Kermit Oliver facts for kids

Kermit Oliver (born in 1943) is an American painter. He lived and worked in Houston before moving to Waco, Texas. His art shows his Texas roots and his interest in old stories, beliefs, and history. Oliver mixes new and old ideas in his art. He calls his style "symbolic realism." His paintings often show "strange, beautiful worlds." These worlds are filled with people and animals that look real but are placed in dream-like scenes.

In 2017, Kermit Oliver was named the Texas State Two-Dimensional Artist. This award came from the Texas Commission on the Arts. One of his paintings, "Tobias," was shown in 2016. It was part of the first exhibit at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. In 2013, the Art League Houston gave Oliver a special award. It was their first Lifetime Achievement Award.

Early Life and Learning

Kermit Oliver was born in Refugio, Texas. His father worked as a cowboy on a cattle ranch. By the time he was 6 or 7, it was clear he was very good at drawing. He loved to draw the cows, horses, and plants and animals of South Texas.

After finishing high school in 1960, Oliver went to Texas Southern University in Houston. There, he studied art with a famous artist, Dr. John T. Biggers. In 1962, he married Katie Washington, who was also an art student. While at Texas Southern University, he received a Jesse Jones Art Scholarship. He graduated in 1967 with degrees in Fine Arts and art education.

In 1968, Oliver started teaching art at Texas Southern University. He also taught at the Art League of Houston. However, he soon decided that teaching was not what he wanted to do full-time.

For most of his life, Oliver worked two jobs. He was an artist and a full-time mail sorter for the US Postal Service. He first worked in Houston. Then, he moved to Waco, Texas, in 1984 and worked there for thirty years. He believed that a steady job helped him support his family. This also gave him the freedom to create art the way he wanted. He retired from the postal service in 2013. He has continued to work as an artist ever since.

His Art and Style

Even when he was still an art student, Oliver's work was shown. It was part of a show at Houston's Courtney Gallery. In 1970, the gallery gave him his first solo art show. He had his second solo show at the DuBose Gallery the next year. After graduating, Oliver became an important part of the Houston art world. He was the first African-American artist in Houston to be shown by a major art gallery.

His art has been shown in many solo and group exhibits. It is also part of several museum collections. In 2005, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston held a special show of Oliver's work. It was called "Notes from a Child’s Odyssey: the art of Kermit Oliver." This show included over 90 pieces of art he made over four decades.

Alvia Wardlaw was the curator for Oliver's 2005 art show. She said that Oliver's love for plants and animals started in his childhood. He was free to explore Refugio, ride horses, hunt, and draw. She noted that his way of seeing the Texas landscape became a way for him to show the wonders of the universe. Oliver has said his art explores ideas like growth, change, birth, death, and new beginnings. He also focuses on "redemption," which means being saved or made better. His paintings create worlds where "animals, plants, and humans interact in surprising scenes." These scenes seem to hold a deep and mysterious meaning. For example, a painting of a person in front of tall bushes is more than just a garden. It is titled "Theseus and the Labyrinth," hinting at a deeper story.

Oliver is also famous for designing scarves for Hermès. Hermès is a well-known French fashion company. This partnership began in 1980. Hermès asked Lawrence Marcus from the store Neiman Marcus if he knew an American artist. They wanted someone to design a scarf with a Southwestern theme. Marcus told Hermès about Oliver. His design was a big hit! Oliver went on to create 17 designs for Hermès over 32 years. He is the only American artist to design for Hermès.

Oliver's artwork is kept in the collection of the Houston Museum of Fine Arts.