Acclaimed Texas City Artist Specializes in Portraits

By Mary Vinnedge

Texas City artist Eddie Filer Jr. has earned accolades for portraits that seem ready to speak. He works in various media – charcoal and graphite pencils, pastels, and oils, the latter being his favorite. Filer, 53, holds a master’s degree in art from the University of Houston – Clear Lake and has taught art at Galveston College, Ball High School in Galveston, and Texas City High School. (Interestingly, he’s a brain rehabilitation caregiver in his day job.)
  Filer regularly places his work in exhibits and contests, faring well when he competes. He was awarded Best of Show for his portrait “Vincent” in the Galveston Art League’s Spring 2019 Juried Show. An Art League member, he appreciates the nonprofit organization’s year-round opportunities to show his work at its gallery, 2117A Postoffice St. in Galveston; details at GalvestonArtLeague.com.  
In addition, Filer has received Certificates of Excellence in portrait competition from the Portrait Society of America in 2017 and 2018. “I was among the 50 winners two years in a row. I was very fortunate that they picked me.” He also enters the Texas City Art Festival, taking second place this year for his drawing “Troubled Soul – The Thinker.” In October 2018, he exhibited at the Houston Museum of African American Culture.
Most of Filer’s artworks are portraits, and he can be contacted about commissions at EddieFilerArt.com and at EddieFiler@yahoo.com.
He talks about his art and his processes below.

Q: Have you always been interested in art?
A: I’ve been drawing my whole life. But I learned I could paint through teacher L.T. Gordon at Ball High School. I was a football player for Ball and I was cutting up in class with my friends. He moved me to the cafeteria to see what I could do if I was by myself. I did three acrylic paintings that showed promise, and he pushed me to the next level.

Q: Do you still teach?
A: I told Margo [Snider, president of the Galveston Art League] that I’d do a portrait workshop at the Galveston Art League. And I teach privately in my home, one-on-one lessons with students.

Q: What advice would you give an aspiring artist?
A: Art is so wide open. Just believe in what you’re doing – do “you”; don’t try to do somebody else. Just do yourself and work hard.

Q: What inspires you as an artist?
A: Just coming in contact with people, talking to people. When I paint, I try to do a narrative, tell a story. You get that by talking with them.

Q: Why are oils your favorite medium?
A: It allows you to move and push things around. It dries slower than acrylic paint.

Q: Where do you paint?
A: I have a little studio in my house. It’s like an office, about 12 by 12 feet. … From time to time I take my work outdoors to see what area I need to work on in natural light.

Q: How have you honed your skills over the years?
A: Through the Portrait Society of America conferences – I go every year and it’s a great learning experience. And through trial and error, messing up a lot. John Stovall of Galveston College taught me elements of art and principles of design. Even though he was an abstract artist, he’s been a huge influence on me. He is my mentor to this day.

Q: Do you have a goal related to art?
A: I’d love to retire and do art full time someday.

Q: If you received a $5,000 windfall to use on art, how would you spend it?
A: I’d buy more paints and canvas and some of those great red-sable brushes.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about doing art?
A: For me, it’s therapeutic. It’s been a friend for a long time. I could have had one of the worst days ever, but then I come into my studio and it cheers me up.

In April of 2017, Filer won an Award at the 2017 “Portrait Society of America” Conference. It was an International Portrait Competition. There were 2,176 entries and Filer was chosen as one of the 48 that received an award for excellence. See article here: https://thepostnewspaper.net/?s=eddie+filer

            Eddie Filer Jr.

“Holding On,” a graphite portrait by award-winning Texas City artist Eddie Filer, is on display and for sale now through June 23 at the Galveston Art League Gallery, 2117A Postoffice St. in Galveston. Hours are noon-6 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays.