"Sparrows"

  • Biography

    Robert Quill Johnson (1927-1980)

    Castroville, Texas native Robert Quill Johnson (1927-1980) is known for his paintings of South Texas birds, especially the Bobwhite Quail. Johnson painted in oils, watercolors, and gouache, using a muted palette of earthy colors, and often playing with proportion by using very long or tall and narrow canvases.

    Johnson studied art first at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and later at the University of Denver. His first exhibition came at the age of 29, with the Texas Watercolor Society.

    Johnson had many more solo exhibitions in his long career and won several exhibition prizes. Johnson was a member of the Classical Art Fraternity, the Texas Association of Professional Artists, and the Texas Watercolor Society.

    Robert Quill Johnson was a well-known artist from Castroville, Texas. Johnson was a member of the Texas Association of Professional Artists who grew up on a ranch near Pearsall, Texas and was always fascinated by wildlife.

    He went on to receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Trinity University in San Antonio. He exhibited works throughout Texas in the 1960s and '70s.