A collection of Anthony Quinn’s drawings in pastel were first exhibited in 1948 in Chicago during the nationally touring theater production of A Streetcar Named Desire in which Anthony played the leading role of Stanley Kowalski. In his downtime from acting, he took drawing classes at the Chicago Art Institute and was asked by a local gallery to exhibit them. 

In response to a criticism by an artist friend that, “of course you will sell your artwork, people will buy it for your name!”, before the exhibition, Anthony decided to sign the drawings with his mother’s maiden name, Oaxaca. He remained anonymous yet nearly every drawing on exhibit sold out.

For years, he continued the practice of signing “A. Oaxaca” on his drawings then in the 1960’s began signing his paintings and drawings with his own last name.