Jerry Bywaters: “City Suburb at Dusk” — 1978
by Paula Bosse
Northwest Highway noir…
by Paula Bosse
You’re a Dallasite. You’ll probably immediately recognize the location of this (somewhat uncharacteristic) painting by famed Dallas painter Jerry Bywaters: it’s Northwest Highway, looking west from just past Hillcrest. Its title — “City Suburb at Dusk” — is a bit misleading. It was sort of a suburb (Preston Hollow) back when Jerry was a young man, but by 1978, when this was painted, its “suburb” days were long, long gone.
I love this painting. On the “suburb” side it’s got Kip’s, El Fenix, Centennial Liquor, and the cool curved Preston Tower. On the University Park side it’s got the silhouettes of the omnipresent water tower (once a much more pleasing shape than it is today, back when it was painted in a whimsical red-and-white checkerboard pattern), the spire of the Park Cities Baptist Church, and a Preston Center-adjacent office building. West Northwest Highway never looked so tranquil.
***
Sources & Notes
“City Suburb at Dusk” by Jerry Bywaters, 1978 — oil on masonite, 18 x 24, collection of G. Pat Bywaters.
Printed in American Art Review, Vol. XX, No. 1, 2008.
*
Copyright © 2021 Paula Bosse. All Rights Reserved.
Flashback : Dallas 
Just a quibble here: the tower *might* be the more rectangular Athena (not the gorgeously curvaceous Preston Tower); it’s also the nearer of the two to the artist’s viewpoint. What a great painting–thanks for sharing it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re right! I’d like to think that Jerry would be more attracted to the curved Preston Tower, but you’re probably right!
LikeLike
My old friend, Prof. Neil Chassman, founded the SMU Art History department and is still a very good friend of mine. I point this out as I met both Jerry Bywaters and Bill Jordan thru Neil. Neil even lived for a while at the Preston Tower. What a great period of time to remember. I even met Andy Warhol thru one of them, I think it was Neil but it could have been Jerry. I loved that period of time so much. You really come up with great stories Paula.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Mickey!
LikeLike
Neil Chassman was my best friend Dierdre’s father. I have very vivid memories as a kid in the 70’s,visiting them on the 22nd floor front facing (south facing) apartment and was always so excited to visit! Neil, Keira, Deirdre and Neils little convertible MG I believe it was….WOW talk about a flashback. By the way, Paula, this is Bronwyn, Devon Garrett’s youngest sister… I love reading your blog… all the time. Its so fun to go back in time!! Thank you for keeping this blog up! It’s a Dallas treasure.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bronwyn! Erstwhile next-door neighbor! How nice to hear from you. Thanks for the kind words. I ran across a film a while back that had your father’s voice in it at the beginning (and a little bit farther in, still toward the beginning): https://youtu.be/UdD4umHaD18
Hope you’re doing well. Say hello to Patty for me! I’ve run into her around Lakewood a few times in the past few years.
LikeLike
Thank you for the reply! Yes we were neighbors a very long time ago… I was but a wee one, probably too young to even remember that old house…I do remember visits from you and your brother in the very early 70’s for birthday parties (or maybe I’m “picture-membering” ha!) Yes, I will say hi to my mother for you !! I enjoy reading your blog very much…always takes me back to a time I miss! 🙂
LikeLike
Oh wow! Yep that’s my dad ! Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Took me a second to get oriented. I used the Kips on Mockingbird instead. The water tower helped.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If I remember correctly, that painting happened because some of his SMU students gave him a gift certificate to Asel Art Supply and he used it to get some fresh oil paints. You might notice the word “restaurant” on the El Felix sign is left of center. He accidentally doubled a letter which my uncle noticed. He fixed it but didn’t recenter the word. He added the traffic light just because. That view looking west was from one of his regular spots to go pick pecans which is the pecan grove on the south side of Temple Emanu-El. Years later I realized it’s also the view from where my grandparents are interred at Restland. One of my favorite parts of the painting is the shadow of the short tree that was near the Kip’s front doors.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is such a fantastic memory, Pat, thank you!
LikeLike
[…] More Dallas-at-night in this completely unexpected painting by Dallas art legend Jerry Bywaters, featuring the Kip’s on Northwest Highway — from “Jerry Bywaters: ‘City Suburb at Dusk’ — 1978.” […]
LikeLike