Don Breeden - One man's art a community's pride!

"His love of Brownsville and nature shows in every piece."

Photo Credit - Don's FB

Today's People Profile is about Mr. Don Breeden. I have had the pleasure of knowing Mr. Breeden for about 6 years but I have admired his work since before having met him. Most people in Brownsville have heard the Breeden name in one capacity or another. The Breeden family goes back generations as Don's grandfather was respected Doctor in Brownsville. There are still people around in town that he helped deliver into the world. His father, Dan Breeden was a gifted educator who taught for many years and was a liked Principal at Hannah High School. They are a well known and respected family who have contributed to our community in a multitude of ways. His father was honored a few years back when they dedicated Breeden Elementary to him to recognize his decades of service to BISD.

Beyond his family's well known and established presence in our community Mr. Breeden has carved his own mark with years of hard work and dedication to our cultural assets.  Mr. Breeden was educated in art at the University of Houston and developed an amazing skill for free hand art work. You may not realize it but you have seen his work for decades.  Mr. Breeden has produced the Charro Days Fiesta poster every year for 17 years. This has become quite the tradition. There are even people who wait anxiously  every year for the unveiling so they can add to their collection of hand-signed posters. Each poster is original and unique paying homage to our shared cultural heritage and importance of Charro Days.

Photo Credit - Brownsville Herald

Beyond that Mr. Breeden has an advertising firm here in town known as Breeden, McCumber Group. Their firm has had their hand in print, TV, Radio and online advertising here for many years. They not only buy and place ads for local and national companies but they also produce many of the ads you have seen and would recognize.  He also consults with the City of Brownsville as well as other municipalities on branding and public relations needs.

All this of this is a great deal for one man to accomplish but perhaps his most notable accomplishment is the body of original art he has produced. If you have been to just about any car dealership, business office or city office in our town there is a good chance you have seen some of his original art work. His work is easily identifiable by it's amazing qualities that are beyond my layman's ability to describe but basically you know it when you see it. He has immortalized many of Brownsville's most historic and lesser known architectural treasures. He has even rendered paintings of buildings that no longer exist which were lost to the march of "progress."

In addition to his architectural drawings and paintings, Don is more well known as a Nature and Wildlife Artist. You can easily spot one of his Red Fish, Trout and hunting pictures from a mile away. Don grew up in Southmost when it was all wild country. The other day we had a chance to chat briefly and he told me how he was blessed to grow up in a place and time when his days were filled with hunting, fishing and swimming in the resacas. He said he would walk barefoot in the resaca and grab fresh water mussels by feel and leave his house for the day with his 22 and his dog and hunt all day on his own.

He definitely painted an ideal picture for me of his childhood growing up in South Brownsville. Those memories have shaped his nature and wildlife work. These pieces resound with people who appreciate the outdoors and nature the way he does. His collection is vast and growing each day as he makes time to try a new technique or explore a new subject.

Perhaps the reason his work has touched so many people is his desire to share his love of our community and nature and let all of us Be part of it. 

Author Craig Grove

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