William Slaughter was a self-taught artist who specialized in figure paintings, still life, and portraits of women and children. He became known for his Texas landscapes, which depict scenes filled with bluebonnets, live oaks, and rambling streams in a realist style. A lifelong Texan, Slaughter was ordained as a Lutheran pastor before moving to Dallas, where he began exhibiting his work at local art and craft shows, including as a member of the Artists and Craftsmen’s Association. After nineteen years in the clergy, Slaughter decided to retire and pursue art full time. “I never really left the ministry. I now relate to people through my paintings, rather than words. There are sermons in trees and seas,” Slaughter stated.
