The Texas Watercolor Tradition
E.M. “Buck” Schiwetz
Erik Sprohge
W i l l i a m R e a v e s F i n e Ar t • N o v e m b e r 2 2 – D e c e m b e r 2 1 , 2 0 1 3
Harold Phenix
Hunter George
The Texas Watercolor Tradition November 22 – December 21, 2013
Special Events: November 23, 2013, 5-8pm: Opening Reception December 14, 2013, 2-4pm: Gallery Talk
The Texas Watercolor Tradition In this exhibition we take pleasure in offering a long-overdue tribute to Texas watercolors, a historically significant, yet under-acclaimed mode of painting within our state. While Texas artists have employed water-based pigments for centuries as their medium of choice in capturing some of their most poignant and important Texas views, many Lone Star collectors (at least the most recent wave of collectors) have often cast a jaundiced eye upon these watercolor compositions, gravitating instead toward oil paintings. While we like oils just as much as the next art the virtues of Texas watercolors and elevate their status within the larger body of Texas art. Consider the history of this medium within the Lone Star state. Masterworks in watercolor have emanated from the most prominent of Texas artists, and endured within every successive art movement over the years! The great John James Audubon (1785-1851) for instance, used watercolors to depict his seminal views of regional fauna and birdlife in his short journey through a young Republic of Texas in 1837. Later, mid-nineteenth century soldier/artists, such as Seth Eastman (1808-1875), left behind remarkable images of their military travels in Texas through their watercolor paintings and journal entries, including Eastman’s 1848 view of the Alamo, the earliest known rendition of the beleaguered shrine after its storming by Santa Anna’s troops in the iconic clash for Texas independence. A subsequent wave of emigrant artists, such as Karl Hermann Lungkwitz (1813-1891), Friedrich Richard Petri (1824-1857) and Theodore Gentilz (1819-1906), utilized the medium with great fluency to record the vicissitudes of early life on the Texas frontier. Likewise, Texas impressionists of the early twentieth century, including the likes of Julian Onderdonk (1882-1922), José Arpa (1858-1952) and Emma Richardson Cherry (1859-1954), painted fine specimens in watercolor. Neither did the medium escape the attention of the advocates of Lone Star Regionalism, with luminaries such as Everett Spruce (1908-2002), William Lester (1910-1991), Jerry Bywaters (1906-1989), et.al, producing significant works in water-based paint. Texas modernists were likewise no exceptions in their adoption of watercolor, starting in the 30s with Robert Preusser (1919-1992) and Frank Dolejska (1921-1989) and continuing through the 50s and 60s with the likes of Jack Boynton (1928-2010), Richard Stout (B. 1934) and Dick Wray (1933-2011).
Thus, virtually every era and every historic movement of Texas art has been punctuated with stellar works produced in water-based media. And still, of course, legions of Texas painters continue this tradition by using the watercolor medium to aptly convey the color, character and diversity of the contemporary Texas scene. Texas watercolors, therefore are, and have always been, an important component of the state’s art milieu, and worthy of exhibition and examination. To celebrate the buoyant and adaptive medium, we feature works by a string of four Texas artists, E. M. “Buck” Schiwetz (1898-1984), Harold Phenix (19282009), Eric Sprohge B. 1932) and Hunter George (B. 1932), whose collective output spans a period of almost 85 years. It is fair to declare these painters among the best of “Texas watercolorists” within their respective eras. It is also fair to declare this group as a loose line of “descendants” in a particular brand of illustrative “Texas scene” watercolors which evolved largely from popular corporate publications of the early and mid-twentieth century, such as The Humble Way and other periodicals of the day. While two of these artists have now passed from the scene after decades of sterling production, two continue to carry on our Texas Watercolor tradition, assuming the mantel of contemporary leadership in use of the medium. Buck Schiwetz is the earliest of this group and perhaps the most prominent of Texas scene watercolorists. An architect by training, Schiwetz matriculated from Cuero to College Station to Houston (via New York) in the late 1920s. Beginning with architectural renderings (a series of which he produced for the prestigious Joseph Finger architectural firm in Houston), Schiwetz went on to become one of the most prolific and acclaimed chroniclers of the Texas view, recording major landmarks and indigenous architectural designs across the state. While proficient in all media, and prone to “mix” them liberally, Schiwetz was most renowned for his watercolor productions, and received critical acclaim for his output in this area. (Plates 1-7) Harold Phenix was a notable protégée of Schiwetz. Phenix was an engineer with an artist’s eye and an adroit brush, and like Schiwetz, had a day-job illustrating a popular oil and gas magazine. He was inspired by Schiwetz’s
painterly style and compositional prowess, and sought his advice as instructor and critic. While Phenix’s compositions are definitely influenced by the elder artist, Phenix perfected a particular painting style for use in his own brand of Texas watercolors, combining a “looser”, impressionistic technique and often incorporating more vivid palette and richer atmospheric dimension than his mentor. His command of subject matter is legendary, encompassing landscapes and cityscapes to the more industrial facets of the Texas Gulf Coast. Phenix achieved popular recognition in his lifetime, and his works were both widely exhibited and published. (Plates 8-21) Eric Sprohge, a Rice University-trained architect, can trace his watercolor lineage down from Schiwetz through Phenix, having been a student and colleague of Phenix. Like Schiwetz, Sprohge also began a career producing architectural renderings of note, and soon broadened his pursuits to the fine arts and the production of Texas scene material. Accomplished in both oils and watercolors, Sprohge is a mainstay at the Watercolor Art Society of Houston, frequently winning top awards in their local exhibitions and competitions. He is especially noted for his entertaining and intriguing Texas compositions, often incorporating elements of whimsy or nostalgia as a part of his views of everyday settings. (Plates 41-61) Hunter George’s Texas statements are influenced in part by a former association with Houston sketcher, Norman Baxter (1919-1998) (yet another noteworthy draftsman and chronicler of the Texas scene). Trained as an artist in his native Virginia, George worked as a commercial artist in Houston for over forty years. Now in retirement, George is ever on the move in search of contemporary Texas subject matter, holding a firm connection to the past. While not a direct descendent of Schiwetz-Phenix line, his work obviously is inspired by these earlier proponents, and his excellent watercolors bear compositional stylistic kinship to both artists. His most recent works are presented in more pronounced horizontal formats than his peers, emphasizing colorful and atmospheric landscapes which are punctuated with architectural or mechanical relics which still populate the more rural sectors of the state. (Plates 22-40) Together these artists demonstrate the power and appeal of exceptional watercolors. They show us of the subtle grandeur and sensitive contrasts which can be achieved through the watercolor medium. They remind us why
the best of Lone Star artists have employed the medium time and time again to convey the essence of local color inherent in the Texas scene. Their works prove that the grand Texas watercolor tradition is still very much alive. Most of all, however, the deftness of their compositions and clear proficiency manifested in their work make the case that Texas watercolors, both past and present, may no longer be relegated to second-tier status. To this end, their works offer an exhibition worthy of the time and attention of serious students of Texas art. They give us pause for reconsideration of a heretofore underregarded art form in Texas, and lend us hope that the best of Texas watercolors may yet rise to new standards of acclaim. As California collectors hold their watercolorist scene painters in high regard, and proponents of New Mexico modernism avidly pursue watercolors executed by the past masters of their own state, so must Texas collectors move to rediscover and embrace our own distinctive watercolor tradition before more of this grand legacy is lost. Fortunately, a growing number of savvy collectors “get” this and are actively compiling substantive collections of Texas watercolors and other important works on paper. Among the most experienced and energetic of Texas watercolor collectors are Judy and Stephen Alton of Fort Worth. The Altons have ranked among the foremost devotees of Texas works on paper for decades, quietly assembling one of the (if not THE) finest collections of its kind in private hands. For this show, we have asked the couple to share their insights and enthusiasm for collecting the medium in an accompanying essay entitled, The Joys of Texas Watercolors: A Collectors Perspective. In their treatise on the subject, they summarize the pleasures derived from the watercolor holdings in their own collection and share keen insights for collectors in search of their own fine examples for burgeoning collections of Texas works on paper. We concur with their assessments and heartedly refer their essay to interested readers. Enjoy it all, and long live the magnificent watercolor tradition of the Lone Star State. Bill Reaves President, William Reaves Fine Art
The Joys of Texas Watercolors: A Collectors’ Perspective by Judy & Stephen Alton
We appreciate the invitation of our friend, Bill Reaves, to share some thoughts about why we enjoy collecting Texas watercolors. We collect mainly workson-paper (watercolors, drawings, and prints) executed by Texas artists before 1960. Our collection contains numerous watercolors (including their opaque siblings—gouaches). By collecting works-on-paper, we have been able to assemble a body of works that is both broad and deep, comprising many more pieces by many more artists than we otherwise would have the wall-space, storage-space, and budget for. We are able to cover much of the history of art in Texas (and much of the history of Texas itself), which is something that we could never afford to do if we were trying to acquire major oil paintings by all of the major Texas artists who were at work before 1960. In the process of building our collection, we hope that we have trained and refined our “eye,” and we are pleased to have discovered works that are colorful gems from the hand of artists both well-known and obscure. The joys of viewing, collecting, and savoring Texas watercolors are many and varied. Watercolors, how do we love thee? Let us count the ways. For art collectors, a principal point in favor of watercolors is their relative affordability as compared to oil paintings. Marc Porter, the chairman of Christie’s in America, was recently quoted about the affordability of workson-paper, noting that these works are collected by “people who are not interested in current fashions but rather in discovery, connoisseurship, and history.” (Carol Vogel, “Prices that Fly Under the Headlines,” The New York Times (October 27, 2013): 1.) Speaking specifically about fine art prints, Mary Bartow, the head of Sotheby’s print department, has observed that by buying prints rather than oil paintings, a collector “can get great works of art by an artist everyone has heard of,” at a fraction of the cost. (Carol Vogel, “Prices that Fly Under the Headlines,” The New York Times, (October 27, 2013): 6.) What Ms. Bartow said about prints also applies to other works-on-paper, including watercolors. We will never be able to acquire a painting by Pablo Picasso, Paul Klee, or Charles Burchfield, but we enjoy watercolors in our collection by Austin artist Kelly Fearing that are reminiscent of works by Picasso, Klee, and Burchfield.
We cannot afford a watercolor by John Marin, but every day we look admirably at our 1940s watercolor depicting a New Mexico landscape by Texan Bill Bomar (who was Marin’s student), which hangs above our piano. While Joan Miro’s paintings bring millions at auction, we relish our gouache from the late 1940s by Fort Worth Circle artist Bror Utter, which reflects a familiarity with Miro’s oeuvre. A painting by the pioneer of abstract expressionism, Wassily Kandinsky? Forget it! But, we own a wonderful and very early mixed media work-on-paper by Houstonian Robert Preusser, done while he was still a teenager and obviously under the influence of Kandinsky. We could cite many similar examples, from a 1937 American Scene watercolor by Dallas artist Otis Dozier (which is obtainable, whereas a comparable work by his contemporary Thomas Hart Benton is rather out of the question), to a 19th century watercolor by German émigré Herman Lungwitz (the closest we will ever come to owning a work by his slightly older European contemporary, the great English master J.M.W. Turner). We could go on, but the reader gets the idea. The same is true for works by well-known Texas artists. Oils by such artists as Robert Onderdonk, Julian Onderdonk, Herman Lungwitz, and Harry Anthony DeYoung can be quite expensive, while their watercolors (and their other works-on-paper) are much more reasonably priced. Oils by Paul Rodda Cook, H.W. Caylor, Xavier Gonzales, Barbara Maples, Coreen Spellman, and Edith Brisac are relatively rare; thus, they, too, may be relatively expensive when they appear in a gallery or at auction. But, collecting watercolors by these artists has allowed us to own one or more of their works and to do so much more affordably. We are somewhat hesitant to focus too much on the issue of affordability of these works, for there are many more reasons to collect watercolors. However, we have observed that, over the years, the prices have increased dramatically on watercolors by American artists who are nationally recognized and collected. Once upon a time, watercolors by artists such as Charles Russell, John Marin, Andrew Dasburg, and even Edward Hopper were much less pricey than they are now.
On the other hand, the prices for watercolors by Texas artists have not, for the most part, risen quite so dramatically. For collectors, this happy state of affairs means that Texas watercolors are relative bargains, particularly when compared to works in oil by the same artists or when compared to watercolors by artists who are better known nationally. Yet this happy state of affairs may not always hold true for Texas watercolors. Turning to other reasons to love watercolors, most of us began our earliest art lessons by learning—or, by at least trying to learn—to paint with watercolors. Thus, the medium seems familiar—perhaps too familiar and somewhat childlike. However, there is nothing childlike about the way that master painters handle watercolors, with results that surprise and enchant the eye. The medium may be relatively simple to learn, yet it is anything but simple to master, given its fluidity and its lack of forgiveness for mistakes made in execution. Unlike an oil painting, a mistake in a watercolor cannot easily be painted over or hidden; instead, the piece of paper containing the mistake must be discarded and work must begin anew. Works of watercolor on paper, as well as other unique works on paper such as drawings in ink, graphite, charcoal, and pastel, delight us with their freshness, immediacy, and vibrancy. Many watercolors are done in the field (“en plein air,” as the French say) and capture light and color in a way that no other medium can. Sometimes these works are meant to be studies for oil paintings subsequently made in the studio; at other times, they are meant to stand as the final product of the artist’s effort. Regardless, a fine watercolor rests on its own merits as a work of art. Another one of the joys of watercolors is the great variety of their subjectmatter. Because these paintings are so often done “en plein air,” there is a tendency to equate watercolors with landscapes. Certainly, some of the best watercolors throughout history have been landscapes. But, watercolors have been used for still-lifes, portraits, and historical scenes, as well as abstract and semi-abstract works. Images portrayed in watercolor on paper are not less varied than those portrayed in oil on canvas. Among the other joys of collecting watercolors (and, for that matter, other works-on-paper) is the discovery of relatively unknown painters. If the artist has not established a “name” for himself or herself, the one and only focus
of collecting his or her work is the image. (Of course, the image itself should be the primary focus of any acquisition.) We own watercolors by Lirl Treutter (Fort Worth), Edna Collins (Austin), and Alice Reynolds (Albany), none of whom are household names but all of whom were masters of the medium. Moreover, some of the best-known Texas artists did some of their best work in the medium of watercolor—from the glorious 1940s Fort Worth Circle works by Kelly Fearing, Bror Utter, George Grammer, Veronica Helfensteller, and Bill Bomar, to the historical and architectural pieces by Texans Samuel Gideon, Edward G. Eisenlohr, and E.M. “Buck” Schiwetz done in the early to mid-20th century, to the 1930s and 1940s landscapes by Texas Regionalist William Lester—all of these artists created masterworks in watercolor. Many other examples could be cited; doubtless, the reader can come up with his or her own. Indeed, the very process of selecting these examples—making these sorts of connections—improves one’s own collecting and connoisseurship. The current exhibition at the William Reaves Fine Art gallery, The Texas Watercolor Tradition, presents similar opportunities and examples. Harold Phenix’s views of the main streets in Houston, Victoria, and San Angelo in earlier days have a hazy, atmospheric sense of nostalgia. Buck Schiwetz’s precise yet ethereal architectural renderings also recall a bygone era. Schiwetz’s work generally reflects his training as an architect at Texas A&M in the early 20th century. The watercolor depictions of old buildings in the Texas landscape by both Erik Sprohge and Hunter George have a romantic yet timeless quality; the colors used by these two artists heighten this effect. In the case of Erik Sprohge, his watercolors are very different in both subject matter and style from his abstract oils on canvas. This difference presents a collector with the opportunity to add some depth to his or her collection by owning both a watercolor and an oil by this Houston artist. To return to our initial question: why do watercolors so appeal to us? Because they are familiar, yet fresh and immediate. Because they present a vibrancy of color and a variety of subject-matter. And, because their affordability facilitates our ability to collect, in depth, works by their creators. For all these reasons—and, no doubt, many more—we love watercolors.
The Texas Watercolor Tradition November 22 - December 21, 2013 Artist
Title of Work
Date
Medium
Dimensions (inches)
1
E.M. “Buck” Schiwetz
Architectural Rending of Library
1929
watercolor
21 x 31
2
E.M. “Buck” Schiwetz
Architectural Rendering of Jim West Mansion
1929
watercolor
26 x 36
3
E.M. “Buck” Schiwetz
Architectural Rendering of Boehm Home
1929
watercolor
18.5 x 28
4
E.M. “Buck” Schiwetz
Architectural Rendering of Finger Home
1929
watercolor
17 x 32
5
E.M. “Buck” Schiwetz
Guanajuato Morning
1953
watercolor
10 x 13
6
E.M. “Buck” Schiwetz
Souvenir of East Texas
1976
watercolor & pencil
14 x 19
7
E.M. “Buck” Schiwetz
West Texas
1936
watercolor & pencil
14 x 18
8
Harold Phenix
Barber's Hill
1987
watercolor
22.5 x 30
9
Harold Phenix
Big Lake
1981
watercolor
22.5 x 15
10
Harold Phenix
Boat Scene
1980
watercolor
15.25 x 22
11
Harold Phenix
Ezekiel W. Cullen Building, University of Houston
1983
watercolor
22 x 30.25
12
Harold Phenix
Lovett Hall, Rice University
1983
watercolor
19 x 27.5
13
Harold Phenix
Main Street Houston, 1937
1981
watercolor
22 x 15
14
Harold Phenix
Rysco Yard, Rockport, TX
1984
watercolor
10.75 x 15.25
15
Harold Phenix
San Angelo
1980
watercolor
15.25 x 22.25
16
Harold Phenix
South Jetty Lighthouse
1980
watercolor
22.25 x 30.5
17
Harold Phenix
Tent City, Humble TX
1982
watercolor
15 x 20.75
18
Harold Phenix
Texas A&M University, Administration Building 1983
watercolor
16.5 x 27.5
19
Harold Phenix
Texas Country
1990
watercolor
22.75 x 30.25
20
Harold Phenix
Trading on the Flock Exchange
1985
watercolor
22 x 30.5
21
Harold Phenix
Victoria
1981
watercolor
15.25 x 22
22
Hunter George
Beauty & the Beast
2013
watercolor
16 x 22
23
Hunter George
Bull & Barn
no date
watercolor
14 x 38
24
Hunter George
Burton Cotton Mill
2013
watercolor
16 x 20
The Texas Watercolor Tradition November 22 - December 21, 2013 Artist
Title of Work
Date
Medium
Dimensions (inches)
25
Hunter George
Cecelia
2013
watercolor
11 x 14
26
Hunter George
Dry Dock to Seadrift
2003
watercolor
9 x 11
27
Hunter George
Elisabet Ney Studio
2013
watercolor
14 x 11
28
Hunter George
Hockley Rice Dryer
2013
watercolor
14.5 x 20.5
29
Hunter George
James Polk's Gristmill
2002
watercolor
14.5 x 20.25
30
Hunter George
Los Maples on the Frio River
2013
watercolor
15.75 x 21.75
31
Hunter George
Old Dimebox Station
2013
watercolor
18 x 14
32
Hunter George
Partners
2013
watercolor
9 x 15
33
Hunter George
Rockport Bay
2013
watercolor
8 x 14
34
Hunter George
San Juan Capistrano (San Antonio)
2012
watercolor
21 x 16
35
Hunter George
South Texas Coast
2011
watercolor
12 x 36
36
Hunter George
Sunrise on a West Texas '40'
2013
watercolor
14 x 36
37
Hunter George
The Bank at Eddy Texas
2011
watercolor
22 x 16
38
Hunter George
The Sentinel
2013
watercolor
8 x 10
39
Hunter George
Tranquility
2013
watercolor
12 x 18
40
Hunter George
Twin Sisters
2003
watercolor
6x9
41
Hunter George
Valley Church
2013
watercolor
12 x 16
42
Erik Sprohge
At Mission Concepcion I (San Antonio)
2008
watercolor
22 x 14
43
Erik Sprohge
Bubba's Place (Smithville area)
2011
watercolor
22 x 14
44
Erik Sprohge
Coastal Flat Country (Fulton to Tivoli, Texas)
2008
watercolor
14.5 x 21.5
45
Erik Sprohge
Evening Walk (Houston, Texas)
2009
watercolor
10.5 x 14.5
46
Erik Sprohge
Fleming's Bait Stand
2010
watercolor
7.5 x 10.5
47
Erik Sprohge
Gruene, Texas
no date
watercolor
21 x 14
48
Erik Sprohge
Guadalupe Cliff Patterns (6 miles west of Hunt, Texas)
2013
watercolor
14.5 x 21.5
The Texas Watercolor Tradition November 22 - December 21, 2013 Artist
Title of Work
Date
Medium
Dimensions (inches)
49
Erik Sprohge
Highway Glimpses, I-10 West
2013
watercolor
14.5 x 21.5
50
Erik Sprohge
In Southeast Texas
2009
watercolor
14.5 x 21.5
51
Erik Sprohge
Old Mill House (Castroville, Texas)
2009
watercolor
14 x 22
52
Erik Sprohge
Old Timers (Salado, Texas)
2003
watercolor
14.5 x 21.5
53
Erik Sprohge
On Crosswinds Ranch (Somerville, Texas)
2013
watercolor
21.5 x 14.5
54
Erik Sprohge
P.K. Evening: Possom Kingdom, Texas
2009
watercolor
20 x 28
55
Erik Sprohge
Rainy Day (Nacogdoches area)
2009
watercolor
14.5 x 21.5
56
Erik Sprohge
Spaniards' Mark (West of San Saba)
2013
watercolor
14.5 x 21.5
57
Erik Sprohge
Spring Day: Dixie Dude Ranch (Bandera, Texas)
2005
watercolor
14.5 x 21.5
58
Erik Sprohge
Spring Shops (Spring, TX)
2011
watercolor
15 x 22
59
Erik Sprohge
Texas Barbeque (Smithville area)
2011
watercolor
14 x 22
60
Erik Sprohge
Towards Independence (Somerville, Independence area)
2013
watercolor
21 x 14
61
Erik Sprohge
Winter Sun
2003
watercolor
21 x 29
62
Erik Sprohge
Wood for Sale (Church between Brenham & Somerville)
2013
watercolor
14.5 x 21.5
1. Schiwetz, Architectural Rendering of Library, 1929, 21x31 inches.
2. Schiwetz, Architectural Rendering of Jim West Mansion, 1929, 26x36 inches.
3. Schiwetz, Architectural Rendering of Boehm Home, 1929, 18.5x28 inches.
4. Schiwetz, Architectural Rendering of Finger Home, 1929, 17x32 inches.
5. Schiwetz, Guanajuato Morning, 1953, 10x13 inches.
6. Schiwetz, Souvenir of East Texas, 1976, 14x19 inches.
7. Schiwetz, West Texas, 1936, 14x18 10x13 inches.
E.M. “Buck” Schiwetz (1898 - 1984) Selected Biographical and Career Highlights • 1898, Born in Cuero • 1921, B.A. in Architecture, Texas A&M College, College Station 1928, Moves to New York, studies at Art Students League of New York • • 1929, Moves to Houston, works for advertising agency • 1952, Works begin to appear in Humble Oil’s Texas Sketchbook publication • 1966, Retires advertising agency and devotes himself to painting • 1977, Texas Legislature designates Schiwetz Texas State Artist 1984, Dies in Cuero • Selected Exhibitions • 1930, 1952, 1954, American Watercolor Society • 1930-40, 1943-48, 1950-53, 1958-59, Annual Houston Artists Exhibition 1932, 1953, 1986, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston • • 1933, 1947, Elisabet Ney Museum, Austin • 1936, Texas Centennial Exposition, Dallas 1937, 1948, Witte Memorial Museum, San Antonio • • 1940, 1943-48, Texas General Exhibition • 1946, 1951-52, Dallas Museum of Fine Arts • 1952, Texas Contemporary Artists, M. Knoedler & Company, New York • 1961, McNay Art Institute, San Antonio Selected Public Collections • University of Texas, Austin • Texas A&M University, College Station Dallas Museum of Art • Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth • • Museum of Fine Arts, Houston • Exxon Corporation, Houston • Witte Museum, San Antonio Museum of East Texas, Lufkin •
8. Phenix, Barber’s Hill, 1987, 22.5x30 inches.
9. Phenix, Big Lake, 1981, 22.5x15 inches.
10. Phenix, Boat Scene, 1980, 15.25x22 inches.
11. Phenix, Ezekiel W. Cullen Building, University of Houston, 1983, 22x30.25 inches.
12. Phenix, Lovett Hall, Rice University, 1983, 22x30.25 inches.
13. Phenix, Main Street Houston, 1937, 1981, 22x15 inches.
14. Phenix, Rysco Yard, Rockport, TX, 1984, 10.75x15.25 inches.
15. Phenix, San Angelo, 1980, 15.25x22.25 inches.
16. Phenix, South Jetty Lighthouse, 1980, 22.25x30.5 inches.
17. Phenix, Tent City, Humble TX, 1982, 15x20.75 inches.
18. Phenix, Texas A&M University, Administration Building, 1983, 18.25x30 inches.
19. Phenix, Texas Country, 1990, 22.75x30.25 inches.
20. Phenix, Trading on the Flock Exchange, 1985, 22x30.5 inches.
21. Phenix, Victoria, 1981, 15.25x22 inches.
Harold Phenix (1928-2009) Selected Biographical and Career Highlights • 1928, Born in Houston, Texas • 1939 – 43, Museum of Fine Arts School, Houston, Texas 1947 – 50, studied art and architecture, University of Houston, Houston, Texas • • 1953, B.S. in Architectural Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas • 1953 – 80, Studied with noted artists: E.M. “Buck” Schiwetz, Thurman Hewitt, David Parsons, Edgar A. Whitney, Robert E. Wood, and Charles Schorre. • 1977, work featured on the cover of Offshore Magazine, in conjunction with the 1977 Offshore Technology Conference. • 1979, works featured in Texas Gulf Coast, Interpretations by Nine Artists, Texas A&M University Press. • Design Engineer, ConocoPhillips, Houston, Texas • 1984-1985, Artist-in-Residence, ConocoPhillips, Houston, Texas • 1986, twelve works commissioned by Santa Fe Energy for executive offices and limited edition calendar. 1991, Commission to paint a series of watercolors for Texas A&M University’s Petroleum Engineering • Department, College Station, Texas • 1991, twelve paintings featured in Lighthouses of Texas, Texas A&M University Press; paintings in permanent collection of Texas Maritime Museum. • 2009, Dies in Hunt, Texas Selected Exhibitions • 1974 – 85, represented by Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, Texas 2008, Buck and the Kid, Nave Museum, Victoria, Texas • • 2010, Harold Phenix: Landscapes, Lighthouses & Longhorns, Texas Maritime Museum, Houston, Texas Selected Public and Private Collections • ConocoPhillips Greater Houston Partnership • • Santa Fe Energy • Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas • Texas Maritime Museum • Texas Instruments • Tenneco, Inc.
• Martech International, Inc. • Petroleum Directorate of Norway • The Museum of Texas Tech • Spindletop Museum, Beaumont • Petroleum Directorate of Norway • American Petroleum Mobil Oil Company •
22. George, Beauty & the Beast, 2013, 22x16 inches.
23. George, Bull & Barn, no date, 14x38 inches.
24. George, Burton Cotton Mill, 2013, 16x20 inches.
25. George, Cecelia, 2013, 11x14 inches.
26. George, Dry Dock to Seadrift, 2003, 9x11 inches.
27. George, Elisabet Ney Studio, 14x11 inches.
28. George, Hockley Rice Dryer, 2012, 14.5x20.5 inches.
29. George, James Polk’s Gristmill, 2002, 14.5x20 inches.
30. George, Los Maples on the Frio River, 2013, 15.75x21.75 inches.
31. George, Luling, 2010, 15x13 inches.
32. George, Old Dimebox Station, no date, 14x18 inches.
33. George, Partners, 2013, 9x15 inches.
34. George, Rockport Bay, 2013, 8x14 inches.
35. George, San Juan Capistrano (San Antonio), 2012, 21x16 inches.
36. George, Sinclair Station, 2011, 14x11 inches.
37. George, South Texas Coast, 2013, 12x36 inches.
38. George, Sunrise on a West Texas ‘40’, 2013, 14x36 inches.
39. George, The Bank at Eddy, Texas, 2011, 22x16 inches.
40. George, The Sentinel, 2013, 8x10 inches.
41. George, Tranquility, no date, 12x18 inches.
42. George, Twin Sisters, 2003, 6x9 inches.
43. George, Valley Church, 2013, 12x16 inches.
Hunter George (b. 1932) Selected Biographical and Career Highlights 1932, born in Lynchburg, Virginia • 1952, Korean War Veteran, United States Air Force • 1959, B.F.A., Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia • 1960-1975, Graphic Designer/Art Director, Houston, Tx • 1975-85, Partner, Advertising Agency, Houston, Tx • • 1985-2000, President, Hunter George Graphic Design, Houston, Tx • 1986, board member, American Institute of Graphic Artists 2000-present, watercolors by Hunter, Houston, Tx • • Member, Rockport Society for the Arts Member, Arts for Rural Texas • Selected Exhibitions Watercolor Art Society, Houston • o 2005, 28th Annual International Show o 2008, Awarded Honorable Mention in 31st Annual International Show o 2009, 32nd Annual International Show o 2010, Awarded Signature Status, 34th Annual International Show Blair House Gallery, Wimberly, Tx • • Hunt Gallery, San Antonio, Tx • Simply Art Gallery, Galveston, Tx • Creekside Gallery, Belton, Tx • Holland House Gallery, Bellville, Tx • Griffith Gallery, Salado, Tx • The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, Tx • Texas Highways Magazine, Austin, Tx Selected Public Collections • Texas Oil Museum, Luling, Tx • Cultural Activities Center, Temple, Tx • Numerous private collections
44. Sprohge, Flat Country, Fulton to Tivoli, 2008, 14.5x21.5 inches.
45. Sprohge, Gruene, Texas, no date, 21x14 inches.
46. Sprohge, Bubba’s Place, 2011, 22x15 inches.
47. Sprohge, Cliff Patterns, Guadalupe, 2013, 14.5x21.5 inches.
48. Sprohge, Evening Walk, 2009, 10x14 inches.
49. Sprohge, Fleming’s Bait Stand, 2010, 7.5x10 inches.
50. Sprohge, Highway Glimpses, I-10 West, 2013, 14.5x21.5 inches.
51. Sprohge, Fleming’s Bait Stand, 2010, 7.5x10 inches.
52. Sprohge, Old Mill House, Castroville, 2009, 14x22 inches.
53. Sprohge, Old Timers, Salado, Texas, 2003, 14.5x21.5 inches.
54. Sprohge, On Crosswinds Ranch, Somerville, Tx, 2013, 21.5x14.5 inches.
55. Sprohge, Spring Day On Dixie Dude Ranch, Bandera, Texas, 2005, 14.5x21.5 inches.
56. Sprohge, P.K. Evening: Possum Kingdom, Texas, 2009, 20x28 inches.
57. Sprohge, Rainy Day, Nacogdoches area, 2009, 14.5x21.5 inches.
58. Sprohge, P.K. Evening: Possum Kingdom, Texas, 2009, 20x28 inches.
59. Sprohge, Rainy Day, Nacogdoches area, 2009, 14.5x21.5 inches.
60. Sprohge, Towards Independence, no date, 21x14 inches.
61. Sprohge, Winter Sun, 2003, 21x27 inches.
62. Sprohge, Wood for Sale, Church between Brenham & Somerville, 2013, 14.5x21.5 inches.
Erik T. Sprohge (b. 1932) Selected Biographical and Career Highlights • 1932, born Riga, Latvia • 1938, moves to Houston, Texas 1938-48, Museum School Children’s classes, Houston, Texas • • 1948, studies under Robert Preusser and Lowell Collins at Houston Museum School of Art • 1949-54, B.S. in Architecture, Rice Institute, Houston, Texas • 1955-57, U.S. Army stationed in Europe, part-time illustrator for Special Services • 1961, studies under Fred Samuelson at Instituto Allende, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico 1964-72, design partner at Converse, Sprohge, & Cox Architects • • 1966, Fred Ealand Memorial Award, Art League of Houston • 1981, studies under Philip Renteria at Glassell School of Art, Houston, Texas • 1999-present, Signature Elite Membership, Watercolor Art Society, Houston, Texas • 2005, Lifetime Achievement Award as an Early Texas Artist, CASETA Selected Exhibitions • 1964, Dreyer Gallery, Houston 1969, Lantern Lane Gallery, Houston • • 1974, Jack Meier Gallery, Houston • 1997, Lowell Collins Gallery, Houston • 2005, Rice Institute and The Visual Arts in Houston 1900-1960 • 2006, Early Houston Artists in Houston Collections, The Heritage Society, Houston 2002-06 & 2011, Participation in International show, WAS-H •
WILLIAM REAVES FINE ART
Upcoming Fall 2013 Exhibition Schedule The Texas Watercolor Tradition William Reaves Fine Art Gallery, Houston, Texas November 22 – December 21, 2013 Holidays at the Haley The Haley Memorial Library, Midland, Texas December 5 – 11, 2013 Collectors Preview: December 5th, 5-8pm Opening Reception: December 6th, 5-8pm Lecture with Dr. Michael Grauer: December 7th, 1pm
Texas Art E a r ly Modern Contemporary William Reaves Fine Art 2313 Brun Street • Houston, Texas • 77019 Tel: 713.521.7500 Email: INFO@reavesart.com www.reavesart.com