Worthie Harwood Briles
Landscape Painter
1894-1979
Ellis and Tarrant Counties, Texas

Biography
Worthie was born on October 17, 1894 in Italy, Ellis County, Texas and died on July 27, 1979 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. His parents were Enoch Elwood Briles (born on January 15, 1861 near Trinity, North Carolina; died in December 1940 in Skiatook, Osage County, Oklahoma) and Maggie Ora Porterfield (born February 22, 1877 in Weatherford, Parker County, Texas; died in July 1955 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas). Worthie (known as "Jack" to his friends and as "Pappy" to his grandchildren) probably inherited his artistic talent from his mother, who also painted landscapes as well as china-china painting be a frequent hobby of ladies of that era.

For about a year before marrying Leona Hay Connally on March 1, 1917 in Waxahachie, Ellis County, Texas, Worthie worked for an engraver in Chicago. While there he received some training in commercial art and spent time "studying" the paintings at the Chicago Art Institute. Worthie and Leona had six children, two of whom, Bonnie Bell Briles Stokes and Jack David Briles, made good use of the artistic ability they inherited from Worthie

History of Paintings
Worthie Harwood Briles was a sign painter by trade but created landscape paintings both as a hobby and as a way to make some extra money to help support his family. He also drew very good cartoons but never as a money-making effort. During his later years, in addition to continuing to paint landscapes, he also did lettering on trucks in his garage on Rosedale in Fort Worth, Texas. Many of Worthie's landscapes were of Texas scenes, including the scenery in Ellis County and in the Big Bend National Park. However, trips to Colorado and other locations and photographs in issues of Arizona Highways also provided inspirations for some of his paintings. He worked primarily in watercolor and oils, with some of his later paintings being in acrylic. Three of Worthie's paintings can be seen here at the BIN site by clicking here.

Publications
Worthie is included in the Dictionary of Texas Artists, 1800-1945. Compiled by Paula L. Grauer and Michael R. Grauer. College Station, TX: Texas A & M University Press, 1999.

In Search Of...
Worthie's descendants are interested in purchasing any of his paintings that are available for sale. He signed most of his paintings as "W. H. Briles" or "Briles." While some of his paintings that now belong to his descendants were not signed at all, those descendants are quite confident that he would have signed all of the paintings that he sold. If any of you have any of Worthie's paintings and would like to sell them, please contact his granddaughter Susan Briles Kniebes at skniebes@localnet.com or 303-530-9525.]