Legendary Texas multi-media fine artist and rock ’n’ roll “artlaw” Boyd Elder died at Central Texas Medical Center in San Marcos, Texas, of natural causes on Saturday, October 6, 2018. He was 74. He was born in El Paso on January 12, 1944 and was a longtime resident of Valentine, where his family goes back four generations.
He was best-known for his iconic painted-and-adorned animal skull art featured on the covers of Eagles albums “One of These Nights” and “Their Greatest Hits” in 1975 and 1976, two in a series he called “American Fetish – RIP.”
Elder was preceded in death by his father Hal Elder, mother Billye Lee Bell Elder and youngest brother Howard Stanton Elder. He is survived by middle brother Kenneth Mack Elder of Ruidoso, New Mexico and Valentine and Mack’s son Soren Thompson of Ruidoso; eldest daughter Flaunn Elder Jamieson, her husband Ben Jamieson and their sons Lakoda Kai Jamieson and Rhyder Nalu Jamieson of Kona, Hawaii; and Shaula Elder of Austin. He is also survived by his faithful black Labrador Retriever, Sombra de la Muerta (Shadow of Death).
A celebration of Elder’s life is set for Capri in Marfa on Saturday, November 3, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on the venue side. The exhibit side will display artworks honoring “El Dia de Los Muertos.”
Additional events are being planned in Austin, Marfa and Hollywood in early 2019.
