Jack White

Jack White (1933-2016)

Jack White was a native of Brady, Texas and the Great Grandson of famous Texas Ranger, Ben McGee. His Great Grandmother was the first woman doctor in the newly formed Republic of Texas.  A two-sport college athlete at Howard Payne University, his opportunity to sign a professional contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers was derailed by a knee injury playing football.

Though he dabbled in art in college, it wasn’t until 1969, after visiting an art gallery for the first time, that Mr. White felt he could make a career of it.  His first official sale was to a Peruvian couple on Valentine’s Day in 1970 for $10.

By 1976, he had been named the Official Artist of Texas, created a new, gold leaf painting technique (called Echruseos) and amassed a collector base that included President Lyndon Johnson, Julius Irving (basketball’s “Dr. J”), Dallas Cowboy coach Tom Landry and McDonalds’ founder Ray Croc.  He was the first civilian to be given a lifetime-membership into the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and his artwork is exhibited in numerous prestigious museums throughout the country (including the Smithsonian).

A terrible car accident in 1989 temporarily put his art career on hold (he was forced to learn to paint left-handed), but stimulated his interest in another medium: writing.  Literary works by Mr. White include five major art marketing books, two murder mysteries and a recently completed epic historical novel set in the Republic of Texas between 1835 and 1845.

In later years, Mr. White divided his time among the two arts.  He had an art studio near the Florida Keys where he primarily worked in oils (using a double primary palette technique) to create dramatic portraits and landscapes, while simultaneously writing novels and freelance articles.