Blaine Gledhill Larson

Published 1:00 pm Thursday, December 1, 2022

Prominent D.C. artist and former, much-loved, professor at the Corcoran School of Art, Blaine Gledhill Larson, passed away on Nov. 24, at his home in Phenix. He was 85 years old.

According to Andrew Hudson, former art critic for the Washington Post, he was the “Master of Diamond Painting’’. He was known for going against “safe taste”, and for his encyclopedic knowledge of art and his marvelous eye. He was a beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Blaine was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 13, 1937 to Blaine Cowley Larson and Margaret Gledhill. His father was very active in public service and local politics and his mother was a concert pianist. Later, he would live and study art in California and then at American University in Washington, D.C. He married Rayna Gay Pace on August 2, 1957 (div.) and had two children. They served in the very first Peace Corps in the Philippines from 1961-63. He married Anne Virginia Donovan on December 23, 1967 and had three children.

He is survived by his wife, Anne Virginia Larson and his children, Kai P. Larson (Dorothy), Candelyn L. McCall (Scott), Peter Q. Larson (Kristi), Mora A. da Silva (Thomas) and Benjamin I. Larson (Jessica (div.)). His grandchildren are Elizabeth Call, Christian McCall, Samuel McCall, Rachael Brandenburg, Jared Larson, Wesley Larson, Claire Larson, Sterling Larson, Arianna Larson, Ambrose Shay, Emilia da Silva, Olivia Larson, Ivy Larson, Jack Larson and Samuel Larson. His great-grandchildren are Charles Call, Henry Call, George Call, Jackson McCall, Emma McCall, Caroline McCall and Abigail McCall.

A celebration of life service will be held at the family home, 13027 Furnace Mountain Road, Lovettsville, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3.