By Dalton Lee, Baldwin Wallace ’11
Beaumont, Texas utility box, painted by Darrell Troppy.
Taking a stroll through the city of Beaumont, Texas can offer a wide array of beautiful sights and views. Bordering the Neches River offers scenic river walks, the illuminated archway to Crockett Street welcomes patrons to a bustling downtown, but perhaps the most stunning attraction in all of Beaumont is the utility boxes. Yes, you read that last sentence correctly. Strewn throughout the city are an assortment of uniquely painted utility boxes, which may typically be eye sores, and turn them into works of art. Abstract portraits of flowers, cityscapes, night skies, and a plethora of other stunning works accent the already breathtaking Texas town. The Beaumont art community, and we as an organization mourn the loss of the revered artist behind these creations, Darrell Troppy, Texas State ’80. Troppy passed away on December 25th, 2021, and is survived by husband, Eddie Bates.
From 12newsnow feature on Darrell Troppy.
The renowned artist touched not only the city of Beaumont, but the entire world. Featured in the KBR Tower in Houston, Texas; showcased at The Art Connection Gallery in Palm Springs, California; and even appeared on an episode of House Hunters, displaying the piece “Paris After Dark” form his “Roaming” collection. Specializing in the encaustic approach to creating art, Troppy would use unique mediums— such as beeswax— to create masterpieces that caught the eyes of collectors at home and abroad. In 2014, Troppy was the only American artist invited to participate in the Carrousel Eastern and Western International Art Exhibit in Paris, France at The Louvre. This trip across the pond netted Troppy an award for “Most Creative Artist” and three certificates for “Outstanding Accomplishments” in a variety of categories.
Image taken from Troppy’s memorial page.
A true creative at heart, Troppy was quoted as saying, “It’s [art] the one thing that I know that has never left me. If you locked me up I would find a way to do something artistic, perhaps paint on the floor? It never leaves you. You’d become less whole. I think every artist experiences this feeling more than once in their life. You pray, you wish and you hope that feeling never leaves you – the passion that wakes you, the driving force and the reason you exist.”
With an outpouring on Troppy’s memorial page, it’s clear that he not only impacted the artistic community but had a lasting impact on all those with the honor of knowing him. We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Darrell Troppy, and are honored to have had such an exceptional person be part of our organization.
Memorial contributions may be made to: https://yimbygeorgia.org