Jack White

Mention Jack White’s name to the Texas Rangers and you will elicit long conversations; some of these giants’ eyes will fill with water as they begin to tell you how much he has meant to their elite organization. Because of their love and friendship with Jack they made him an honorary Texas Ranger. He carries his solid gold Ranger badge with pride and without much provocation will produce his treasure, showing the ridged edge proving the badge is stamped from a $50 Mexican gold coin.

His first name should be Generous. Perhaps it is because of his austere childhood, being tossed from family to family and finally from his sophomore year forward living on his own that has caused him to react with love and giving to those in need. He says, “When you have gone to bed hungry you can empathize with those in a similar position.”

Jack was a five-sport athlete in high school and played three in college until injuries to each knee cut his career short. With two good legs he would have signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball organization. He never dwells on what might have been but is always looking to see what new adventure lurks around the next bend in the road.

After a highly successful career as a keynote speaker, professional motivator and sales instructor for the home building industry Jack White went into the construction business. By the age thirty-five he was building in Houston, Dallas and Oklahoma City. His net worth exceeded one million dollars in 1968. Back when a million was considered a huge sum of money. His construction company was building a 634 unit apartment complex for an insurance company. Halfway through the project the insurance company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The apartment complex’s failure broke Jack financially but not his powerful entrepreneurial spirit. In 1970 at the age of thirty-seven he walked into an art gallery for the fist time and after spending a few hours there decided he would become an artist. With three small children and a sickly wife he took the plunge. Jack’s faith in his ability to become an artist drove him forward. He made no sales for almost three months and then his first sale was for a measly $10. That sale came on Valentine’s Day 1970; however before the year was over Jack earned $43,000 and from there he vaulted to the top like a shooting star. He invented an art technique called Echruseos, a word Jack coined, which translates into “out of gold having been done”. His gold leaf on glass allowed him to earn over $500,000 a year. Many of these gold leaf pieces found their way into Museums. Soon after this book is published two more major museums be will adding Jack’s work to their permanent collection. This will bring the total number of museums housing his art to thirteen.

In 1976 Jack was given the title of the Official Texas State Artist. San Antonio has a street with his name on it and he was given a life membership into the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame. By the new millennium Jack had become a master oil painter. The list of celebrity portraits to his credit are among the Who’s Who in America including; Ray Kroc, President Lyndon Johnson, Bobby Layne, Tom Landry, Julius Irving, Grant Teaff, Danny White, George Gervin and a host of Texas Rangers to name only a few. The prices of his originals oil have reached deep into the five figures. Success has not changed Jack White. He is still the humble man he was when he was penniless, living on the street.

An auto accident in 1989 forced Jack to learn to paint with his left hand. He signs the left-handed work Gaucher, which means “lefty” in French. His dogged determination for success allowed him to paint marketable work with the opposite hand. We have included three samples of the Gaucher work.

In 1996 he accepted the challenge to write a book for artists on how to market their work. Prior to that Jack had never written anything. He suffered from what he amusingly calls “a football education.” Writing came as natural to him as a baby duck swimming. He has become a prolific writer, completing five major art marketing books that are considered by those who own them the best ever written. Jack has written three unpublished murder mysteries, which he is waiting to put the final touches on. He has completed the first draft of a 700 page epic historical novel titled, Ten Years in Texas. The Texas historical novel is set in the Republic of Texas between 1836 and 1846. In addition he has been commissioned to write the official story of the Arena Football League. Jack White has not given up his passion for painting. Each afternoon you will find him working with both hands on commissioned artwork. Painting is still his passion. He is still in demand as a portrait painter. Recently he has revived his drafting skills, drawing the architectural plans on a three-story home he and Mikki are building on N. Padre Island. He is a man of many talents but none are stronger than his love and caring for his fellow man.