Luis Jimenez always will be remembered as a gifted artist with a distinct vision of the American Southwest. Thanks to a penchant for creating public art, his timeless interpretations of Western landscapes and Latino culture will be forever shared with the world.

Jimenez, a world renowned artist and University of Houston professor of art, died June 13 following an accident in his studio in Hondo, N.M. He was 65 years old.

Jimenez had taught sculpture and drawing at UH since 1995. In 2004, he loaned his sculpture “Sod Buster, San Isidro” to the university. Until recently, the piece that depicted an elderly farmer and an ox-driven plow was displayed outside of the Fine Arts Building.

Students and colleagues will remember Jimenez for his warm personality and easy-going demeanor, as well as his gracious teaching style.

“He was a unique and caring person,” said Paul Kittelson, associate professor of art. “The students absolutely loved him. Despite his international acclaim, he was one of the most unpretentious artists you could ever meet. We’ve lost a great friend and a great artist.”

Jimenez was born in El Paso in 1940. Growing up, he worked alongside his father creating neon signs. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and also studied at Autonomous National University in Mexico City.

He was an expert in drawing and sculpture and specialized in creating pieces for public spaces. Blending his love of rich colors and knack for manipulating fiberglass, Jimenez’ public sculptures depicted Southwestern society including farmers (“Sod Buster”) and cowboys (“Vaquero” as seen in Houston’s Moody Park). His works have been displayed in galleries and public areas around the world.

“I try to work on projects that function on several levels,” he said in a 2004 interview with UH Today. “I work with images that are inspired by our culture. They’re not esoteric things that are difficult to understand. They’re things people can relate to.”

Mike Emery
memery@central.uh.edu