Portrait
of Judge Sol Blatt Jr. to be unveiled Friday
Unveiling
to be part of conversation with U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice
John Roberts
OCT. 16, 2006 -- As part of Friday's conversation
with Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr., the
Charleston School of Law will unveil an oil portrait of Senior
U.S. District Judge Sol Blatt Jr., Dean Richard Gershon announced
today.
"Judge Blatt is an institution in the South Carolina legal
community," Gershon said. "He sets the standard for
the kind of lawyer and public servant to which our students can
aspire."
The portrait of Blatt, painted by renowned artist Michael Del
Priore, will be unveiled during the 3 p.m. Friday event with Roberts
at the Gailliard Memorial Auditorium in Charleston. The painting
will be on permanent display in the Charleston School of Law library,
which is named for Blatt.
The event is limited to law students and area lawyers. Those
interested in attending should RSVP by the close of business Tuesday
by sending an e-mail to: rsvp_csol@charlestonlaw.org.
About Judge Blatt: Blatt was born on Aug.
20, 1921, and is a native of Barnwell, S.C. A graduate of the
University of South Carolina, he received his A.B. degree in 1941
and his J.D. degree in 1946. From 1946 until 1971, Blatt practiced
law in the firm Blatt and Fales in Barnwell. He was appointed
to the District Court in 1971 and was elevated to Chief Judge
in 1986. Blatt took senior status in 1990. In December 2006, he
will become the longest-serving district judge in the 200-plus
year history of the District of South Carolina. Blatt was married
to the former Carolyn Gayden from 1942 until her death in 2004.
They have three children. He is an avid golfer, fisherman and
a lifelong supporter of the athletic teams of his alma mater.
About Michael Del Priore: A national award
winning portrait artist, Del Priore's works range from presidents
of the United States to leaders of major corporations and can
be seen in major capitols, supreme courts and universities. A
native of South Carolina, Del Priore has studied at the National
Academy in New York with Everett Raymond Kinder and New York Academy
with Nelson Shanks and Daniel Greene. He has given lectures and
demonstrations to art and civic groups at the MET in New York,
the Academy of Art College in San Francisco, and the Palette and
Chisel in Chicago. His accomplishments include serving as past
chairman of the American Society of Portrait Artists and as a
fellow of the Artists Fellowship Society of New York.
