Tour a stunning gallery of Gulf Coast artists that includes the overlooked treasures of nineteenth-century studios, the heroic advocacy of the Galveston Art League and the visual pioneers who earned the island community its overdue acclaim.
Since Audubon visited Galveston in 1837, artists have flocked to the island, some just passing through and others staying their entire lives. But because Galveston remained remote from the nation's cultural centers, its artistic contributions were initially largely ignored. However, the recovery effort from Great Storm of 1900 spurred a new sense of local pride and civic determination. The Cotton Carnivals attracted people throughout the state, the city's artists united to promote local art through the creation of the Galveston Art League, and photographers modernized their practices. In the early 1920s, a new generation, freed from nineteenth century traditions, started to gain attention both on and off the island. Explore Galveston's artistic heritage with Patricia Jakobi, from the landscapes of Boyer Gonzales to the sculptural portraits of Caroline Burton Claassen.