Earl Fields

1898 born Finland, (family name Tilihonen), second youngest of 6 children. 903 family moved to Canada, then to Finnish Community near Woodland, Washington; changed family name to Fields; family farmed, had some timber business.

1918 graduated Woodland High School

1925 B.A. University of Washington, (Earl was the first Finn-born member of his community to graduate from high school and attend UW

mid 1920-30's studied part-time for MFA at UW, traveled up and down West Coast and Alaska, hitchhiking and sketching; worked in a variety of physical labor jobs; ca. 1927 made one of these trips with Kenneth Callahan; EF friends with Seattle artists

1931 First NW Annual Artist Exhibit; exhibit 1931-41; 1960. Work of the 1930's concerned with people and farm life of Woodland area.

1932 Public Works of Art Project

1933 MFA UW; joined SAM as a museum assistant

1934 One person show SAM

1937 Member of Group of Twelve

1941 Appointed Staff photographer SAM

1943 Second One Person Show SAM

WWII worked at Boeing; on leave from SAM 1943-45; quit painting

1959 retrospective exhibit, Woodland, Washington

1972 retired from SAM, death of wife, EF began painting again, painted last 3 years of his life