The painting of “Louis” has recently been acquired and added to its permanent collection and is currently on display. Painted in 1976, I had met Louis in Taos, New Mexico - we just kind of fell into a conversation - and, with his permission, I took his picture which later, back in the studio, cried out to be painted.

It was of course a great pleasure to spend a morning with Mr. Stewart at his home in Beverly Hills in preparation for the commissioned portrait which is displayed in the motion picture wing of the museum. He was very courteous, insisted on calling me Mr. Abbett, and was very helpful by donning some old movie clothes for the photo shoot. When the floodlight was turned on and the light fell across those well known features, I could just hear a director somewhere saying “Action …. camera!”