Robert McCoy (b. 1946)

Robert McCoy was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Both sides of his family arrived in Colorado in the 1870’s. His father’s family came from a line of Scottish farmers who originally came to America in the 1700’s as a result of the Highland Clearances. His mother’s grandfather started a dairy farm on land that is now part of Colorado College, and his sons owned and operated the Ox-Bow cattle ranch near Pueblo. Over the years McCoy visited the ranch, and was inspired by the rugged lifestyle, and the stories that were told. He spent his formative years in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the 1950’s, an experience which gave him an appreciation for both Native American and Hispanic cultures, and exposure to their works of art. Later he moved to San Antonio, Texas where he began studying painting with Warren Hunter, a noted artist and illustrator, who taught classes in historic La Villita.

After McCoy was discharged from the military in 1970, he continued studying art at the University of Houston, receiving a BFA degree in 1974. Upon completion, he was given an opportunity to live and teach in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for a year, and later traveled by freighter to live and teach in Rome. When he returned to Texas, he attained a MFA degree from the University of Houston in 1981. McCoy taught all levels of painting and drawing at various institutions until 1990 when he began painting fulltime.

Artist Statement

Over the years I have explored a variety of subjects and used different methods and materials to illustrate my ideas. It has been an experimental process to determine my path. I’ve found that using still life as a platform is the best way to express myself. Realism is my preference for illustrating those ideas.

Western subjects have become my focus. This coincides with family research which has put me back in touch with my roots. I was born in Colorado and grew up in both New Mexico and Texas. Those formative years filled me with a love for the West, and helped to shape my vision. There is an honesty about that subject, and being from early pioneer families legitimizes my involvement. These are the places where stories originated and where the ruins remain. I continually return to these places to feel inspired and rejuvenated. Adding to that resource is a library of books and movies that have influenced me personally, and our culture as a whole.

In painting terms I am a “realist”. One art critic described me as a “hyper realist”. My work takes time to produce, because I’m more concerned with quality rather than quantity. I use professional grade materials, and have custom stretchers or panels made for maximum stability. I prepare each surface I paint on by hand to obtain the feel I like, and in the final stages, use glazes to add luminosity. I work from life, not from photographs. Therefore, I continually search for and collect vintage and antique items that can be used for my subjects.

Education:

MFA University of Houston, 1981

BFA University of Houston, 1974

Lon Morris College, Jacksonville, TX 1965-1966

Teaching Experience:

Bennington College, Bennington, VT

Rice University, Houston, TX, Visiting Lecturer

Glassell School of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Dean of Faculty

University of Houston, Houston, TX

San Jacinto College, Houston, TX

New Orleans Academy of Art, New Orleans, LA

Private Instructor, Rome, Italy

Private Instructor, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Selected Group Exhibitions:

“Frivolity and Mortality: The Tradition of Vanitas in Contemporary Painting”, Sherry French Gallery, New York, NY

Traveled to:

Silvermine Guild, New Cannan, CT

Noyes Museum of Art, Stockton University, Oceanville, NJ

Utah Museum of Fine Art, Salt Lake City, UT

Triton Museum, Santa Clara, CA

Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville, TN

Valparaiso University Museum of Art, Valparaiso, IN

Tyler Art Gallery, Oswego, NY

Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY

Oklahoma Arts Center, Oklahoma City, OK

“Fresh Paint: The Houston School” Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Curated by Barbara Rose

Traveled to: PS1 New York, NY

“Contemporary Art: The Big Picture”, Karan Ruhlen Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

“The Life of Inanimate Objects” Karan Ruhlen Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

“Texas Fantasies”, Tyler Museum of Art, Tyler, TX

International Exhibition of Texas Artists, Conference of the Association of College Unions, Houston, TX

“Contemporary Realities” Karan Ruhlen Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

“Selections 1986” Dishman Gallery, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX

“Emerging Realists: East Meets South”, College of the Mainland, Texas City, TX

“Second Bienniel Faculty Selects Exhibition”, College of the Mainland, Texas City, TX

“Living and Working in Texas”, Organized by Marie Park, Park Central, Dallas, TX, Jan. 1999 – Nov. 2000.

“The Life of Inanimate Objects” Karan Ruhlen Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

“Cultural Influence”, Karan Ruhlen Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

“The Anatomy of Drawing”, Hooks Epstein Gallery, Houston, TX

“Texas Aesthetic X”, William Reaves | Sarah Foltz Fine Art, Houston, TX

“Texas Aesthetic XI”, William Reaves | Sarah Foltz Fine Art, Houston, TX

Numerous Faculty Exhibitions

One/Two Person Exhibitions:

“Figurative Compositions”, University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX

“Robert McCoy/ Anne Moore”, Harris Gallery, Houston, TX

“Myla Bertinot/Robert McCoy”, William Tower, Houston, TX, Curated by Sally Sprout

“Remembrances”, Harris Gallery, Houston, TX

“Transitional Realities” Harris Gallery, Houston, TX

“Robert McCoy, Works from 1976-1996”, Aviart Gallery, San Antonio, TX

“Robert McCoy Paintings”, Harris Gallery, Houston, TX

Selected Public Collections:

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Valero Energy Corporation

Reliant Energy Corporation, formerly Houston Industries Inc.

Ultramar Diamond Shamrock

Enron

Schreiner University

Texas Brangus Breeders Association

Highland Coors

Vinson and Elkins Law Firm

M-Bank

University of Houston, College of Business

Bracewell and Patterson Law Firm

USAA

The Houstonian Estates

Winstead, McGuire, Secrest and Minck Law Firm

Numerous Private Collections

Grants/Honors/Awards:

Travel Grant, Glassell School of Art, Museum of Fine Art, Houston, TX, 1987

“Excellence in Art Award”, University of Houston, 1981

“Student Honors Exhibition”, University of Houston, TX, 1974

Publications:

Architectural Digest “The Incredible Warehouse”, 1977, pp. 96-103

The Houston Chronicle, “McCoy Still Life’s Evocative; Smith’s Mixed Media

Supremely Elegant”, 1984, Patricia Johnson, Oct. 14, 1984

Houston Magazine “They know what they like, and it’s anything about Art”, Rosanne Clark, Dec. 1984, pp. 44-48, 72

Houston Arts Calendar & Directory, “Artists/Teachers” 1984

Southwestern Contemporary Arts Quarterly “Artspace”, Winter 1985, p. 49

Arts Magazine “Fresh Paint: The Houston School”, Summer 1985, pp. 74-77

“Emerging Realists: East Meets South”, Catalogue, College of the Mainland

“Then, Now & Then”, Catalogue, Lawndale Annex, University of Houston, 1985

The Houston Chronicle, “Focusing on the Houston School”-MFA exhibit spurs lots of activity, by Patricia Johnson, Jan. 27 1985, p. 14

“Fresh Paint, The Houston School”, Catalogue, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1985

The Houston Post “From the Object: Still Life Themes and Variations”, Jan. 18, 1987

Arts Magazine “Contemporary Vanitas”, March 1988, pp. 60-63

Southwest Art Magazine, Jan. 1991, p. 137, 201

Museum & Arts Magazine-Houston, Profile “Harris Gallery” by Teresa Wong, May 1992, pp. 46-47

The Santa Fe New Mexican, Pasatiempo, Jul. 1, 1994, G. Fauntleroy, p. 45

The Santa Fe New Mexican, Pasatiempo, Jan. 6, 1995, p. 37

THE-Santa Fe’s Monthly Magazine of the Arts, Sep. 1995, p. 4

Collectors Calendar, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, 1995 p. 15

Collectors Guide, Santa Fe, 1995, p. 112

The Santa Fe New Mexican, Pasatiempo, “McCoy lets go, allows bones to show through”-His new work is full of surprises, Gussie Fauntleroy, Sep. 7, 1995, pp. 10, 37

Santa Fean, Vol. 25, No. 4, May 1997, p. 44

San Antonio Express News, “Still-Life Reflections”, by Dan R. Goddard, Jan. 10, 1999

Paper City Magazine, “Art Houston”, Jun. 25, 2012

Southwest Art Magazine, Apr. 2013, p. 23

Southwest Art Magazine, Aug. 2013, p. 115

Western Art Collector, Jan. 2016, p. 8

“Texas Aesthetic X”, Southwest Art Magazine, May 2016, pp. 30-31

Robert McCoy

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