Carl Oscar Borg
1879-1947
A native of Grinstad, Sweden, Carl Oscar Borg traveled to London to study art, supporting himself as a theater scene painter. Borg immigrated to the United States in 1902, and soon afterward he moved to Canada and later to Southern California, where he became a set painter in the fledgling movie industry.
Intrigued by his new environment, Borg traveled throughout California, the West and Southwest painting landscapes, cowboys and Indians. His work, in both oils and watercolors, came to the attention of art patroness Phoebe Apperson Hearst and she responded by sending him abroad to study and exhibit. When he returned after successfully showing in the major European capitals, Mrs. Hearst commissioned him to do a series of paintings of Southwest Indian tribal ceremonies. The resulting collection is now owned by the University of California.
Between 1913-1920, Borg was recipient of numerous awards and medals, chiefly from French exhibitions. He taught at the California Art Institute, Los Angeles, and at the Santa Barbara School of Arts. Later in life he turned again to the maturing movie industry to work as set designer and art director. Borg died at Santa Barbara in 1947.
