THOUHTS ON A WALL: VISUAL HISTORIAN 'JAKE' WELLS DIES

He once referred to his work as "thoughts on a wall" and probably never recognized the depths of his talent.

Jacob Kenneth "Jake" Wells, a well-known Cape Girardeau artist who had lived most recently in Marble Hill, died Sunday, Aug. 1, 1999. He was 81.

Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Chapel in Jackson. A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at the chapel. The Rev. Ernest L. Jordan, retired pastor of Evangelical United Church of Christ in Cape Girardeau, will officiate.

Wells taught 14 years in Jackson School District before joining the art department at Southeast Missouri State University in 1960. He served as chairman of the department from 1972 to 1976. He retired in 1980.

"He always thought of himself as a teacher who happened to paint as opposed to a painter who happened to teach," said former student and colleague Win Bruhl. "It was really almost an aggravation because I wanted him to recognize the tremendous gift that he had as an artist."

Colleagues said Wells could be considered a historian for the region because his works often depicted historically relevant scenes from Southeast Missouri.

He was best known for "Missouri Mills", a collection of watercolors on display at the University Museum, and for murals he painted at the corner of Fountain and Broadway streets and in Kent Library at the university.

But Wells' works can be found throughout the region because he was a prolific artist who often donated his works to local charities.

Bruhl, who called Wells "the most instrumental art person in my life," assisted his mentor on the Kent Library mural from 1970 to 1973. The piece, done in commemoration of the university's 100th birthday, is considered by many to be Wells' greatest work.

"Kent, I think, was really his hallmark," said Jim Parker, former director of the University Museum. "It's the one that just set Jake apart."

Friends said Wells' personality was as admirable as the watercolors and murals he was known for. He was a humble, gentle man who appreciated and created beauty, they said.

"I hunted with him on a number of occasions, and he always had an eye for some piece of beauty in the out-of-doors," said Dr. Fred Goodwin, former dean of humanities at the university. "I think he would not have called it to anybody's attention. He just enjoyed it personally."

Former colleague Bill Needle, who corresponded with Wells in recent years, said his friend also had a way of writing and describing things that equaled the beauty of the paintings he created.

Said Needle: "He would write to me about the country, and I would write to him about the city. It was almost poetry."

Despite his quiet demeanor, colleagues said Wells could captivate students in the classroom. His belief in each student's abilities endeared him to students, they said.

Although unassuming, Wells had a good sense of humor that friends knew well.

"I remember he once said in a classroom, 'A teacher needs one tool: a whip,'" Bruhl said. "'The whip was only needed twice: one time to get a stud started -- and one time to stop them before they ruined what they're working on.'"

Wells' artistic style was equally down to earth. Colleagues said his paintings are very realistic and true to life.

"His watercolor paintings are very realistic and very skillfully implemented," said former art department faculty member Dr. Edwin Smith. "He was a master at handling watercolor."

Peggy Haney, University Museum assistant, said faculty and students in the art department will miss Wells' donations of time and talents to the university.

"He had donated to the museum often over the years and was a very kind donor," she said. "He was a dear friend. I'll miss him terribly."

AMONG THE BEST

Jake Wells was a prolific artist. His works can be found throughout the region. But he is perhaps best known for:

-- "Missouri Mills," a collection of watercolors of mills on display at the University Museum. The paintings were featured in a book called "Water Mills of the Missouri Ozarks," a collaboration with George Suggs Jr.

-- The Kent Library mural, which covers an area more than 38 feet long and 20 feet high, inside the library entrance. It is a memorial to the strength and determination of the people who lived and worked in Southeast Missouri. It focuses on the Mississippi River, mineral and timber resources and agriculture. It is one of the largest indoor murals in the state and was dedicated in 1973.

-- The Bicentennial Mural measures 40 feet by 27 feet and can be found high atop a building at 405 Broadway. It depicts the founding of Cape Girardeau and was completed in July 1992.