Summer 2025

106 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 2 5 Kind, humble and soft-spoken, Teague quickly made many friends and connections in Carmel. He joined the Carmel Art Association and had his first one-man show there in 1950. Teague was drawn to the region’s cartoonists in partic- ular—his closest friends included Bill Bates, Eldon Dedini, Gus Arriola and Hank Ketcham. In the early 1980s, these gentlemen—along with other artists and writers—formed Carmel’s Tuesday Downtown Chowder & Marching Club, which soon became a Tuesday fixture in the front room at The Pine Inn. Sporting a trade- mark tweed jacket adorned with either an ascot or a bow tie (he owned over one hundred), Teague relished these Tuesday meetings. Verna was a vegetarian—Tuesdays meant meat was finally on Don’s lunch menu. Teague’s closest friendship in Carmel was with cowboy artist Jack “JN” Swanson.The intro- duction came via Teague’s daughter Hilary, who cleaned stalls at the Hodges Stable at Mission Ranch in exchange for free rides. One day, Hilary watched the talented Swanson sketching horses at the stable. Hilary told her father that the two must meet, and meet they soon did. Although separated by 30 years, the two men had a natural affinity for one another. Swanson was young, handsome, fit and good on a horse —in short, a perfect male model for Teague’s Western illustration work. Swanson became Teague’s primary male model for the duration of his illustration career. Teague was an artist, a family man, and a world traveler at heart.That being said, he con- tributed significantly to local civic life. In 1953 and 1954, he headed committees associated with CAA’s Annual Arts Ball. Teague served as CAA president in 1955, as the head of the “Hanging Committee” in 1958, and as policy chair in 1959. He garnered Carmel Pine Cone coverage for appointments to the Carmel Forestry Commission (1959), the Arts Commission (1966), and the Cultural Com- mission (1967).Teague served as a judge at the 1962 Concours d’Elegance, and on the board of the Monterey History and Art Association (1967-70), where he led its Art Committee. He also served as a juror or judge for many local art competitions—“a perilous undertak- ing,”Teague quipped. Teague ended his illustration career when Collier’s ceased publication at the end of 1956. In 1952 Teague illustrated “The Angle Of A Bullet” for Collier’s . Teague’s illustrated building draws inspiration from a Mexican-era adobe building in Monterey. After moving to Carmel, Teague’s main male model for illustration work was cowboy artist Jack “JN” Swanson. Teague utilized Swanson for this assignment. Teague’s lovely wife Verna served as the female model. Teague used models and photography to capture detail, such as folds in clothing. Photos: Courtesy of the Donald Teague Archive