Luis Raposo at his conference table,
Cortazzo Administration Building

In an essay written for the Portsmouth Abbey School Fiftieth Anniversary Bulletin in February, 1977, John Walker (1906-1995) shared his thoughts about the creation of what has come to be known and recognized as the distinctive “American scholastic architecture” of this campus, its structures “remarkable for their uniformity of style and harmonious arrangement.” As the former Director of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Mr. Walker had impressive credentials, knew well of what he spoke and wrote, and titled his piece, “Art and Architecture at Portsmouth Abbey.” His opening paragraph begins, “Since the earliest days of Christianity, art and architecture have been witnesses to the validity of the Church,” and ends the same paragraph by saying, “I doubt that there is a more beautiful school in America.”

A young Luis Raposo with his parents

Previously, this monthly series which we call ‘The Artists of the Abbey’ has highlighted artists, both present and past, working in various media, who have enhanced our physical surroundings with their imagination and skill. Besides the legacy of the late George Nakashima and his extraordinary furniture examples, we have not yet honed in on any other woodworkers. Until now. Luis Raposo is a member of the campus maintenance team and, as such, his usual day-to-day works and repairs often go unnoticed by the casual observer. We focus this month on those ‘extra-curricular’ projects of his which stand out and which truly add to the beauty of our monastery and school. While it is not possible to look at every project spanning his nearly 35 years at Portsmouth, given space restraints in these pages, we shall attempt a purely subjective listing, covering both art and architecture.