La Villita Contraste, 1957, oil on canvasboard, 12 x 16, signed lower right: John Bob Payne, John Bob Payne was an important early San Antonio painter who was inspired to paint by his friend Julian Onderdonk in 1914. His studio was in La Villita where this painting was executed. It shows San Antonio's oldest 300 year old historic neighborhood, La Villita in the foreground with the old Tower Life Building/Transit Building, built in 1927, towering above the city background to the left. He was a member of the River Art Group in San Antonio and organized their first show in 1943. Also exhibited at The Coppini Academy of Fine Arts, and was President there in the 1950's, as well as the Texas Artist's Circuit Exhibition 1953 and San Antonio local artist's exhibition in 1954. He is primarily self taught showing an unique plein-air style capturing the light, colors, and movement of the South Texas landscape.