Lowell Collins (American, 1924-2003) Lowell Collins was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1924. Raised in Houston, Collins began studying art from the staggeringly young age of fifteen months. Taking classes at the Houston Museum School, now the Glassell School of Art, Collins developed his interest in art through his childhood to his teen years. He studied under Otis Dozier, renowned Regionalist artist, at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and at the Art Students League in New York. He pursued his passion for art, earning a bachelor and master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Houston.Collins returned to the Museum School where he spent his childhood in the mid 1940’s, eventually retiring as its dean in 1966. A few years later, he opened the private school and art gallery that bear his name. He featured the work of young regional artists but over time, his name and gallery became associated with pre-Columbian and tribal art.Collins’ passion for the ancient art of Meso-America led to his appointment as honorary curator at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. He donated many ancient artifacts, was an expert appraiser and lectured extensively on various subjects. Over time, he occasionally turned his gallery over to selected contemporary artists with the assistance of his son and business partner artist Michael Roque Collins. Studied: Museum School of Art, Houston; Ruth Uhler; Robert Ormerod Presser; Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center with Boardman Robinson and Otis Dozier; Art Students League of New York with Harry Sternberg; University of Houston (B.F.A., M.L.); Academie de la Grande Chaumière, Paris. Member: Texas Fine Arts Association; Houston Art League. Exhibitions: Houston Local Artists Exhibition, 1946 Nude (scratch board), 1947Ilamcahaad (prize), Atbole, Self-portrait, 1948Claustrophobia, Pierrot, Unnamed, 1949The Cloistered (stone), Bird, Pedro, 1950The Cat, The Spectator (wood), The Athlete (stone), 1951Torso (stone), Scribbles, 1952University Houston Registration (prize), Tent Meeting, 1953Halloween, Black Angus in a Rice Field (prize), 1954I. N. T.-2, (prize), M.B.G.-3, W.T.D, 1955Ward III, Strata-Pattern, 1955Kite Trap, 1957Orvieto (prize), Cracking Plant, 1958Design Grey (prize), Teche, 1959Brown Cow (honorable mention), Fog Bound, 1960I. N.R.I. (petrified wood), Beached Boats; Texas General/Texas Painting and Sculpture Exhibition, 1947Crucifix, 1948Brunhilda, 1949The Juror (wood), 1950Pearl, 1951Dead Bait, Baptism, 1962Design Gray (prize); New Zealand Exchange Exhibition, 1948Texas Print Exhibition, Dallas, 1947Monotype #1, Monotype #12; Texas Fine Arts Association, 1947Atbole, 1948, (prize), 1949, Pearl (watercolor) (prize), 1951, 1952Dead Bait (honorable mention), 1957American Federation of Arts Exhibition, Dallas, 1948, 1957Southwestern Prints and Drawings Exhibition, Dallas, 1949Job (mixed media), 1956Villa (woodblock), 1960Vatican (woodblock); Betty McLean Gallery, Dallas, 1952M. Knoedler and Company, New York, 1952Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, 1952, 1956Red Jetty; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1952, (solo)Corpus Christi Centennial Museum, 1953Ruth, Oyster Boat, Burnt House; Houston Art League, 1953Easter Art Exhibition, Houston, 1954, 1957, (prizes)Gulf Caribbean Exhibition, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1956Kiln 3; D. D. Feldman Collection of Contemporary Texas Art, Dallas, 1956, On Stage (prize), 1958, 1959, Teche; NationalWatercolor Exhibition, Jackson, Mississippi, 1956Columbia Biennial, South Carolina, 1957; A Survey of Texas Painting, Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, 1957Venice; Texas Oil 58, A Salute to the Oil Industry of the State by Texas Painters, Bank of the Southwest, Houston, 1958Off Shore Rig; Provincetown Art Festival, 1958Longview Invitational, 1959, 1960Valley House Gallery, Dallas, 1960Faculty Exhibition, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1961, 1962, 1963. Collections: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Dallas Museum of Art, Vatican (color woodblock), Design Gray.