As a young man, Malcolm Furlow (1946-2023) hadn’t yet settled on what would be an award-winning career in art. He received a track scholarship to the University of Texas but decided to choose art as his major. Unfortunately, his art professor disapproved of his style of painting, and a disappointed Furlow left college to become a rock and roll musician. For 18 years, he played the sax, bass, and sometimes the guitar, playing backup for such notable groups and soloists as the Beach Boys and Lou Rawls.

Leaving his music career behind, Furlow used his artistic talent to construct models for movie sets at Walt Disney Studios. He also delved into photography, writing a book for Kodak, called Close-Up Photography, that explained the best way to photograph miniatures, especially models. But, in 1987, after hearing scholar Joseph Campbell's words "Follow Your Bliss," Furlow decided to go back to his first love, painting.

Furlow had begun drawing American Indians at the age of six when his father had Malcolm accompany him on business trips throughout New Mexico. Beginning with watercolors, Furlow had realized the medium was ill-suited for large canvases and switched to brightly colored acrylic images of Native Americans. In all his works, Furlow strove to show his deep admiration and respect for his Choctaw heritage.

His extensive accolades include the Silver award from the Sorbonne, and the highly coveted Gold Award from the world-renowned Luxembourg Museum, Paris. PBS featured him in a documentary called "The Life and Art of Malcolm Furlow"; he was also awarded the Gold Award from the Luxembourg in Paris (an honor shared with Pablo Picasso).

As of spring 2007, Furlow had "sold-out" over fifty solo shows. Malcolm Furlow's paintings commanded principal placement in exhibitions, philanthropist campaigns, and private collections around the world, including the U.S. Embassies of Morocco, Belgium, and Beijing; the White House; CEO Magazine; The Smithsonian; Mobil Oil; Arnold Schwarzenegger; Samuel Goldwyn; Richard Pryor; Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush; Senator Hillary Clinton; Bernadette Peters; Wes Studi; Phyllis Diller; William DeVane; B.J. Thomas; Jane Goodall Institute; Darryl Hannah; Eiteljorg Museum; Jon Bon Jovi; National Wildlife Museum; Koshare Museum; Santa Fe Fine Arts Museum; Paul Clarkson; Coca Cola Olympic Pavilion; Make a Wish Foundation; NBC's Today Show; Raymond James Financial Art Collection; Columbia University; and many others. Malcolm was equally celebrated in the industry of Model Railroading. He had written several "How-To" books for Kodak photography, worked as a photographer for Italian Vogue. Malcolm had also written several "How-To" books for Model Railroading. His published articles about photography and model railroading were innumerable.