Jamison murals are a vital part of the recent renovation of Texas' most historic hotel. The Driskill has been the focal point of the state capital's cultural, social, and political life for more than a century. Now gleaming after a complete facelift, the Driskill continues its unrivalled impact on the history of the Lone Star State.
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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 the responsibilities of 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 Jamison was in charge of the Faux work
on the column capitals in the Driskill's Mezzanine. Dennis Jamison, the
artist's brother and an artist in his own right, did the actual faux work.
Some of this work is shown here. Lee Jamison also painted several of the
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 Jamison took an active part is 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 Texans. 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 original 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.