He spent his childhood in Mineral Wells, just south of Memphis, Tennessee and later attended the Art Institute of Chicago.
He was stricken with polio at the age of 19 which affected his left arm and leg, both of which were considerably smaller and weaker throughout his life as a result.
During the years following the Great Depression, House supported himself primarily through commercial art in Memphis, Tennessee.
After the outbreak of World War II, House was hired by the Army Air Force to work on training films for pilots.
[1] Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi has several art scholarships in his memory and has many of House's works on display.