Heritage, 2011, Volume 1 Page: 18
47 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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1987. Carron, who experimented with
painting, printmaking, sculpture, and
collage, exhibited up until the end of
her life. Even in her 70s, she could be
counted on to break into interpretive
dance at the drop of a paisley scarf.
Another key figure in the artistic
life of Beaumont was the painter and
instructor Lorene David, who of-
ten showed her work and won prizes
in juried state and national exhibits.
She began teaching art in the public
schools after arriving from Missouri in
1931, earning a master of arts degree
from Columbia University in 1933.
David exhibited in the prominent war-
time Artists for Victory exhibition at
New York's Metropolitan Museum of
Art (1942) and joined the Printmak-rr~
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1.12?'' r;.ps ' :3viiK 01. ric RC;O'F? ..Iners Guild in Dallas, an active group of
women artists and educators who ex-
hibited and sold their prints nationally.
As art director for the Beaumont pub-
lic schools (1948-1967), David made
a noteworthy contribution by hiring
first-rate, serious art faculty to teach
the children of Southeast Texas.
Another artist whose work had great
impact-even though it is unfamiliar
to many-was sculptor Herring Coe.
In the 1930s, Coe won competitions to
sculpt the New London School Memori-
al cenotaph (honoring the 294 individu-
als killed in an explosion on March 18,
1937) (on left, top) and the Dick Dowl-
ing statue at Sabine Pass (in honor of
the Civil War lieutenant who led forces
to victory in the battle that took place
there) (on lef, be/ow) Coe also created
27 iconographic carvings symbolizing de-
mocracy for the Houston City Hall in the
1930s and later the Fondren Library frieze
at Rice University, bas reliefs at Lamar
University in Beaumont, and the Texas
Memorial at Vicksburg, Mississippi.
With the objective of bringing to-
gether these many gifted area artists,
the Beaumont Art League was formed
in 1943. The League's members opened
the Beaumont Art Museum in its first
home, a rented house on Calder Avenue
in 1950. They later established the Art
League as a separate entity, and promi-
nent local artists remained involved
in both organizations. When League
member shows ceased in 1986, the mu-
seum was amenable to showing the work
of serious local artists. Such cooperation be-
tween various groups in Southeast Texas is
another indication of the region's persistent
dedication to the arts.
In 1951, artist David Cargill re-
turned to his hometown of Beaumont
to find the Art Museum in full swing.
Cargill and his young wife, Patricia,
had met at Pratt Institute in New York,
where he studied industrial design and
she pursued painting (see image on page
17). The Cargills taught classes at the
Beaumont Art Museum and in their
home for years.David Cargill describes an ambitious
and exhausting tenure as he helped
curate and hang exhibitions at the
Beaumont Museum. He remembers
mounting new exhibitions every two
weeks, featuring work ranging from
Swiss/German modern artist Paul
Klee (a 1957 newspaper review stated
that Klee, "who so debases his talents,
should be barred for consideration
as one of the great artists"), to Texas
sculptor Charles Pebworth. Today, the
Cargills are still active in Beaumont,
producing public art, private commis-
sions, sculptures, and paintings.
In 1952, the Art Museum dedi-
cated a solo exhibition to 17-year-old
Beaumont native Richard Stout, the
youngest artist ever to be so honored.
After an outstanding student career at
the Art Institute of Chicago and else-
where, Stout returned to Texas, pursu-
ing a career in Houston as an inspiring
teacher and progressive artist noted for
his brilliant use of color. Twin Der-
ricks (1951, cover image), painted by the
teenaged artist, uses brown earth tones
and bright splashes of color to depict
the iconic towers that helped transform
the economic and physical landscape
of the region. According to the art-
ist, Twin Derricks was painted on the
spot-at the Spindletop oil field south
of Beaumont.
Beginning in the late 1950s, Lamar
University became home to several
young, well-trained, and talented art-
ists. Although Texas was slow to ap-
preciate modern art styles, universities
were generally more open to the new
modes. Lamar hired two modernist
painters in quick succession: Robert
Madden and Robert Rogan. Madden
came to Lamar in 1959 and taught
painting there for more than 30 years.
He had studied as an undergraduate at
Centenary College of Louisiana with
well-known regionalist Don Brown
and received his MFA at the University
of Arkansas. Madden explored many
facets of modern painting in his own
work and with his students.18 TEXASHERITAGE I Volume 1 2011
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Texas Historical Foundation. Heritage, 2011, Volume 1, periodical, 2011; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth254220/m1/18/: accessed March 29, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Historical Foundation.