Women's History Month

March is Women’s History Month!

To celebrate, I thought I would share one of my favorite female figures from our local Texas History.

Sallie Reynolds Matthews was a woman who documented her experiences on the early Texas frontier. In her book, Interwoven, Matthews shares an intimate account of her life that spans from her childhood to raising a family of her own.

This autobiography is so fascinating to me on two counts. First, Matthews shares her personal views on controversial subjects during the latter part of the 1800s, including slavery and the treatment of Native Americans. In a time where women were heralded for their domesticity rather than their intellect, her views show a depth of intelligence and empathy. (They certainly negate the more popular attitudes of the day.) Her writing reflects independent, ‘modern thinking’ by a woman who lived a somewhat isolated life on the West Texas prairie.

Second, Matthews shares experiences that many of us would find traumatic and harrowing, demonstrating an unwavering resilience (that appeared to be a common trait in many frontier settlers.) In her account, she accurately documents a life full of trauma, trials and hard work, while also finding pleasure in the world around her.

Through my research of Texas history I can testify that women are often excluded from the narrative of the settlement history of our communities, but Matthews has ensured the opposite for our region. Her writing describes the skill, determination, and influence demonstrated by these women, and the role they played in the development of civilized societies. She asserts that women played an essential role in creating the foundations for the towns in which we now live.

To learn more, purchase your own copy of Interwoven from our online Gift-shop! (find link below).

I also recommend that you explore our Robert Nail, Jr. Archives here at the OJAC to learn about the Reynolds and the Matthews families as well as the other founders of our region.

Jewellee Kuenstler, THC&P Coordinator

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sold out

Interwoven: A Pioneer Chronicle by Sallie Reynolds Matthews

$39.50

Spring Break Activities @ OJAC Giftshop!

Have kiddos on break from school this month? Looking for fun and educational art activities? The OJAC GIFT SHOP offers a variety of family-friendly activities!

Try your hand at Japanese calligraphy on a Buddha Board, explore artists and their work through guided coloring sets, plant wildflower seeds to bloom in your garden this spring, or work together as a family to re-create a piece from the museum collection!

Tatum Green, Administrative Assistant

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Spring Kites Around the World

Did you know that many countries around the world celebrate the warm weather of Spring with kites? Countries such as Guatemala, Australia, Bali, Italy, Pakistan, China and Japan all have National Kite Flying Holidays! 

This weekend, in celebration of World Kite Month, West Texas families joined the OJAC in creating kites of styles and designs from all over the globe! 

They designed Japanese Koinobori, Basant Patang, Maori Manu Tukutuku and Guatemalan Barriletes Gigantes just to name a few!

Families enjoyed a Virtual scavenger hunt of Kite-themed artwork from the museum collection, added to our Community Spring Wishes Mural, and enjoyed Spring games, music and refreshments.

Molly Gore Merck, Education Coordinator

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Happy Basant Panchami!

This month in Art-To-Go:

This February over 4,000 Texas students participated in our arts and culture enrichment program, Art-To-Go.

K-12 students explored an ancient celebration celebrated each spring in the countries of Pakistan and India.

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What we explored:

The Basant festival is one of the oldest in world history. It is a celebration of the spring season and time spent together as family.

The festival centers around a Kite Flying Competition that occurs on the roofs of many families in the large urban communities of Pakistan.

The color yellow is everywhere during the festival as it reminds the Pakistani people of the bright spring sun and the blooming fields of mustard flowers!

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What we made:

Elementary students began our study by listening as our Instructors read a book about a special young boy reaching social and personal goals while competing in the Basant kite flying competition.

Next, younger elementary students created mustard-flower Patang (kites), complete with green flowing leaves and a Basant Greeting!

We enjoyed listening to traditional music and “flying” our Patang around the room on parade!

Upper elementary age students created a class garland of Patang to decorate their room for Spring!

Students practiced writing script in another language, drawing symbols of the holiday, and folding a basic 3D paper form.

Middle School students created a toy that has been a kid-favorite during Basant celebrations for hundreds of years.

First, they decorated a punched coaster with symbols and phrases related to the Basant festival.

Next, they laced a string through their design to create a whirligig toy!

They surprised themselves with how much fun was to be had with such a “low-tech” contraption!

High School students investigated the social and economic implications of the modern Basant Festival in Pakistan and India. After watching videos of the celebration and discussion/ debate- they created real, flying Patang!

After assemblage, they decorated their kite with symbols and traditional greetings of the holiday, and then took their kites outside to fly. (For many, this was their first time to fly or own a kite!)

Join us at the museum next weekend for our Basant Kite Festival to create one of these fun crafts and celebrate spring with us!

Event is FREE and open to the public. All ages welcome.

Molly Gore Merck, Education Coordinator

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OJAC Celebrates 40 Years

This spring the Robert E. Nail Jr. Archives will debut a new exhibit with a focus on the history of our own fine art institution. The Old Jail Art Center (OJAC) opened in 1980 with four small galleries in the first permanent jail built in Shackelford County. Construction began in 1877 and the limestone work was done by Scottish stonemasons who carved their initials into the large blocks to insure payment for work done once the fledgling county was solvent.

The jail building was closed in 1929 and remained vacant until June of 1940 when playwright and Fort Griffin Fandangle creator Robert E. Nail, Jr. purchased the building and land. Nail used the jail as a writing studio until in death in 1968. Reilly Nail, Princeton graduate, former television producer, and local author inherited the building from his ‘Uncle Bobby.’

Within a decade, Reilly and his cousin, Fort Worth Circle artist Bill Bomar, decided to combine their collections of 20th century Modern Art and the collections of their mothers to form the core of the OJAC permanent collection, which now numbers over 2,400 works of art. After three years of planning and renovation, they opened the Old Jail Art Center to the public in December of 1980.

Spear-headed by the vision of Reilly Nail, the museum has become a respected, accredited, and nationally recognized fine art institution. Nor could any of the success and recognition the museum enjoys have been accomplished without all of the hard work and dedication by past and current board members, staff, donors, docents, interns, and countless others.

Molly Sauder, Archivist and Librarian

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OJAC Board Meeting in San Antonio, November 1985

OJAC Board honors Reilly Nail as he retires from executive director position, November 1992

Docent Diana Nail teaches children at OJAC, Undated

Mark Thislewaite Lecture at 20th Century Sculpture Exhibition Opening, 1996

Nancy Green tours Lady Bird Johnson through OJAC, June 1991

OJAC Staff, December 1989

Reilly Nail at OJAC Addition Party 1996

Xin Nian Kuai Le! LNY @ OJAC

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This month in Art-To-Go:

The month of January is always a staff and student favorite for our education programs. TIme and again, we find that Lunar New Year is an exciting subject for students of all ages, as they connect and make meaning through language, legends, music and ancient artifacts!

Nearly 4,000 students participated in our Lunar New Year programming this month, whether through a physical visit to their classroom or a virtual visit through satellite conferencing technology.

Molly Gore Merck, Education Coordinator

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What we explored:

2020 saw the re-cycle of the 12 year Zodiac calendar and the “Year of the Rat!”

To celebrate, students first investigated the science and history of both the Solar and Lunar Calendar Systems.

Next, students explored the connection between the Zodiac and Lunar Calendar through the legend of the Great Race. [Differing ages enjoyed books, puppetry or animated versions of the legend!]

Watch a short version here:

Students then identified their birth year and animal on the Zodiac calendar and brainstormed the attributes associated with that animal.

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What we made:

Younger elementary students crafted Rat-shaped finger puppets and practiced their calligraphy skills by decorating their puppet with the Mandarin word for Rat.

Older elementary students learned about Hong Bao, a special New Years gifting tradition in China.

Red envelopes filled with money or goodies are traditionally given to children by their older relatives. Before placing prizes inside their envelope our students personalized their Hong Bao with rat ears and and long, curly whiskers! They included facts about Lunar New Year into their design before gifting it to a friend or family member!

Middle-school students practiced origami and calligraphy to create a unique, Rat-themed bookmark.

Students in kinder as well as high school took inspiration directly from the OJAC Collection by incorporating imagery one of our many Chinese antiquities into their artwork.

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40 Years Of Vision In 2020

As we sit on the brink of celebrating 40 years of the Old Jail Art Center, it is hard for me to imagine Albany without this gem.  The Old Jail Art Center has been so important to me during the 25 plus years I have lived in Albany.  Never dreaming that I would one day have the privilege to work in this wonderful museum and surround myself with the beauty of art each and every day.  I served as a board member and docent in my early years of living in Albany; I developed a love for the arts and how the museum was a focal point of my small west Texas hometown. 

In August 2018, I was honored to begin a journey of being part of this great staff and work with the development and membership of the OJAC.  What a fantastic opportunity each and everyday to realize the joy and amusement this museum brings not only to Albany, the surrounding area but also to all of Texas.  I love the shock of visitors, as they enter the museum not knowing what they will find within the walls.  I love the fact that people are so surprised to find a Klee, Renoir and Picasso that are hang on the walls of this small treasure. 

I enjoy the work of promoting the OJAC and Albany throughout our region and Texas.  Our membership is widespread and diverse in the knowledge of the arts, which makes the museum so strong from the standpoint of interest.

The development of a museum is interesting and challenging.  Small towns are attracting a new wave of tourism, a sense of rural coolness is emerging and tourists and visitors are starting to visit small towns for the art.   This is really increasing economic development for a town such as Albany. 

 Heralded by Texas Monthly Magazine as “the best small town museum in the state --- maybe the nation,” we strive to be “one of the best museums” period.  I am grateful to be a part of this great museum and as the OJAC celebrates 40 years in 2020, I look forward to the future of the Old Jail Art Center. 

This week the calendar rolls over and 2020 is introduced.  What an exciting year at the OJAC!!  The museum will celebrate 40 years this year and on March 28, 2020 the lights will be shining as the red carpet is rolled out for the Piano Man and a gala celebration.  A new year brings hope, excitement and promises for individuals as well as the museum.

This milestone in the life of the OJAC reminds us of the individuals that had the vision of the small limestone building.   Reilly Nail, Bill Bomar and their mothers would be so proud of what the museum is today.   They had a vision that has endured droughts, fires, financial set backs and hard ships but the museum has thrived because of the members and supporters that have been steadfast and committed to the mission of this outstanding museum.   I personally think of all the individuals that have sat on the board, served as a docent, as well as staff members, directors and all the ones that have countless volunteer hours to keep the doors open and the lights on.   The walls of the museum are strong and well adorned with the most beautiful art.   I am so proud of the achievements of the Old Jail Art Center and the many different groups served through the education department, adult programs, docent programs, membership and visitors at large.

Happy New Year to all of you and Happy 40th Birthday to the OJAC!!  It is going to be a magical year. 

-Susan Montgomery, Development and Membership Coordinator

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Identity Revealed

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet the artist Xiaoze Xie at his exhibition opening at Tally Dunn Gallery in Dallas. Born in a small town in Guangdong Province, China, at the beginning of the Chinese Cultural Revolution in 1966, Xie now splits his time between studios in Beijing and Palo Alto, California, where he a Professor of Art at Stanford University. Xie is probably best-known for his monumental paintings of library books and newspapers, sometimes based on banned and forbidden books in China. The OJAC is fortunate to own two works by Xie, including Chinese Library #6, and Untitled (for Polit Bureau Politician).

Shortly after introductions by mutual friends, Xiaoze offered previously unknown background information on his untitled work. He shared that Untitled (for Polit Bureau Politician), 1995 is a portrait of Yuan Shikai, a Chinese military and government official who rose to power during the late Qing dynasty. Through negotiations with revolutionaries, he became the first official president of the Republic of China in 1912 and, only a few years later, boldly declared himself emperor. Faced with widespread opposition backed by Japan, Yuan was forced to abolish his newly announced monarchy in March 1916 and died three months later.

In Xiaoze’s portrait, the bottom half of the painting depicts a partial newspaper image of Yuan in Western-style suit and tie standing behind a large microphone. By cropping off Yuan’s head and leaving only a stark white void for the top third of the painting, Xie‘s work speaks to the power of the loudest voice, while also illustrating its fleeting nature.

-Amy Kelly, Registrar

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XIAOZE XIE, Chinese Library #6, 1995, oil on canvas. Gift of Karol Howard and George Morton. 2012.012

XIAOZE XIE, Untitled (for Polit Bureau Politician), 1995, oil on canvas. Gift of Karol Howard and George Morton. 2012.013

Texas Central Railroad in Albany

 After the Civil War, interest was again placed on a southern transcontinental railroad. The Texas and Pacific Railway company undertook the project of railroad construction in Texas. From 1873 to 1881 the Texas and Pacific constructed 972 miles of track from Longview to Abilene, reaching nearby Cisco in 1880.  

Although this railroad connected the state from east to west, there was a lack of railway transportation from Houston north. The Texas Central Railway was chartered in 1879 to remedy this deficiency. Beginning at Ross Station north of Waco, the tracks were laid through Walnut Springs, Hico, Dublin, DeLeon, Cisco and Albany in December of 1881. Although the plan was to extend the line north, financial difficulties made Albany the terminus, or end of the line, for 19 years.

Cattle, sheep and cash crops, such as cotton, dominated the local economy until the emergence of the oil industry in the early 1920s.The arrival of the Texas Central Railway made Albany a shipping point in West Texas for cattle, buffalo bones, building stone, and cotton. As the end of the rail line, Albany experienced a long period of growth and prosperity.

The railroad brought many opportunities to rural Texas communities. Crates of oranges, apples, bananas and fresh oysters were now seen on a regular basis in small towns. Mail could be sent and received faster with the U.S. Mail railroad car that passed through Albany at least once a day. Faster passenger transportation, regardless of the weather and in relative comfort, was now available for travel to nearby towns, or farther.   

In 1900, the railroad started to build again, extending the line from Albany to Stamford, and then to Rotan. In 1910, the Texas Central Railway was acquired by the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway Company (MKT, or KATY), although it continued to operate as a separate entity. The railroad expanded and served the people of West Texas until rail service was reduced due to the rapid growth of highway transportation. In 1967, the line was discontinued, thus ending 85 years of service to Albany. 

-Molly Sauder, Archivist and Librarian

SPOKEN Project Update

SPOKEN: Ardon B Judd, Jr Oral History Project was established to record the stories and life histories of the people of Albany, Texas and its surrounding region. In memory of Old Jail Art Center Board member and archives supporter Ardon Judd, the project will preserve this rich history and make it accessible to visitors, students, and researchers. This wealth of information will be both a source of enjoyment and education for current and future generations.

The first round of films and full interviews are available for viewing on the OJAC Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/user32466522

The Archives would like to thank all of the donors who made these priceless first interviews and films possible, as well as the Summerlee Foundation, which provided a grant for the new audio/visual technology.

This spring and summer, the project commenced filming for a second round of interviews and videos. Keep your eyes out for an announcement next year to see the new films both in the museum and online!

-Molly Sauder, Archivist and Librarian

Fandangle Focus: Alice Reynolds

The Fort Griffin Fandangle began in 1938 as a school play entitled Dr. Shackelford's Paradise and was first performed that spring by the seniors of Albany High School. Penned and directed by Robert E. Nail, Jr., for whom the Archives is named, the play was a dramatic account of the history of Shackelford County.

Alice Reynolds was born in Albany, Texas on January 16, 1910. She was the oldest child in a family with one boy and three girls, and daughter of Andrew Watkins Reynolds and Bertie Herron Reynolds. After graduating from Albany High School in 1927 Reynolds left Albany to attend Baylor University where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in music in 1931. Reynolds then returned to Albany, where she taught part time in the local public schools and also gave private music lessons.

Reynolds artistic abilities were not limited to the musical arts – she was also a talented painter. Up until the late 1930s, she had been largely self-taught, but new opportunities became available when she entered a painting in a national contest that was part of a New Deal program in 1938. She won a prize of $600, and Reynolds decided to use the money to study oil painting with Xavier Gonzales at the Sophie Newcomb College in New Orleans. When she returned to Albany a few years later she carried with her a rolled-up mural destined for the Robstown, TX post office, where it can still be seen today.

In 1941 Reynolds moved to New York to continue studying with Gonzales, who was now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Bill Bomar, a fellow artist and old friend from Albany was also living in New York at the time, and they often met together or with other artist friends for drawing and painting sessions.

In 1946, with the war concluded and productions of the Fandangle beginning again, she received a call from her cousin Watt R. Matthews with a request to for her to do the music. Reynolds agreed, and eventually returned to Albany permanently in 1948, though she continued throughout her life to nurture her artistic talents, and kept close ties with Gonzales, Bomar, and other members of the Fort Worth Circle.

From this point forward, Reynolds was helping with the Fandangle production almost non-stop, from writing music to designing sets and costumes. Some of her original songs include the much loved “Let’s Settle in this Country” and “Texas Central,” among others. She played the organ for every performance, and countless rehearsals, for 45 years.

Alice Reynolds died in Albany on May 20, 1984. Her contributions to the arts, the Fandangle, and the Albany community can be seen and felt daily, but never more strongly than in late June, when the sun sets and the cowboys of the flag parade begin to race across the prairie stage.

- Molly Sauder, Archivist and Librarian

"Art to Heart" Senior Outreach Program

At the OJAC, we often say that “Art for All” means art for ages 2 to 102!

Through our Art to Heart program, we connect with area nursing homes, assisted living centers and rehabilitation centers. This free senior outreach program is designed to provide opportunities for senior learners to share, create and move together.

Monthly programs combine art investigation, memory-share, crafting, and visual and kinetic activities inspired by a work of art or artifact in the museums collection. Programs are conducted on-site and virtually, in tandem; one museum educator is located at the museum and teaches the participants virtually over a television screen, while another instructor travels to the center in person and coordinates the craft and movement activities.

A recent Art to Heart program included a celebration of May Day- the ancient Celtic celebration of nature and community. Participants viewed artwork reflecting dance and warm weather, discussed their childhood memories of the spring season, crafted a floral May Cone to leave on the doorknob of a neighbor, then danced together around our may-pole, braiding a colorful pattern for all to enjoy.

Beginning this fall, we are excited to add a new element to this program as the museum will provide funding for each participating center to enjoy a visit to the museum at the conclusion of their annual program. We are hopeful that this opportunity will further enrich our program, as well as our relationship with families in surrounding communities.

- Erin Whitmore, Education Director

LTC Dyess and the Bataan Death March

In February the Robert E. Nail, Jr. Archives will debut a new exhibit with a focus on World War II hero William Edwin Dyess.

Born and raised in Albany, Texas, Dyess was the son of Judge Richard T. and Hallie Graham Dyess. A natural athlete, he played football and ran track and field at Albany High School, where he graduated in 1934. Dyess then attended John Tarleton Agricultural College, majoring in pre-law, running in track, and serving as president of the student council. In 1936 he graduated from Tarleton, with plans to transfer to the University of Texas to continue his studies in law. Fate intervened however, and after meeting a former trainee from San Antonio’s Randolph Field, Dyess was inspired to join the United States Army Air Corps and undergoing flight training.

Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant after graduation in 1937, he was soon promoted to First Lieutenant and Commander of the 21st Pursuit Squadron while stationed for a short time in Louisiana. Dyess was then transferred to California, where he met a young woman named Marajen Stevickl. They married on November 30, 1940. Almost a year later, in early November of 1941, Dyess and his squadron were transferred overseas and arrived in the Philippines shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

After numerous heroic efforts in battle with the Japanese, Dyess participated in the Battle of Bataan. As the province began to fall in early April of 1942, Dyess chose to stay with his men rather than evacuate, giving up his seat on the last plane out to a comrade.

Dyess and his men were captured by the Japanese on April 9, 1942, and the next morning began the infamous Bataan Death March. The prisoners endured six days of merciless sun, no food or water, and inhumane treatment before arriving at various Japanese prison camps.

In November of 1943, Dyess and others were transported to the Davao Penal Colony on Mindanao.  There, Dyess, along with 9 other American POWs and two Filipino convicts began makings plans and preparations for a daring escape attempt. On Sunday, April 4, 1943, the men slipped unnoticed into the nearby jungle and traveled for a month before meeting up with a group of Fliipino guerrillas.

Upon returning to the United States, Dyess received a hero’s welcome in his home town of Albany, Texas. After recuperating in the hospital, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and assigned to fly P-38 Lightnings in preparation for a return to combat. On December 22, 1943, while flight training near Burbank, California, his plane lost an engine due to fire. Dyess attempted an emergency landing on a broad street, but when an unknowing automobile turned into his path, he swerved to avoid it and crashed into a nearby vacant lot.

William Edwin Dyess was buried in the Albany Cemetery, having received many honors and commendations, including the Distinguished Service Cross, the Legion of Merit, and the Silver Star. Posthumously, he was awarded the Soldier’s Medal and the nearby Abilene Air Force Base was renamed Dyess Air Force Base in his honor in 1956.

- Molly Sauder, Archivist and Librarian

Growing Up @ OJAC

In seventh grade I became a Junior Docent (or JuDo) at the OJAC. The Junior Docent Program is a teen volunteer program at the museum that teaches local 13-16 year olds about visual arts and culture as well as museum work. My older brother had also been a Junior Docent and later an intern at OJAC. As any younger sibling does, I looked up to my brother and aspired to have the same experiences!

I’ve always been creative with a passion for art- and the Education Director at the museum pushed each of the Junior Docents to trust and pursue these interests. I remember being excited for our Wednesday meetings to come every week so that I could feel a sense of belonging and involvement in something creative- something that made me feel unique. I spent the next 3 years working family and public events, preparing supplies for programs, learning how to study and speak about art and what it is like to work at a museum. I was certain of my “yes” answer when the Education Director asked me to join their High School Intern program at the end of my Sophomore year. The OJAC had become my second home by this time, and I felt as if I could be my true self, (weird, quirky, creative, etc.) She always took the time to teach, help, and mentor and I looked up to her throughout Jr. high and High School.

As high school graduation approached I remember looking back on my growth during my 6 years at the OJAC. I had gone from being shy to confidant, gaining public speaking and organizational skills. The Education Director had not only helped my love for art grow, but also pushed me out of my comfort zone and shaped me into someone who felt like I could conquer anything I put my mind to.

After graduating from AHS I attended Dental Assisting School and moved to Austin for work, I spent a year working with an incredible dentist, but Austin was just too big for a small town girl. I moved back to Albany and reconnected with the Ed Director in July of 2018 (not that we ever really lost touch). She informed me that the museum was seeking an interim Admin Assistant. I gladly said yes, as being back at the OJAC (even for a short period of time) was a happy and familiar feeling. As I worked in an interim capacity I decided to apply for the full-time position during their candidate search. I was thrilled they decided to hire me full time starting January 1st of this year. It’s a position where I get to interact with my community, visitors from all over the world, and be a part of a team of creative people who share my passions for art and history.

Life has a funny way of bringing you back to your roots when you feel like you are lost. Austin was not ‘me,’ but Albany was somewhere I knew I could be my true self. My student experiences at the museum helped shape me into who I am today; they gave me a great work ethic, problem solving skills and can-do attitude.  I am incredibly grateful the OJAC has these great programs to teach, mentor and inspire young students. I know that I am not the only example of the impact of these programs in our small town. The museum’s Junior Docent and HS Internship programs have impacted the lives of many of Albany’s youth and I hope they continue for years to come.

-Tatum Green, Administrative Assistant and Visitor Services Coordinator

OJAC Celebrates 10 Years of the Cell Series

Ten years ago the OJAC renovated its historic 1877 jail building. Following the renovation, the Asian collection was installed in the two lower galleries with new interpretive materials and exhibition furniture. The upstairs was to be devoted to a series titled A Cell of One's Own initiated by Margaret Blagg, the director at that time. Since that first exhibit in the fall of 2008, which featured artist Denny Pickett, the now titled Cell Series has hosted 28 other shows in the series. With exception of only a couple of artists, all are from or have a close connection to Texas. 

The Cell Series, along with other exhibitions, has garnered the OJAC a statewide reputation as one of the few art institutions that promotes contemporary Texas artists and their work. This is not unusual for the OJAC, as our co-founders Reilly Nail and Bill Bomar did the exact same in past OJAC exhibits as well as through their personal collection. 

For many visitors to the museum, this series of exhibits may be their only exposure to vanguard art being created at this moment in history. The Cell Series presents a rare opportunity to encounter work that is attempting to interpret and translate the world we universally experience in creative and surprising ways. 

I am reminded of a story that makes being part of a museum staff worth the many efforts. During a student art competition a few years ago, students were asked to created an artwork in response to the work of a Cell Series artist and submit a comment to accompany their piece. One student wrote a short statement that included the sentence, "I've never seen anything like that before." That simple statement succinctly sums up what many artists are attempting to do - create something never before seen. I sincerely hope that is what we all see in art and life.. to see and experience the "new" even though it can sometimes be challenging and unfamiliar. There is no guarantee in art or life that we will like the new things, but I am confident that if we are openminded, art will allow us to see something unique and many things new again. 

Our audiences have enjoyed ten years of the Cell Series and can now help us welcome the 30th exhibit that will feature the work of Cam Schoepp this fall. Coincidentally, founder Reilly Nail was a friend and collector of Schoepp and his work beginning about 30 years ago. It only seems appropriate that his exhibit will help us celebrate this moment in the OJAC's continuing history of supporting and exhibiting Texas artists. 

- Patrick Kelly 

OJAC Executive Director 

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Banner Image: CAM SCHOEPP, paint/lift/line (installation detail), 2017, paint, chain and barrel, electric motor. Courtesy of the artist. 

37th Hour

Recently the OJAC acquired 37th Hour, a large and colorful painting by Brooklyn based (but Texas born) artist Matt Kleberg. I was curious about the title so I did some digging on my own, but came up short and even more perplexed. What I had considered as possibly inspired by Southern Gothic writings, or even a biblical code (as suggested by the internet), or simply an ironic or random phrase, actually turned out to be a very personal story. With Matt’s permission, here’s the inside scoop that inspired the title:

Matt Kleberg: "[37th Hour] was in a show in NYC last year. I was working on the paintings for that show while Liz (his wife)was pregnant and the show opened pretty soon after we had Waylon. The titles of the paintings all reflected the birth, and 37th Hour was in reference to the 37.5 hour long labor that Liz had, and the drawn out anticipation of it all. The meaning of the work for me, or at least the context that gives a painting a reason for being is always shifting. During Liz’s pregnancy, the empty niches in the work took on an expectant, anticipatory charge. They became about waiting and wondering about who this person coming into our lives was going to be. The paintings, in that regard, were 'pregnant spaces'." 

Amy Kelly, Registrar

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MATT KLEBERG, 37th Hour, 2017, oil stick on canvas, 72 x 58 in. Museum purchase. 2018.002

OJAC Receives Art Works Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

 National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $25 million in grants as part of the NEA’s second major funding announcement for fiscal year 2018. Included in this announcement is an Art Works grant of $22,000 to the Old Jail Art Center for the upcoming exhibition René Treviño: A New Codex. In this exhibition contemporary Mexican-American artist René Treviño will create an installation comprised of his own work alongside his personal selections from the Old Jail Art Center’s Pre-Columbian collection. The Art Works category is the NEA’s largest funding category and supports projects that focus on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and/or the strengthening of communities through the arts. 

“It is energizing to see the impact that the arts are making throughout the United States. These NEA-supported projects, such as this one to the OJAC, are good examples of how the arts build stronger and more vibrant communities, improve well-being, prepare our children to succeed, and increase the quality of our lives,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “At the National Endowment for the Arts, we believe that all people should have access to the joy, opportunities, and connections the arts bring.” 

“An NEA Art Works grant is a validation of the type of quality exhibitions the OJAC provides to a diverse audience. This support is vital to the mission of the OJAC to provide art for all that is free for all,” said OJAC Executive Director Patrick Kelly. “In addition, it allows visitors to see ancient objects in a new light with the help of contemporary artist René Treviño.” 

Utilizing extensive research of Mayan and other cultures’ carvings, Treviño develops contemporary images from Mesoamerica’s ancient steles and codices. He then combines these forms and symbols derived from ancient culture with popular culture references such as Wonder Woman, Oreo cookies, and pop designer Lisa Frank’s canon. The OJAC installation will incorporate Treviño’s large-scale works on paper along with smaller works on leather skins and short looped digital animations. Many of the objects in the OJAC Pre-Columbian collection to be utilized are figurative. Those figures become the “players” in drawings and animations. Placing his own sculptural objects, like jewelry, masks, or small drawings, into the vitrines with the objects from the museum’s collection, will further challenge visitors to see and seek relationships between the ancient and contemporary. The result is an artist’s created world that references our past and speaks to our present and future. 

 René Treviño: A New Codex is on view from September 15, 2018 – August 24, 2019. This exhibition is organized by the OJAC and curated by Patrick Kelly. For more information on projects included in the NEA grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news. 

Additional Support

Support for René Treviño: A New Codex is also provided by Anonymous, Erin Cluley, Pam and Bob Tidwell, and Travis Vandergriff.

General Operating support is provided by the Still Water Foundation, Summerlee Foundation, T.J. Brown and C.A. Lupton Foundation, Texas Prairieland Foundation, and the OJAC’s dedicated board, patrons, and members. 

 OJAC Mission

The Old Jail Art Center seeks to enhance the lives of area residents and visitors by providing art for all. 

Kenna Hogan, Development and Marketing Coordinator

Spring Student Programs!

Currently on display in the Stasney Center for Education are forty artworks by young artists from the surrounding area. The artists are local 7th-12th graders and are all students who benefit from the OJAC's monthly in-school program, Art-to-Go. In January, one of our staff members and ATG instructors presented these students with five pieces by known artists in the OJAC collection. In cooperation with our theme "Talking Back," each student chose one of the five collection pieces as inspiration and responded by creating their own unique artwork. The collection pieces serve as a "jumping off point" for the students as they find their own voice or show us their own take on the subject matter, technique, or style of the original. As a part of the learning experience and honing their own artistic voice, students are also asked to write an artist statement with their work. 

We call it a Student Art Show not only for the artist participants but also for its jurors. The OJAC is proud of our Junior Docent corps, 7th-12th grades students who volunteer or work for the Education Department. The annual student art show is one of the JuDos' biggest projects during the school year. In the week before the show opens, JuDos volunteer their time and efforts to judge hundreds of submissions and carefully curate a show of artworks that speak to the theme and meet quality standards of creativity and craftsmanship. At the opening reception (held Saturday, March 10th) our JuDos present the winning students with certificates and prizes for Honorable Mention, Best in Category, and Best in Show.

On Saturday April 14th, JuDos will be hosting International Slow Art Day at the OJAC. Each of them are already hard at work to prepare a small gallery talk and activity for museum guests. Their research and presentation will be based on their favorite piece from our current exhibitions. In the coming weeks students will contact contemporary artists and research the history and style of their piece to give visitors a fresh look at their chosen piece and facilitate a more interactive museum experience. 

All in all, we're proud of the young artists and art appreciators in our area. It's deep within our mission at the OJAC that art is for all and we work hard to make it so. Be sure to come by and check out the Student Art Show before it goes off display at the end of March and mark your calendars to show your support for our students on International Slow Art Day, Saturday, April 14th.

Molly Gore Merck, Education Coordinator

2018 - Year of Conservation

As you may recall, the Old Jail Art Center designated 2017 as the "Year of the Membership" and successfully increased our membership by about 120 percent. 2018 will be the "Year of Conservation" and will encompass a variety of initiatives. Conservation, preservation, sustainability, and stewardship are all related concepts that describe the multiple projects taking place throughout the year.  

Efforts to increase funding for much needed conservation and preservation on works in the art and archives collections will focus on the Fort Worth Circle paintings and the original Shackelford County courthouse drawings. The OJAC has already taken the first step in its conservation endeavors by submitting a grant to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to fund a survey of 83 paintings by Fort Worth Circle artists. During that process, it was realized that the OJAC has the largest holding of Fort Worth Circle art works by any museum in the world. The original courthouse drawings on linen in the OJAC's Robert E. Nail Jr. Archives are in need of stabilization and archival framing. These are just two examples on a prioritized list of collections care. 

The much-anticipated initial series of video interviews in the Ardon Judd Oral History project administered through the OJAC's Robert E. Nail Jr. Archives will debut in October. This project demonstrates the importance of preserving regional history, while also making that history accessible to visitors, students and researchers. This wealth of information will be valuable resource for research, education and enjoyment for current and future generations.

The OJAC takes another step in sustainability by being awarded a grant from the The Green Mountain Energy Sun Club ® to install solar panels, which will reduce our energy expenses. Sun Club funds will also be provided for education programs that will dovetail with our current curriculum utilizing collection objects to promote stewardship and sustainability of our natural resources. Not only will the OJAC take a leadership role in this important endeavor for our region of Texas, but also reduce operating cost - directing those savings to other programs. 

These activities emphasize the imporantance of the OJAC as not only the primary repository of cultural and historical items and information, but also our obligation to protect and preserve that which we hold in public trust. 

- Patrick Kelly

Executive Director and Curator of Exhibitions 

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Spoken: Ardon Judd Oral History Project from The Old Jail Art Center on Vimeo.

The Path Into the Blue

OJAC Collection favorite Der Weg ins Blaue (The Path Into the Blue) will be on exhibit at the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, Germany this March.  The Pinakothek der Moderne is one of the largest museums in the world for art, architecture and design of the 20th and 21st centuries.

"The exhibition, 'Construction of Mystery' is the first major exhibition of Paul Klee's work to be held at the Pinakothek de Moderne. The substantial holdings in Munich will be presented alongside more than 120 works from important Klee collections in Europe, the United States and Japan. The show follows Klee's path as a 'thinking artist' who systematically explores and transcends boundaries of the rational in his work. At the center of the exhibition is the 1920s, a time in which Klee responded to the challenges of the new technological world and its impact on the creativity of the modern artist. As a Bauhaus master, Klee questioned the dominance of rationalism and strove to balance understanding and feeling, construction and intuition. This exhibition shows the continued relevance of Klee's work, addressing fundamental conflicts of the modern subject. " -Pinakothek der Moderne 

Kenna Hogan, Development and Marketing Coordinator

PAUL KLEE

Der Weg ins Blaue (The Path into the Blue), 1934

Encaustic on canvas mounted on board

Gift of Bill Bomar, 1991.002.

OJAC Staff and Board Members attended the opening reception of Paul Klee: Construction of Mystery. This exhibition will be on view at the Pinakothek de Moderne from March 1, 2018 - June 6, 2018.