Jimmy Cantrell’s Watercolor Paintings Epitomize Art from the Heart
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It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while, a genuine “feel-good” story lands on your desk. Last week, just in time for Christmas, I had the privilege of writing one about artist Jimmy Cantrell and his enchanting watercolor paintings.
Credit goes to Briggs Freeman vice president Jena May for introducing Jimmy’s art to CandysDirt.com publisher Candy Evans. After photographing the Evans family’s Hillcrest Estates home, the marketing-savvy Realtor gifted Candy a custom watercolor of her house.
“It was about the time that we had decided to prepare our beloved home to sell that Jimmy came into my life,” said Candy. “A beautiful pink bag at the front door held a hand-drawn rendering, complete with Encore Azaleas in full bloom.
“I thought, this is a beautiful, perfect way to remember our home.”
Jimmy’s backstory adds a powerful layer to the narrative. Turns out, he and Jena were junior high sweethearts. “We went steady in eighth grade. I was a cheerleader, and he was a football player and class president,” she recalls. Though they remained friends throughout high school, after graduating in 1972, they went their separate ways.
Jimmy, who had always been passionate about art, signed up for watercolor lessons with renowned Sherman, Texas artist and businessman E.A. Haring. But just two sessions in, his life would take a devastating turn.
In 1973, Jimmy suffered a C-5 spinal cord injury playing sandlot football, leaving him paralyzed. “I was on a breathing machine for 30 days,” he remembers. “But I told the doctors I was going to walk out of that hospital.”
Afterward, Jimmy followed in his father’s footsteps and worked as a draftsman at Hardwick-Etter/Continental Conveyor Company. But another setback came in 2016 when he fell and injured his back. He’s been in a wheelchair ever since.
It wasn’t until Jimmy retired over 30 years later that he reignited his passion for art.
This time, he blended his love for painting with a newfound interest in genealogy. “I decided to try my hand at re-creating the homes of my ancestors.”
Two years ago, Jimmy reconnected with Jena at their 50th high school reunion. “That’s when I had an epiphany,” she said. “What a great idea it would be to offer these paintings to Realtors to give to their clients.”
Fellow Briggs Freeman agent Tessa Mosteller was quick to agree. “Paintings of homes are a very special gift,” she says. “It’s capturing a memory — a legacy you’re giving back. Art comes from the heart — and Jimmy epitomizes that.”
Adds Candy, “Jimmy’s watercolors have a way of making you feel familiar with your home, seeing and remembering the important events that took place in the walls behind the stone facade. His rendering will be framed and lovingly displayed in our new home, wherever that is.”
Email Jimmy or call (903)819-0738 to inquire about upcoming projects. Jimmy says you can even mail your request to: 300 W. McGee Street, Sherman, TX, 75092-3732. Prices for watercolors start at $250 plus shipping.
