About Us,Don Trout The Artist's History

Don Trout The Artist's History

Don Trout was born in Lawton, Oklahoma, and grew up
in the Midwest. His father Perry, worked for the Great
Lakes Pipeline Company and the family followed him as
he advanced in the company from Lee, Illinois, to Des
Moines, Iowa and finally to Kansas City, Missouri.

Showing an early aptitude for drawing, Don's first art
success was winning a Saturday scholarship to the Art
Institute in Kansas City for a grade school watercolor
painting. Drawing and painting throughout his school
years led to enrollment as an art major at the University
of Kansas City (now University of Missouri in Kansas
City) where he studied with Henry Scott. The rich legacy
of paintings and lithographs by Thomas Hart Benton,
who was Artist in Residence just prior to his enrollment,
was very much an influence on the young artist and
Don's early paintings reflect a Benton influence. Further
study years later would include school courses in
watercolor and head and figure painting with Paul Souza
and Mary Sheridan at the Art Center College of Design
in Los Angeles, California.

Immediately on graduating from college, Don was drafted
into the army and classified as a camouflage expert.
After basic training he was ordered to Granite City
Engineer Depot and since he had no experience in
repair, classified as a heavy equipment repairman. A call
was made for a volunteer to work in Troop Information
and Education and Don quickly stepped up for the job.
This was a lucky move which turned into an opportunity
to work on the post newspaper. Thanks to his college
experience, where he edited the yearbook, he was soon
appointed editor of "The Graniteer" another move which
led to his technical publishing career after discharge
from the army.

A high school trip to Colorado had created a desire to
see the west, so after his discharge he and his wife
Barbara moved to Los Angeles, California. Following a
brief course in technical illustration at Glendale City
College, Don was hired by Lockheed Aircraft Company
as a technical illustrator. This was the beginning of a
career in aerospace art, as technical illustrator,
freelance artist, and finally art director for Lockheed's
Special Arts Group in Burbank, California.

Following an early retirement, Don was soon involved in
a new career, teaching drawing and painting in Glendale
and Santa Clarita, California, to classes as well as
private students. Don maintains a studio at his home
where he continues to explore the possibilities of oils,
acrylics, watercolor, and mixed media paintings in
particular, utilizing rice paper collage to enhance the
textural surface imagery.

Don and his wife Barbara now live in Canyon Country,
California.