Bert Seabourn
| Bert Dail Seabourn | |
|---|---|
| Born |
July 9, 1931 Redbarn, Pecos County, Texas |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Oklahoma City University Purcell High School |
| Alma mater | Oklahoma City University |
| Known for | paintings (oil, watercolor, acryllic) |
| Notable work | Wind Walker |
| Style | American Expressionist |
| Spouse(s) | Bonnie Jo (Tompkins) Seabourn |
| Awards | Master Artist Designation; Governor's Arts Award; Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters; Paseo Arts Association Lifetime Achievement |
Bert Seabourn (born 1931) is an Americanexpressionist painter, known for his stylized and nonrepresentational neo-expressionist artist. In his early career, he published comic book art and realistic pieces, as well as commercial art. He has won multiple awards for his artworks.
Bert Seabourn was born on July 9, 1931, at home in Redbarn, Pecos County, Texas to James Augustus Seabourn and F. Leeper Thompson. On July 10, his family took him to the nearest hospital in Iraan, Texas to obtain a birth certificate, causing Iraan to be listed as his place of birth. At the age of 5, Seabourn began to create cartoons, a passion he retained through his high school years. He attended McCamey school from first through sixth grades before moving to Alma, Arkansas and subsequently to Van Buren. In 1944, Seabourn’s seventh grade year, his family moved to Purcell, Oklahoma where he attended junior high and high school. That year Seabourn’s father would move to California alone, and eventually Seabourn’s parents would divorce, leading to his loss of contact with his father.
In the eighth grade, Seabourn sold one of his cartoons to the King Features Syndicate, and the cartoon was then published in an actual comic book. He would later attend Purcell High School and receive his diploma in 1950 having taken no formal art courses. Though he attended college for a short time in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, he put his education on hold to marry Bonnie Jo Tompkins. In 1955 he began night school at Oklahoma City University. While studying at the university, Seabourn worked as a freelance artist for companies such as Southwestern Bell and Oklahoma Today Magazine. Seabourn also Began working for Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company, where he would maintain a position for twenty-three years. In 1961, Seabourn graduated from Oklahoma City University (OCU) with a Certificate of Art. In 1997, OCU granted him the honorary degree Doctor of Humane Letters.
Seabourn joined the Navy in Oklahoma City, in November 1950 after he noticed friends being drafted at the start of the Korean War. He left for San Diego in March 1951, leaving behind his wife who was expecting their first child, Connie. During his time in the Navy, Seabourn created training brochures that included illustrations of how to evacuate, how to enter and exit a plane, as well as how to put on an inflatable life vest. He later became the art director for the Navy’s monthly magazine for two years before being transferred to Pearl Harbor. At Pearl Harbor, Seabourn was surrounded by artists, journalists, photographers, and writers, who were all shipmates in the Sincpack Fleet. The Sincpack Fleet completed work requests for various ships at sea. While in the Navy Bert’s art was also published in many magazines to which he submitted cartoons. He also completed his first full-time art project—painting the mess hall.
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