How did portraits of the stars land on the Budding Rose walls?

You just never know what you may find in the attic.

Like paintings of Hollywood celebrities, for instance.

—Photos courtesy of Diane Nebel

Patrons view the portraits hanging in the Budding Rose Art Gallery in Rosalia.

That’s what the one-time owners of the former Rose Bowl bowling alley in Rosalia found years ago. Now the portraits are displayed in the Budding Rose Art Gallery and when they are sold, the commissions will go toward Dollars for Scholars at Rosalia, according to Budding Rose co-owner Diane Nebel.

Dan Alban bought the Rose Bowl bowling alley in Rosalia in 1981, and also owned Star Lanes in Deer Park. The Deer Park alley also had the Celebrity Lounge.

“The walls were bare,” Alban said. “What good is a Celebrity Lounge without celebrities?”

Since Alban was a life-long friend with Spokane artist Earl Atkinson, he talked Atkinson into doing celebrity portraits for the Deer Park lounge. Atkinson completed about four dozen paintings for Alban in one year. When Alban sold the Deer Park business in 1984, he packed up the paintings and took them to Rosalia.

When Alban sold the Rosalia bowling alley in 1991, he left the portraits where they were found. The property went through a series of owners. Jim Nebel said they received most of the present inventory from the late George Robertson of Pine City who owned the building at one time.

Alban, who still lives in Rosalia, said he’s kept some of the Atkinson paintings which were autographed by the star subjects. He recalled going backstage when Glen Campbell performed in Spokane and the singer happily put his signature on the portrait.

The collection display in the Budding Rose includes depictions of Louis Armstrong, Elizabeth Taylor, Shirley Temple, Maurice Chevalier, the Marx Brothers, Edward G. Robinson, W.C. Fields, Laurel & Hardy, Fred Astaire, Betty Grable and Clark Gable. Also on display are portraits of later generation celebrities Dolly Parton, Burt Reynolds, President Jimmy Carter, Tom Selleck, Charles Bronson, Clint Eastwoodand Kenny Rogers.

A 48x66-inch painting of Elvis Presley carries a price tag of $850. The rest are priced between $100 to $200.

Alban said he learned to paint signs from Atkinson, but Alban also admired him for his artistic talent.

“He really was an artist,” Alban said. “He had a studio in the old Fox Theater in Spokane.”

Alban said Atkinson died in the early 1990s in a house fire while trying to save his dog.

A few of Atkinson’s paintings have sold, Nebel said. A woman from a Spokane nursing home bought portraits of Fred Astaire, Clark Gable and Charles Bronson and told Nebel the residents liked the portraits so much she wants more.

Nebel said visitors who come into the gallery always remark about the paintings. She said Sylvester Stallone is portrayed as “Rocky” from his famous movie series, and Betty Grable is in her one-piece bathing suit pose made famous during World War II.

Also among the collection are a few paintings by artist Steve Hutton that include Lauren Bacall, Bing Crosby and John Wayne.