Summer Camp from the Kitchen Table

This August’s camps looked a little different than previous summers but the OJAC Education Department had no shortage of fun planning them!

K-6th graders from all over Texas registered to participate in this years virtual art camps. (Living 6 hours away from the museum is no problem when the experience is virtual!) Each day, students opened new envelopes of supplies, snacks, and gifts while watching pre-recorded videos put together by OJAC’s education staff.

Here at the OJAC, you know we love a cultural deep dive! We take any opportunity to explore artifacts from the many countries represented in our collection- which is why our annual Cultural Connections Camp is a staff favorite! Each summer for the last 20 years, we have explored a different culture from our collection with our K-6th graders- celebrating the history, traditions and art, as well as the food, music and games of each location! This year’s focus was the Andean cultures of Peru…so we were able to investigate pre-Colombian collection artifacts from the Moche, Chimu and Inca. It’s clear from the images and feedback we’ve received that the kids loved the lessons and crafts as much as we did! (Which is quite a lot! Who wouldn’t love weaving a mini llama blanket with pompoms or a custom, tooled- metal headband?!) They enjoyed the music of mountain-top musicians, explored the terrain of the Andes and the architecture of Machu Picchu, tried their hand at Incan symbols, and watched an ancient Sun Festival!

We’ve already shipped out supplies for our Things on Strings Puppetry Camp this week (a local legend for over 30 years!) and we’re deep in preparation for Frontier Days: the Tonkawa! next week. Our local history archives are such a great resource for bringing the past to life, and our THCP Coordinator, Jewellee Kuenstler, always know how to make it fun! She can’t wait to introduce our students to the indigenous Tonkawa culture of central and north Texas with cultural crafts, music and food!

We are having a blast with this new format and feel grateful for the accessibility it has created for our programming. Check back for more images from the upcoming weeks as parents across the state share their students kitchen-table camp creations!

Molly Gore Merck, Education Coordinator

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Texas Grew From Hide and Horn

CATTLE
by Berta Hart Nance (1883-1958)

Other states were carved or born,
Texas grew from hide and horn.

Other states are long and wide,
Texas is a shaggy hide.

Dripping blood and crumpled hair;
Some fat giant flung it there,

Laid the head where valleys drain,
Stretched its rump along the plain.

Other soil is full of stones,
Texans plow up cattle-bones.

Herds are buried on the trail,
Underneath the powdered shale;

Herds that stiffened like the snow,
Where the icy northers go.

Other states have built their halls,
Humming tunes along the walls,

Texans watched the mortar stirred
While they kept the lowing herd.

Stamped on Texan wall and roof
Gleams the sharp and crescent hoof.

High above the hum and stir
Jingle bridle-rein and spur.

Other states were carved or born,
Texas grew from hide and horn.

A native of Albany, Texas Berta Hart Nance was primarily known for her poetry about the frontier heritage of Texas, though she also was the author of several short stories. She wrote her first poem at the age of thirteen and the Albany News was the first to publish her work. Nance continued to write as an adult and her work was published in numerous newspapers, magazines, and eventually in book volumes.

In 1931 Nance won The Texan Prize for her poem “Cattle”, which is perhaps her most widely known piece. “Cattle” has been used for many years as the introduction at the beginning of each performance of the Fort Griffin Fandangle every summer in her hometown of Albany. Fandangle creator Robert E. Nail Jr. said of the poem: “A lyric called ‘Cattle’, it seems to come right out of ranch land, to speak eloquently and truly what is in and behind West Texans…[It] matches the happy inspriation and phraseology of the work Fandanglers, on both sides of the footlights, cherish so highly.”

Molly Sauder, Archivist and Librarian

Berta Nance and her pony, 1890

Eula Ventioner and Berta Nance with violin, 1899

Berta Hart Nance, 1929

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Rethink. Restart.

There are still many unknowns at this summers end, and these are certainly felt by the museum Education Department. Although we feel fully equipped, resourced and supported, it is a moment of transition with more variables than we can plan around. In short, I feel we have a complete tool-kit, but no instruction sheet.

We don’t know when we will be able to safely offer tangible interactives in our galleries again. We are unsure when our physical school outreach can safely take place. We know we must wait before encouraging visitors to gather again for studio workshop, guided tours or lectures. Large events such as Exhibition Receptions or Family Festivals are currently on hold. We watch and wait for answers and a return to a version of past norms.

However, early on my team and I choose to view this new reality as a creative opportunity for both programming and interpretation. A time to rethink before we restart. What programs could use a makeover and which should be let go? How can we enrich and create engagement for collections and exhibitions our membership may not view in person? What new initiatives could we take in this moment? How might we continue to inspire curiosity and dialogue from outside of our walls?

These questions have inspired video tours and playlists, virtual studio sessions and a mobile app, as well as free weekly craft kits for families. We hope that you, your family and friends have been able to enjoy some or all of the above.

While I am sad for the circumstance that initially inspired it, I am proud of our work thus far, optimistic for the season ahead and excited to see what new and meaningful experiences our museum can continue to provide for us all!

Please stay tuned!

Erin Whitmore, Education Director

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Moroles Goes to Washington

In the early years of the Old Jail Art Center, co-founder Bill Bomar commissioned two outdoor granite sculptures for the museum by Texas artist Jesús Bautista Moroles—Moon Ring 3, 1982 (located at the northeast corner of the property) and Granite Sun, 1984 (located in the Marshall R. Young courtyard). While Granite Sun has always held a commanding presence in the sculpture courtyard, you may or may not remember that Moon Ring 3 once made an appearance at the White House.

 In the fall of 1994, the White House initiated a series of three exhibitions titled Twentieth Century American Sculpture at the White House to be installed in the East Garden. The series was conceived by First Lady Hillary Clinton to showcase works drawn from public institutions across various regions of the United States. The third exhibition, highlighting works from museums in the Southwest and West, was organized and curated by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The OJAC’s Moon Ring 3 was among the eleven works selected for inclusion in this final exhibition, and installed in the First Ladies’ Garden, September 1995 - March 1996.

 The OJAC was by far the smallest art museum represented at the White House, and Albany by far the smallest town. Yet, Moon Ring 3 was the only sculpture whose photograph was featured in the Washington Post’s coverage of the exhibit’s opening.

 In the accompanying exhibition guide, Mrs. Clinton penned words that resonate today, “I hope this celebration of America’s creative spirit will enable each of us to gain a greater appreciation of the rich cultural traditions we share as a nation and as a people.”

Amy Kelly, registrar

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Salt Flats by David Bates

Years ago I remember pausing in a gallery of the Old Jail Art Center to consider the unique painting style of Texas artist David Bates. 

The artist seemed to ‘build’ his paintings with bold chunks of paint color that seem assembled together like little chips of wood.  The moonlit fishing scene of Salt Flats, with it’s thick hues of white, brown, black, grey and red made me think this work would hang perfectly in a nautically-themed ‘man-cave.’ 

Several months after first viewing that work, the museum Docent Corps had the pleasure of touring the Barrett Home in Dallas.  This was a fabulous tour of the couple’s home who had gifted the painting to the museum.  I remember instantly recognizing other works by Bates during the tour due to his unique, textured painting style! In addition to viewing other examples of his art, hearing the collectors speak about their own interest in his work truly enriched my understanding of our OJAC collection pieces, and has helped me provide more engaging tours, myself!

Though Salt Flats is not currently on exhibit, I hope you are able to visit the OJAC and view this and other pieces by the artist soon!

Delnita Jones, OJAC Docent

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Retrospective: the American Buffalo

Examining an artifact retrospectively is key to historical research. This means not only examining an object through a modern, 21st Century lens but through the context of its own time. This historical context might include social, religious, political, environmental and economic factors of the past, and requires that we consider perspectives and experiences outside of our own. As a historian, I must investigate objects and events without personal value judgements shaped by modern understandings and ethics. And the story of the American Buffalo is a prime example of the need for contextual consideration.

On display in our Robert Nail, Jr. Archive gallery is a sizable skull of an American Buffalo from the Sallie Reynolds Matthews collection. At the turn of the 19th Century, the American Buffalo roamed freely in our region. These animals had been hunted sustainably for hundreds of years by the Native Americans for their meat and hides, with nearly every part of the body being utilized.

When early white settlers arrived and began to build ranches and farms in West Texas, these free-range buffalo were initially considered a novelty and hunted for food in a manner similar to the Native Americans.  However, they were soon viewed as a ‘nuisance’ to be eliminated. The animals proved to be destructive to the new settlements, tearing down fences, destroying entire crops, and wreaking havoc on buildings. Soon, buffalo were being killed indiscriminately as destructive ‘varmints.’ Quickly, buffalo hunters were cashing in on the money to be made in buffalo hides and bones...sometimes killing thousands in one hunt! Entrepreneurs took advantage of this economic opportunity and offered guided buffalo hunts for sportsmen- even using the railroad to carry them right into the middle of a herd and allowing their customers to shoot a buffalo without leaving the train car!

Up until 1800, there had been many as 60 million buffalo in the United States. Due to examples of  blatant slaughter such as listed above, the buffalo were decimated and numbered only around 300 by 1900! After thriving for hundreds of years, an entire species was nearly made extinct in a few decades. 

In retrospect over a century later, these actions may seem extreme and difficult to understand or accept. To fully understand the object in our gallery and it’s story however, I must consider the following context:

We must remember that destruction of homes and crops could drastically affect the success and livelihood of settler families. Building resources were scarce, and many relied on agriculture for both food and income. These settlers could not ‘afford’ to co-exist in the same space with an animal who threatened this agriculture.

It is also necessary to understand that these early settlers incorrectly reasoned that as there were seemingly innumerable numbers of the animal, it ‘did not matter’ how many they disposed of. They did not understand the animal to be a non-renewable resource (or even view it as a necessary one). In addition, most would not have understood the environmental effects of species removal and extinction. 

Lastly, it is important to consider a 19th century social perspective that celebrated the Opportunist. This Manifest Destiny-Era encouraged and rewarded those who boldly sought opportunities to build, create and expand at the expense of any available resource. Their actions were not believed to be irresponsible or unethical by most in their time.

Today we understand that wildlife and their habitats are not limitless or superfluous. We understand the dangers of its loss and continue to navigate a journey of shared space. Today, our Parks and Wildlife Departments employ game wardens, park rangers, and biologists to oversee and protect our wildlife and their habitats.

When I give tours of the SRM gallery and stop at this Buffalo Skull, complex conversations can arise ..often stemming from our modern perspective. It is easy to criticize the actions and choices made in a time that we did not experience. is simple to dislike and dismiss an object that reminds us of something uncomfortable from the past. But I remind visitors that a discussion of context is not only the way to fully appreciate the artifact, but the way to understand the history that informed it and advocate for informed actions and choices for the future!

Jewellee Kuenslter

THCP Coordinator

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Three Sorrows

A strong work of art does not reveal itself all at once, but rather in increments, through various means and contexts. Such is the case for Deborah Butterfield’s Three Sorrows.

For a 2019 exhibition, the OJAC partnered with the TIA Collection in Santa Fe, NM, to pair and juxtapose works from the museum’s permanent collection with works from the private collection. While selecting works for Allied: The Tia and OJAC Collections, it was obvious that the TIA’s Butterfield work would be an impactful installation for our visitors at some point, though the exact time to do so was left unresolved. The superficial reasons for its display were obvious—the region of Texas where the Old Jail Art Center is located provides perfect context for the primary subject of the installation. The horse has been, and is, an important part of the history of our region—an invaluable asset to early European explorers, Vaqueros, Comanches, Anglo settlers, and modern cowboys. What better way to provide visitors a pathway into the deeper content offered by this work?

The appropriate time and context became apparent while curating The Ruby Portfolio— a 2020 permanent collection exhibition celebrating the OJAC’s 40th anniversary. In the museum’s humble beginning, a sizable number of ancient Chinese tomb figures and Japanese porcelains were gifted by two of the founders. These, along with modern and contemporary American and European works, make up the eclectic core collection. It became clear that Three Sorrows, installed in an adjacent gallery, would be a subtle yet engaging reference to the eastern and western cultures represented in the core collection.

Though significant, these justifications for borrowing and exhibiting the work were secondary to the certainty that Three Sorrows would offer a powerful, emotional, and thoughtful experience for visitors to our institution. 

Patrick Kelly

Executive Director and Curator

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Art #athomewithOJAC

I never anticipated becoming a “tutorial girl”. I have spent the last four plus years at OJAC assisting and facilitating educational offerings on-site at the museum and, through Art-to-Go, as a guest in K-12 classrooms throughout Region 14 and beyond. But when schools send the students home and museums are forced to temporarily close their doors due to a worldwide pandemic you have to come up with a new temporary plan. How could we continue to teach students that we can't see in person? 

As you’re probably aware by now, since Mid-March the education staff at OJAC have been working hard to provide a variety of opportunities for our friends both local and “far-flung” to continue their art education and engagement with OJAC. For me, a big part of this initiative has been creating video content for our social media platforms.

Virtual Tours

In a series called OJAC tiny-tours, I’ve been able to introduce “virtual visitors” near and far to pieces from the OJAC collection many of which haven’t seen as many faces as we’d like because they’ve been on display in the museum while we’ve been closed. I love getting to share a more personal experience with the artwork and open up a slightly more in depth conversation about these incredible pieces of art. 

Studio Demos

In addition to the tours, I’ve also had the opportunity to create demo videos that guide viewers step-by-step through a variety of different studio processes using supplies and materials from home or the grocery store. We’re calling this video series #StayHomeStudio. Watching on a computer screen is an unusual way to learn a new art technique as that’s usually a pretty hands-on process. But we refuse to stop engaging our members, visitors, and friends even during this time of social distancing. 

We encourage you to take this time to learn something new and try your hand at a new art medium while in the comfort of your own home. We’ve done our best to make it easy for you to continue to engage in so many aspects of the art world and a variety of cultures. So take advantage of it! 

Look for these videos and much more on our website and social media platforms! 

Molly Merck, Education Coordinator

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Historic Graffiti

Before this building was transformed into an art museum (a welcoming and thoughtful environment) its use to isolate and incarcerate!

Upstairs in the original 1877 section of our museum is a cell with a thick solid iron door. Today the walls of that cell are white- washed, the brick floor is laid in a beautiful pattern, and the glass of the six surrounding windows allows for natural light while keeping the elements at bay. However when John Hayden spent eighteen months in this jail cell in 1923- that space offered quite a different experience.

John Hayden was African American citizen of Albany Texas at the turn of the last century. He, his parents and siblings called the town home from the early days of its founding. At that time, jobs were limited for minorities, but Hayden had a good one as a cook for the local Sackett Hotel. Although the details of the event are hazy, after one dramatic evening at work he was he was accused of assault with intent to murder. John was then placed in the solitary confinement cell to spend a year and a half of waiting and isolation. It is difficult to imagine what that experience would have been, but it was certainly one without much hope or comfort.

When John finally saw his day in court he was found “not guilty” of all charges and released. And in many ways, that is where his notoriety ends. However, what he left behind in that small cell, lives on to this day as one of the most impactful visuals of the entire building.

During those 18 months, Hayden inscribed his name into the limestone rock of his cell. One can only imagine the crude tool he may have used, or the hours of scraping it took to carve those letters into that wall. Two of the most notable features of his graffiti are the surprising depth of the excision, and the backwards letter “J” that begins his inscription. We know the fact that Hayden wrote his full name is historically significant. In small rural Texas towns during the 1920s, possessing an academic education was a growing trend, but certainly not viewed as a ‘need’ in a man’s life such as the ability to perform manual labor on farms and ranches. Probably about three-quarters of the general population was literate, and this was even less for the African American population.

Although the jailers at the time probably viewed Hayden’s actions as destructive, his graffiti (along with the steel bars of the windows and doors) as what makes this historic space in our museum iconic.

And what of the remainder of Hayden’s story as an Albany citizen? Well, we know he married Blanche Smith. We also know that his family all stayed and worked in the town their entire lives and are buried at the Albany Cemetery. We love to recommend that our visitors go and find his grave after viewing his mark in the museum.

We also enjoy utilizing Hayden’s work to engage our museum visitors in conversation about changing social perspectives regarding race, justice and the continuing modern debate of graffiti as destruction of property versus/as well as personal expression.

We often conclude a tour of his cell with the notion that, if visual art is a form of self-expression, then John Hayden’s contribution to the Old Jail in 1923 was probably the first work of “art” in our museum.

Jewellee Kuenstler
THC&P Coordinator

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Alternative Outreach

My name is Hannah Rankin. I am a School Outreach Instructor for Educational Programming at OJAC.

Normally during the school year I travel to various Region 14 school campuses, visiting thousands of students through our Art-To-Go program. While on spring break this year, I received an unfortunate phone call saying that the schools were closing due to Covid-19 precautions, which meant that myself and the other Outreach Instructors would ultimately not see our local students, classrooms, and teachers again until the next school year. This was hugely disappointing as we love our monthly campus visits, as well as hosting each of those students at the museum in May for the final month of the program. But- just because Art-To-Go was placed on hold, doesn’t mean that our student outreach went on hiatus! The Education Department at the OJAC worked quickly to create outreach alternatives for these student audiences despite these unusual circumstances.

Even though we are not able to greet and learn with our students in person, we have offered many opportunities these past months to learn #athomewithOJAC, including virtual field trips, staff-led gallery tours, visual-art inspired mixtapes and studio-process demos via our social media, just to name a few.

One program I have specifically worked to facilitate are our weekly Art@Home Survival Kits. Every week through this program we provide free, take-home craft/ activity kits for local learners ages 4-12. These kits include guided visual instructions and all needed supplies to create at home at the kitchen table.

We have watched each week as families from ours and surrounding communities make the long walk or drive to visit the trunk outside our museum gates and retrieve their free bags. They have created wind-chimes, woven turtles, sun-catchers, bird feeders, constellation flashlights, balloon rockets, kaleidoscopes, and even braided pet toys that could donated to a local shelter. It has been a blast to offer these projects each week and I’ve so enjoyed seeing the photos of student creations that parents have tagged and shared with us via our social media!

I won’t say I haven’t missed the personal interaction we’ve grown accustomed to with our local K-12 audience, and I look forward to a time when we can once again, roll our art-carts through the doors of each local campus. But the OJAC Education Staff have been so proud to continue to serve our students and families in a way that is fun, educational and FREE during this challenging time.

If you are one of the hundreds of families taking advantage of our weekly kits- we hope you feel the love we are packing into each brown bag, and know that we can’t wait to see you soon!

Hannah Rankin
OJAC School Outreach Instructor

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Missing the Fandangle

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.

Since that original production, the Fandangle has been performed consistently - though sometimes sporadically - by the Albany community. Throughout its 80 year history the Fandangle has ocassionally stopped and restarted, at various times and for various reasons.

After the first production in 1938 the Fandangle was produced annually through the summer of 1941. When the attack on Pearl Harbor brought America into the ongoing conflict of World War II, the Fandangle was placed on indefinite hiatus. Robert Nail, along with many other Albany residents, left their small hometown of Albany to serve their country when needed most.

After the war, late in 1946, Nail and supporters began planning for a revival of the Fandangle and in the summer of 1947 productions of the outdoor musical resumed. Between the years of 1948-57 the Fandangle was produced seven times, with short breaks in 1951 when Nail fell ill, in 1954 when Nail requested a rest so that he and fellow composer Alice Reynolds could recharge, and again pausing for a break in 1956 and 1958.

In the summer of 1958 the Fandangle was dealt a blow which nearly felled the production entirely. G.P. Crutchfield, oil man, civic leader, and the show's producer and special assistant (many of the popular large set pieces, such as the stagecoach, calliope, and Texas Central train were originally designed and built by Crutchfield with help from the employees at Roeser and Pendleton) died at his home suddenly and unexpectedly. Without his vital support and help with the Fandangle, Nail felt the weight of the work of the production had become too much.

It wasn't until the summer of 1964 that the first full production of the Fandangle was resumed, as the community of Albany rallied around the production, which had nearly been moved to Abilene in the interim. The following year, the Fandangle moved into its new home at the Prairie Theater, and the annual productions began again.

In Novemvber of 1968 Fandangle creator, director, and beloved Albany citizen Robert E. Nail, Jr. unexpectedly passed away and the Fort Griffin Fandangle Association made the difficult decision to cancel the following year's summer production. Samplers continued, however, and later that year plans were made and pre-production began for the resumption of the show in June of 1970. And since that production in 1970, the Fandangle has been presented every summer, without interruption...until now.

While the current pandemic may have paused the Fandangle for the first time in 50 years, the history of the show has been one of rebirth and revival. The show is an essential part of the fabric of the community, its music and merriment woven into the hearts of those who live here. The Fandangle is missed, but it will return, just as it always has and always will.

Molly Sauder, Archivist and Librarian

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Fandangle Flyer, 1954

Alice Reynolds and Robert E. Nail, Jr., May 1968

G.P. Crutchfield and Robert E. Nail, Jr., Undated

Fandangle on the Musselman Ranch, 1964

Groundbreaking at the Prairie Theater, 1965

Uniquely Equipped

In early spring when many non-profit museums were closing their doors to the public, the OJAC did feel some of the same questions and uncertainties. What were our priorities and responsibilities to our community in such extraordinary circumstances? How could we plan in a sustainable way with so little information?

However, I realized that our museum was handling extreme change with less panic or chaos than some. It wasn’t difficult for me to identify what may have enabled our calm amidst the early confusion…and what I think places the OJAC in a uniquely fortunate position to quickly, creatively and successfully adapt!

Our Local Community

Our physical location provides us a supportive community of small towns with which we have developed close relationships through our exhibition and outreach programs. They called and messaged us encouragement, donated and increased their engagement through our social media these past four months. It felt so reassuring to know we were recognized and valued even when our gates were closed.

Our Remote Location

Our somewhat remote location in the state necessitates our reliance on technology for a virtual/ distanced experience of the museum. Our collections were already accessible via Distance Learning Programs for various audiences: we offered virtual tour programs, K-12 programs, teacher programs, homeschool programs and senior programs. It wasn’t difficult to build on our existing experience and convert studio workshops, summer camps, cultural celebrations and family events into a virtual experience, marketed online to our membership across the state and beyond.

The location of our museum had also ensured a decades long relationship with other rural or remotely located West Texas museums, who have come together in past initiatives for cooperative exhibits and programs as well as cross-marketing and promotion of one another. We had a support system in place that made it possible to co-program with six other museums- creating weekly, themed content together that expanded our audience and reach. (If I posted a virtual tour or studio-process video, six other museums would advertise it for us!)

Our Staff and Our Mission

Our smaller-sized staff necessitates a consistent team dynamic where everyone stays flexible and pitches in, regardless of their specialty or background. All OJAC staff, from Docents and Interns to Gift Shop and Grounds offered an extra blog post, provided a virtual tour or were interviewed about their favorite object or spot in the building. With the doors closed to visitors and in a time that could have easily been utilized for “catching-up” in each of our department work, we opted instead for a muster of new ideas and extra effort. Our staff immediately stepped outside of their typical job descriptions to create digital content and fulfill our core mission- to ensure that our collections remain accessible for all!

I feel so fortunate to be a part of a team and an institution that is so resourced and motivated to create and adapt in this strange moment. Not sure what this summer will continue to bring, but I feel assured that we are uniquely equipped to rise to the challenge.

Erin Whitmore

Education Director

Best-laid Plans

While reading this blog you may wonder, “this has nothing to do with art, artists, or museums.” Well, you don’t always get what you anticipate—regardless of planning—what you think you deserve, or what you feel you are entitled to.

Given the current state of the world due to the pandemic, we have all been forced to “adjust” our planned lives. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but pandemics, wars, genocide, and all sorts of catastrophes—both big and small—are part of life. Birth, sunsets, love, compassion, art (there we go!), friendship, etc. are all part of life as well. At a bare minimum, we hope for a balance of the two; we desire for an abundance of the good to tip the scale.

These musings have me thinking of George Shackleton, the ship captain of the Endurance who, along with his crew, set sail from England in August of 1914. In the Antarctic, the Endurance was locked in ice just short of their destination. What followed was ten-months of drifting in the ice that eventually crushed the ship forcing the crew of 27 to make an arduous 850-mile trek to an outpost of civilization. (Read the book Endurance by Alfred Lansing for the full heroic story.) I think Shackleton and his crew would have whole-heartedly agreed with my declaration in the first paragraph that life does not always go according to plan.

 The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche stated, “To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.” Though we should not confuse being inconvenienced with suffering, the result should be the same. We should anticipate that our best-laid plans are often changed due to things beyond our control, as well as find meaning and wisdom for moving forward.

Patrick Kelly, Executive Director and Curator

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Making Memories @ OJAC

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Sidney

Age: 17
Years at OJAC: 4
Favorite work of art: Three Sorrows by Deborah Butterfield

This past year at the Old Jail Art Center has been one of my favorites since I started volunteering there as a Junior Docent during my 8th grade year. Now I am an intern and I enjoy helping to prep the family festivals which teach younger generations about different cultures in the world. For me, learning about these cultures opens my mind about the world out there, reminding me how we are all different and similar at the same time.

I can remember going to family festivals as a kid and having so much fun making the crafts and learning about other cultures. My favorite family festival from my first year as an intern was World Kite Day. The festival showed how people from all over the world enjoy the same toy, something so simple yet amazing to have in common: a kite. It was so calming to watch the visitors and kids enjoy running around outside and flying their kites. I was working at a game booth in the courtyard so I was able to see many families come and go from the festival with happy faces. It was rewarding to help create an event where these families were able to enjoy a day off and have some fun with their loved ones while making memories.

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Morgan

Age: 16
Years at OJAC: 1 year
Favorite work of art: Blue Morpho Butterfly by Martin Johnson Heade

My favorite part about being an OJAC intern are the family festivals. This may seem like an easy answer because they are fun for everyone, but my favorite part is getting to do all the behind the scenes work that visitors don’t know about.

Family Festivals are my favorite because they are a place where visitors can learn about different holidays or events celebrated in different cultures around the world. It’s a great way to travel and learn about other people without leaving the building. Another thing I love about Family Festivals is the set up. I love decorating the museum, setting up the entrance, and assembling snacks at the refreshments table. It’s fascinating to see the museum transform into a completely different place in the world right before my eyes. 

My favorite festival so far was Italian Christmas, Natale, last December. I loved learning about the month-long Christmas festivities that include amazing Nativity scenes and La Befana! I look forward to seeing many new faces join the fun at the next OJAC family festival. 

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Remembering George Grammer

Born in Fort Worth, TX, George Grammer (1928-2019) stayed close to home when he enrolled in the art program at Texas Weslyan College. This proved to be an impactful decision, because it was there that he was taught by Kelly Fearing. Under Fearing’s mentorship, Grammer became the youngest member of the highly influential Fort Worth Circle artists of the 1940s and 50s. Grammer continued his education at the Art Students League in New York—becoming a full-time NY resident in 1957. Though he lived in New York for the rest of his life, Grammer remained strongly connected to friends and artists back in Texas.

Early on, Grammer was well-known for his abstracted paintings of oil derricks at night that dotted the open plains of Texas. Later, influenced by his new urban surroundings, he moved to more painterly views of apartments, offices, and businesses that lined the streets of New York. Vertical Skyline and Big City Canyon, both in the OJAC’s collection, offer a unique view of the city as seen from the artist’s personal perspective. Grammer painted what he saw, capturing the immense scale of skyscrapers and their architectural variety with simple dabs of paint. In both paintings, Grammer includes a vertical sliver of sky, in hues of blue or blue/grey, offering subtle clues as to time of day or night. It’s interesting to note that Grammer depicts only the buildings and sky in such a populated city. In doing so, he leaves the viewer to imagine the diverse stories of the city’s inhabitants.

George Grammer passed away just one year ago, on May 20, 2019. It is fitting to remember not only our talented friend, but also all those who today inhabit his beloved New York City—those who continue to endure the tremendous physical, emotional, and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amy Kelly, Registrar

Vertical Skyline, c. 1960         

Oil on Masonite

Gift of Bill Bomar

1981.073

Big City Canyon, c. 1960

Oil on Masonite

Bequest of Bill Bomar known as the Jewel Nail Bomar and William P. Bomar Jr. Collection

1993.040

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#MuseumSunshine

Happy #MuseumSunshine Day!

Each week, we're joining museums across the country in sharing sunny images from our collections.

This 16 foot granite sculpture by Texas Sculptor Jesus Moroles warmly greets all OJAC visitors and casts a lovely shadowed pattern across our sculpture courtyard each sunny afternoon.

The artist had a close relationship with our museum founders Reilly Nail and Bill Bomar, as seen in the 1984 installation images below. Sun Symbol was one of his first major commissions!

Tatum Green, Administrative Assistant

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These and other works by Jesus are certainly collection favorites for our staff and community.

Want to learn more about the life and work of this amazing Texas Sculptor? Purchase your copy of Jesus Moroles: Granite Sculpture from our museum giftshop! (purchase link below)

JESUS MOROLES: Granite Sculpture

$60.00

Jesús Moroles achieved international renown as a master sculptor of large scale abstract granite works and was a recipient of the United States National Medal of Arts in 2008, the 2007 Texas Medal of the Arts Award for Visual Arts, and was the 2011 Texas State Artist for three-dimensional work …

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Closed Doors

Closed doors are often a symbol of separation, distance and loneliness. The current virus pandemic has closed many doors across our country, state and town.. and our museum is no exception. The weight of closed doors is uniquely and heavily felt in this space.

 The original building of our museum was built in 1887 and served as the county jail for many years. Open cell and solitary confinement units housed many prisoners during that time, locked away to spend endless days without contact or freedom. Those heavy iron doors were closed and locked to keep people in.

 Now, those same doors are closed and locked to keep people out.It’s a dark moment for our collection and for our staff. The lack of conversations in the galleries, the separation from members and visitors- it creates such a quiet and eerie feeling.  It leads me to many thoughts of the history of this building, and what it has evolved to be today.

 For forty years this space has been a place of beauty and escape. A place to let your mind wander freely. Our doors have been wide open and welcoming to visitors from rural West Texas and far beyond. And we know that they will be again soon. This unique and trying time will end. New visitors will see the space for the first time, returning visitors will enjoy it with fresh eyes and free hearts. That day is coming and we will look forward to seeing each of you at the Old Jail Art Center again very soon. 

-Susan Montgomery, Membership and Development Coordinator

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TOP 10 Reasons I love The Gordale Scar by Karl Weschke

10.       It’s immense! It’s one of the largest paintings in the OJAC collection and measures

over 68 x 86 in.

9.         It’s an actual place in England formed during the Ice Age.

8.         I can understand the artist’s inspiration in painting a place he loved.

7.         I can feel the weight of the spectacular cliffs of the gorge.

6.         I can imagine the echoed sounds beneath the shadowy overhangs.

5.         I can smell the moss and ferns that grow among the rocks.

4.         I can envision the sunset casting a pink glow in the distance.

3.         I can hear the rushing water of the waterfall.

2.          I can see the wind gently guiding the almost transparent sailboat. 

1.          I can travel to a historic and awe-inspiring gorge, all while sheltering in place.

Amy Kelly, Registrar

KARL WESCHKE, German (1925-2005), The Gordale Scar, 1987-88, oil on canvas.

Museum purchase  1993.097

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Reilly Nail (1927-2006)

As the Old Jail Art Center celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, the REN Archives takes a look back at the beginning and one of the individuals who made it all possible.

William Reilly Nail, Jr. (known to all as Reilly) was born on July 3, 1927, the son of William R. "Bill" and Wyldon Burgess Nail. He attended schools in Albany, Texas before graduating from high school at the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell in 1945. After a short time spent with the US Navy he entered Princeton University and graduated in 1950 with a degree in art and archeology.

Nail spent the next 30 years living in New York City and working as a television producer for various companies, including CBS-TV, Young and Rubicam, and Filmex. Some of his more well known projects include the television show Gunsmoke and the Masters Gold Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. For the later, Nail was awarded the 1966 New York City Art Directors Award for this documentary 'Magic of the Masters'.

But it was in 1968, after the death of this Uncle Bobby (Robert E. Nail, Jr. playwright and creator of the Fort Griffin Fandangle) that Nail's thoughts started to turn back towards home. In February of 1977 a small group of ten people, including Nail and his mother Wyldon, along with his cousin, Fort Worth Circle artist Bill Bomar, met at Fort Worth's Rivercrest Country Club to discuss what the future of the jail building might look like. They ended their luncheon meal with a commitment to establish what would become the Old Jail Art Center and by that December an official charter to establish the Old Jail Foundation was written, followed by an official non-profit designation received the following October.

On December 19, 1980 after many years of planning and fundraising, in addition to a year of building renovation, the Board of the Old Jail Foundation opened the doors to its museum. Throughout all of the process Nail's personality and leadership were invaluable, his magnetism energizing board, staff, and volunteers alike with his own enthusiasm, hard work, and dedication. Nail served 16 years as the Executive Director and one of his major accomplishments was spearheading the effort to apply for accreditation from the American Association of Museums, a herculean feat accomplished only nine years after the museum first opened.

In 1996 Nail retired from active participation in the daily activities of the museum, but he remained an important presence on the board as a trustee advisor. In 2002, he was named Trustee of the Year by the Texas Association of Museums, and throughout the rest of his life continued to promote and support the work of emerging Texas artists.

Reilly Nail's considerable legacy has influenced the development and growth of the Old Jail Art Center in countless ways. The scope of the fine art collection, as well as many of the programs and exhibitions seen today, such as the Cell Series, have their basis in his original vision. As the museum looks forward to the next 40 years it does so from the solid foundation set in place by Nail and all of those who worked with him.

Molly Sauder, Archivist

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Natural Assets

It seems a little strange to be writing a blog that encourages travel and tourism to the environs of Albany, Texas at a time when a global pandemic dictates just the opposite. Someday this will pass and normality will hopefully return.  

 An ongoing challenge in our region has been how to lure those from the larger metropolitan areas to visit, attend special events, or “ring the cash registers” (as the late Albany mayor Ed Tackett used to say). Often, we rely on the tried-and-true practice of spotlighting our “wild west” history as a thematic concept. The love of history is often an acquired taste—some of us have a natural interest in regional or world history while others of us, interestingly, tend to show an interest in history in later stages of our lives. (My theory is that as we age, we become nostalgic for the past that spawns our investigative tendancies…another blog subject.)

 It has dawned on me though that our region of rural Texas has other “assets” that populated areas along the I-35 corridor don’t have. Many of these we take for granted since they are simply a routine part of our lives.

 Our region of Texas has a “light show” at night that we often take for granted. It’s not mysterious lights that dance on the horizon, but rather spectacular stars in the heavens. On crisp clear evenings we can witness thousands of twinkling brilliant stars, planets reflecting our distant sun, and even the Milky Way stretching across the sky. As a reminder, there are fewer and fewer places around the globe where the stars can still be seen so vividly due to increasing light pollution. (So try to keep unnecessary lights extinguished at night.)

 The migration path of the Monarch Butterfly is another phenomenon that we get to experience in our region. Their “Monarch Highway” allows us the brief opportunity to see and help the only known two-way migrating butterfly. Their major energy source is the milkweed that grows wild along our roadways and in our pastures. (Please refrain from cutting or spraying with herbicides.)

 I could go on and on about sunsets, landscapes, wildlife, and other things that are unique to our region of Texas; so, I hope you are beginning to see my point. It also spurs questions. How do we appreciate and capitalize on our rich past as well as the present? How do we balance the desire to keep things the same while welcoming change? How do we educate visitors as well as locals regarding the importance of these gifts we take for granted?

 These natural assets are free but require our stewardship. We should strive to recognize, appreciate, and conserve while also promoting these unique experiences for others to enjoy.

Patrick Kelly

(image) Eric Zimmerman, Sign (Orion), 2011, graphite on paper. OJAC Collection. 2012.003

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