New book celebrates life and work of Northwest artist, cowboy and Puyallup icon
Joella Oldfield, 75, said she had no idea she could pull it all together and publish a book on the legacy of her father, Fred, who was a well-known cowboy and painter in the Pacific Northwest.
Fred Oldfield died in February 2017, just three weeks before he turned 99.
When Joella Oldfield first laid her hands on a copy of “Better Than I Deserve,” she said she could not speak.
“The tears welled up, and I thought, ‘I really did it. I got to tell his story,’” Joella Oldfield said during a recent interview with The News Tribune.
Joella Oldfield, who is the executive director of the Fred Oldfield Western Heritage and Art Center in Puyallup, said it took her about two years to put the book together. To Joella Oldfield, it was a way for her to say goodbye.
“It was just kind of a really healing and beautiful process,” Joella Oldfield said. “It was a gift to myself.”
“Better Than I Deserve” highlights Fred Oldfield’s life, starting from when he spent his childhood in the Yakama Indian Reservation. Old and new photographs of family and friends adorn the book, including paintings he did throughout the years.
A majority of the content is from Fred Oldfield’s journals and diaries, which is why he is included as an author, Joella Oldfield said. Her father had no clue she was putting it together, she added.
“I knew nothing (about) writing a book, so it was a process,” Joella said.
Selecting which paintings should be included in the book was not easy, Joella Oldfield said. She wanted to make sure there was a balance between paintings of cowboys, scenic views and Native Americans.
Joella said one of the things she wants people, especially young people, to take away from the book is there is a journey an individual must go through before they reach their goals.
“You can’t start at the top,” Joella said. “I wanted people to see that he painted with house paint, and it was really, really primitive. He went from that to being hung in museums … but it didn’t happen overnight.”
Karrie Morrison, Fred Oldfield’s granddaughter and vice chair of the Fred Oldfield Western Heritage and Art Center, said Fred Oldfield drew and doodled his whole life. He started to make a name for himself around the 1970s.
“The fact that he could make a living out of it was pretty impressive,” Morrison said.
Morrison helped with organizing the photographs in the book, which sometimes took days, she said. Helping put it together was an interesting experience, she said.
“It’s not just a book you’re writing — it’s history,” Morrison said.
Paulette Gilliardi, 77, said the book serves as memorabilia for her. Gilliardi, who is a longtime family friend of the Oldfields, spent a majority of her teenage years with Fred Oldfield. One of her favorite memories with him includes learning how to box.
“What I liked about Fred was his laughter and his joy. He just exuded joy,” Gilliardi said. “I’ll never forget him for the gift he gave me.”
The book launch for “Better Than I Deserve” will occur from noon to 4:00 p.m. on June 12 at the Fred Oldfield Western Heritage and Art Center. More information can be found online at cowboyfredoldfield.com.
