Historical Photograph Collection
James Cloutier Photographs.

Collection number: PH 263

Browse the Collection

Biographical Sketch:

James Cloutier was born in Portland, Oregon and enrolled at the University of Oregon in 1958 on a basketball scholarship. Cloutier studied art and served as student body vice-president during his senior year. After graduation, he joined the Peace Corps and travelled though Kenya. Unpon his return from Kenya, Cloutier returned to the University of Oregon to pursue his Master of Fine Arts degree.

He learned to print phototographs in order to reduce exhibition costs and quickly developed a love of photography. He actively pursued an education in photography through the School of Journalism, as photography was not part of the M.F.A. program at that time. Cloutier and one fellow student became the first graduates of the art department to earn an M.F.A. in photography. The work for his Master's Thesis, a photo essay on Alpine, Oregon, became the content for his 1977 book, The Alpine Tavern, published by his newly formed Image West Press. This work makes up the bulk of the University of Oregon Libraries collection of Cloutier's photographs.

Cloutier published books and greeting cards of his cartoons and photographs though Image West Press, before securing local notariety though the publication of the first Poster Map of Eugene, Oregon in 1985. 75 local businesses paid to be a part of the the map, which sold out due to it's popularity. In 2004 Cloutier published an Poster Map of Eugene with over 300 local businesses taking part. He continues to live in Eugene.

Scope and Contents:

The collection consists of contact prints, mounted photographs and negatives of approximately 70 images used in the illustration of Cloutier's 1977 book, The Alpine Tavern. The collection also contains a copy of the book and two audio tape interviews relating to Cloutier's work in Alpine, Oregon.

Extent: 4 boxes 2.5 linear feet

Provenance: The collection was donated by James Cloutier in 2001.

Access restrictions: None.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], James Cloutier photographs, PH263-[item number], Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403-1299.

Publication rights:

Property rights reside with Special Collections and University Archives. Copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their heirs. All requests for permission to publish images must be submitted to the Photographs Curator of Special Collections and University Archives. The reader must also obtain permission of the copyright holder.

Accessioned by: Duffy Klauss

Additional information on this collection can be found through the UO Special Collections department.

For a listing of some of the other digital collections or projects being undertaken by the Libraries, please visit the UO Libraries Digital Collections Home Page.

Support for this project was generously provided to the Libraries through a gift from Margaret and Thomas Hart.