Meet Till Goodan
About the Artist: Tillman Parker Goodan (1896-1958)
To the casual observer his paintings are exciting and colorful. To the scholars of the Western Era they are benchmarks of authenticity. Such is the style of Till Goodan. He was born Tillman Parker Goodan in Eaton, Colorado on March 27, 1896. His father was a true western pioneer, mayor of Eaton, publisher of its first newspaper, and County Commissioner for several years.
After moving to California in 1905 and settling on a little farm that bordered the Michel Cattle Ranch, Till spent much of his boyhood with the Michel sons working on their ranch. There he developed his expertise as a calf roper and the skills of a working cowboy.
As a young man Till pursued endeavors that would initially callous his emerging artistic hands. He worked for the famous Miller and Lux Ranch in California. He packed mules and ran pack trains into the Sierra Nevada Mountains. He broke horses and competed in local rodeos riding saddle broncs and roping calves. During the quiet hours he would draw pictures of ranch life and the action of the rodeo. People began commenting on his talents as an artist.
In 1917 he left the rodeo circuit and turned his full attention to a career in art. He studied with Roger Sterrett, William Paxton, and Dana Bartlett, all highly respected California artists. Till soon became a freelance commercial artist, doing work for Grauman's Chinese and Lowe's Theatres, Helms Bakery, and Security Bank. He later assumed a position as Art Director for the Richfield Oil Company. However, his first love was still the art of the old west, horses, cowboys, and ranching. So, he left Richfield and gave his full attention to the field of fine arts.
He did oil painting, water colors and lithographs. He drew the Gene Autry Comic Books. He illustrated and hand-lettered a large collection of stories about famous bucking horses, ranches, horsemen of the world, and western gear. In association with W.C. Wentz, he started producing a complete line of western gift wares, ceramics, bronzes, leather, paper, and fabric.
By the 1930s he was beginning to receive recognition for his western art, and by the early 1940s, he and his daughter, Betty, were illustrating comic books for his longtime friend, Gene Autry. Betty was also a world champion cowgirl.
Till Goodan designs appeared in virtually every medium. Most famous were the four lines of dinnerware produced by Wallace China: Pioneer Trails, Longhorn, Boots and Saddle, and Rodeo. The "Rodeo" pattern was a tremendous success. The wonderful action drawings of Rodeo events surrounded by authentic cattle brands appealed to Westerners of every persuasion. "Rodeo" dinnerware graced the tables of restaurants, hotels, and ranches. Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and Bing Crosby owned sets of "Rodeoware". Today, all the Till Goodan dinnerware patterns are prized collectibles.
Till Goodan spent most of his life in California. He established a permanent studio/home in Hollywood, and for several years he owned a ranch near the town of Lebec, along with a mountain retreat in the Sierras. He painted the California landscape, though many of his paintings reflect his love for the Arizona and New Mexico deserts. His artwork was always authentic in every detail because he painted what he knew from first-hand experience. He enjoyed his western lifestyle until the day he died. On May 24, 1958, while serving as Grand Marshall of the Tulare California Rodeo, he succumbed to a heart attack while sitting on his horse.
Serious collectors seek all of Till Goodan's work, not just the Westward Ho designed dinnerware lines. Till Goodan was a versatile artist whose love for the rodeo and the west was reflected in all of his work. Western decorated tablecloths, ties, prints, calendars, postcards, and paintings make up the wide variety of collectibles designed by Till Goodan. Till Goodan's work is being recreated once again by True West, with permission of his daughter, Betty Goodan Andrews, who retains sole control of the rights to her father's name and all of his work.
True West is proud to have the exclusive license to signed Till Goodan artwork for a variety of home decor products.
