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Building Spirit with Brush Strokes

Benjamin Knox ’90 has spent his life capturing the Aggie Spirit on canvas, painting history as it happens. Today, he’s investing in future Aggies.

By Bec Morris '23

Photography by Igor Kraguljac

January 12, 2022

 

You’ll find his work displayed across campus and the globe, portraying the distinctive features and traditions of Texas A&M University in vibrant oils, watercolors and acrylics. Benjamin Knox ’90 has spent the past 30 years building an art business from the ground up, focusing on the place where it all began: Aggieland.

With humble beginnings selling artwork door-to-door in the dorms to his fellow cadets, the entrepreneurial Knox used his natural talent for capturing scenery to eventually build the first art gallery in the Bryan-College Station area, where he now displays an extensive collection of artwork depicting Western heritage, landscapes and, most notably, Aggie icons.

To honor the community that supported him as his artistic talents grew, Knox has used his success to not only promote the Aggie Spirit but also perpetuate it through scholarships for the next generation of Aggies.
 

An Eye for Detail

A rural upbringing in Lubbock guided the artistically talented Knox toward Texas A&M and the Corps of Cadets, where he joined Squadron 3 in 1986. “The Corps was instrumental in shaping me as a person through discipline, integrity and camaraderie,” he said.

Creative since his youth, Knox decided to study environmental design and building construction in the College of Architecture. “The funny thing is, I went to Texas A&M to study architecture and do art on the side,” he said. “But instead, I started a successful art career and now do architecture for fun.”
 

Benjamin Knox '90 and his wife, Renee, run the Benjamin Knox Art Gallery & Wine Depot on University Drive.

Though he received some scholarships, Knox began selling art door-to-door in the dorms during his sophomore year to pay the rest of his tuition bill. The subject of these paintings: the Corps, of course.

 “Selling art isn’t like other businesses,” he explained. “You’re just creating something and then hoping that it inspires people. Luckily, it did.”

Word of Knox’s Aggie artwork spread through the Corps, bringing him more eager customers. Over time, he began branching out, painting western art and landscapes alongside depictions of the Aggie Spirit.

“I’ve sought out and trained with some of the world’s top living artists,” he said. “Through their influence, I’ve learned how to build new skills and develop my own style.”

In 1993, Knox opened a personal gallery—the first artist-owned gallery in the area. As he grew more widely known, he picked up many important commissions and projects. Knox was selected to be the official artist for the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum in 1997, bringing his work to a national audience.
 

Passion Projects

Following his gallery’s success and the presidential library commission, a more financially stable Knox had time to expand on his personal interests. Architecturally, he had plans for a personal project. The iconic “College Station” train depot for which the town was named had been destroyed when Wellborn Road expanded, and not even the sign was salvaged. As a passionate College Station historian, Knox wanted to reconstruct the lost icon on University Drive.

“I went to the city council with a packet I designed with a proposal for the reconstruction project,” Knox recalled. “On the front, it said, ‘One of the most important buildings to the history of Texas A&M and the city of College Station was destroyed in 1966. And I’m bringing it back.’”

After months of architectural design inspired by historical photographs and sketches, the Benjamin Knox Gallery was dedicated in November 2001, with Margaret Rudder, Texas A&M President Ray Bowen ’58 and Gov. Rick Perry in attendance. In the years since the gallery’s opening, Knox has become more involved with Texas A&M, teaching art classes for the Department of Visualization, creating commissioned paintings for campus spaces and photographing as many events as he can. “If you name it, I’ve been in the middle of it,” he laughed.

 

Serving as both a workspace and gallery, the Benjamin Knox Gallery often features recently completed commissions and prints of Knox's various works.

The Defenders of Freedom series Knox completed for the Don & Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource & Support Center in 2021 was particularly important for the artist. The paintings commemorate veterans from each branch of the military, all in Knox’s unique collage art style. Depicted in the paintings are notable Aggies who served in the respective branches, current Aggie veterans and staff, and namesakes, Don and Ellie Knauss. Knox said he hopes the pieces create an inspirational, supportive atmosphere and show veterans at Texas A&M that they are appreciated.

“Honoring people who protect our freedoms is one of the most important things that we can do as a society,” he said. “The commission was a fantastic project that I’ve wanted to do for a very long time.”
 

For months, visitors to the Benjamin Knox Gallery have watched Knox as he meticulously puts brush to canvas, creating a 16-foot oil painting for the Bush School of Government & Public Service.

In 2021, Knox was also tasked with creating a 16-foot oil painting of the Union Pacific No. 4141 train for the Bush School of Government and Public Service commemmorating the day it carried President George H.W. Bush home to rest in College Station. The finished commission, to be unveiled this spring, will hang in the newly renovated lobby of the Robert H. ’50 and Judy Ley Allen Building, honoring the Bush School’s namesake in an impressive landscape.

Outside of Texas A&M, Knox has painted commissions for the governor’s official gift from the state of Texas, The Alamo and San Jacinto Monument, and the Native Texan License Plate, the proceeds of which benefit the preservation of historic Texas sites. He has also completed artworks for several U.S. universities as well as 377 pieces for an entire hotel, along with many other projects.
 

Painting for the Future

Having established a thriving art career, Knox set his sights on helping the next generation of bright Aggies. Remembering his own financial difficulties, he pledged to continue the same legacy that his donors left behind: one of compassion and selfless service.

“When you’re struggling financially and you don’t have a safety net, every scholarship or gift makes a difference,” Knox said passionately. “The first thing I did was create endowments to perpetuate the scholarships that I received. Through my donors’ generosity, I was able to achieve success and turn that around to help future generations.”

Additionally, Knox utilized his artistic talents to help create a $125,000 endowment for Texas A&M’s 125th anniversary in 2001. He donated the proceeds from 2,001 fine art prints and 125 artist proofs of his limited-edition “Texas A&M University 125th Anniversary Aggie Timeline,” which featured a large lithograph depicting the evolution of Texas A&M and a historical key describing its timeline.
 

Aside from creating art in his gallery, Knox has also served as a professor in the College of Architecture, teaching his painting techniques to aspiring art undergraduates.

Knox has also donated thousands of art pieces during the last 30 years to Texas A&M clubs nationwide for raffles and auctions, with millions in proceeds supporting club scholarships, service projects and Aggie traditions.

“Giving back through my artwork to help those less fortunate is, and always has been, an integral part of my identity since I first established my art career,” he said.

Looking toward his future, Knox said he hopes to grow his national and international audience by expanding his Western heritage and landscape collections. This will allow him to continue reinvesting in his community and college students in the years to come.

“It’s a passion,” he enthused. “I don’t see myself ever retiring. If I retired, I’d continue creating and teaching art. It’s what I love to do more than anything.”

To learn more about designing your own legacy at Texas A&M by supporting the College of Architecture, contact Heather Sauber ’99 at the bottom of this page.

To begin your own journey of supporting Aggieland, request and download our free Giving Guide below to learn about ways to make a difference on campus. 

 

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  • Heather Sauber '99

  • Chief Development Officer
  • College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts
  • Call: 979.845.0939

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