M. W. Downes

Naturalistic Cockatoo with Butterfly Painting

1970's

Modern naturalistic portrait painting by well-known Houston-based artist Herb Mears. The work features a detailed rendering of a jockey wearing a yellow and blue outfit standing next to his wife and a young lion. Signed by the artist in the front lower right corner. Retains the original DuBose Gallery label on the reverse. Currently hung in a complementary frame. Dimensions Without Frame: H 48 in. x W 54 in. Artist Biography: Born in New York City in 1923, Herb Mears was interested in art from a young age. He studied under Fernand Leger in Paris and went on to paint and study in various studios in France and Italy before his arrival in Houston in 1951. With colleague David Adickes, whom he had met in Paris, Mears decided to open an art school. Their Studio of Contemporary Arts finally settled in an old building on Main Street with Mears and Adickes hoping to give classes to potential students. However money was tight and Mears found himself as a draftsman for Houston Lighting and Power Company, a job he excelled at and enjoyed. Later, Mears was involved in the Contemporary Arts Association, frequently making trips to ensure security in addition to enjoying the art scene the Association provided. From the CAA to the Art League of Houston and the Museum of Fine Arts, Mears began to gain recognition. An abstract, or non-objective piece as he called it, won a prize at a competition held by the Museum of Fine Arts, earning him a teaching position at the Museum School. Mears also taught at the Contemporary Arts Museum, University of Houston...

Oil painting on canvas board of a sledge pulled by oxen. The painting is done in an impressionist style. The canvas board is signed by the artist on the front and titled, signed and dated on the back. The board is not framed. Artist Biography: John Koenakeefe Mohl was born on 29 September 1903 in Dinokana, Zeerust in the North-West Province. Mohl's father was a carpenter who sculpted objects such as chairs and mealie stampers. During his youth, Mohl drew with 'pepa' on rocks and made clay objects. He attended primary school in Dinokana where his teachers reprimanded him for constantly drawing in class. Mohl's father eventually withdrew him from school to tend to the goats. Nevertheless, Reverend Hale soon recognized Mohl’s talent and convinced his father to allow him to draw. Mohl attended the Moeding Training Institute (later known as Tigerkloof Training School) where he attained a teacher’s diploma. He subsequently accompanied a German artist to South West Africa (now Namibia) where he studied painting at the Windhoek School of Art. The Missionary Society and the Lutheran Church then sent him to Dusseldorf, West Germany where he studied art at the Kunst-Akademie during the following five years. The artist later returned to South Africa and settled in Sophiatown, where he started running art classes from his home. His art school was known to his peers as the ‘White Studio’. He was one of the first Black artists to be involved in art education and training. In the late 1950s, he was prevented from operating a business; therefore he established the Apollo Art...

Earth toned naturalistic painting depicting a Colorado mountain scene with horse and native man attempting to strike a mountain bear. Framed and matted in a black modern wooden frame...

Modern surrealist still life painting by Marvin Smith of a country window sill looking out onto a horse stable. The painting has various tools like a shovel stilling on the sill with...