The Tiger Wood Piano

The Tiger Wood Piano

Have you ever walked by something many times and not really noticed it? We do this daily on many levels. But sometimes those overlooked objects prove to be the most interesting.

In our Stasney Center for Education sits a large and lovely instrument. This beautiful Fischer piano is in itself a work of art- the beautiful striped tiger wood oak with its blond and light brown marbling closely resembles the markings of an exotic jungle cat. Along its legs are intricate carvings and added accents. It is polished to a high sheen and looks remarkable for it’s century-old age.

Although the piano is beautiful, I have walked by it many times a day without giving it much thought.. until one day I learned more of it’s history.

This piano belonged to Jessie Cook, born in 1877 and the only daughter of W.I. and Missouri Matilda “Dude” Nail Cook. The Cooks were very prosperous merchants and Dude dedicated herself to the education of her daughter. At the age of 15, Jessie was enrolled in the Mary Nash College.

Jessie was very interested in music and loved playing the piano. In the summer of 1894, she left to study at the Boston Conservatory of Music. When Jessie returned to Texas, she met Will B. Head, the County Clerk of Grayson County, and by the spring of 1896, the two had become engaged. Whether it was an early wedding gift or just a way to ensure Jessie did not neglect her playing, Dude ordered a beautiful baby grand piano from J & C Fischer Piano Company in New York and had it delivered to Jessie’s new home in Sherman, Texas. Jessie and Will were married on December 16, 1896. 

The next year, the Cook’s purchased a ranch outside of Albany, Texas. When Jessie became pregnant at the end 1900, Dude was excited to help plan for her new grandchild. In January 1901, Dude left to join her daughter in Sherman to prepare for the arrival of the baby. As Jessie had suffered various ailments during her pregnancy Dude had arranged for a full-time nurse to be with her daughter that summer. 

On July 3rd, in the middle of a hot afternoon, Jessie began to experience labor pains and her mother immediately sent for the doctor. As a respite from the heat and pain, Jessie would play the piano, this particular piano, in between contractions. Around 2:00 a.m. in the morning on July 4, 1901, a piercing scream rang out from Jessie’s bedroom. Dude and Will ran into the room to a horrible sight, Jessie lay dead on the sweat soaked bed as the nurse frantically tried to deliver the baby. She succeeded in bringing the perfectly formed baby boy into the world, but he had unfortunately also passed away.

Dude was heartbroken with grief at the double loss, and had the piano shipped from Sherman to her home on the Albany ranch. This sad event sparked her interest in sponsoring a hospital in Fort Worth specifically for women and children. Her dream was eventually realized by the opening of the Cook Children’s Hospital in January 1929. In the hospital, she had a Memorial Room built that housed her daughter’s precious piano that had brought her peace until her final day.

In 1985, during a major renovation of the hospital, the Trustees of Cook Children’s returned the piano to Albany as a tribute to Missouri Matilda “Dude” Nail Cook and her legacy.

While it isn’t open to be played by visitors, we hope you take a moment to observe this beautiful instrument on your next visit to the museum!

Jewellee Kuenstler, THC&P Coordinator

Photo Credit: J & C Fischer, Grand Piano, n.d., oak, Collection of the Old Jail Art Center, Gift of Cook-Fort Worth Children's Medical Center. 1992.129)

Photo Credit: J & C Fischer, Grand Piano, n.d., oak, Collection of the Old Jail Art Center, Gift of Cook-Fort Worth Children's Medical Center. 1992.129)

A Day in the Life

A Day in the Life

Initially, German artist Julius Bissier (1893-1965) followed the path of New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit), a style that challenged Expressionism by returning to an unsentimental reality and a focus on the objective world. Only a few years later, the New Objectivity artists were condemned by the Nazis as “degenerate,” forced either to flee the country or live as quietly and inconspicuously as possible. During this time, Bissier faced additional challenges. Both of his art studios, along with almost all of his work, were destroyed by fire; teaching opportunities became scarce; and his six-year-old son Uli died.

 Bissier reacted to all this by withdrawing into himself and, from then on, he worked secluded at home, on a small table, and mainly at night. Fueled by an interest in Taoism and Zen Buddhism, he turned to abstract ink paintings, attempting to synthesize spirituality and abstraction. Bissier approached art as an act of meditation.

 Working primarily through a technique of “wash drawing” in black India ink, he used deceptively simple gestures that were simultaneously controlled and spontaneous, in the manner of Chinese monochrome painting. These works would transition to the small airy constellations of vessels, fruit, biomorphic forms, symbols, and abstract explorations of color that would be present in Bissier's work for the next 35 years.

 A beautiful example of Bissier's iconic watercolors, 12.4.61, is currently on view in an installation of OJAC permanent collection works. Measuring only 4 7/8 x 9 1/2 inches, it offers an intimate view of a day in the life of the artist—specifically April 12,1961.

Amy Kelly, Registrar

 

JULIUS BISSIER, 12.4.61, 1961, watercolor on paper. Collection of the Old Jail Art Center, Gift of Bill Bomar. 1981.012

JULIUS BISSIER, 12.4.61, 1961, watercolor on paper. Collection of the Old Jail Art Center, Gift of Bill Bomar. 1981.012

Faces of Fort Griffin

Faces of Fort Griffin

The post which became Fort Griffin was established in the summer of 1867 by companies of the 6th Cavalry. The original site was in the bottoms of the Clear Fork of the Brazos River, a few miles downstream from the 1850s site of Camp Cooper. In 1868, however, the post was moved away from the unhealthful bottoms to an adjacent plateau.

The town which grew up below the Fort came into its prime during the late 1870s, when the vast herds of buffalo brought a rush of hunters to the Flat. In addition, the Western Trail, which passed nearby the villages of both Albany and Griffin, brought a heavy traffic of cattle and cowmen along with it.

The soldiers who were stationed at the Fort were for the most part Northerners, but sometimes individuals even hailed from places as diverse as Prussia, the West Indies, Ireland, England, and Germany. Some regiments and soldiers only stayed a few months, while others could remain for several years.

The Tonkawa Indians were a small, formerly nomadic, tribe native to the Texas heartland. Choosing to try and live at peace with the ever-expanding Anglo-American culture, they settled in the shadow of the Fort. For a time they were even enlisted as scouts, frequently accompanying groups of both settlers and soldiers in pursuit of raiding Comanches.

Cowboys, bison hunters, and soldiers alike filled the saloons, gambling halls, and brothels in the town nightly. The rush of trade helped sustain numerous local businesses, including mercantile and grocery shops, hardware stores, hotels and boarding houses, blacksmiths, barbers, butchers, druggists, wheelwrights, and more.

In addition to the more transient individuals who came and went through the Clear Fork area, there were also those who had come to the area to build a more permanent settlement and make their living off the land. These inhabitants were predominantly ranching folk and numerous families established deep roots, remaining in the Clear Fork area and working the land for many generations.

Molly Sauder, Archivist and Librarian

Harvest Holidays: The Mid-Autumn Moon Fest, China

In West Texas we’re beginning to feel a slight drop in temperature as one of the markers for the autumn season heading our way. Many are beginning to look forward to the holidays and all the goodness that accompanies this special season and the refresh it brings. But Texans and Americans aren’t the only ones currently in preparation for upcoming holidays.

The Mid-Autumn Festival or the Moon Festival is a thanksgiving holiday for many people in the country of China. The Moon Festival is celebrated by families in China as a time to give thanks for a good year and to come together with their loved ones. It’s one of the most important holidays of the year in Chinese culture.

It’s celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month which means that it does not always fall on the same date in the solar calendar but is always between mid-September and mid-October. In 2020, the festival will be celebrated on October 1st.

The holiday began, much like American Thanksgiving, as a harvest festival. It marked the time when farmers had finished gathering their crops and would come together with their families to celebrate a successful year.

Still today, even if they live far away from one another, families come together on this holiday. They have picnics outside under the moon and lantern-light, and enjoy special foods.

Most traditions of the Mid-Autumn Festival center around the symbol of the moon. On the night of the festival the moon is bright and full in the sky. The Moon is reflected and depicted in every aspect of the festivities. From the bright, round and spherical lanterns hanging near buildings and on tree limbs to the round and golden “mooncake” treats, participants are reminded of the legendary origins of the tradition. To the Chinese, the roundness of the moon symbolizes harmony and its fullness symbolizes wholeness, so families come together to celebrate those two virtues.

Like many western holidays, the festival is steeped in folk-lore and ancient tradition. One important folktale in Chinese culture tells the story explaining the shape of the rabbit that many people see on the moon’s surface. For this reason, the moon is also an important symbol for this holiday as the rabbit in this story exemplified great determination, hard work, and selflessness.

Moon-shaped fruits like pomelos, grapes, and Asian pears are enjoyed as well as round cups of tea. The peel of the pomelo can also double as a party hat for little ones and pets!

Kids are allowed to stay up late and parade with lanterns in the moonlight. Adults sometimes read or recite moon-inspired poems, and everyone in the family sends a secret, unspoken wish up to the moon.

This is a lantern in the OJAC collection which depicts the festivities of the Mid-Autumn Moon festival. It’s not the type of lantern that can be hung on a tree branch outdoors but rather one that sits safely on a table and glows when a candle is placed inside. It’s made of fine porcelain, sometimes known as fine “china” for its origin and the country’s early proficiency in the material. Can you see the ornate and delicate hand-painted details? The figures carry instruments and lanterns as they walk joyfully in Mid-Autumn parade.

Lantern with Pedestal Stand, “One Hundred Boys” motif, Early 19th Century Chinese, Qing Dynasty Porcelain with overglaze enamels 1993.067.01

Lantern with Pedestal Stand, “One Hundred Boys” motif, Early 19th Century
Chinese, Qing Dynasty
Porcelain with overglaze enamels
1993.067.01

As we approach the date of this special holiday, we will miss celebrating in person with a family festival this year. We do, however, look forward to celebrating with students, teachers, and families through our virtual outreach programs and are already preparing supplies and crafts to send out far and wide as we share our enthusiasm for the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival and all it represents!

Molly Gore Merck, Education Coordinator

Homage to an Immigrant

Homage to an Immigrant

If you know your history related to the Nazi party that was active in Germany from the 1920s to 1945, you are well aware that they suppressed and eliminated individuals and groups. Their tactics included harassment, intimidation, revenge, strong-armed diplomacy, propaganda, murder, and genocide just to name a few. 

Part of their maniacal “all-things German” obsession was the belief that modern art of the time, as well as the artists who produced it, was un-German and “degenerate.” Hitler and the Nazis endorsed only art forms that promoted the virtues, morals and purity of the Aryan race. This usually manifested itself in the classical style of art (uncontaminated by Jewish influences), 19th century German realistic genre paintings, and a handful of Old Masters.  

The Bauhaus art school that operated in three German cities in the 1920s and 30s was quickly in the Nazis’ sites to eliminate. Bauhaus developed avant-garde approaches to making art as well as efficient and beautiful design coupled with mass production. One could go on and on about the architects and visual artists that taught and studied there as well as the influence they had on 20th and 21st century art, design, and architecture. The faculty and students included many of the who’s who of the western creative world including Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, Walter Gropius, Oscar Schlemmer, Lyonel Feininger, and Josef Albers. In 1933, the Nazis succeeded in closing the final Bauhaus school claiming the school was the center of Communist ideology. 

Due to the dire circumstances, many of Germany’s greatest intellectuals and artists immigrated to other countries prior to WWII, including artists and educators Josef and Anni Albers. In 1933 Josef was invited to join the staff of Black Mountain College in North Carolina—another art school that had unorthodox (now normal) means of educating. Black Mountain staff and faculty included some of the United States’ most creative individuals including Willem and Elaine de Kooning, Robert Rauschenberg, Jacob Lawrence, Merce Cunningham, John Cage, Cy Twombly, Kenneth Noland, Ben Shahn, Ruth Asawa, Franz Kline, Arthur Penn, Buckminster Fuller, and many others who have made such a significant impact on the world. Even now, decades after its closing in 1957, the powerful influence of Black Mountain College continues to reverberate. (Incidentally, this school too came under scrutiny by another powerful government agency led by none other than J. Edgar Hoover, which likely expedited the avant-garde school’s closure in 1957.) 

Both Josef and Anni continued their prolific artistic paths in the United States. Josef developed his color theories and his Homage to the Square series of paintings and prints which is represented in the OJAC collection. The museum’s volume of Interactions of Color, originally printed in 1963 during his tenure at Yale University, represents decades of research and experimentation on the part of Josef Albers and still is one of most valuable sources of color theory available.   

Patrick Kelly, Executive Director and Curator

Day and Night VII, 1963 JOSEF ALBERS Serigraph on paper Gift of Bill Bomar 1985.032

Day and Night VII, 1963 JOSEF ALBERS Serigraph on paper Gift of Bill Bomar 1985.032

HERstory: OJAC Staff Female Artist Faves!

HERstory: OJAC Staff Female Artist Faves!

In celebration of HERstory week, some of our OJAC staff are sharing their favorite female artists from the museum collection. Enjoy!

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Pat Kelly; Executive Director and Curator
Helen Altman- Even thought there are many other female artists in the collection who could qualify as my “favorite.”  I have admired Altman’s work over the years in that it is always evolving and changing. Yet, constant and subtle motifs and concepts flow through all her series.  

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Molly Sauder; Archivist and Librarian
Evaline Sellors- A role model and artistic instructor for many emerging Fort Worth artists of the 1940s and beyond, her own body of work contains many sensitive representations of people and animals that I love.

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Amy Kelly; Registrar
Agnes Martin- I enjoy the tension between perfection and imperfection in her work. I love looking at her work and thinking about something she once said, “From music, people accept pure emotion. From art, they demand explanation.”

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Jewellee Kuenstler; Texas History Programming & Curriculum Coordinator
Alice Reynolds- I love her colorful depiction of moments in our local history. She makes the scene come alive as she captures the people, their clothing, and their actions that are forever recorded at that moment in time. From a historian’s view, it brings a fresh perspective to a past event. 

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Molly Merck; Educational Programming Coordinator
Lia Cuilty- I find beauty in simplicity. I love the stark, black and white, prints she made, drawing your attention to the delicate and tiny details. I’ve enjoyed learning about her family ties to Mexico and how her etchings and artworks were a visual reminder of her childhood memories of home. 

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Susan Montgomery; Membership and Development Coordinator
Helen Altman- I love the fact she takes ordinary, everyday objects and sees the potential to create from their existence. The commonplace materials that Altman chooses to create her masterpieces are fascinating. 

Hannah Rankin; School Outreach Instructor
Cynthia Brandts- What I love most about Cynthia Brandts is how her surroundings inspired her artwork. As a Texas native as well, her work reminds me of home and the views that we share.

Erin Whitmore; Education Director
Louise Nevelson- As a child I learned of her immigrant story and the influence of her family and culture in her sculpture. I love the variety of her media and the power of her monotone palette.

Molly Gore Merck, Education Coordinator

Summer Camp from the Kitchen Table

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

Texas Grew From Hide and Horn

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

Rethink. Restart.

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

Moroles Goes to Washington

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

Salt Flats by David Bates

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.’ 

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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

Retrospective: the American Buffalo

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

Three Sorrows

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

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

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

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

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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Uniquely Equipped

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

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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