Bill Jaxon, of Gracemont, Oklahoma, was eight years old when he won his first art
competition — at the national level. He knew from the start what his career would
be. He is now one of the most widely recognized and collected artists in the field
of cowboy and Western art. His original paintings sell for thousands of dollars each,
and his limited-edition prints for hundreds, selling out quickly and escalating in
value. While studying at Oklahoma College of Liberal Arts, he designed billboards
and painted signs and store windows for special events. After graduating from OCLA
in 1968, he joined the Air Force where he worked on aircraft, as well as illustrating
them. He entered the workforce as a commercial artist, doing architectural renderings,
greeting cards, fashion design, and all types of advertising art. Besides going into
business for himself as a commercial illustrator for magazines and advertisements,
he was senior illustrator for the state's largest newspaper for several years. He
has exhibited sculpture and paintings of the American West in art shows and galleries
throughout the country. While at OCLA, Jaxon was named to Who's Who in American Colleges
and Universities, and was named Outstanding Man on Campus and Mr. OCLA. He served
as the Art Club President, was a fraternity president, captain of intramural sports,
and was named to both the OCLA and Regents Honor Rolls. Jaxon was the founder of the
Swineford Scholarship at USAO. He has helped raise funds for medical expenses of the
critically ill and volunteered his service in many organizations.