Dennis Howard says he enjoyed going to school in Grapevine when he was young only because he liked his art classes. A teacher encouraged him to practice art and his first exhibit showed in the school library when he was 12. Sixty years later he’s still creating beautiful and unique works.
Nowadays his mixed media works are on display at the Heron House Gallery, Modern Country Art Gallery in Winnsboro, the gift shop at Winnsboro Center For the Arts, and on several murals in Wood County.
Bold colors and abstract forms dominate Howard’s art, which bears influences from famous artists of the early 20th century — Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, and more. He creates each work in layers using mixed media. He often starts with liquid inks then applies acrylics and modeling paste to create texture.
He paints in a vibrant and sometimes whimsical style that seems to come from many directions and sources all at once. His figures are abstract but identifiable.
“I’m considered what you’d call an outsider artist,” Howard says, referring to his eclectic style.“I like to do paintings that hold people’s attention.”
After graduating from school Howard enlisted in the US Army and served three years during the Vietnam War. He then studied art at Central Texas College in Killeen before deciding to move to upstate New York, where he studied at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He worked and sold art for 45 years there before moving back to Texas.
Settling in Winnsboro seven years ago landed Howard in the vibrant local art scene. As Howard’s reputation continues to grow it won’t be long before more folks recognize his unique style.
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