Julius Woeltz
Born in San Antonio, Texas, in 1911 Julius Woeltz first studied art under Wilson K. Nixon, Jose Arpa, and Xavier Gonzalez. He then traveled to Paris for study at the Academy Julian, and later the Art Institute of Chicago, where he was awarded two scholarships. Woeltz taught in San Antonio, and in 1932, he was appointed head of the art department at Sul Ross State Teachers College in Alpine, Texas.
Woeltz won extensive commissions from the WPA for post offices, federal buildings, and military posts, ultimately completing over 20 important commissions. From 1941 to 1951, he taught at the University of Texas in Austin. Woeltz’ exhibition venues were extensive from the 1930′s through the 1950′s and included the California Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Texas Watercolor Society, M. Knoedler & Company in New York City and the New Orleans Arts and Crafts Club.
One of Texas’s most accomplished artists (but little known today), Woeltz died a tragic death in 1956 at the age of forty-five. He is buried in his hometown of San Antonio.
Information courtesy of Heritage Galleries and p4A.com editorial staff, July 2009.