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Tom Knapp

1925 - 2016

Tom Knapp obituary, 1925-2016, San Miguel de Allende, NM

BORN

1925

DIED

2016

Tom Knapp Obituary

Bronze sculptor and printmaker Tom Knapp passed away in his home in San Miguel de Allende, Gto, Mexico on July 8, 2016. He was 90 years old. He filled those years with his dedication to his love of art and family. He was prolific and successful in many forms of artistic expression: bronze and wood sculpting, printmaking in linocuts and wood engravings, stained glass, mosaics and jewelry making.

Among many of Tom Knapp's works, he is well known for his Native American Dancers, a series of ten different members of North American tribes performing their age-old traditional ceremonial dances. This dramatic collection took Knapp on a quest of over 30 thousand miles and nine years in travels all over the Southwest, the Northwest, south to Mexico and north to Alaska. With over 20 life-and-heroic size bronzes to his credit, one is the figure of a football player in front of the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in Pasadena, CA.

Coming from Ruidoso, New Mexico, Knapp moved to San Miguel de Allende in 1995 with his wife, pastel artist Dorothy Bell. Well-known figures in the Ruidoso art scene, they lived and worked in their home and gallery, a local landmark known as The Buckhorn in the Hondo Valley.

A native of Wyoming, Knapp was born in Gillette, Wyoming, September 28, 1925. He is a veteran of World War II, and the Korean War, serving in the United States Navy. He studied at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland CA, and the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. He then went to work as an animator for the Walt Disney Studios. Today his works of primarily Limited Editions can be found in over 200 private collections as well as many museums.

Preceded in death by three brothers, Chet, Melven and Bill, Knapp is survived by his wife Dorothy Bell; a son in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Keith Knapp from a former marriage to Edna Huntley of Cody Wyoming; two stepsons, Gordon Bell, Panola, Oklahoma and Danny Bell, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada; two Mexican "sons" Daniel and Georgenes Hernandez; four sisters: Marjorie Damery, Boulder, Colorado; Jeannie Leigh, Avondale, Arizona; Alta Drumm, Boulder, Colorado; and Margaret Russell, Rock Springs, Wyoming. Friends may send their condolences to 220 N. Zapata Hwy #11A, Laredo, TX 78043.

Published by Ruidoso News from Jul. 12 to Aug. 11, 2016.
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Memories and Condolences
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3 Entries

Tom was a very fine artist. It was my privilege to include an article about him and his work on several occasions in the Journal of the Print World, devoted to contemporary and antique works of fine art on paper. A really good person ...
Rebecca Ronstadt, Publisher
Journal of the Print World

Rebecca Ronstadt

July 28, 2016

from the applejack band.
buddy, zoomer cleo and charlie. thanks for the many great times we had at the Buckhorn and for
following us faithfully.

Dorothy and Tom--we will always remember you so fondly.
requiescat in pace. Tom

charlei mcdonald

July 14, 2016

Tom, I'm so sorry to hear of your passing, and so happy you took a nice long time doing it. 90 years. And your artistic energy will go on for as long as your work remains.
Dorothy, I was talking about you two just the other day. My life is so much richer because of the time you & Tom invested in my...wow, almost 35 yrs ago, now. Thanks for all you have meant to me over the years. My condolences to you in this process of grieving. May you walk it with all the grace you've exhibited in the years I knew you two.
Love, Vick

V. Kate Winner

July 14, 2016

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