Olin Travis is a famous American painter who dedicated his life to capturing Dallas’s natural landscapes, city life and its residents. In addition, the artist also proved himself as a talented teacher and even founded his own Art Institute. Read more at dallas1.one.
Early days
Olin H. Travis was born and raised in Dallas, TX. His father was a printer. The boy developed his interest in art after meeting Clyde Chandler, who lived next door with the boy’s family and was a well-known sculptor. Owing to her, Olin Travis made useful connections with famous artists, including Stephen Seymour Thomas. Later, he began taking drawing classes from Robert Jerome Hill.
In 1906, Travis completed his studies at Bryan High School. Then he enrolled in Metropolitan Business College. Aspiring to connect his life with creativity, he entered the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1909. Here, he had the opportunity to study under the guidance of Charles Brown, Clarkson and Kenyon Cox. In 1914, Olin graduated with flying colors. After completing his studies, he decided to stay at the university to lecture. Subsequently, he was offered to become the Chicago Commercial Art School’s director.
Olin Travis, “Farmhouse with Rooster”
Opening of own art school
In 1924, Travis, together with his wife Kathryne Bess Hail, who was once his apprentice, and James Waddell, founded the Dallas Art Institute (DAI). Olin taught and managed the institution until 1941. The establishment itself operated until 1945. In addition, the Travises also opened the Summer Art School near Cass in Arkansas. About 50 students attended it each year. Olin believed that outdoor activities were as important as indoor ones. On the weekends, students displayed their paintings, danced and staged improvised productions.
After the DAI closed, Travis lectured at Hockaday School for two years. The other couple of years he spent at the San Antonio Art Institute. In 1951, he joined Austin College in Sherman. In addition, he was a teacher at the Texas Artists Camp in Christoval for a few years.
Artistic Style
Olin Travis preferred to paint landscapes in the Impressionist style. The coast of Texas, as well as Colorado, Florida, Michigan and Missouri were the places where he found his inspiration. When painting, the artist applied paint in thin layers and paid great attention to details.
Olin Travis, “From Lovel Pass.Colorado”
Travis first exhibited his paintings in 1914 and continued to introduce the world to his works for the next forty years.
His paintings were shown in many leading museums in America, namely:
- 1923 – State Fair of Texas show.
- 1927 – display of works by Texas artists in Nashville, where Olin Travis received his first award.
- 1933 – the Sixteen Cities exhibition at the MoMA in New York.
- 1934 – his solo show at the Dallas Institute.
- 1938 – the artist’s creations were included in the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco.
- 1953 – 50 Years of Painting in Dallas: A Retrospective Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings at the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA).
- 1971 – group exhibition Texas Painting and Sculpture: the 20th Century displayed in several museums in TX.
- 1974 – the last solo show at the Dupree Gallery in Irving.
- Travis’s works are presented in the collections of the DMA and the Elisabet Ney Museum in Austin.
The artist’s frescoes adorn the Museum of Natural History at Fair Park, the Hall of State and Wax Museum. He also created a number of murals for some enterprises and schools in the city.
Olin Travis continued to paint and showcase his works until his death in 1975.