John William Vawter (13 Apr 1871–11 Feb 1941), from

Greenfield, Indiana Greenfield is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Indiana, United States, and a part of the Indianapolis metropolitan area. The population was 20,602 at the 2010 census, and an estimated 23,006 in 2019. It lies in Center Township. ...

, was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

landscape artist Landscape painting, also known as landscape art, is the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, especially where the main subject is a wide view—with its elements arranged into a coherent composi ...

and

illustrator An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicat ...

known for his broad strokes and loose

Impressionist Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating the effects of the passage ...

style.

Early life and education

Named John William Vawter at birth, Vawter was known as Will Vawter both personally and professionally. Vawter was born in Boone County, West Virginia on April 13, 1871. He moved with his family to Greenfield, Indiana, at age six. While living in Greenfield, Vawter developed a close working relationship with

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...

James Whitcomb Riley James Whitcomb Riley (October 7, 1849 – July 22, 1916) was an American writer, poet, and best-selling author. During his lifetime he was known as the "Hoosier Poet" and "Children's Poet" for his dialect works and his children's poetry. His ...

, another resident of Greenfield.

Artistic career

Vawter illustrated eleven volumes of James Whitcomb Riley poems. His illustrations often used local residents as models. His work was widely celebrated and he exhibited at the Hoosier Salon and the Brown County Art Gallery Association where he won prizes in 1925, 1926, 1928, 1930, 1932 and 1935. He was married to Mary Vawter, an accomplished poet and landscape artist. The couple divorced in 1923. Vawter moved to

Nashville, Indiana Nashville is a town in Washington Township, Brown County, Indiana, United States. The population was 803 at the 2010 census. The town is the county seat of Brown County and is the county's only incorporated town. The town is best known as the c ...

, to join the

Brown County Art Colony The Brown County Art Colony is an artist colony formed in Nashville and Brown County, Indiana. Adolph Shulz is considered to be the founder of the colony, encouraging many Indiana and regional artists to come to Brown County to paint. Though arti ...

permanently in 1908. He had two residences in the area, one a studio in town, the other a estate about a half mile outside of Nashville. Vawter was a pioneer member of the Brown County Art Gallery Association.

Selected works

* ''A Defective Santa Claus'' (1904) * ''Riley Songs O'Cheer'' (1905) * ''Riley Songs of Summer'' (1908) * ''Songs of Home'' (1910) * ''Fortunes in Friendship'' (1926)

Later life and death

Vawter developed pneumonia and died. His death was quite a shock to the residents of Greenfield & Nashville, Indiana. He died in Nashville, Indiana, on February 11, 1941. He is buried in Greenfield, Indiana's Park Cemetery.

Legacy

Each year in the City of Greenfield the Hancock County Arts and Cultural Council holds the Will Vawter Art Exhibition. This juried art show attracts many arts from around Indiana each year. The event was held in early to coincide with Vawter's birth, but since 2021, the exhibit has grown and has been moved to June.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Vawter, Will 1871 births 1941 deaths Painters from Indiana American illustrators People from Greenfield, Indiana People from Brown County, Indiana Painters from West Virginia People from Boone County, West Virginia American male painters 19th-century American painters 20th-century American painters Deaths from pneumonia in Indiana 19th-century American male artists 20th-century American male artists