Edward "Ned" Palfrey Dameron IV passed away on Thursday, October 20, 2022, in Amite, Louisiana, at the age of 79 of complications from ALS. He was born on Friday, May 7, 1943 in Rio, Louisiana to the late Hilda McFadden Dameron and the late Edward Dameron III. At the time of his death he was a resident of Amite, Louisiana.
Ned Dameron was an artist internationally known for his paintings, sculptures, and illustrations. From the time he was very small he was fascinated by art and the world it represents. His mother, an artist herself, subscribed to art magazines, many of which featured surrealist art. As a toddler Ned would look at these images, fascinated, believing that they were a true reflection of the real world – only to be disappointed with the comparative drabness of the reality outside his door. Early on he developed a technique when drawing, using his thumb as a pivot, and during his grammar and high school years he was recognized as the “go to” for art work. As one former classmate put it, “He would be scribbling away and all of a sudden it had become a recognizable picture.”
In 1961 he attended the Tulane school of architecture, and in 1963 he switched to Newcomb art school, studying sculpture and figurative realism, as well as abstract expressionist painting under Ida Kohlmeyer. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Newcomb School of Art in 1966.
After this, his career took many directions. His mother had an art gallery which dealt in contemporary European paintings, many of which were of the fantastic school; this gave him the idea for painting in a similar vein. He worked briefly for an advertising agency then turned to easel paintings for local galleries, and freelance illustration painting under the name “Arthur Amber”. He painted in San Francisco during the late 1970’s, and was influenced by the then emerging style sometimes called “California Visionary”.
Dameron’s mix of romanticized architectural backgrounds, old-world style, and colorful palette were a good match to the sorts of literary projects undertaken by specialty house publishers, especially the fully illustrated high quality hard-cover book, published in limited quantities for collectors. Almost all his commissions during that time came from two publishers, Donald M. Grant and Underwood-Miller. For their books he produced cover art and many full color plates and black-and-white drawings for interior illustrations, numbering in the dozens for each book. He also created illustrations for publications by TSR, which involved giving face, form and dress to the characters. His sculptures range from the religious to the classical to the fantastic with an example, a bust of his great-great-great grandfather Charles Emery Cate, in Hammond’s Cate Square. For more information: www.neddameron.com.
Ned was preceded in death by his father, Edward Dameron III; mother, Hilda McFadden Dameron; brother, Charles Emery Cate Dameron; niece Meredith Cate Dameron.
He is survived by his wife, Eleanor Ellis Dameron; brother, Stanley Dameron ; sister-in-law, Martha Dameron; niece and nephews, Merrick Dameron (Laura), Jeff Dameron (Tasha), Courtney Hicks (Russ) and numerous great-nieces and great nephews. Also by two of his beloved cats, Domino (aka Sluggo) and Leonidas (aka Little Lord Fontleroy)
Visitation will be at 1 pm Sunday October 30 at Grace Memorial Episcopal Church, 100 Church Street in Hammond LA, with services to follow at 2 pm.
Special thanks to the Amite Fire Department, to Modern Home Health & Hospice, and to all who were there with their help and compassion.
Memorial donations may be made to:
Tangipahoa Council on Aging
106 North Bay St.
Amite, LA 70422
Tangi Animal Friends
P.O. Box 351
Hammond. LA 70404
