| Randy Souders | |
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| Born | November 8, 1954 Chickasha, OK |
| Nationality | American |
| Field | Painting |
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Randy Souders is an American painter in the realistic and magic realism traditions. He is best known for highly detailed works painted with acrylic on wood panel (Masonite), and sometimes on canvas. His early subject matter usually featured nostalgic interpretations of rural and small town scenes and Americana; landscapes with historic architecture, and interior still lifes that incorporated antiques. He is known for his interpretative renderings of American style Victorian, Queen Anne, Tudor Revival, Romanesque and Second Empire homes and buildings. Following a trip to England and Scotland in 1988, he created a substantial body of work featuring "old world" themes featuring cottages, castless, chapels, pubs etc. In 1990 he began a parallel career as a popular gallery artist for The Walt Disney Company.[1]
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Randy is the second of four children born to parents Robert and Marjorie Souders (his mother is a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas). His first months were spent in a tiny home situated in a cotton patch on his grandparents’ farm near Pocasset, Oklahoma. His parents soon relocated to the far south Texas “valley” area near Harlingen, Texas in order to establish a citrus farm. The venture soon proved unsuitable and the young family headed back north and settled in Fort Worth, Texas where they have remained for over 50 years.
Souder attended Trimble Technical High School (a vocational/magnet school) where he received intensive instruction in commercial art. At age 14, his parents enrolled him in Art Instruction Schools --a renowned correspondence school which was founded in 1914 and located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He subsequently attended Tarrant County College and the University of Texas at Arlington where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art (illustration and graphic design)
On August 5, 1972, three month before his 18th birthday, Souder dove into a local lake and hit a submerged object. He broke his neck and sustained a paralyzing spinal cord injury resulting in incomplete tetraplegia. Initially he could only shrug his shoulders and had limited, uncoordinated arm movement. After months in hospital, he eventually regained enough function to enable him to relearn how to write, paint and live independently. Since then, all his artworks are created primarily with wrist and arm movement. He works on an inclined table, rather than an upright easel, which provides additional support and control.
Souder graduated the University of Texas in May 1978 and was immediately hired by a local advertising agency. He had his first one-man show of paintings on November 8, 1978. This date was significant, not only because it was his birthday, but also because famed painter and illustrator Norman Rockwell (an early influence) died that same evening. Years later, Souder became the only other artist to have his works exhibited at the Norman Rockwell Museum (then located in Philadelphia’s Curtis Publishing Company building; home of the Saturday Evening Post, Ladies Home Journal, and other magazines). Based on the success of this first show, Souder left advertising to concentrate on painting full time.
What followed was a fine art career that has surpassed three decades. Souder has had countless public and exhibitions including having works displayed at the White House, United States Capitol, John F. Kennedy Center, and several museums in the United States and abroad. Souder established Souders Fine Art, an art studio and print publishing company through which he released over 100 collectible print editions and licensed products. Souder also founded Souders Gallery, a retail art gallery and framing venture. He subsequently transferred ownership to his parents in 1990.
Souder was an early member of the Texas Wild Bunch, a non-profit organization of full time professional Texas artists that produced many exhibitions around the state.
A few notable clients and partnerships include State Farm Insurance, Maxwell House, MGM Grand/Turner Entertainment, Texas Historical Commission, Capitol Records, Maytag, Texaco, and Southwestern Bell. His images have been adapted onto products by Department 56, Limoges porcelain, Bulova watches and clocks, among others.
In June 1990, Souder began his collaboration with the Walt Disney Company. This marked the first of many appearances and signings at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts. In 1992, he was a featured artist at the first Official Disneyana Convention,[2] a major week-long event that drew thousands of collectors and Disney enthusiasts from around the world. Souder produced original paintings that were used to create the limited edition poster for each event. He was the only artist to have participated in each and every convention for its entire 10-year run. Souder’s work has been featured at Disney’s parks & resorts, on their cruise ships, in the Disney Gallery in California and on 5th Avenue in New York. Many of Souder’s original Disney paintings have been auctioned by Sotheby’s.[3]
In 1997, Souder was an on-air vendor with Home Shopping Network which featured him and his artworks via their nationwide television programs.
After his injury, Souder credits his ability to engage in creative self-expression with giving his life a renewed sense of purpose and meaning. In 1988, he met Jean Kennedy Smith, the youngest sister of President John F. Kennedy. Ambassador Smith soon asked Souder to serve on the board of directors of VSA Arts,[4] an international nonprofit organization she founded in 1974 to create a society where people with disabilities learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts. VSA annually serves over 6 million people with disabilities across the U.S. and around the world. VSA Arts is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Souder has been a noted disability rights advocate, public speaker and author. He wrote the foreword to VSA's book Putting Creativity to Work --a landmark career guide for people with disabilities. Ambassador Smith dedicated a chapter to Souder in her book, Chronicles of Courage: Very Special Artists, written with George Plimpton and published by Random House in April 1993.[5]
Over the years Souder has been involved with numerous charitable causes including the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation[6] to which he has granted use of his artworks for calendars and greeting card campaigns. The foundation featured Randy as one of their "Heroes for Hope:" (no longer on the CRPF server).
In 1989, Souders was appointed to the national board of directors of VSA Arts, a non-profit international organization that creates learning opportunities through the arts for people with disabilities and a CRPF Quality of Life grant recipient.
Souder married his wife Jamie in 1990. They have two children and two grandchildren.
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Souder has been profiled in the following books: