Mail in art course set stage for Carlsbad Hall of Fame inductee during early years
Spending nearly $400 on a correspondence school art course changed Gary Niblett’s life forever during his teenage years in Carlsbad.
Niblett, a 1961 graduate of Carlsbad High School, used those early art lessons to make a living as an artist for Hanna-Barbera Animation Studio creating scenes for classic cartoons like Scooby Doo. He later painted scenes of the American Old West.
He was inducted into the Carlsbad Hall of Fame Jan. 28 along with Dwight Pitcaithley.
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“My mom was always proud of my artwork because I have been drawing since I was four or five years old,” he said during his induction speech.
Niblett saved money as a teenager working at a grocery store on Eighth Street with hopes it would fund art school supplies.
“I was always a school artist, and I always knew I wanted to go into art,” he said before Saturday’s induction. “Years later for me to comeback with this kind of honor, there’s nothing that means more to me than this.”
Niblett went to work at Hanna-Barbera in 1965 and left in 1973 moving back to New Mexico and focusing on Western Art.
“I wanted to go into fine art, I began painting western scenes on the side and sent them to the (art) galleries,” he said.
Niblett said he loves history and enjoyed painting wagon trains, working cowboys and Native Americans, along with other favorites of the American west.
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In 1976, Niblett was invited to join the Cowboy Artists of America, and the next year won the CAA Silver Medal for Oil with his painting, “Gold Fever”.
His winning streak and accolades continued for almost 40 years.
Some of his work was displayed all over the world including Russia, China and London at the Royal Watercolor Society.
Fellow Carlsbad Hall of Famer and founder of the national Shakespeare Guild, Dr. John Andrews, said he and Niblett had art classes together growing up.
“Gary and I did a project together our senior year it was a pen drawing of the (Eddy County) Courthouse. It’s great to see you again and see you celebrated for all you’ve done,” he said.
Andrews spoke during Saturday’s induction ceremonies.
Niblett said he was always drawing something from the Courthouse to livestock for local ranchers during his youth in Carlsbad.
He and his wife Monika live in Santa Fe these days and he makes frequent visits to Carlsbad.
“I still have some family there. I do have three nieces there (and) I love to go visit the old street I lived on. I practically wore out the Beach (along the Pecos River) every day,” Niblett said.
He thanked Mayor Dale Janway and staff at the Carlsbad Museum for his induction into the Carlsbad Hall of Fame.
Some of Niblett’s artwork is on display at the Carlsbad Museum through Feb. 4.
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Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Western artist, animator Gary Niblett joins Carlsbad Hall of Fame
