The Art of Texas State Parks

This year marks 100 years since the Texas State Park Program was created, dedicated to protecting the best part of Texas’ vast natural and cultural beauty. Since its conception, the program has grown to include 74 state parks, 6 state historic sites, and 9 state natural areas, all representing 640,000 acres of public land.

For the first time in the Texas State Park Programs history- and in celebration of the centennial- the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department commissioned 30 notable Texan artists to paint scenes from over 30 parks across the state.

The Art of Texas State Parks is intended to increase public awareness of Texas parklands, heighten their appeal through the elegant and inspired works of Texas’ contemporary painters, and create a lasting visual record of Texas State Parks. The works of art serve to memorialize the past and ongoing development of the distinctive collection of parks and natural areas in the Lone Star State.

Participating artists include: Randy Bacon (Abilene); Mary Baxter (Marfa); David Caton (Utopia); Charles Criner (Houston); Margie Crisp (Elgin); Ric Dentinger (San Antonio/Santa Fe NM); Fidencio Duran (Austin); Janet Eager Krueger (Encinal); Joel Edwards (Waco); Malou Flato (Austin); Gordon Fowler (Austin); Pat Gabriel (Fort Worth); David Griffin (Lubbock/ Dallas); Brian Grimm (Fredericksburg); Clemente Guzman (San Antonio); Karl E. Hall (Houston); John Austin Hanna (Fredericksburg); Billy Hassell (Fort Worth); Hailey Herrera (Bryan); Lee Jamison (Huntsville); Denise Mahlke (Whitehouse); Jim Malone (Fort Worth); Talmage Minter (Waco); William Montgomery (Elgin); Kermit Oliver (Waco); Noe Perez (Corpus Christi); Jeri Salter (Hutto); Jim Stoker (San Antonio); Bob Stuth-Wade (Dublin); and Terri Wells (Austin).