Jack Terry
Western Artwork
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Jack’s
maternal grandfather was a rancher and a cowboy who rode on some
of the last great cattle drives out West. His paternal grandmother
was a painter who vividly captured the people and landmarks of
Texas. From his earliest childhood days, Jack Terry found himself
immersed in the worlds of both cowboys and canvases. And from the
age of three, he worked to perfect the talent that has made him
one of America’s most honored Western artists.
Young Jack was just a toddler when he began drawing side-by-side
with his grandmother while she painted. By the time he was nine,
he won a Blue Ribbon at the county fair. That became the first of
more than 130 awards Jack Terry won by the age of 16.
Terry spent much of his youth with the ranchers and cowboys from
his grandfather’s world, a habit he kept up throughout his
formative years. Even after graduating from the University of
Texas in Austin, he took every opportunity to do day-work on
various ranches in search of inspiration and new subject matter.
While in college, Terry majored in journalism and minored in art.
By the time he earned his degree, he already had paintings
displayed in galleries throughout Texas. I’ve always been
fascinated by the French use of light, reflection and shadow,
which has influenced even my western art and techniques.”
Terry’s big break came at age 26 when he was named bicentennial
Artist in Texas. That led to a one-man exhibit in the Texas
Rotunda, and a commission to paint the late President Lyndon B.
Johnson. In 1976, Terry opened the Cotton-Terry Gallery in Austin,
which he ran until 1979.
The places he has visited and people he has met inspire many of
Terry’s paintings. “A lot of my subjects are friends as well
as various ranches that friends own. I still like to go out and
ride and work cattle. We go on trail drives and round-ups, which
provide the perfect opportunity to take lots of pictures. Then I
paint my favorite scenes and feature my friends.” Today his
repertoire includes both the Western and cowboy art for which
he’s best known, as well as landscapes, Victorian images and
street scenes.
The Terrys travel extensively in search of new subjects for
Jack’s paintings, and also to visit collectors and dealers in
stores and galleries around the country. One of Terry’s
admirers, six-time PRCA World Champion cowboy Larry Mahan is among
those passionate collectors. As he says, “Terry captures the
West the way it was and the way it should be. He is one of the
finest artists of our day and a pretty good cowhand to boot. His
horses, cowboys and landscapes are as good as it gets.”
Jack and Mary Terry have two married daughters and 5 young
grandchildren residing near Georgetown and Dallas. Both families
often visit the ranch and experience many enjoyable adventures.
Jack’s hobbies include golfing, fishing and gardening.
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