Tom Lea: Texas Artist

The artist, Tom Lea was born July 11, 1907 in El Paso, Texas. His full name is Thomas Calloway Lea III. The rugged Franklin Mountains and desert landscapes of his home were a signature of many of his artworks.

He was the son of El Paso mayor and frontier lawyer, Tom Lea. His father’s tem as mayor was during the time of the Mexican Revolution. After the Mexican bandit Pancho Villa raided Columbus , New Mexico, His rather threatened to capture the former resident of El Paso, now turned bandit. Pancho Villa responded to the threat by offering a thousand gold peso bounty for the capture of his father, the mayor of El Paso. The young Tom Lea grew up during a time of excitement and unrest as he developed a love for Texas and the Southwest which he carried with him throughout his life. He often spent time working on ranches in the area while attending school.

While attending school in El Paso, he spent time learning to paint from a noted artist, John Warner Norton, known for his work with murals, who also taught at the school.

After finishing school he attended the Art Institute of Chicago, where he met his future wife, Nancy Taylor. He earned enough to travel to Europe and study art in Paris and Italy. His travel accommodations were often third class, yet he managed studying the style and technique of noted artists Eugene Delacroix, Pierro della Francesca and Luca Sinorelli. His journey took him to Paris, Florence (Firenze), Rome and Capri where he studied the work of these artists.

After returning the United States, he worked in Santa Fe doing illustrations. Since it was in the midst of the Great Depression, he also entered some art contests with the WPA (Works Progress Administration). He won the contests and was rewarded with some jobs. After his wife died, he returned to Texas and produced a series of murals recognizing the Texas Centennial of 1936. He also entered contests where he won the competition for murals. His murals included the Benjamin Franklin Post Office, Washington D. C., the Federal Building in EL Paso, the Burlington Northern Station in Lacrosse, Wisconsin, the Pleasant Hill, Missouri Post Office and the Post Office in Odessa, Texas. These projects brought his work to the attention of the American people.

It was during this time he met his second wife. He also met with writer J. Frank Dobie. Dobie had been involved in the Texas Regionalism movement and the two shared a love for Texas. Dobie and Lea worked together on several collaborative projects. Lea also illustrated two of Dobie’s books. Lea also developed a close friendship with writer Carl Hertzog, which he maintained through his life.

When World War II broke out, he was invited to become an illustrator and correspondent for Life magazine. Lea accepted the offer. His experiences included crossing the North Atlantic, serving on the carrier the Hornet in the South Pacific and visiting China. While in China, he illustrated portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Chang Kai-shek, and fellow Texan Claire Chennault. He also participated in the first assault wave of US troops arriving on the island of Peleliu. Lea later illustrated his experience at Peleliu. He also painted and drew portraits of important figures during this time.

After the war, he moved to New Mexico where he wrote several novels. These include The Brave Bulls, and The Wonderful Country. Some of these were made into movies, which gained him notoriety. He also wrote some histories and an autobiography. His autobiography is currently out of print.

He continued painting, both portraits and murals. Although he painted portraits, he remains more well known for his regionalist landscapes. He often chose the subjects for his portraits, yet made two exceptions, one for Benito Juarez and another for Sam Rayburn. Both of these are displayed in public buildings. Governor John Connolly of Texas also requested a work of him, as did the Moody Medical Library in Galveston, yet most of his artistic works were produced for friends. He considered them a kind of personal conversation between the artist and his friends.

As he grew older, eye problems limited his work. Despite these limitations, he was awarded honors from the US Marines and the El Paso Art Museum, which built a Tom Lea gallery to the Museum. His six decades of work was later honored by Governor George W. Bush of Texas. Laura Bush travelled to meet with him soon after her husband was elected governor. Throughout his campaign he made frequent refrences to Tom Lea quotes. Tom Lea was also awarded honorary doctorates from Baylor University and SMU (Southern Methodist University) .

Lea passed away on January 28, 2001. He was eventually interred with honors in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, Texas. His burial site is marked with a cenotaph containing a rendition of the Franklin Mountains of West Texas. At the 100th anniversary of his birth, Laura Bush requested that Tom Lea's painting, Rio Grande, be leant by the El Paso Museum to be displayed in the oval office, which it is. The painting was later purchsed. President Bush's favorite artist is Tom Lea. The Presidents Committee on the Arts and Humanities provided copies of a book on Tom Lea paintings as part of their cultural exchange programs. Tom Lea's paintings often demand good prices of five to six figures in the art market, depending on the painting. His litographs have also sold well. The value has increased, since the majority of his works are in private collections.

"Sarah and I live on the east side of our mountain. It is the sunrise side, not the sunset side. It is the side to see the day that is coming, not the side to see the day that is gone. The best day is the day coming ..." -Tom Lea