Lee Jamison
(American, b. 1957)
Edna Theatre, 2023
Oil on canvas
48 x 24 inches
Gift of Linda and William Reaves, The Linda and William Reaves Collection of Texas Art at UHV, 2023
The artist Lee Jamison declares that his work is an historical exploration of South Texas. He is compelled to paint through finding connections between the history of a place and our modern issues. Known for specializing in landscape paintings of East and Central Texas, his images contain a poetic touch that sparkle with a quiet nostalgia for earlier times. Jamison’s landscapes, murals, and historical places help to illuminate the rich history of Texas. In the painting Edna Theatre (2023), Jamison highlights the neon tower of the art deco building by depicting a night-scene of Edna’s famous theater. The theater was built in 1950 and was the focal point of entertainment for Jackson County residents for nearly three decades, when “the picture show” was the most popular gathering place in the community. Jamison represents the theater just as it would have looked in the days of its opening, with the popular 1950 movie Harvey, starring Hollywood actors James Steward and Josephine Hull, as the feature film on display. Back then, the Saturday matinee cost ten cents, included headline news clips, the latest adventures of a weekly serial hero, a cartoon, and one or two full length feature films. However, due to the popularity of television, the theater was forced to close its doors in 1978. Today, the old theater is undergoing an extensive renovation, as residents hope to return the building to its former place as the social center of the community. The Edna Theatre stands as a spectacular example of the regional architecture of Southeast Texas.
Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Jamison has been a resident of Huntsville, Texas and the surrounding area for over twenty five years. As a young child, Jamison developed an interest in art and began painting at the age of eight. He majored in art at Lon Morris College, Jacksonville, Texas, and completed his degree at Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana. Since 1982, Jamison has worked as a full-time artist. His projects have included major works for the Driskill Hotel, Austin and The University of Texas at Austin. Jamison has exhibited at the Witte Museum, San Antonio, the San Angelo Museum of Fine Art, and the Texas State Capitol, among many others. His work is included in the collection of former President George H. W. Bush among others. Publications include Ode to East Texas: The Art of Lee Jamison (2021), and inclusions in Of Texas Rivers and Texas Art (2017), and The Art of Texas State Parks: A Centennial Celebration (2022). He illustrated the book Seven Wonders of the Universe That You Probably Took for Granted (2011) by C. Reneè James. Jamison is represented by Sarah Foltz Gallery in Houston.
Location
University of Houston-Victoria