Patrick Lennox Tierney

Patrick Lennox Tierney, "Lennox," passed away peacefully on June 12, 2015,  at home in Salt Lake City after a short illness. He was born on January 28, 1914 in Weston, West Virginia and was the son of Stephen T. Tierney and Bertha Thompson Tierney. He moved with the family to Pasadena, California in 1918. In his younger years he taught art history at Pasadena City College and UCLA.

In 1971 he moved to Salt Lake City where he taught art history at the University of Utah until 1985 when he retired as Professor Emeritus. Although living in Utah, the found great satisfaction as the Art Director for the Japanese Friendship Garden at Balboa Park in San Diego, California and commuted there frequently. After his retirement from the University of Utah he continued to teach classes for the OSHER Life Long Learning program at the University of Utah. His great love was to teach and lead tours focusing on art history throughout Asia and his beloved Japan until 2010. He is survived by his son, Stephen Tierney; and many loving family members and friends. A private service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers please make an Ikebana arrangement for your home or make a donation to a charity of your choice.

"The world has lost a great friend." Lennox Tierney's life and legacy is far reaching and will live on in years and distance. Touching briefly on the history of his great life, we hope to reminisce and recall your own special memories. Together we will expand our collective memories and celebrate his life together.

By the 1930's Lennox was working for the Lester family as a cowboy on San Miguel Island off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. At that time the island contained about 600 head of sheep and 125 head of cattle. The island is the western most of the channel islands and is known for being windswept and subject to harsh weather.

In the days after world war II, under the war department, he was part of General Douglas Mac Arthur's staff where he advised the General on the priority of preserving Japanese art and culture. He was the monument man for Japan. He spent 2 years teaching in the Tokyo American School System for American children, and as the Supervisor of Art for 5 American schools.

His Japanese friends conferred the name "Tani Ceazan" to Lennox Tierney. Ceazan means "Star Mountain," for how tall he was, and Tani for Tierney. This great honor of receiving a new name was given in recognition of his intense interest and appreciation of Japanese culture.

He met his future wife Catherine Peha who was also teaching in Japan. In 1954 he returned home to Altadena California where he was the head of Arts and Music at Pasadena's John Muir College. A year later he taught at the Ruperto Carola University in Heidelberg, Germany where he married Catherine on December 10, 1955, and after a full life with Lennox and son Stephen she preceded him in death in 2008.

In recognition of his life's work in preserving and teaching about Japanese art and culture he was awarded the Medal of the Rising Sun in 2007 from Emperor Akihito, who had been a teenager at the time Lennox was teaching in Japan.

Dr. Tierney's favorite passion was photography and leading tours throughout the world. In the late 50's and early 60's he led photographic tours with "Through the Lens" and then created his own tour groups which he led throughout Asia until 2010 with great strength and energy into his late 90's.

In 1988 through 1989 Lennox and Catherine participated on the University of Pittsburg's "Semester at Sea" program, sailing around the world teaching art history. This was a great adventure for both of them as they discovered Africa and South America for the first time, teaching a new generation of students.

Some notable parts of his career:

A sabbatical  year of travel back to Japan and ending in Paris from 1965 to 1966.

Chairmanship of the department of art at Pasadena City College which included extension courses at UCLA. The popularity of those extension courses led to the first commercial credit television course on KCET Public Television in Los Angeles from 1967-1968, which earned him an Emmy. The course consisted of 900 students for four months offering three units of undergraduate credit over 16 lectures and two seminars and a final exam at Pasadena City College.

Director of the Oriental Museum Division of the Pacific Culture Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to greater understanding between eastern and western cultures.

Chairman of the Fine Arts Division at the new John Muir Junior College.

Delegate of the Japan American Societies of the United States to the 100 year celebration of the opening of Japan to the western world in 1967 including the Meigi Centennial Celebration in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and the Imperial Palace.

United States Information Agency Committee for the U.S. exhibits at Japan World Exposition in Osaka, 1970

Curator of Asian art at the Mingei International Museum, San Diego.

Member of the board of directors of the Japan-America Society, an organization of thousands of members devoted to cultural and economic cooperation and interchange of the India society and the China –America Society.

Architectural Consultant for Debora Szekely's "Golden Door Spa," in Escondido California.

Member of the United Nations Association of Utah.

Because Lennox always sought to promote good will between America and Japan wherever he was he increased positive relationships with sister cities.

The Pasadena Sister City Committee.

Salt Lake/ Matsumoto sister city 50th Anniversary Commemoration because

Degrees, Awards and recognitions:

Bachelor of Education from UCLA, 1932

Master of Arts in Asian Art History and Japanese Art, Columbia University, 1936

Doctorate, Sogetsu-Ryu, Tokyo, 1949

Post Doctorate studies at Ruperto Carola Universitat, Heidelberg,

Television Emmy. 1968

Japanese Friendship Garden, Appreciation for Service, Commitment and Dedication. 2003

Reischauer International Education Award from the Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana. 2006

Cambridge Who's Who 2010 top honor of professional of the year in Higher Education

Recognition for being granted "THE ORDER OF THE RISING SUN GOLD RAYS WITH NECK RIBBON", 2007, from the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California.

Honorary Consul General of Japan in San Diego, 2008

Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, 2014

Japanese Friendship Garden, Lifetime Achievement Award 2014

Books and publications:

Wabi Sabi, A new look at Japanese Design by Lennox Tierney 1999, Gibbs Smith Publishing.

(Sabi beauty in age and patina; venerable) (Wabi solitary; less is better; the fresh and new).  Wabi Sabi bridges the gap between western and eastern aesthetics making it possible to savor the timeless elements of Japanese design again and again.

Japan Photography and text by Lennox and Catherine Tierney, International Communications Foundation; A non- profit foundation established to promote better understanding between nations of the world.

The Nature of Japanese Garden Art by professor Lennox Tierney 1997

In the final decade of his life Dr. Tierney continued to charm older students by reaching out to those over 50 in the OSHER Life Long Learning Program at the University of Utah. He taught hands on Ikebana (The Art of Japanese flower arrangement), Sumi-e ink painting (The art of Japanese Calligraphy), as well as relaying the history and culture of Japan through his own photography as an eyewitness to history. The classes were packed for this beloved professor as he was the consummate story teller and revered by all.

Lennox loved and appreciated all things of beauty and found a natural fit with the culture of Japan. For example; the Tokunoma is an alcove . Literally translated it means "treasure room. It is"dedicated to beauty and always consists of a scroll, flower arrangement and some artistic object. Everything is seasonal in Japan. The teapot warms the hibachi, as the tea ceremony is a beauty of process using traditional pottery. Value in Japan is not by time or money, but by beauty.

Professor Tierney fought many lonely battles in the name of art and culture around the world, and won many. He was a "Samurai Warrior for the arts. Patrick Lennox Tierney was a national treasure for both Japan and America.

A private service for family will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers please make an Ikebana arrangement for your home or make a donation to a charity of your choice.

The photographic legacy of Lennox and Catherine may be found at the University of Utah's J. Willard Marriot library or online at: http://www.lib.utah.edu/collections/fine-arts