Born and raised in San
Antonio, Gilbert Neumann was the son of a prominent architect and
part an old San Antonio family. He was an early student of José
Arpa. He also studied with Xavier Gonzalez after Gonzalez was
invited to teach at the Sophie Newcomb College in New Orleans.
Gutzon Borglum hired him to assist with his sculpture works in San
Antonio, Neumann providing drawings works and gained valuable
technical training from the master carver. He also was influenced by
sculptor and artist, Hugo Villa. He was one of the first Texas
painters chosen to exhibit in the first Davis Wildflower Competition
in 1927. He was also one of the earliest artists to be hired in San
Antonio during the newly created PWAP arts program of the New Deal.
He started an art school in San Antonio in 1931 and would later was
to teach art for several years in California for the Anaheim Art
League. He would exhibit with distinction for five decades as a
muralist, printmaker and painter.