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Jack Terry’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 Terry 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.
Jack 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, Jack 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.”
Jack 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, Jack 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 Jack Terry’s paintings. “A lot of my subjects are friends. We go on trail drives and round-ups, which provide the perfect opportunity to take lots of pictures.” Today his repertoire includes both the Western and cowboy art for which he is best known, as well as landscapes, Victorian images and street scenes.
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 Terry’s hobbies include golfing, fishing and gardening.
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