Artist looks to honor queen a second time

Whitefish artist James Bakke is taking a second chance to honor the Queen of England some 60 years after his first attempt to send her a gift.

Bakke is mailing a copy of a book featuring his work to Queen Elizabeth II. The queen’s Diamond Jubilee this year celebrates her 60-year reign in Britain.

Donna Hopkins, a Bakke family friend, last year published the book, “James R. Bakke - Montana Artist, from the Prairie to Whitefish to Glacier National Park.”

In addition to his paintings of still life and landscapes of the Flathead Valley, Bakke also created portraits of the queen.

One is a black and white ink portrait that he copied from a magazine photo. Another is a color portrait done in crayon. Both are featured in the book.

Bakke, who is now in his 80s, created the artwork as 21-year-old young man.

He proceeded to mail the black and white portrait to Queen Elizabeth as a gift in honor of her accession to the thrown.

“I created quite a sensation at the Whitefish Post Office when I took it to be mailed to the Queen of England,” he remembered.

However, the queen returned the portrait with a note from her private secretary thanking him for the picture. The letter states, “as gifts can only be accepted from those with whom Her Majesty is personally acquainted, the Private Secretary regrets that he must return the painting.” The letter is dated Aug. 5, 1952 and a photo of it is also included in the book.

Just receiving the letter from Buckingham Palace was a thrill for him and he has kept the letter for the past 60 years. Bakke has had a lifelong fascination with the royal family and twice visited London, the last time for Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s wedding in 1981.