W. A. Slaughter (1923-2003)

W. A. Slaughter (1923-2003) grew up in San Antonio, Texas amid the splendor and beauty of the Hill Country. The serene landscape and rolling hills near his home in San Antonio were early sources of inspiration for his developing artistic ability. “A painting must speak for itself to the viewer and have artistic value, no matter who the painter. I make no conscious attempt to make a statement to society, but feel that the message in my paintings lies in the beauty of adorned nature.” Early in his career, he was called to the ministry as an ordained Lutheran minister and served an English-speaking congregation in Mexico City. He returned to Dallas in 1964 to the pastorate of The King of Glory Lutheran Church and began exhibiting his paintings through the Artists and Craftsmen Association of Dallas. In 1972, Slaughter dedicated himself entirely to painting. Of this decision he remarked, “I never really left the ministry . . . I now relate to people through my paintings rather than my words. There are sermons in trees, and in the seas, and the faces of people from many nations which cannot be forgotten.” As one of Texas’ foremost artists, Slaughter’s works are enjoyed in such collections as those of the Baylor Medical Center, Texas Credit Union, Mr. and Mrs. Roger Staubach, The Honorable Roy Huffington, Clarice Tinsley, and other prominent Dallas area homes. Slaughter was generous with his time and talent, donating to charities such as the Wadley Blood Bank, Women’s Guild for United Cerebral Palsy, the Richardson Symphony, and other worthwhile community and civic organizations. Slaughter looked on fondly of his hometown and this lead to a majority of his paintings to be centered around landscapes he grew up with. His canvases of fields of bluebonnets and stately oak trees evoke memories of quieter times. Slaughter’s works have also been featured in Southwest Art Magazine, Texas Home, and Connoisseur magazine as well as many others. Southwest Gallery is proud to have represented Mr. Slaughter and his work for over 30 years.