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Uncle Joe Oliver at 90 11" x 14" Acrylic on Canvas Joe Oliver was like our guardian angle and patron saint of starving artists. His borther-in-law was Olin Travis, his sister was Josephine Oliver Travis, both great artists in their own right. Olin founded the Dallas Art Institute and taught art. Joe rented us Travis' former home in Forest Hills area of Dallas. It was the smallest house in the subdivision ... but we loved it and I had a special connetion to it. Joe inherited hundreds of Olin's paintings, I found some brushes Olin had used and a stretched canvas he never started in the attic. Joe and I spent many, many hours talking about art, Olin, Josephine, family matters. Joe was also a Freemason, as am I. I did this painting of him and gave it to him as a gift. He hated it at first, and said so. Said it was too much like that kooky painter, Andy Warhol. hahaha. Later on he apologized and said, "I didn't have any right to say that about your work." That was after I had shared many other paintings I had done. Joe is one of the reasons I chose to move to Taos. He kept saying, "Get out and paint in the real world! Get out of your studio!" Thank you Joe, best advice anyone ever gave me. HASHTAGS: #vanvoorhees #joeoliver #unclejoeoliverat90 #patronsaintofstarvingartists |
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