Art at the Driskill Hotel
by Lee Jamison
All art on this site ©Lee Emmerich Jamison
The Driskill is Texas' most historic hotel. It has been the focal point of
the state capital's cultural, social, and political life for more than a
century. As a result it has had an unrivalled impact on the history of the Lone
Star State.
- Home page
- Art at the Driskill
- Kids Rooms
- Homes
- Working with an artist
The photo to the right shows the completed ballroom. Note the return of the
filligree frieze which graced the room at the turn of the century.
In this
photograph the east end of the ballroom is shown . A mural depicting Austin as
it might have appeared in 1890 is painted opposite the flag mural. This mural
was suggested by a painting shown in turn-of-the-century photographs. One of my
responsibilities as an historical muralist is to seize opportunities such as
this to reflect the visual history of a building. Even though the uses of The
Driskill Ballroom have changed markedly over the years we can still get a feel
for what it was like and what it meant to people in Austin over a century ago.
In
addition to the ballroom paintings I was in charge of the Faux work on the
column capitals in the Driskill's Mezzanine. In this particular effort I ably
assisted Dennis Jamison (who actually did the work and sometimes is known to
admit to being my brother). Some of this work is shown here. I also have
painted oil paintings which were commissioned for the "upper lobby" in
the 1920s addition on the hotel's north side.
Even
though the restoration in which I took an active part is virtually complete the
Driskill Hotel continues to be a work-in-progress. As an important part of
Texas' history it belongs, in a sense, to all of us. It is a living, working
hotel and like all living things will always be changing. The pride Texans take
in their history means we can't just leave it to others to take care of the
Driskill. That is why the oldest part of the building is still owned by Texans
and it is why the rest of us need to keep an eye on the "Grand Dame"
of Texas hotels. You can take the hotel's self-guided history tour. It is full
of fascinating facts about the most historic hotel in the Lone Star State.
Tours are also available through the Austin Heritage Society and the Austin
Chamber of Commerce. Better yet- Stay there! It is a wonderful experience.