Arnold Vail Sold at Auction Prices

b. 1922 - d. 1995

Arnold Vail (Illinois, Texas, 1922 - 1995)
Born in 1922, Arnold Vail was an artist, teacher, and caricaturist. He studied at the Louisiana State University until World War II when he began painting sets and backdrops for touring USO troops and did illustration for the regimental newspaper at Ft Mead, Maryland. He also studied at the Chicago Art Institute and Chicago Academy of Art.
After the war, Vail was a cartoonist for the Dallas Times Herald and spent 12 years as a commercial artist for the Chicago Sun Times and the Chicago Daily News.
He worked as a graphic artist for ABC and CBS television networks and was the first official Six Flags Over Texas resident artist.
It is estimated that during his career he had painted more than 20,000 paintings. He took students on site to Taos, New Mexico, the Texas Hill Country, Michigan, and historic southwest locations.
He was president of the American Caricaturist Society and was in Ripley's Believe It or Not, twice for sketching 4 simultaneous likenesses ( using both hands and both feet) from 4 different models.
Obviously a fellow with a great sense of humor, he applied himself to give a little extra to his students and collectors, sometimes painting a painting on both sides of an art board. One of his favorite subjects was colorful, animated clowns.
His work hangs in many private homes, museum and corporate collections including the Vatican in Rome.
His prices vary widely, as many paintings were quickly done landscape demonstrations. Others were evolved over a long time to his satisfaction. Scriptures, recipies, and spontenious art & cultural declarations often appear pasted to the backs of his paintings.
Arnold Vail died February 2, 1995.