John William (Will) Vawter (1871-1941)
Vawter was born in and grew up in Greenfield, Indiana. He began his artistic career in 1893 illustrating books for James Whitcomb Riley, a successful poet, and another Greenfield resident. He married in 1906, and moved to Brown County in 1908. For the next fifteen years, Vawter received regular commissions for magazine illustrations. In 1923, he was divorced, and moved into a small apartment and studio in downtown Nashville (Indiana). It was here that he became more involved in oil painting and, in 1925, he exhibited and won the prize for best winter scene at the first Hoosier Salon. He also exhibited at the Women’s Department Club Gallery (Indianapolis); Lieber Gallery; Chicago Gallery Association; and the Brown County Art Gallery Association. Vawter was well-known for his colorful, loosely painted landscapes and was a central figure to the Brown County group of artists.