About Walter P. Burrows

The son of Dr. Samuel Jacobs Burrows, MD FACS and Margaret Palmer Burrows, a poet, writer, and illustrator. Dr. Sam was born on December 3, 1895, in Ottowa, IL, and died Nov. 7, 1971. He was the owner and chief surgeon of Burrows Hospital, 669 Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL. He was a Chicago doctor for more than 50 years. Margaret Palmer Burrows, born December 28, 1905, was the woman of the month in the Chicago Tribune. She worked for William Randolph Hearst in 1925 as society columnist in the Call Bulletin, one of Hearst’s newspapers in San Francisco. She was a member of the Arts Club of Chicago for many years. She died in September 1979. Dr. Sam and “Peggy” had eight children, all born at the Burrows hospital, four boys and four girls. All delivered by their father, Dr. Sam.

Walter is a Chicago artist and owner of Burrows Art Galleries has been an active member of the Chicago Art Community since 1977. Walter’s mother, Margaret, was a well known Chicago artist in the ’50s and ’60s. His grandmother, Mary White Palmer, great grandmother and his sister, Wendy Burrows Carlton, were or are artists. ” It’s in my blood,” says Walter. He found influence in not only his family but also Julie Thecia.

Walter loved to draw as a child and did many under-water scenes. Walter began painting around 1976 and sold his first piece for $120 in 1979.

Walter’s style of art is Metaphysical Surrealism. He specializes in miniature paintings, as well as all sizes and very large paintings. He works with acrylics and mixed-media.