Trappings of Texas 2024 Premier Artist

Wayne Franklin

From the “Brush Country” of southwest Texas, Wayne Franklin was raised on a ranch outside of a little wide spot in the highway called Fowlerton. It lies 30 miles due east from Cotulla, Texas in LaSalle county where he has lived all his adult life with his wife of 48 years, Louisa. He has two sons, Roy and Keith, and a whole truck load of grandkids, that seem to have become his “job” since retiring from teaching in the public school for 35 years. “My family is my finest accomplishment.”

Wayne holds a bachelor’s degree in art education from Texas State University in San Marcos (formerly Southwest Texas State) and a master’s degree in art education from Sul Ross State University in Alpine. He has participated in the Trappings of Texas every year except for the first couple. He has been a professional jeweler/silver and goldsmith for 50 years. In addition to his custom belt buckles he produces silver pistol grips for the Colt 1911 style auto or any compatible gun. He started making these about 30 years ago for the Texas Rangers and other lawmen. There are several sets of his pistol grips on ranger guns that are on permanent display at the Texas Ranger Museum in Waco. His belt buckle and pistol grip designs are influenced by his ranching heritage and the history and tales along the border where he resides. He has become well known for his designs of cactus and yucca motif overlays (South Texas Brush Country Style).

“I consider my work to be Fine Art—not a craft. It utilizes a different type of canvas. As gear, it must be well made and useable, it must fit and function as the need arises. Just like a painting or a bronze statue my work has a title and it tells a story. The relief sculptured overlays use the same processes as producing a bronze, just in miniature. I perform the whole process myself as opposed to sending a model to a foundry or a professional caster. I don’t have a website, or a facebook page, and I have never advertised my work. Any popularity that I may have attained over the years is due to my customers—word of mouth—they are my best advertisement. It’s really gratifying when someone tells me that they were approached by a total stranger, while boarding a plane in Dallas, or a business meeting in Houston, and even a grocery store somewhere in far west Texas, and being told/asked—“that’s a Wayne Franklin buckle you’re wearing—isn’t it?”