Early Galveston Artists and Photographers: Recovering a Legacy

Book excerpt: Since Audubon visited Galveston in 1837, artists have flocked to the island, some just passing through and others staying their entire lives. But because Galveston remained remote from the nation's cultural centers, its artistic contributions were initially largely ignored. However, the recovery effort from the Great Storm of 1900 spurred a new sense of local pride and civic determination. The Cotton Carnivals attracted people throughout the state, the city's artists united to promote local art through the creation of the Galveston Art League and photographers modernized their practices. In the early 1920s, a new generation, freed from nineteenth-century traditions, started to gain attention both on and off the island. Explore Galveston's artistic heritage with local historian Pat Jakobi, from the portraits of Thomas Flintoff to the Balinese Room murals of Marie Marchi Ragone.