artists and the imagery found in their work.

The linocut print, To Liz Ingram “You Are My Valentine” (1999.15.1)  by the American artist Gordon W. Gilkey shows a fish looped with a harp that looks like an abstracted heart. A minimalist work of art in red and white is an ode to fellow artist and University of Alberta professor emeritus Liz Ingram. Made during Gilkey’s time as a Visiting Artist in the University of Alberta’s Department of Art and Design in 1999, the artist subsequently donated the work to the University of Alberta Museums for the Print Study Centre. While Ingram recalls Gilkey’s visit to Edmonton and conversations they had about World War II, the print was made and donated unbeknownst to her - a kind of secret Valentine that was revealed over twenty years after its making.

As an artist and educator, Gilkey was a professor at Oregon State University (where he also received the first MFA in printmaking in 1936) and worked to establish the Vivian and Gordon Gilkey Graphic Arts Collection at the Portland Art Museum where he donated more than 14,000 objects. Gilkey’s own artwork can be found across numerous public and private collections in the United States, including the Lewis and Clark Special Collections and Archives in Portland, Oregon.

In addition to his lengthy vocation as an artist, educator, and collector, Gilkey also served in a special division in the United States Army dedicated to locating and returning art confiscated by the Nazis during World War II. Known as “Monuments Men,” this division found and seized thousands of works throughout Europe. For his efforts, he was knighted in France and received numerous honors in Italy, Germany, and Sweden. Gilkey also received a Meritorious Service Medal from the US government after the war.  

With a varied and expansive career in printmaking, Gordon W. Gilkey’s impact in the arts has been immeasurable. His print To Liz Ingram “You are my Valentine” marks Valentine’s Day and the platonic connections made between artists. The work is one of five prints by the artist in the University of Alberta Museums Art Collection.

¹ Conversation with Liz Ingram. 2023

² Kimber Williams, “Master printmaker, Gilkey’s legacy had international reach,” https://design.uoregon.edu/gordon-gilkey-1936 (accessed 20 January 2023).

³ Ibid.

This web story is part of the University of Alberta Museums Art Collection Spotlight Series, a collection of web stories aimed to share works of art from the University of Alberta Museums Art Collection with the world. Posted monthly, these stories connect works of art in the Collection to important matters on our campus and in our world.