Lu Ann Barrow

1934 - 2020

BARROW, Lu Ann Lu Ann Barrow passed away July 25, 2020 peacefully at home. She was born July 19,1934 to Raymond Alexander and Lula Maude Saage in Waco, Texas. Her family moved to Rosenberg, Texas and Lu Ann grew up as a member of the First United Methodist Church. She graduated from high school in 1951 and decided to join the Episcopal Church. She entered the University of Texas Art School in 1952 and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a minor in anthropology in 1956. In 1956 she went to a party on Lake Austin. During the evening she met David Brown Barrow, Jr., a graduate of the UT Business and Architecture Schools, who was at the time a 2nd Lt. in the United States Air Force. In the next several weeks they fell in love and were married December 7, 1956. In 1959 Lu Ann and David had a son, David Brown Barrow III. In 1962, Lu Ann and David welcomed another son, Thomas Edward Barrow, who also became an artist. Thomas passed away in 1995 in New York. From 1965 to 1980 Lu Ann had a popular booth during Fiesta at the Laguna Gloria Museum. She also had numerous solo exhibitions and participated in group shows. Later she showed at Wagner and Wunderlich Galleries. Since 1993 she has been represented by Valley House Gallery and Sculpture Garden in Dallas. In 2006 she had a solo retrospective show at Austin Museum or Art. In 1999 Laura Bush asked her to do a poster for the Texas Book Festival and in 2001 another one for the first National Book Festival. In 2019 she had a solo show at the Neil-Cochran House Museum in Austin. In 2003 she wrote the following part of a Personal Statement: "I usually begin a painting with a title, something I've read or heard, that evoked an immediate image. For instance, "too wet to plow", and I could visualize a farmer sitting on his tractor, playing a guitar while the rain comes down outside the barn door. Or, "we has us a hallelujah time", overheard in a checkout line as two ladies talked about an event at their church. I could immediately see the church, the surrounding grounds, the trees beyond and the people celebrating as they boogied out of the church. For me, painting is a language I've been blessed with and can use to gather what I've seen, read, heard or experienced and share it with the viewer, a way to say visually "let me tell you." Lu Ann is survived by husband David, son David III and wife Laura Sikes Barrow, granddaughter Angela Grace Barrow and grandson Michael Thomas Barrow. A celebration service for Lu Ann will be held at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Austin at a time to be announced. Remembrance contributions may be made to: St. Matthew's Episcopal Church 8134 Mesa Drive, Austin, Texas 78759