What to Look For When Buying Oilfield Paintings

When looking for oilfield paintings, it will be obvious who the top artisans are in this genre. Andy Thomas, Galen Cox, and Gary Crouch pop up on almost every site as prolific artists of oilfield paintings.

There is a lot of history that surrounds this industry in America. Some of the artists either work in the petroleum industry or have family that does. Some of them just love to tell a story.

The American West of the 19th century brought about many new opportunities because of all the new inventions. The late 1700's through the 1800's are also referred to as the second industrial revolution of America.

This was the dawning of better communications, the use of assembly lines in factories, the Transcontinental railways, the internal combustion engines, and the commercial digging for petroleum using the oil rig. In 1859, on August 28th, was the beginning of a new era.

On this date at a site on the Oil Creek, Mr. George Bissell and Mr. Edwin Drake successfully made history. They created a commercial drilling rig that would produce only oil, not petroleum as a byproduct of salt brine wells.

In 1901, at Spindletop Hill, south of Beaumont, Texas, became the new focal point for drilling. In 1902, it was Sour Lake, Texas and in 1905, it was Humble, Texas. Petroleum moguls such as Texaco and Gulf Oil were born out of the gusher in Spindletop Hill.

With all of this said, for the past one hundred and fifty years, many American families are tied to this heritage. Many of the oilfield paintings have real stories behind them about real hard working men and women.

The artist, Andy Thomas, is best known as 'The Storyteller'. He currently resides in Carthage, Missouri where he delves into his love of history and transforms it into a piece of art for all to enjoy.

His beautiful depictions of early American 'black gold' derricks draw the viewers into the heart of his works. The nostalgic scenes play with light and shadows in the style of Realism. This is shown very well in his painting titled 'Black Gold Reproduction'.

Gary Crouch is another who has depicted the early days of oil derricks. His oilfield paintings are so rich in history that viewers are amazed at the immense detailing, not only of the main piece, but of the additional work he adds as a 'frame' to that piece.

In 1969, at the age of twenty-two, he was drafted into the United States Army and was stationed at Brooke Army Medical Center located in San Antonio, Texas. There he was asked to be the medical illustrator.

Later on in his Army career, he was sent to Vietnam where he became a combat illustrator. Now, a resident of Burleson, Texas, he focuses his talents on the history and heritage of the great country and state he lives in. One of his oilfield paintings, 'Pushing The Edge', is a rendering of the first North American off shore wooden oil rig with an enormous wave breaking against the backside of it.

Betz Gallery is an expert in Giclee , Oilfield paintings and reproductions.