Dale Kendrick was a mixed medium artist, active from 1951 until his death in 2003. Kendrick first earned his bachelor’s degree from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, in 1950. He completed his master’s degree from the State University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, in 1951, and his Ph.D. from Penn State University in 1960, while studying under known art professor, Viktor Lowenfeld. After completing his Ph.D., Kendrick became an instructor at Eastern Michigan University until 1952. Following, he became an assistant professor at Arkansas State College in Jonesboro, Arkansas, until 1954. Kendrick was also a visiting lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1956-1958. Finally, Dale Kendrick spent the bulk of his career as a professor of art at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse from 1960-1990, and was also the department chairperson from 1974-1990.

During his time as a professor, Kendrick published four different works, which are “The Influence of Teacher Motivation and Non-Motivation on the Overall Aesthetic Quality of the ‘Whole’ and the Parts of Cut-Paper Art Products” in Studies in Art Education, Spring 1962; a slide series entitled, “Harry Ratcliffe Builds a Stoneware Kiln” in 1965; a series of study slides in 1966 entitled, “Art History Study Slides, 19th and 20th Century; and another article in Studies in Art Education in 1967, entitled “A Dilemma Concerning the Compatibility Between Creative and Arithmetical Measures.”

Over Kendrick’s entire career he has displayed his artwork in numerous exhibitions and collections throughout the United States.

Dale Kendrick married Betty L. Perna in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on August 4, 1962. Together they had two children, Roch Kendrick and Dunnell Kendrick-Parker.

Kendrick, and his wife, Betty, owned and operated the Behind the Brewery Gallery at 1026 S. Front Street from 1970-2011. Behind the Brewery was both a gallery to showcase artists from around the United States as well a place at which both Kendrick and his wife taught art classes for children, pottery programs with visiting potters, and Dale taught watercolor classes for adults.

Kendrick cited his main artistic influences as Larry Rivers and French, and especially, German expressionists.

In 1994, Kendrick’s proposal to create “The Scroll” sculpture as submitted to the City of La Crosse Sculpture Advisory Committee was approved. “The Scroll” sculpture’s full title is “Scrolled Tablets of Pictographs Celebrate the Creating of Letters Making Word into Written Languages for Human Expressions” and was an examination of the use of hieroglyphs as an art form. For many years Kendrick made trips and led tour groups to Egypt, Greece, Turkey, and Italy. Influences from these travels can be seen in his artwork, especially in “The Scroll.”

Dale Kendrick died on October 31, 2003.

02/17/1928

Dale Kendrick was born in Wichita, Kansas

1950

Dale Kendrick received his BS degree from Ball State University

1951

Dale Kendrick received his MA degree from the State University of Iowa

1956-1958

Dale Kendrick was Visiting Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

1960

Dale Kendrick received his PhD from Penn State University

1960-1974

Dale Kendrick was Professor and Department Chairman at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

1961-1981

Dale Kendrick painted under the name of VADEEKAY, a pen name from his initials V.D.K.

Dale Kendrick's research interests included erotic art, hieroglyphics, and symbols

1966-2003

Dale and Betty Kendrick owned and operated the Behind the Brewery Gallery

1970-1976

Dale Kendrick created "Earth Corings, The Jewish God as a Phallic Symbol and Grid Paintings"

1974-1990

Dale Kendrick was an Art Professor at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

1975-1977

Dale Kendrick created "Erotic Art-The Phallus as a Regenerative Symbol"

1977

Dale Kendrick exhibited a one-man show "The Phallus As A Contemporary Weapon" at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Gallery

1978

Dale Kendrick exhibited a one-man show "The Phallus - Regenerative Symbol and Weapon" at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

1982-2003

Dale Kendrick painted under his own name "Dale Kendrick"

1982-1989

Dale Kendrick created "Wrappings, Unfolding Ancient Scrolls"

1988-1990

Dale Kendrick created "Ancient Tapestries & Tablets"

1993-1998

52 tablets were cast in bronze and 50 tons of cement were used to pour the cradle that supported the scroll and tablets

Hieroglyphic tablet models were sold to sponsors

The total estimated cost to construct the sculpture was $75,000

Area business provided in kind donations to offset the costs

Dale Kendrick’s public sculpture “The Scroll” was designed and constructed

The remaining $45,000 was raised from the community

1994

Dale Kendrick was awarded $200 by the Sculpture Advisory Committee for his "Scroll" design

The Sculpture Advisory Committee expressed their wish to realize Kendrick's design as a public sculpture

1996-1998

Hieroglyphic tablets were sold to sponsors to raise money for the "Scroll" project

1997

Dale Kendrick travels to Aswan, Egypt from February into March

1998

Dale Kendrick travels to Aswan, Egypt again from February into March

06/27/1998

“The Scroll” was dedicated in La Crosse, Wisconsin

1998-2001

"The Scroll" faced maintenance and landscaping issues, and was caught up in a debate over which organizations or offices were meant to be looking after it

2003

Dale Kendrick, creator of "The Scroll," dies on Friday, October 31, 2003.

2013

"The Scroll" statue is dismantled and removed from Third Street by La Crosse Arts Board. The 52 bronze tablets are salvaged and placed in storage.