George Hallmark
Born and raised in North Central Texas, George Hallmark identifies with life in the
country and feels at home in a rural setting. Hallmark began drawing as a child and,
discovering that he received praise for his artwork, continued and excelled at art in high
school and college.
For many years, he worked as an architectural designer and as a commercial
artist. It was in the mid?seventies that Hallmark first began to devote more time to
painting fine art. In 1979, he traveled to Utah to study with William Whitaker, then
Professor in Residence at BYU.
Working in oil on canvas, Hallmark chooses his subjects for their architectural interest,
striving for a dramatic play of light and shadow within. The artist has a strong sense of
design from his studies in architecture, and draws upon this expertise to create paintings
that are a rich blend of composition, color and depth - while conveying a more personal
sense of "being there." Paul Harvey, the voice of America, acknowledged this
personal connection and said to Hallmark, "You have a gift for strumming the
heartstrings like nobody since Rockwell."
The artist has an impressive list of credentials. His work can be found among the
prestigious collections of the Texas Capitol, Texas Instruments, Medical Heritage
Collection, Blue Bell Creamery, and the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Hallmark has won many
awards including selection as Official Texas State Artist. In 1999, his work will be
included in the Artists of America Show in Denver. He is represented by Trailside
Galleries in Scottsdale and Jackson Hole.
Today, Hallmark and his family live in Bosque County, in the Texas Hill Country. Their
home, designed by the artist, is a white wood frame house with a tin roof. It stands on a
hillside overlooking the valley door below. In this quiet country setting, George Hallmark
has found that balance between family and art, between work and creativity. "The
longer I paint, the more I enjoy this wonderful blessing of creation. The good Lord gave
me this incredible desire to be an artist, the rest has been just plain, hard work." |
