Jimmie Lee Marler, PhD, Celebrated for Excellence in the Field of Fine Art

July 25, 2024

Jimmie Lee Marler, PhD, is a distinguished biographee of Marquis Who’s Who. He was recently spotlighted in New York City’s Times Square on a 22-story screen that is passed by an estimated 1.5 million people daily. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are chosen from among a pool of the most prominent professionals and are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Hailing from a multifaceted journey as an educator and computer scientist, Dr. Marler has truly distinguished himself through his work as a prolific artist, with over 14,000+ works to his credit in the mediums of pastels, watercolor, pencil, and oil paint. Many of his pieces, a great deal of which depict pastoral scenes, famed sports figures, and stars of American cinema, can be found via his business, Marler’s Photo & Art LLC, or among the charitable collections to which he has generously donated over the years.

A practiced artist with over six decades of experience, Dr. Marler first learned how to draw alongside his twin brother Billie, under the mentorship of Johnny Jackson, a professional artist and paraplegic. In due time, Dr. Marler embraced the art of drawing and selling portraits as a hobby. Along the way, he discovered new techniques and styles, steadily enhancing his craft all the while. Over time, his work became prominent enough to feature in “Art from Leonardo da Vinci to Today,” which included the work of over 240 international artists. The arts have been a balm throughout some of the more difficult parts of Dr. Marler’s life as well, including the illness and passing of his wife of nearly five decades. His wife loved and encouraged his art, especially his pencil drawings; when she was in pain, Dr. Marler would sit by her side, letting his creativity flow onto the paper for her to watch.

Though now retired from the field of education, Dr. Marler previously earned distinction as a versatile teacher, with a wealth of expertise in numerous fields. He spent a significant part of his career teaching mathematics and computers at both Southwest Baptist University and Drury University, having initially begun as a teacher for the Harville Schools in 1972. As his professional journey progressed, he expanded his teaching repertoire by offering up to 24 classes in such subjects as photography, computer programming, different computer languages, and web design, as well as mathematics, physics, and art. Throughout this period, Dr. Marler’s teaching skills were celebrated by his students, who benefited richly from his tutelage and knowledge of multiple disciplines. To wit, he was the recipient of several accolades, including a 1996 Tandy Technology Scholars Outstanding Teacher Award, two People’s Choice Awards, and induction into the Dunklin County Library Hall of Fame.

Dr. Marler initially studied at Southwestern College in Oklahoma City, earning an Associate of Arts in 1967. Following this accomplishment, he went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science from the College of the Ozarks, a Master of Arts from Drury University, a master’s degree in computer science at Columbia University, New York, and, ultimately, a Doctorate in Computers from Columbia Pacific University, San Rafael, California in 1998.

Looking ahead, Dr. Marler hopes to continue drawing on behalf of clients and for other projects, and to showcase more of his work for an international audience – he has already been invited to participate in five competitions in Tokyo, London and New York, and two of his pieces were recently featured at the PAKS Gallery in Vienna, Austria, and at the Modern Art Masters exhibition at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, France. Likewise, he received a profile in Rural Missouri Magazine in June 2023. He was also featured in the American Magazine in 2021. In due time, Dr. Marler aspires to become the most prolific artist in the world, rivaled only by Pablo Picasso in output.

About Marquis Who’s Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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