Former Corsicana man featured in Western Artists Show

Lee Herring, formerly of Corsicana, is one of the 68 professional artists bringing his work to the show and sale of the Western Artists of America at the end of March. Herring lived in Corsicana as a child, attending Sam Houston Elementary.

Although he’s best-known for the historical accuracy of his Western-themed paintings, Herring also paints still lifes, portraits and sculpts. The pieces he’s bringing to Corsicana include one of mustangs being roped, and of some Texas Rangers with a prisoner in custody. His work is currently on display at the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame in Waco, as well as in several galleries around the country.

His family’s roots are in Navarro County, having been farmers out near Emhouse, although Herring recalls living on Sycamore in Corsicana for awhile.

“I was always an artist. I was doing it on the wallpaper when I was a kid, and getting whipped for that,” he said. “But that’s how I started out. I’ve always been drawing something.”

Herring participated in the show/sale last year, the first time the Western Artists of America came to the Pierce, and curators were happy to see him return this year.

“We’ve dubbed him the storyteller for the show,” said Holly Beasley, director of the museum. “He did a piece called Britt Johnson, about a man out in West Texas who ‘The Searchers’ movie with John Wayne was based on. Every piece he does now has an in-depth story behind it.”

After leaving Corsicana, Herring continued his training as an artist, and attended East Texas State University, where he played football and earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees. After graduation, he taught in Australia, earned his pilot's license, and eventually returned to Texas to teach. He turned his hand to Western art in 1975, using both oil and watercolor.

Although he’s probably best known for his paintings of gorgeous scenery and cowboys, Herring has also depicted Bonnie and Clyde, children in bluebonnets, modern portraits, and even painted violins. The Bonnie and Clyde painting came about because of a conversation with a curator at the Rangers Hall of Fame museum.

“I’d been working with the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame guys here in Waco, getting a couple of ideas from them,” Herring explained. “They’ve got a couple of pieces of mine over there on loan. I went to them and said ‘what’s the most popular exhibit?’ and they said ‘Bonnie and Clyde.’”

The depiction of the famous criminal couple will be one of the pieces available at the sale on March 30 in Corsicana.

Herring will also be signing autographs as part of an autograph party being hosted at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Cook Center.

Although the show and sale isn’t officially open until next weekend, the art will be available for viewing starting Monday in the Pierce Museum of Western Art at the Cook Center on the Navarro College Corsicana campus.