(1944 – 2015)
The Artist, The Musician, The Teacher: From Texas rivers and bluffs to its valleys and enormous skies James lovingly and skillfully captured the beauty of the land.
A fourth-generation Texan, James Robinson was a multi-faceted man, preserving the historic landscape of his beloved home state through his paintings, playing the piano and guitar, and even writing some original compositions. James left his earthly bonds on January 30, 2015, leaving behind his two son’s Kelly, and Russell and daughter Carla.
James Robinson’s brother John and family members helped create a book of James’s life complete with history, artistic contributions from early works to his final paintings, painting techniques, James philosophy on painting, and many quotes based on his approach to the craft. His book is exclusively sold by Insight Galleries along with some last available original acrylic paintings. James Robinson Book.
James Robinson was a multifaceted talent. Beyond his fantastic painting ability, he was a teacher creating several study techniques for art students and an accomplished musician and composer (hear some of his work). Beyond the popular and well-sold-out rugged central Texas scenery with horseback cowboys, herding dogs, and longhorn cattle, James also painted many coastal fishing paintings, scenic scenes from other states some with wildlife, and stream fishing and game paintings with remarkable detail.
Depending on your taste, category, or theme, selecting whichever moves you should provide years of enjoyment complementing your home, office, hotel, or place of business with a beautiful piece of art. Owning a signature print by James Robinson would be a wonderful gift idea preserving the finest in Western art for generations.
For those who want to know a little more about James Robinson’s art philosophy, technique, and advice, below are James Robinson’s own words captured from a lesson he taught. For those starting painting, seasoned pros, or art aficionados, James’s lessons have something for everyone. We hope you enjoy reading James Robinson’s art basics.
For those that want to know a little more about James Robinson’s art philosophy, technique and advice, below is James Robinson’s own words captured for a lesson he taught. For those starting out painting, seasoned pro or art aficionado, James lessons has something for everyone. We hope you enjoy reading James Robinson art basics.
PAINTING BASICS BY JAMES ROBINSON, ARTIST
IF YOU ARE A BEGINNER, THIS FORMAT SHOULD BE YOUR GUIDE TO BEING SUCCESSFUL IN THE BUSINESS IF THAT IS YOUR GOAL. THAT IS THE THE GOAL FOR MOST ARTIST’S OUT THERE AND IT SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE HANGING IN A GALLERY OR AUCTION WITH THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. YOU HAVE TO SET YOUR SITES HIGH AND HAVE A PURPOSE TO GET OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING. FIND OUT WHO ARE YHE BEST BY READING ART MAGAZINES AND TALKING TO ESTABLISHED ARTISTS.THEY KNOW MORE ABOUT ART THEN ANYONE. STUDY THEIR PAINTINGS- THINK WHAT MAKES THEM GOOD. THE DESIGN, VALUES, COLOR, FOCAL POINT , TECHNIQUE, MOOD AND SUBJECT MATTER. IT TAKES ALL OF THESE AND MORE TO DO A GOOD PAINTING, WHAT SEPERATES THEM FROM THE AVERAGE PAINTER IS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH THESE RULES ON EVERY PAINTING. I’LL SAY IT AGAIN- EVERY PAINTING. GETTING BETTER WILL COME IN TIME AND PERFECTION WILL NEVER COME BECAUSE IT IS UNATAINABLE. HOWEVER IF YOU REVIEW YOUR WORK WITH THESE RULES IN MIND, YOU CAN SHAVE A LOT OF TIME. TECHNIQUE WILL COME OVER TIME, SO DON’T EVER COPY ANOTHER ARTIST’S TECHNIQUE. MAYBE JUST TO LEARN SOMETHING FROM THEM BUT DO IT YOUR WAY. ALSO,ESTABLISHING A NICHE FOR YOURSELF IS A GOOD WAY TO ELIMINATE ALOT OF COMPETITION. THERE IS L ITTLE THAT HASN’T BEEN DONE SO TRY TO THINK WHERE YOU WANT TO BE IN THE YEARS TO COME AND DEVOTE YOURSELF TO IT. STRIVE TO BE THE BEST AT WHAT YOU DO, MAKE EACH PAINTING BETTER THEN THE LAST IF YOU CAN BUT IT TAKES TIME TO RECOGNIZE YOUR MISTAKES. IF YOU WERE ABLE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM ON EVERY PAINTING YOU WOULD BE YEARS AHEAD OF MOST ARTISTS. DON’T SPREAD YOURSELF TOO THIN. I MEAN TOO MANY DIFFERENT SUBJECTS MATTERS WILL ONLY BOG YOU DOWN. CLIENTS WON’T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOU AND YOU PROBABLY WON’T EXCELL AT ALL OF THEM SO WHY DO IT. NARROW YOUR FIELD AND STAY WITH IT TRYING TO KEEP IT INTERESTING WITH DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, MOODS AND HANDLING SO YOU DON’T GET BURNT OUT ON IT.
COMPOSITION
COMPOSITION IS THE BASIC DESIGN OF YOUR PAINTING. HOW YOU ARRANGE YOUR SHAPES AND VALUES IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT. THERE ARE BASIC RULES FOR A GOOD COMPOSITION. IF YOU ARE A LANDSCAPE PAINTER YOU WANT THE VIEWER TO BE INVITED RIGHT IN TO THE PAINTING.WHERE IS THE EYE TO GO? WHERE DO YOU WANT IT TO GO. THE PLACEMENT OF SHAPES CAN BE A POWERFUL MECHANISM -KEEPING YOUR EYE FROM GOING OUT OFF THE PAGE OR INTO THE PAINTING. MOST ARTISTS, INCLUDING ME, WILL TAKE A PICTURE OF WHAT THEY WANT TO PAINT. i LOOK FOR COMPOSITION. SINCE I AM BASICALLY A LANDSCAPE PAINTER WITH A WESTERN MOTIF. A GOOD COMPOSITION IS HARD TO FIND ANYWAY AND IF YOU HAVEN’T A CLUE OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR, YOU HAVE TROUBLE. MANY PEOPLE KNOW A GOOD PAINTING WHEN THEY SEE ONE BUT FEW KNOW WHY IT’S A GOOD PAINTING. THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE IN A PERSON WHO NEVER GROWS AS AN ARTIST AND ONE WHO CAN IMPROVE ON EACH ONE.SOME PAINT PLEIN AIR, OTHERS MAKE UP EVERYTHING OR IN PART AND SOME USE PHOT0GRAPHS FOR THE BULK OF THE PAINTING OR FOR ALL OF IT. OTHERS PAINT MORE ABSTACT AND DESIGN AROUND THEIR DOMINATE SUBJECT MATTER. YOU REALLY HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING TO DO THIS. THERE ARE SOME FANTASTIC DESIGNERS OUT THERE WHO DO THIS BUT IT ALSO TAKES A GOOD DESIGNER TO TAKE A WORTHY PHOTOGRAPH.IF YOU EVER SEE A GREAT LANDSCAPE AND THE ARTIST SAYS HE MADE IT ALLUP, HE’S A LIAR.I’VE SEEN THOUSANDS OF LANDSCAPES BY HUNDREDS OF ARTISTS AND CAN TELL THE PARTS THAT WERE FAKED.IT JUST DEPENDS HOW BIG AN AREA IT TAKES UP. IF YOU ARE A REALLY GOOD PAINTER YOU CAN MAKE UP A LOT IN A PAINTING IF IT LOOKS BELIEVABLE. BY THIS I MEAN THAT THE FAKED AREA HAS TO LOOK LIKE IT FITS PERFECTLY IN THE PAINTING. RIGHT COLOR, VALUE, ETC. SOME CAN DO IT AND DO IT RIGHT. MOST CANNOT. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE ABLE TO PAINT FROM COPY FIRST BEFORE YOU CAN START ADDING THINGS WITHOUT DETECTION, IT TAKES TIME, TIME AND EXPERIENCE.
MOST SUBJECT MATTER WILL HAVE A HORIZON LINE AND EVERYTHING WILL HAVE A VANISHING POINT BUT SOMETIMES THESE THINGS CAN BE NEGLIGABLE. THEIR CAN BE HUNDREDS OF VANISHING POINTS IN A COMPOSTION AND THERE IS EVEN A MATHAMATICAL FORMULA TO FIGURE THINGS OUT HOWEVER MOST REALLY GOOD ARTISTS CAN TELL WHEN SOMETHING IS TOO BIG OR SMALL.THEIR EXPERIENCE IS THEIR GUIDE.I SUGGEST YOU GET A BOOK ON PERSPECTIVE AND LEARN THE BASICS FROM THAT. THE BASICS OF PERSPECTIVE AND VANISHING POINTS ARE GENERALLY EXPLAINED ON LEVEL GROUND WITH A MAN AT 6 FEET TALL. WHEN THE GROUND IS UNDULATING THE PROBLEMS BECOME MORE AND MORE INVOLVED .SCALE IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN A PAINTING.BASICALLY, THE PLACEMENT OF AN OBJECT IN YOUR PAINTING WILL DETERMINE WHAT SIZE TO MAKE OTHER OBJECTS IN RELATION TO THE FIRST OBJECT. I CAN BEST EXPLAIN IT BY MY OWN WORK. IF I HAVE A CLIFF IN MY PAINTING THAT OCCUPIES AT LEAST 65% OF THE PAINTING AND A HORSE AND RIDER IN FRONT OF IT, THE SIZE OF THE HORSE AND RIDER –IE THE PLACEMENT, WILL TELL YOU HOW BIG THE CLIFF WILL BE OR HOW TALL IT WILL APPEAR. IF THE SAME SIZE RIDER IS PUSHED FURTHER AND FURTHER BACK TOWARDS THE CLIFF, THE CLIFF WILL LOOK SMALLER AND SMALLER AND VISA VERSA.
EVERY ARTIST NO MATTER HOW RENOWNED WILL MAKE MISTAKES IN SCALE AND OR PERSPECTIVE IN A PAINTING AT SOMETIME IN THEIR CAREER. YOU CAN PICK ANYTHING APART AND PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES IN ART, MUSIC AND ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE BUT IN ART IF IT IS NEGLIGABLE IT WOULD TAKE AN EXPERT EYE TO SEE IT. SOME ARTISTS CAN PAINT A LIFETIME AND STILL MAKE GLARING MISTAKES WITHOUT KNOWING IT. YOU WOULD THINK A GOOD FRIEND WOULD POINT THIS OUT BUT UNLESS YOUR ASKED THIS IS A MOST DIFFICULT THING TO DO AND COULD COST YOU A FRIEND. CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS AN ISSUE THAT SOME CAN HANDLE BUT MOST CAN’T.YOU JUST DON’T WANT TO HEAR YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG, BUT IF YOU DON’T LEARN YOU WILL NEVER GET BETTER. IF A REALLY GOOD ARTIST TELLS YOU SOMETHING THAT COULD IMPROVE YOUR WORK AND YOU HOLD HIM IN HIGH REGARD THEN BY ALL MEANS LET HIM TELL YOU. YOU WILL NEVER IMPROVE IF YOU CAN’T SEE YOUR OWN MISTAKES AND PROFIT BY THEM.SOMETIMES THESE MISTAKES DON’T MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A GOOD PAINTING BECAUSE THE DESIGN,VALUES AND COLOR CAN HOLD THE PAINTING TOGETHER. SOMETIMES THE REASONS FOR THIS IS THAT AN ARTIST WILL DO A MOCK-UP OR COMPREHENSIVE IF YOU WILL TO WORK OUT THE DESIGN AND COLOR BEFORE DOING A LARGER PAINTING. MANY TIMES THESE LITTLE SKETCHES WILL DESIGN SO WELL BECAUSE THEY ARE SPONTANEOUS AND ARE NICE LITTLE GEMS. HOWEVER, IN A LARGER PAINTING EVERYTHING HAS TO BE JUSTIFIED. THIS CAN CHANGE THE DESIGN AND RENDER IT LESS EFFECTIVE. I HAVE SEEN MANY SMALL ONES AND THE LARGER ONE. I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE SMALLER ONES WERE THE BETTER.
FAKING IT
THIS IS A BAD IDEA FROM DAY 1. IF YOUR GOOD ENOUGH AND HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR MANY YEARS YOU CAN SOMETIMES GET BY WITH IT BUT USUALLY NOT. MOST PAINTERS THAT ARE WORTH THEIR SALT USE REFERENCE MATERIAL FOR THEIR MAIN SCENE IF THEY ARE PRIMARILY LANDSCAPE ARTISTS. IT’S VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE THINGS UP ON A LARGE SCALE AND GET BY WITH IT. YOU CAN’T FOOL A KNOWLEDGABLE CLIENT OR A GOOD ARTIST. YOUR COMPETING WITH THOUSANDS OF ARTISTS AND YOU NEED ALL THE HELP YOU CAN GET. DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME TRYING TO IMAGINE HOW THINGS WILL WORK. USE COPY TO GO BY, STICK TO THE BASICS.
THE FINISHED PRODUCT
WE ALL HAVE OUR GOALS IN PAINTING. THERE’S A LOT OF COMPETITION. NARROWING THE FIELD IS THE WAY TO MAKE IT LUCRATIVE FOR YOU AS WELL AS FUN. THE BEST ARTISTS OF PAST AND PRESENTS HAD ONE THING IN COMMON. QUALITY. QUALITY MEANS THAT A PAINTING EXCELLS IN ALL THE BASIC AREAS WITH THAT TOUCH OF “SOUL” WHICH ANOTHER EXCELLENT ARTIST TOLD ME A PAINTING SHOULD HAVE. WHEN YOU STAND IN FRONT OF ANOTHERS PAINTING AND IT CAPTIVATES YOU AND IS CATHARTIC THEN THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THEIR GOAL.THAT IS WHAT YOU SHOULD BE SHOOTING FOR. TO BE THE BEST, WHAT ELSE IS THERE?
REFERENCE
AS I SAID I LOOK FOR BASIC COMPOSTION WITH MY CAMERA BUT I ALSO TAKE HUNDREDS OF PHOTOS OF REFERENCE MATERIAL. BUSHES, WATER, SHADOWS, TREE, MOUNTAINS AND HILLS , SKYS AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON. I HAVE EACH SUBJECT MATTER IN IT’S OWN FILE AND REFER TO THEM CONSTANTLY AS NEEDED.THIS HELPS YOU IN CHANGING THINGS IN YOUR BASIC PHOTO WITHOUT FAKING IT.
ANALYLIZING YOUR WORK
THIS IS DIFFICULT EVEN IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR LOOKING FOR. WHEN YOU ARE THROUGH WITH A PAINTING OR JUST TIRED OF IT OR STUMPED, SET IT ASIDE OUT OF SIGHT FOR A FEW WEEKS OR LONGER. WHEN YOU SEE IT AGAIN THINGS WILL BE FRESH TO YOU AND YOU CAN SEE ERRORS EASIER. PUT A MIRROR BEHIND YOUR EASEL- SAY 10-12 FEET AND HANG IT VERTICALLY- SAY 3’ WIDE AND 4’ DEEP. WHEN YOU STAND TO THE SIDE OF YOUR PAINTING AND TURN AROUND YOU WILL SEE YOUR PAINTING FROM THAT DISTANCE(10-12’) AND IN REVERSE. THIS WAY YOU DON’T HAVE TO BACK OFF FROM IT AND YOU CAN SEE MISTAKES QUICKER IN REVERSE. ALOT OF ARTISTS DO THIS OR TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN TO VIEW DESIGN ELEMENTS. ONE BIG MISTAKE AN ARTIST A PAINTER CAN MAKE IS RUSHING THROUGH WITH A PAINTING. YOU CANNOT AND WILL NOT GET BETTER QUICKER IF YOU CUT CORNERS. THIS IS NOT A FAST FOOD. IT REQUIRES TIME TO DO IT RIGHT AND THOUGHT.TO HANG WITH THE BEST REQUIRES EXCELLENCE IN ALL AREAS. THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO QUALITY. IF YOU ARE NOT IN IT FOR THE MONEY THAN YOU WILL HAVE NO PRESSURE TO GET IT OUT THERE. SLOW DOWN. REMEMBER, A BAD PAINTING CAN SIT ON A GALLERY WALL FOR MONTHS OR YEARS. THE BEST PAINTINGS SELL THE QUICKEST. WHEN I ANALYIZE MY OWN WORK I LOOK OVER EACH ASPECT OF IT. I WILL LOOK AT THE SKY-COVERING UP THE REST OF THE PAINTING WITH MY HAND TO SEE IF I LIKE IT. NEXT, I WILL LOOK AT WHAT ADJOINS IF. TREES OR MOUNTAINS, THE COLOR, VALUES. DO THEY WORK TOGETHER? THEN I GO FURTHER DOWN DOING EACH PART THE SAME WAY.I LOOK AT COLOR, VALUES, EDGES, CONTRAST AND GENERAL COMPATABILITY.ETC.I LOOK AT MY SUBJECT MATTER. IS THE SCALE RIGHT, THE PLACEMENT, THE DESIGN OF RIDERS AND CATTLE. DO THEY ENHANCE THE DESIGN OR DISTRACT FROM IT. I TRY TO GET COMPOSITIONS THAT ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO LET ME HAVE MORE FREEDOM IN THE PLACEMENTS OF MY COWBOYS, CATTLE ETC. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A PAINTING I WAS FINISHED WITH THAT WAS HANGING IN A GALLERY WHERE I DIDN’T THINK I COULD IMPROVE ON IT. NOT SEEING YOUR WORK FOR A LONG TIME WILL MOST OF THE TIME CHANGE YOUR WHOLE IDEA OF WHAT YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENT IF YOU COULD.THIS RE-THINKING IS A RESULT OF YOU GETTING BETTER OVER TIME. YOU SHOULD BE BETTER NOW THAN WHEN YOU PAINTED IT. YOU KNOW MORE AND SEE MISTAKES QUICKER. THIS IS WHY I EMPHASIZE TO WORK ON SEVERAL PAINTINGS AT THE SAME TIME TO GIVE YOU THAT FRESH LOOK YOU WILL NEED.SOMETIMES YOU WILL SEE AN OLD ONE AND SAY- THAT WORKED WELL-THIS IS ACCEPTABLE. BUT, NOT ALL WORK WILL COME OFF THAT WAY. I WANT TO REFER BACK TO CRITICS AGAIN. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU WERE IN CLASS, YOU WOULD HAVE A TEACHER THAT KNEW HOW TO TEACH. THEY ARE THE RARE ONES BECAUSE THEY CAN ACTUALLY MAKE YOU WANT TO LEARN AND HAVE YOU ENJOY IT AT THE SAME TIME. THIS CAN BE IN PAINTING TOO. SOME ARTISTS ARE BETTER AT ANALYLIZING OTHERS WORKS THEN THEIR OWN. IT’S ALWAYS EASIER TO SEE MISTAKES ON ANOTHERS PAINTING BECAUSE YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE. IF YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION IS “WOW” THEN IT’S PROBABLY A GOOD PAINTING. IF NOT, WELL—- MAYBE IT’S ALMOST THERE OR ALONG WAY OFF.EITHER WAY, I THINK IT’S MORE FUN TO LOOK AT OTHERS WORK THAN MY OWN. I NEVER KEEP FINISHED PAINTINGS AROUND THE HOUSE FOR THE SIMPLE FACT THAT I WANT TO WORK ON THEM,
LOOSEN UP
I’VE NEVER KNOWN AN ARTIST WHO DIDN’T WISH THIS. MANY ARTISTS BEGIN THEIR CAREER PAINTING EXACTLY WHAT THEY SEE BECAUSE IT’S A GUIDE- SHOWING THEM THE COLOR, COMPOSITION ETC. EVENTUALLY THEY WILL ADD MORE COLOR, CHANGE THE SKY,ADD DEPTH BECAUSE THEY HAVE GAINED MORE CONFIDENCE AND THEY WILL BEGIN TO SUGGEST THINGS RATHER THAN COPY THINGS AS THEY SEE IT. THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT. IF ONE BRUSH STROKE CAN SAY WHAT 10 BRUSH STROKES CAN SAY THEN TRY IT. YOUR WORK WILL BECOME MORE SUGGESTIVE, MORE EXCITING AND MORE INTERPRETIVE.THE GOAL OF EVERYONE I KNOW.
More Biography Information about James Robinson:
· Biography
James Robinson (1944-2015)
Biography
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Free-lance Fine Artist
Austin, Dallas and Houston, Texas,
Developed and maintained a reputation for producing quality depictions of Texas landscapes, wildlife and other western scenes.
SHOWS
American Royal Association Show, Kansas City
Brazos Art Classic, College Station, Texas
Cheyenne Show, Cheyenne
Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, Charleston
Stamford Art Foundation, Stamford, Texas
Miniatures, 91 92 White Oak Gallery, Elko, Minnesota
Mountain Oyster Show, Tucson
National Finals Art Auction, Las Vegas
River Oaks Classic, Houston
PUBLISHED PRINTS
Gulf Coast Conservation Association
Ducks Unlimited
Hadley House
American Masters Foundation
PUBLICATIONS
Southwest Art, Feature, December 1983
Sporting Classics, Feature, May/June 1992
Gulf Tide, Feature, May/June 1981
Houston Home and Garden
Texas Homes
Texas Hunters Directory, Selected one of the Top 10 Texas Artists
Wildlife Art News
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year, 1990
COLLECTED BY
Texaco
Brown and Root
Marathon Oil
Granada Corporation
Bing Crosby Family
Shell Oil
Montgomery Ward
Private Collections
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Houston, Dallas, and Austin, Texas 1985 Present
Robinson taught private workshops of three to five days duration for up to twenty individuals on various aspects of illustration and painting. Courses emphasize drawing, color, values, composition and perspective, showing how the basics apply in abstract and nonobjective, as well as realistic painting. The artist also showed how these elements are used in other fields such as interior design, architecture, landscaping, furniture design, commercial art and advertising.
COMMERCIAL ARTIST / GRAPHICS DESIGNER
Houston, Texas 1963- 1974
Robinson produced a broad range of graphic designs and illustrations for industrial, architectural and commercial applications. Extensive experience in layout, design, illustration, production and camera-ready copy for logos, letterheads, annual reports, billboards, magazine ads and other forms of advertising. Employment and contract affiliations during the period included Brown and Root, Visual Concepts and Graphicenter.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Texas Association of Professional Artist
EDUCATION
The University of Houston 1965- 1968
South Texas Junior College 1963- 1965
Completed 100 hours of curriculum leading to B.F.A
Submitted by Whistle Pik Gallery
Biography from Whistle Pik Galleries
James Robinson, was a native of the Lone Star State, proud of his heritage. His ancestors were early pioneers to Texas in the early 1840’s. In those days Texas’ unspoiled beauty, untraveled terrain, rugged bluffs and creeks dominated. James was inspired by their stories and chose Texas’s rugged landscape as his primary subject matter. An intimate knowledge of Texas and the many facets of the western landscape are obvious when one views a painting created by the artist.
Born in Houston in 1944, James always knew he would be an artist. He was committed to his education and earned a BFA. He studied both commercial and fine art as a free-lance designer and illustrator, polishing his painting skills on the side. It was at this stage in his career that his dad, J.C. literally absconded with one of his paintings and marched into a local gallery to show what his son could do. From that day on, he dedicated his life to fine art and has enjoyed a most remarkable career.
James has always been influenced by such artists as Frank Tenney Johnson, James Reynolds, Howard Terpning, John Singer Sargent and Joaquin Sorolla. He seeks to evoke these qualities in his own work and establish his own niche in western art by unique combinations of light, color and action to leave a lasting impact on the viewer.
James won numerous awards including “Artist’s Choice” in 2010 and “Best Group” in 2007 with a cash award of $5000 from the Briscoe Museum’s Night of Artist’s show in San Antonio, Texas. Another honor was “Olaf Wieghorst Award” for the best painting at the 2007 Mountain Oyster Show in Tucson, Arizona.