CHAPPELL HILL, Texas — Once known for nailing his work on the side of a pick up truck, Reverend Johnnie Swearingen painted both the physical and spiritual worlds in which he lived.
And now his entire work will be featured for the first time to the public this month at the Chappell Hill Historical Society Museum, 9220 Poplar St. Chappell Hill, specifically from 3 to 6 p.m. Aug. 26.
Born on Aug. 27, 1908, in the nearby African American community of Campground Church, he grew up dividing his time between farming and school. He died in 1993.
"In his early twenties he made his way to the West Coast by hopping trains and taking various temporary farming and construction jobs. He ended up in San Pedro, where he worked in the shipyards, and stayed there until 1948, where he returned and settled in Brenham. In 1949, he married Murray Williams, and once again took up farming," a news release from the museum said.
For many years, he divided his time between painting and cotton farming and selling his paintings in his front yard. He was also know to drive into town, park where people were driving along the highway to sell his artwork.
Known as Chappell Hill Collection, it is a described as a valuable historical document. Moreover, he is widely recognized as an important Texas Folk artist, and these paintings "are a vivid document of his early artistic development."
The Chappell Hill Historical Society owns his vast collection of paintings for the first time we will be displaying the entire collection of more than 60 works plus some from local collectors for public view.
For more information call 979-836-6033 or click here.
