The curious works of Fort Worth modernist painter and instructor McKie Trotter (1918-1999) will be exhibited in Houston for the next few weeks, and they’re worth seeing if you happen to be down that way.
Williams Reaves Fine Art is featuring 29 of Trotter’s paintings, most reflecting his brilliance at combining abstraction and realism while exploring Texas landscapes in the 1950s and ’60s. The show offers a chance for art collectors to nab a Trotter and spread the word about this under-appreciated local artist.
Trotter became a painter and instructor in Fort Worth after he arrived in 1948 to teach at Texas Wesleyan University. He became chummy with Kelly Fearing and other local artists in a thriving art scene that would later be tagged the Fort Worth Circle.
Trotter’s work reflects the Circle’s influence as he explored cubism, abstraction, and surrealism at a time when most Texas artists were painting true-to-life representations of bluebonnets and live oaks.
“He represents a transition from the Fort Worth Circle,” Reaves said. “He took that work and their style and moved it forward in the 1950s and ’60s and really represents a key artist in the modernist movement in the state.”
The gallery holds another two dozen Trotter paintings in its inventory.
The shows runs from January 15 to February 5 at William Reaves Fine Art, 2313 Brun St., Houston TX 77019.
(The author of this blog post owns no art work by Trotter).
Jeff, glad to see you keeping up with what is going on with the cultured folk. You keep it up and you may loose your Red Neck union card and have to start writing conservative stuff. What do you mean he moved the Circle forward? He was just trying to keep up with all the great stuff they were doing. I think you have been reading too much advertising material from those who are trying to flog a certain kind of art. Have a great day.
I didn’t say Trotter moved the Circle forward — that was a quote by William Reaves, who is exhibiting the works.
What’s the matter, you don’t like Trotter? Why? That’s the beauty of art and culture, you can like what you like or dislike what you dislike as long as you can explain why in an entertaining fashion.
P.S. My Redneck Union card has no expiration date.
Hey, I knew that but your readers didn’t. They thought you were advancing all these erudite comments. Always pretending trying to upgrade your image to impress the other Red Necks.