Jim Brower

BROWER
Jim
Jim Brower, age 101, passed away Thursday, December 22, 2016 at Hickory Ridge Care Center in Temperance, Michigan. Since 1932, Jim Brower has created art work characterized by its attention to detail, execution, design, and often humor. The long and distinguished career of this octogenarian began in Clarksburg, WV, where James Calvin Brower was born to Leroy Cooper and Margaret Wood (Watkins) Brower. By the time Jim was in high school, his advanced skills in draftsmanship and composition were evident. He was editor and art editor of his Charleston, WV, high school annual and at that time worked closely with the platemaker and printer who gave him a head start in the graphic art process.
When Jim was two, his family moved to Toledo where he finished grade school and the freshman year of high school. The family returned to West Virginia in 1929 where Jim finished high school in Charleston in 1932, moved to Huntington in 1933 and back to Toledo in 1943. While in Huntington, after a brief stint as an advertising art director, he went into private practice as the Jim Brower Studio.
In 1944, he purchased the Felz Art Studio and was a partner and art director of Brower, Brownsberger and Burda in Toledo through 1951. In 1952, the partnership was dissolved and he opened the Jim Brower Studio with his primary customer being Owens-Illinois, Inc. along with others such as Toledo Edison, The DeVilbiss Company, and Toledo advertising agencies.
From 1992 to 1997, Jim was Director of Art and Design for Meeks Heit Publishing Company. He served as illustrator for its books, Education for Sexuality, 1970, Human Sexuality, 1982, Education for Sexuality and HIV/AIDS, 1993. Little did he know in 1938, when he shocked his mother with a newspaper drawing of a voluptuous nude (Galatea brought to life) to promote a Huntington theater movie, “Pygmalion”, with Leslie Howard, that many years later he would again use his talents relating to the human figure to illustrate sex education books!
Jim's commercial art career was uninterrupted by World War II as fatherhood kept him out of the service. In 1936, Jim married the lovely Elsie Margaret Day, and they eventually had five children, James Lawrence, Sandra Joan, Margaret, Linda Ann, and Beth.
Jim was busy with advertising art and had painted no more than ten watercolors prior to 1978. John Richards, Northwestern Ohio Watercolor Society president at that time, urged him to apply for membership and thus began a fruitful relationship in the world of watercolor painting societies. Jim remembers entering the West Virginia Sesquicentennial art show in Clarksburg. He and Elsie stopped along the way in 100 degree heat, high humidity heat to paint a West Virginia subject he needed for entry. Mat and frame were readied ahead of time. He not only was accepted in the show but won second award in watercolor!
Jim is listed in Who's Who in America and in Who's Who in the World. These listings honor both his long years in advertising art and his accomplishments as a fine artist. Jim's sense of humor often surfaces in his watercolors. In 1984, Jim received the Watercolor Ohio ‘84 Gold Medal for a painting of old discarded ties titled “Candidates for Goodwill.” Another work of his own image reflected in a light switch, and titled “Self Portraits Turn Me Off”, was given special juror's mention in an Ohio Watercolor Society show. The creative switch was constantly on in Jim Brower's head.
Jim served as president of the Northwestern Ohio Watercolor Society, 1983-84, and as president of the Toledo Federation of Art Societies, 1987-88. He served on the Board of Directors of the Ohio Watercolor Society from 1986 to 1992 and for a number of years produced the annual exhibition catalog. Jim designed the 1983 Return of the Jedi Star Wars glasses for Burger King. He went on to win many national awards including the San Diego International, Watercolor Society, and more. His work is distinguished by a creative difference and often brings a tranquil sense of inner connection, or a smile, if not a laugh from the delighted viewer.
Jim painted more than forty paintings in his 100th year of life. He was featured on the Smucker's Jelly jar in his 100th year and was honored by Willard Scott on national television for his community service. Jim was a big supporter of the Toledo Public Library. He cherished his relationship with the Monday Morning Painters and his membership in the Tile Club. Jim's family established the Ohio Watercolor Jim Brower Lifetime Achievement Fund to honor his many contribution to the world of watercolor painting.
Jim was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Elsie Margaret Brower; son, James Lawrence Brower; and son-in-law, Bill Johnson. He is survived by his daughters, Sandra Nickless, Margaret Cook (Bill), Linda Meeks (Tom Welker), and Beth Weilant (Mike Cousino); grandchildren, Meg Ransford (Mike), Bill Cook, Kristen Langan (Jay), Christopher Welker, Kelly Basham (Robert), and Remy Cromberg (Cliff); great-grandchildren, Maisy and Madeline Ransford; Will Cook and Megan Fox; Oliver and Reed Langan; Kate and Lauren Basham; and Mira and Christy Cromberg; and great-great-grandchildren, Luke, Demyen and Liam Hulser.
Jim's family wishes to express their gratitude to his many good friends who supported their father's journey as well as their own. They would also like to thank the members of the Tile Club, the Monday Morning Painters, the staff of Senior Care Management, West Park Place, and Hickory Ridge Care Center, and the caregivers from Hospice of Northwest Ohio.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 30, 2016 at West Park Place, 3501 Executive Parkway, Toledo, OH 43606. Memorial contributions may be made to the Ohio Watercolor Society Jim Brower Lifetime Achievement Fund, c/o Barbara Zentgraf, 26 Gambier Circle, Cincinnati, OH 45218 The Walker Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements, 419.841.2422. Online condolences may be shared at
walkerfuneralhomes.com
As published in The Blade