The Artist

These photos of me in my gallery were taken by Altirado.

I was born in the Big Thicket Natrional Preserve of Southeast Texas, although it was not a national preserve when I lived there. I spent my first 8 years in a sawmill community called Camp Ruby. My grandfather was a foreman for W.T. Carter Lumber Company. You can read about Camp Ruby and my family in my memoir entitled, My Grandfather's Finger. In the early 1930's Grandfather accidentally cut off the first finger of his left hand. He was hacking his way through the Thicket with a machete. My Aunt Coleta preserved the finger in a bottle and it is, to this day, a family relic. The complete account is in my memoir.

I was an Art and Drama student in college in Abilene, Texas. I graduated in 1967 and moved to New York where I lived off and on until 2006. At that time I moved to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico where I run my own art gallery. The gallery is located in Fabrica la Aurora, a building that was once a manta Factory.

In New York I started out working first for Brentanos Bookstore and then for Scribners. I studied creative writing with Marguerite Young for many years, and I have written ten books, seven of which are published. You may find them all on Amazon.com or at Portland's famous Powell's bookstore on-line.

In New York I showed my art at the 2/20 Gallery of Miguel Herrera. The Gallery is located at 220 West 16th Street. Today, I show Miguel in my gallery in San Miguel. I also show the French/American artist Christine Amarger, Alan Wells, Kelley Vandiver, Rae Miller, and the New York Subway artist Sonny Raye.

To view a documentary fllm by Brady Bidner, produced by Mitzi Bidner go to: http://video.aol.com/video-detail/art-today-edward-swift-part-1/747483897?icid=acvsv1.

To view a short film by Russell Monk and Ben Schreiner please click on Edward In Mexico.