A strange professor there has died.
Tom Trusky had obsessions — among them, the work of outsider artist James Charles Castle, about whom he wrote a biography. Here’s an announcement of a recent Castle retrospective. His work has become extremely pricey.
Boise State assumed Trusky – a man of exceedingly modest ways – left nothing of value. It was very wrong. He left the university a gift.
[T]he contents of his U.S. Bank safe-deposit box …left Trusky associates reeling. Named as his personal representative in his will, [his friend Cort] Conley was staggered to open the box and find a dozen books by acclaimed artist-bookmaker James Castle.
“I knew he had some of Castle’s work, but when I went through it, I was blown away by how many drawings he had,” [another friend] said. “I don’t think you can buy a Castle drawing today for less than $5,000.”
Greg Kucera, who sells Castle’s work at his Seattle gallery, says individual drawings have sold there for $5,000 to $20,000. The books in Trusky’s safe deposit box collectively contain hundreds of drawings…
His will stipulates that their recipient can never sell the books, which BSU almost lost to the Portland Art Museum by waiting until the final day to meet a legal deadline for accepting them.
Two of his students speak in the article’s comment thread.
Professor Trusky’s most valuable legacy to the university lives in the hearts and minds of his students. No one demanded more–or excited us more–in exposing us to the written word, with all its beauty and power.
My enduring image of him: seeing him careening through a turn at 10th and Grove on his bike, hands crossed behind his back.
December 6th, 2010 at 7:24AM
Great story…with the local coverage inspiring a jocks v. nerds debate in the comments which included this gem:
“The intense desire to be a part of a better conference will inspire the school to upgrade its academics.”
December 6th, 2010 at 7:31AM
Ian: Yes – it’s intriguing to see how sports-mad BSU is responding to this. The cognitive dissonance seems to be generating gems like the one you mention.