Mr. Concealed Handgun

I first met Ron Hoover in September 1995 through Sally Sprout Gallery. Ron took time to show me numerous paintings, drawings, and oil pastels on my first visit. Ron had recently started making very dark works and he said it was a reflection of the times we were living in.

Not a great reproduction, but this was the first of many oil pastels by Ron that I added to my collection.

Mr. Concealed Handgun, 1996, oil pastel

Retrospective

The staff of the Art Car Museum is presently compiling a list of paintings to be included in an exhibition of work by Houston artist Ron Hoover who passed away recently. Many collectors have already come forward offering to loan their pieces for the show which will likely take place near the end of this year. If you have one of Ron`s works and would be willing to loan it to the museum for this exhibition, or if you know someone who has a Ron Hoover in their collection, please contact the Art Car Museum at 713.861-5526 or via email at info[at]artcarmuseum.com

Any information will be greatly appreciated.
Jim Hatchett
curator
Art Car Museum

Mrs. Unfaithful

Mrs. Unfaithful, 1989, oil on canvas, 24x18, private collection

Lynn Castle stated in the exhibition brochure for "Contemporary Dramas" in 1989 at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Beaumont.

"The painting Mrs. Unfaithful, 1989 is a splendid example of Hoover's working method. The portrait of the woman with the long braid could be someone in particular Hoover knows, but she also represents someone we all know. (This viewer finds and uncanny resemblance to Mrs. Unfaithful and the Helga paintings by Andrew Wyeth...) The subject is portrayed with hooded eyes, which is an approach taken in several of these paintings, giving the impression that she is closing herself off and is not approachable or willing to communicate. This woman is protecting herself from any danger which might occur as a result of her actions. On either side of her head are two vague shapes which could represent buildings or houses. Perhaps it is because she shares two homes now and is dividing two separate households. Hoover gives us just enough information to make our own speculations."

Texas Tree of Art

Ron Hoover has been added to Martin Delabano's "Texas Tree of Art" project. From Martin's facebook description of the project: "Texas Tree of Art, 2006 is my way to respect those who came before me and paved the way, to all those wonderful artist who mentored me knowingly and unknowingly; but also to those who’ve continue to make and show their art, hence contributing to the Arts Culture of our cities and state".

Martin Delabano, "Texas Tree of Art" - Where as Otis Dozier "Texas Tree of Art" was drawn on a page of one of his sketchbooks, my drawing is 6x8', china markers, inkjet on Tyvek. Exhibited with this piece is a key as to where artist are located on the tree.

If you have a facbook account please see: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=52584539109 for details of this project.

The Pat Johnson Story

I first met Ron Hoover in the early eighties. I had already moved to the country and was trying to keep in touch with what was happening in Houston. So I had volunteered at KPFT during their fundraiser. It was early in the morning and I was sitting at a row of phones when in walks a homeless person. As he got closer I discovered he was a drunk, homeless person. Now that I look back I realize it was Larry Winters who introduced me to the drunk, homeless guy. He told me I should meet this guy, he was a painter. I’m thinking... yea, a house painter. It was Ron Hoover. He sat down, asked me what I did, told me he was just reviewed in Art News. Now I’m thinking not only is he a drunk, homeless person but also delusional. I went home to find the issue of Art News and low and behold he WAS written up. Thus began a long interest in Mr. Hoover’s work. I began to go to his shows and visit Graham Gallery.

We didn’t meet again until a couple of years later. I had been included in Introductions, was starting to hang out in Houston again and hooked up with a young artist named James Orellana. He lived next door to Hoover. What luck. Turned out the whole block was full of artists. Earl Staley owned about a half dozen houses. James Bettison was around the corner, Staley on the corner, James Orellana, Hoover and next door to him were Terry Andrews and Linn Swartz. David Folkman had come and gone. Derek Bosier had a studio in the middle of the block for a period of time. And Keith Hollingsworth ended up living on the next block down. Most everyone else had a day job or was in school......so Hoover was always around when I was in town and he became my usual hangout. I learned a lot about his knowledge of paints, his amazing technique of making small drawings and enlarging them with mathematical precision and the skill to tell the perfect joke.

This is just a short list of Hoover’s resume. It includes 7 solo shows at Graham Gallery, the 38th Biennial Exhibition of American Painting at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., a solo exhibition at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Fresh Paint, Museum of Fine Arts, Fire!, Contemporary Arts Museum, curated by James Surls. Most recently he showed his corporate heads series or “Mr. WTO” at the Art Car Museum in 2000, Paintings and Drawings at Joan Wich and Co., 2002, Crimes and Corruptions, Arlington Museum of Art, 2004 and selected drawings from his Everything’s Included series at the Station Museum in 2005. The list of reviews is four pages long and there, not only is the review in Art News but Art in America, too. He has work in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, The Menil Collection, and The Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Beaumont. He is in the private collections of John Alexander, Patricia Johnson, Nancy Kienholz and Marilyn Oshman. James Harithas bought the first painting Ron ever sold.

At probably what would be called the height of his career he was showing with Bill Graham. Bill’s death was a blow to the Houston art scene but none were more affected by it than Ron Hoover. He lost a friend, gallery dealer, health care provider, banker, driver, grocery delivery boy and advocate. There was never anyone to take Graham’s place but others did see the brilliance of Hoover’s work, Sally Sprout, Joan Wich, Rodney Rogers and the Harithas at the Station Museum. Even as sick as Hoover must have been. He was still painting. Yellow pads everywhere with notes and comments about everything from starving babies in the Sudan, to greedy home builders in our own Houston suburbs, all to be used in future drawings. There are probably over 150 drawings he completed in the past few years. Densely drawn oil pastels and obsessively painted watercolors with acrylic. Titles like “Control Burn at Los Alamos” and “Dr. Aspirin”. I hope someone will see the importance of showing his last works.

When we were packing up Hoover’s studio it was like taking a walking art history tour of Houston.... Catalogs, photos of James Surls with a teenage Charmaine, invitations to MidTown, exhibits with Sharon Kopriva, Assistance league awards, postcards from places he had never been. Sketches on everything. Collages made from scraps of newspaper used to protect splatters from going everywhere when he was painting.....A beautifully rendered sketch of Carolyn Farb on the back of an envelope.

Hoover loved women. He didn’t love the abuse of women or the marketing of them and those were continuing images in his work. He didn't like some of the things women did and his painting of Carolyn Farb is near legend in Houston art history.... He loved his mother. Thought she was a saint. He loved his family, too. He made several trips back to east Texas to visit brothers and sisters but eventually his own bad habits and politics may have kept them apart. He liked to tell the story of the great adventure when he and his brother made the trip to Washington, D.C. for the Biennial. He often spoke of his sister, Kitty and her husband, Paul and had really appreciated their support. He was especially proud of the Boze radio they had given him as a gift.

The radio played a big part in his life. It was at sometimes the most contact he had with the outside world. KPFT was his station of choice and it fueled his fire for commentary on politics and social issues.

Objects and things were not something that Hoover wanted or needed, the Boze radio and his art books being his biggest treasures. By eliminating the need for things, clothing or deodorant, it not only saved Hoover money so he could live in absolute poverty, but it freed him up to devote himself and his time to the pursuit of art.

As he moved farther out west he became more isolated from the art community but a who’s who of friends continued to trek out west for a visit and very often a purchase of art. Friends like Roy Fridge, John Alexander, George Barnstone and Jim and Ann Harithas usually with a collector in tow. I came, too, when in town and I still owe Hoover $50 bucks on a painting.

In the end it was his friend Linn Swartz who stuck by him through late night drunken phone calls, political tirades, several moves, trips to the store and lately to the voting booth. Unfortunately for Linn because of her devotion to Hoover she was the one who found him, literally when he fell ill. But I know what she is going to remember are those wonderful afternoons, anytime of the year, to sit outside with Hoover, enjoy a smoke, rant about the art world, have a cold beer and tell a good joke.

The last few days when Hoover was in the hospital I tried to get to Houston to tell Hoover what he meant to me. I didn’t make it. Tonight everyone should tell a friend or loved one how they feel about them. Don’t wait. So Hoover...Thank you for being my friend.You made me a better person and helped me be a better artist.

by Pat Johnson, February 2009

Ron Hoover Memorial

The Station Museum is celebrating the life of Houston painter Ron Hoover, who died of lung cancer in last December.

Ron Hoover Memorial

Station Museum of Contemporary Art

Friday, Feb. 20, 6-8 pm

Untitled:

Ron Hoover, ink, watercolor, and cigarette burns on paper, 2002, private collection

False Hearts

False Hearts, 1980, oil on canvas, 74 1/2 x 56 inches.

My close friend Ron Hoover passed away early this morning. An artist that never shied away from matters that was important to him. Ron never followed the mainstream and thus his work was not widely exhibited. His art came directly from his personal experiences, alternative newspapers and public radio. Ron revealed the untold truths behind little known allegations of crime, corruption, and social injustice. I first met Ron in 1995 when Sally Sprout took me to his studio to pickup a painting that I had purchased. Ron was not an easy person to get to know. He was very opinionated, would get in your face, and challenge you to prove him wrong. This came out in his work and one reason his work was so strong. I visited Ron almost every year and sometimes 2 or 3 times a year. In 2002 I started working on an exhibition of Ron’s oil pastels of which he had been creating since 1995. The Arlington Museum agreed to the exhibition of which I am so grateful. Ron was at the opening which was a big success. The following day Ron spoke on Arlington Public Television and I suppose those who watched the program have not forgotten. I last visited Ron in August of this year where he shared with me the numerous watercolors he had been working on. He had completed a new drawing entitled “US” and I am so sorry I did not take a photo.

Ron, 1979

A Great Friend

This photo was taken at Ron's Ojeman Street studio after 2 intense nights of photographing every oil pastel Ron had completed that was still in his possession. This was in preparation of submitting proposals for an exhibition of Ron's work in North Texas.

Home Auctioneer, 1986

One of my favorite Ron Hoover paintings

Does This Have to Continue

Watercolor, May 2004, 8 1/8 x 8 1/8

After my visit with Ron in August, I had contacted Ron to purchase this from him in 2009. I had also submitted this watercolor (October 2008) to a gallery in Dallas in an attempt to have it included in a group exhibition.

This was one of the many watercolors Ron shared with me on my visit with him in August of 2008.

Mr. Consent to Search

Oil on Canvas, 1994

New Home

Watercolors 2004-07

Ron found a new place to live about a block from his old apartment. I visited Ron on August 23rd and August 24th. Ron is doing well and has created new watercolors and drawings.