Celebrating the Great Outdoors through Art

The summer sun and warmer temperatures have made their arrival! Are you planning your beach vacation yet?

Co-founder of the Old Jail Art Center and artist Bill Bomar captured a delightful day at the beach in the oil painting below.  Can you feel the sand, smell the salt in the air, and imagine the sun shining on your face?

National Great Outdoors Month is the perfect time for you to get out and enjoy yourself! Spending quality time outdoors is not only an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but is a fun and inexpensive way for your family to learn and explore together.

This awareness-month aims to encourage more people to get out and enjoy the world around them, whether by exercising, taking part in volunteer programs, or just taking walks around the neighborhood. The great outdoors has so much to offer- so why not get out there and and take advantage?

…And to conclude your outing, why not drop by the museum and continue your enjoyment of natural views from both near and far? Our collection reflects a variety of land and seascapes from around the world!

As always, admission is free at the OJAC- and we look forward to your visit!

Susan Montgomery, Membership and Development Coordinator

Beach, 1934. BILL BOMAR. Oil on Board. 1993.034

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Fandangle Critters: Adding Atmosphere to the Musical

Since 1938, Robert Nail’s Fort Griffin Fandangle has delighted audiences with a historical memoir of the settlement of Shackelford County, particularly around the Fort Griffin military outpost. This musical recreates historical events faced by those early pioneers.

Actors portray people that would have been encountered on the streets of the wild, frontier town of Fort Griffin. Yet, there are other actors whose parts are often overlooked, but are just as critical to the performance. These are the “critters” that lived on the frontier prairie long before the arrival of the white man. In the performance, these animals are played by young children from the community, carrying on a very long local tradition.

Lots of photography documentation can be found of the characters from the play in full costume, but not many photographs show the actors dressed up as animals. However, one such photograph can be found in the Robert E. Nail, Jr. Archives at the OJAC. This moment, forever captured, shows seventeen children dressed as a variety of local fauna, such as deer, roadrunners, buffalo, hawks, skunks, rabbits, opossum, squirrels, armadillos, and raccoons. These represent only a handful of animals that have graced the stage of the Fandangle. This background talent is important to give the right atmosphere to life on the frontier.

Currently on display at the OJAC is Michael O’Brien’s exhibit, Prairieland Portraits. Among the photographs of Fandangle costumed actors are three “critters” including a raccoon, a prairie dog and an eagle. Nail’s foresight to include these background actors to his play not only made it well-rounded and more authentic, but has provided countless children with memories of participating in their community’s gift to the world, the Fort Griffin Fandangle!

Join us on Saturday, June 25 from 12-3 as the OJAC host the Fandangle Family Festival - Critter Corral. During this celebration of these animals, there will be crafts, activities, and food - all free to the public. Hope to see you there!

Jewellee Kuenstler, THC&P Coordinator

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Welcome Back, Fandangle!

The Fort Griffin Fandangle began in 1938 as a 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.

Dr. Shakelford’s Paradise was very well received, and was performed again later that summer, this time with involvement from the entire community. Renamed the Fort Griffin Fandangle, the show was a marked success and plans were made to make the Fandangle an annual event. Originally “born of a vague urge to do something a little larger than the usual home talent production,” the show has since taken on a life of its own, growing and changing each and every year.

Nail explained it best when he wrote:

“In the beginning it was meant to be a fairly serious spectacle, another pageant based on local history.  It was, to use a cattlerange expression, ‘loose-herded’ as it grew, and as often occurs in the creative process, it became not what was originally intended but something much better.  Somehow the spirit of the men who made local history - their cocky individualism, their hard humor, their skeptical attitudes - kept intruding and turned bland pageantry into light-hearted satire.”

After a year of rest due to the worldwide pandemic in 2020, the Fandangle returns this summer with renewed excitement and energy!

Molly Sauder, Archivist and Librarian

Beehive Saloon with Harold Law and Jon Rex Jones

Bob Nail at Dedication of Prairie Theater, 1965

Fandangle Performers, 1988

Fandangle on the Musselman Ranch, 1964

'Pink Ladies' at the LBJ Ranch, 1976

Bob Nail directing Fandangle practice

Fandangle cast with Lady Bird Johnson, 1976

Fandangle Sewing Room, ca. 1950

Gayla, Bud, Christy and Shannon Leech

Rupert Gates with rattlesnake

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A Virtual Who's Who

I recently found myself asking the question, who is Mrs. Yates?

 To begin, she is the subject of a small ink sketch purchased by the OJAC in 1982. Mrs. Yates as the Tragic Muse was drawn by George Romney, an 18th century British society portrait painter. Shown in neo-classical dress, this image of Mrs. Yates is most likely a page from one of Romney's sketchbooks. The faint lines of two other figures drawn on the back of the page show through the thin paper.

 Mrs. Yates (aka Mary Ann Graham Yates, 1728–1787) was a well-known actress in British theatre. The daughter of William and Mary Graham, she married the English comic actor, Richard Yates, sometime around 1756. Over the latter half of the 18th century, Mary Ann Yates would become the leading tragic actress of the English stage. At the time of this portrait sketch, she was nearly 20 years into her acting career. Mary Ann Yates was well known for her roles as Shakespearian heroines, but here she is depicted as the Greek Muse of Tragedy. 

 My 21st-century-self struggled with the fact that she is identified as "Mrs." Yates rather than by her full given name. However, the title of Mrs., pronounced “mistress,” was for centuries applied to all adult women of higher social status, whether married or not. This understanding of the term (which was how it was used in the 18th century), makes it clear that ‘Mrs.’ was more likely to indicate a businesswoman than a married woman—or in this case, both.

 Amy Kelly, Registrar

GEORGE ROMNEY, Mrs. Yates as the Tragic Muse, c. 1771, Ink on paper, OJAC Collection, Museum purchase. 1982.011

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Growing Up at OJAC

            My name is Sidney Bartee and I’m on Teen Council at the Old Jail Art Center. I have been a part of the program for four years now, but I’ve been visiting the museum since I was a child.

            I was around five years old when Mom first started taking me to Family Festivals and registered me to attend summer art camps. I remember the joy I felt while attending the camps and began to learn about different art types and the history behind them. We still have some of the art projects I made in boxes and on shelves at home!

           Once I got to middle school, life became more busy and I couldn’t be around the museum as much. During eighth grade, I met a fellow band member at school who volunteered at the Old Jail and suggested I join her weekly on Teen Council. I started working one hour each week on Wednesday afternoons preparing art supplies and soon felt right back at home after being away for so long. While we would work on projects, someone would always say something to make everyone laugh.

            After my sophomore year of high school I graduated to a paid internship in the Education Department. During the last two years I have worked to prepare supplies for Art-to-Go student outreach, helped man booths and activities at quarterly Family Festivals, and since the pandemic started I’ve helped prepare art kits for contact-free pick-up in front of the museum. Though at times the work can be tough, I’ve enjoyed it. I love helping to create the projects that I once loved as a kid for the next generation. By participating in events and Slow Art Day presentations I slowly learned how to come out of my shell and interact more openly with others. Being at the Old Jail has given me some of the best memories from my high school years and surrounded me with good people I can aspire to be like. Being a part of the Teen Council program is something I encourage every student do at some point in their school career!

Sidney Bartee, OJAC Teen Council

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Our Witness Tree: the OJAC Mesquite

Often times when we think of a historic landmark, we are imagining a building or structure. Today I wanted to share a special marker that is a bit more… natural.

Recently, while researching historical photographs of our original jail building, I noticed something that most had in common besides the rectangular stone facade. Though these photographs reflected over 100 years of change- one thing remained the same: a solitary tree.

And not just any tree. Not a strategically planted landscaping tree to enhance our entrance.
Not a stately oak tree that provides shade to our visitors.
But a West Texas, tough-as-nails, ‘couldn’t kill it if you tried,’ mesquite tree.

As early as the 1940’s and possibly earlier, the mesquite tree that stands to the right of the Old Jail has become a “witness tree” to our history.

 [Ever heard of the term ‘witness tree?’ These are flora of historic landscapes that remain in place for decades or centuries. Often they grew naturally in a spot- not planted by man or intended to serve a specific or historic purpose. But trees that grew and evolved into massive, silent sentinels. Natural markers of moments and meaning.]

 Ours has stood witness for so long, its trunk is actually growing around a fence! Its gnarled, rough bark certainly gives testament to its age. The things it must have seen… If trees could talk, I honestly wonder what stories this plant would share.

Witnessing it’s days as a county jail - to it’s purchase as a creative space for a gifted writer- and finally becoming a home for fine-art and artifacts from around the world -- this mesquite has accompanied a simple rock building through so many seasons.

 So, the next time you visit the museum- please do take a moment to admire our unique stone facade. But pay respect as well, to this beloved and elderly sentinel.

A tested, steadfast symbol that stands tribute to the grit, resourcefulness, and growth of our community.

Jewellee Kuenstler, THC&P Coordinator

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AAPI Heritage: Pali Manuscripts

May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month and with a collection like OJAC’s we can’t help but celebrate! One South Asian piece we love to share with visitors of all ages is our Pali Manuscript.

This artifact is from Myanmar, an old country with a new name. It used to be called Burma. Myanmar is known for fishing, agriculture, ancient traditions, and artisans. The country itself is almost the exact same size as the state of Texas!

A MANUscript, by definition, is something written by hand. Ours is written in an ancient Burmese language called Pali (pronounced pah-lee) native to countries like Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia. There are very few people left in the world who speak this language and only a few more who can translate it.

The hand-penned bamboo pages are protected by a long, exterior shell encrusted with gold, jewels, glass, and stone. Once opened, the pages extend out in an accordion fold as opposed to turning like a book. At over 200 pages and over 200 years old this artifact is a prized part of the OJAC collection.

Molly Gore Merck, Education Director

Buddhist Pali manuscript, 19th century. Burmese. Ink on paper; gilt and lacquered wood with stone and glass inlay. 1981.326

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National Wildflower Week

Did you know its National Wildflower Week?

Celebrate this colorful season with these fun offerings from the OJAC gift shop!

• Gather with family or friends for a night in and enjoy the vivid ‘wilds’ of West Texas with Billy Hassell’s “In the Caprock Country” 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle.

• Whether for a special occasion or everyday use, make an impression with the vibrant scenes in the “Billy Hassell In the Wild” boxed notecard assortment!

Call or click below to purchase, and browse our selections HERE in our online giftshop.

Don’t forget to add a plantable wildflower seed coaster before you checkout!

Tatum Green Calhoun, Administrative Assistant and Visitor Services Coordinator

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sold out

OJAC Plantable Wildflower Seed Coasters

$1.50

Use these coasters at your next gathering, and then plant them for a beautiful wildflower garden!

Add To Cart

Cynthia Brants (1924-2006)

As a young child, Cynthia Brants was interested in drawing and painting, persuading her parents to enroll her in Saturday classes at the Fort Worth School of Fine Art at about age ten. There, under the tutelage and encouragement of Blanche McVeigh and others (Sallie Gillespie, Evaline Sellors, Wade Jolly, and Sallie Blyth Mummert), she was exposed to drawing in charcoal and pencil, painting in watercolor and oils, and printmaking, an art medium she continued to perfect until her death.

Brants attended Sarah Lawrence College, located just outside New York City, from 1941-1945. She had the unique opportunity to study with Kurt Roesch, a working painter and former master in the Berlin Academy. Following graduation from Sarah Lawrence and the end of World War II, Brants traveled extensively in Europe, absorbing and cultivating her love of the arts.  She also established her first studio in Fort Worth.  Some of her fellow classmates in the childhood Saturday classes—Bill Bomar, Bror Utter, and Veronica Helfensteller—also pursued careers in art.  In the 1940s and 50s they, along with Brants and other artists, came to be known as The Fort Worth Circle. 

In 1979, Brants relocated permanently to Granbury, Texas, establishing a working studio and assisting singer and actress Jo Ann Miller as scenic designer and painter in the renovation and rebirth of The Granbury Opera House.  From the late 1950s until the early 1970s, Brants also taught—at her alma mater, Sarah Lawrence College, and, closer to home, at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas.  From 1960 to 1972 she painted a number of commissioned portraits in Connecticut, Texas, and Maine, which led to her being  presented to Her Majesty, the Queen Mother, at the presentation of Brants’s commissioned portrait of Lady Reading to the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service in London in 1972.

With few exceptions, Cynthia Brants sketched, drew, painted, sculpted or did print- or set-making each day of her life for sixty plus years. Her personal papers, housed here in the Robert E. Nail Jr. Archives, are just as extensive, including documents, photographs, exhibitions catalogs, correspondence, personal journals, and more.

Molly Sauder, Archivist and Librarian

Cynthia painting in her Fort Worth studio at 4148 Edgehill, ca 1950s

Carlin Galleries Exhibition Invite

Cynthia at work, Undated

Cynthia Brants and Gilliam Fuller at Reeder School, Undated

Fort Worth Art Association Exhibition Invite

Spring Cleaning: an Archival Photography Project

Spring is here! And with it comes longer days, rain-showers, colorful flowers, and yes, that all important task of 'spring cleaning'! Whether it is decluttering your house, cleaning out closets, or filing last year's photographs, spring is considered a time of renewal. The same concept is often true of our work here at the museum each time this season rolls around. 

This month, I’ve been privileged to work with our wonderful archivist, Molly Sauder to “refresh” an inventory database of historic photography.

The Robert E. Nail, Jr. Archives houses a photography collection that reflects the history and heritage of our area. This collection includes over 3,000 images, of which only around a third have already been individually cataloged. (The rest are currently grouped only by subject.) 

Of course, our ultimate archival goal is to catalog this collection in its entirety- because doing so is essential to the research, preservation and accessibility of these artifacts! 

But before we could begin our work towards this goal, some 'spring cleaning' needed to take place! 

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To Do List:

Step #1

As collections grow and change over time, new archival standards are developed in our profession. Sometimes these changes include an update of inventory database software or its structure. 

Our most time-consuming step of this project was to re-evaluate some of the previous categories, descriptions and keywords in our database that are used to identify our photographs. Although this required significant time and forethought, this organization will ensure the accessibility of the collection. (A researcher visiting our archives will have an easier time locating images of interest to them.) 

Step #2

Just as items can be accidentally misplaced in your home, the inventory of the archival photography needs to be periodically reviewed. Our next job was to ensure that all the photographs of the collection were accounted for. This is a public archive- utilized by visiting researchers and then re-filed, so sometimes items can become misfiled. (They were all accounted for, by the way! *Whew*)

Step #3

This process is a timely moment to add new information/ context we may have discovered about the photograph since our last inventory. This could include new info about the content of the image (a subject, location or event) or info about the object itself (the provenance, creation process of the photograph, etc.)

Step #4

Once the above tasks have been completed, we will be prepared to move forward individually cataloging the rest of our photography collection.

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This spring project has been such a fun opportunity to become more acquainted with the treasures of this collection. As we work, I’m reminded of the feeling of tending a garden- clearing, cleaning and planning- to ensure that our collection grows in health and scale for the benefit of future generations in our community. 

Jewellee Kuenstler, THC&P Coordinator

OJAC Haiku Contest!

Did you know that April is National Poetry Month?

To celebrate, a few of our museum staff have composed haiku- inspired by the beautiful Japanese art form and the museum that we love.

Please enjoy our modest literary efforts, then leave us one of your own using the form at the bottom of this page! We will take entries through the month of April, then museum staff will vote on a winner to be mailed our prize!

We can’t wait to read your poems describing your thoughts, feelings or impressions of the OJAC.

Erin Whitmore, Education Director

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Unexpected find.

A west Texas Oasis

of art and culture

*

Through another’s lens

We see visions by others

In a mark, a stroke

*

Seek inspiration

amid oil, wind, and cattle

Art is essential

*

Cells repurposed to

inspire Creativity;

Art for All of us 

Our museum is a

way to see the whole world from

your west Texas home

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Preserving unique

community history

through the Nail Archives

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Diverse Collections

‘doing time’ at an Old Jail

wait for your visit

*

Each week we welcome

visitors from near and far;

Always worth the trip

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A Museum Studies Internship at the OJAC

Taking inventory in the art vault, tearing down and putting up new exhibits, curating my own mini-exhibition, researching artists from the collection, while these may sound like the responsibilities of a seasoned museum professional, these are all opportunities I’ve had during my time as a Museum Studies intern this semester at the OJAC. Does that surprise you? Me too. 

I can safely say this internship has surprised me at every turn. The collection here is impressive, to put it mildly. It took me several weeks to take it all in, sneaking an extra lap in each gallery on my way to the bathroom. One of my go-to stops has been Vernon Fischer’s Aardvark in the Reading Room. I love its reference to pop art and the way it requires a second look.

I have been struck by the trust the museum staff had in me. My first day on the job I was tasked with an inventory task for the Registrar. In other jobs, “taking inventory” is probably a punishment, met with groans and an eyeroll, but taking inventory in an art museum is one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. This task meant going into the vault and putting my eyes on every single piece in the collection. It’s a shame you can’t take inventory too because there is some incredible stuff back there. The hours of my “job” flew by as I inspected the sculptures, prints, and paintings that make up the history of this museum. 

For the education department I got to take an even closer look at the pieces in the permanent collection. Not only was I given the task of researching several of the works for social media posts, I also designed coloring pages that will make up the new “Color our Collection” book. Yet again I was up close and personal with the work, studying every contour and element of composition to create its black and white coloring page clone. 

On my  first day of working with the Archivist I learned I would get to design and curate my own show. My own show?! I kept my cool as she told me the details. A two foot by four foot pedestal would be set up in the Center for Education, and I had full control of what would be on display inside.

As the weeks went by, the “newness” of the job wore off, but the surprises didn’t stop. I observed the staff’s genuine passion for their community, the extreme care taken to every detail of opening a new show, their enthusiasm for the work. Art has always meant a lot to me. I believe it has the power to bring people together in a way nothing else can, and I got to work in a museum in Albany, Texas that is proof of that! I have learned so much during my time working here and will continue to learn as I reflect back on the work of the collection.

Phoebe Voss, Museum Studies Intern

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Wishes for a Schlunky Spring

Schlunky Geraniums, n.d. BRIAN NIEBAUER. Oil on canvas.1993.073

“Schlunky”

Standard Definition:

● Unimpressive; Not thriving

Modern Definition:

● A situation which turned out surprisingly well/ great

In his last year, many of us have felt like these geraniums – a little worn and stressed. Like this plant, many of us need a bit of “TLC,” and the light of a brighter day. But Spring is approaching and with it, the promise of new beginnings! A time of hope when difficulties ease and good things return. My hope for you is a Schlunky Spring, in combination of both old and modern definitions. Something less than optimal- that turned surprisingly wonderful. To start it off, I suggest an afternoon at the OJAC to escape the routine, experience some beauty and refresh your soul.

Susan Montgomery, Membership and Development Coordinator

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Spring Greens: OJAC Staff Picks for March

Inspired by the most popular color of March, OJAC staff are sharing their favorite “Greens” from the museum’s permanent collections.

Enjoy and comment with your own favorites below this post!

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Untitled, 2001, TONY FEHER. Postage stamps and staples on paper. 2002.005

Amy Kelly; Registrar
Feher’s thoughtful and carefully composed creations give new life to mass-produced and easily discarded objects. In this work, thirty-five cancelled “fawn” stamps form an artistically formal collage attentive to composition, color, and repetition.

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Walrus Head (from Frobisher Bay), 1986. SEEPEE IPELLIE. Steatite and ivory. 1987.046

Tatum Calhoun; Visitor Services and Administrative Assistant

This green walrus always reminds me of childhood summer visits to Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, Tx. I remember pushing my family to rush through to the Walrus' for feeding-time!

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By the Sea, 1985. JOHN HELIKER. Oil on linen canvas. 1992.024

Susan Montgomery; Membership and Development Coordinator
As I know the artist spent most of his life on the east coast, this portrait reminds me of the Eastern Shore and Nantucket. The green jacket worn by a young boy is what caught my eye with this piece. I really love the soft brushstrokes and muted edges that cause the colors to melt into one another.

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Summer Sledding, 1974. EMILY GUTHRIE SMITH. Pastel on paper. 1997.033

Erin Whitmore; Education Director
Summer Sledding by Emily Guthrie Smith brings back childhood memories of choosing just the right cardboard box from my grandfather’s garage, then racing my siblings down a well-worn hill at a park near my home. The sensory details found in this pastel scene will always remind me of dusty blue-jeans, the smell of freshly cut grass, and the sounds of ducks from the lake behind the hill.

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Sam, c. 1954. ANDY WARHOL. Ink and watercolor on paper. 1995.025

Molly Merck; Educational Programming Coordinator

This Warhol "Sam" print is my favorite green cat in the world. I've always been crazy about animals and pets and I love reading the stories of the many Sam cats and envisioning the simple, sweet joy of the connection between a world renowned artist and their pet... or, in this case, pets. Warhol had not one but many cats named Sam the images he created of them are just as prolific. The green hue of our print is light and calming and comedicly paired with a mischievous red color of the eyes.

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Sunflowers, c. 1972. PETER HURD. Watercolor on paper. 1993.099

Hannah Rankin; School Outreach Instructor
Sunflowers by artist Peter Hurd reflects a scene that takes me back in time to my childhood of running through the sunflower patches in rolling green hills in the late evenings of summer.

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Jay’s Pool, 1944. BILL BOMAR. Oil on canvas. 2007.009

Molly Sauder; Archivist and Librarian
I really love the colors in Jay's Pool by Fort Worth Circle artist Bill Bomar. The shades of green and teals, along with the blues and golds, instantly catch my eye. In addition, I love the border that Bomar painted in around the top and right side of the piece, as it invokes a sense of ancient Egyptian art in the way he stylized the plants that dot around the edge.

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Set of Four Bowls, 20th century. CHINESE. Jade. 1995.001-004

Jewellee Kuenstler; Texas History Curriculum Coordinator
My favorite OJAC “green” are these jade Chinese tea bowls. I imagine they feel cool and smooth to the touch, and their color reminds me of a cool spring breeze and sense of contentment.

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Green Art Research Library. Est. 1984

Pat Kelly; Executive Director and Curator
The Green Art Research Library- because it has a bounty of art books that I never grow tired of searching. The subjects and artists mirror the museum’s eclectic art collection and is a valuable resource for research. It’s likely the best collection of art books in West Texas…maybe beyond.

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What We Want to See

In 2008, the OJAC received an abstract stainless-steel sculpture by Lila Katzen (1925-1998) through the museum of Fine Arts, Houston. As you can see from the photo, the shape resembles a horse; and as long as I’ve been here it was considered to be a horse. What I could never figure out was the significance of its title, Bradford with Curl. Did the artist have a horse name Bradford? Did its tail have some sort of unique curl?

Had I taken the time to do a little research (I’m embarrassed to say how little), I would have discovered that Lila Katzen’s home and studio for 38 years was located at 307 Bradford Street in Provincetown, Massachusetts. (The property was still owned by the artist’s son son as recently as 2016.) The location played a prominent role in the artist’s life as Katzen used that name for multiple publicly-commissioned works. The university of Maryland owns a large sculpture titled Bradford, and there is also one in the sculpture garden of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum titled Bradford with Curl.

Katzen’s work isn’t about horses at all, but rather about making metal behave uncharacteristically fluid. A leading abstract sculptor of the post-war period, Katzen cut varying widths of metal and masterfully crimped them into organic waves and curls. In a New York Times review, her work is described as forms that “undulate and curl in on themselves forming bows, loops, shell-shapes and so forth.”

So, is it wrong for the viewer so “see” what they want in art, to draw their own interpretation? Not necessarily. We all bring our own perspectives when we engage with art. Our shared and individual experiences bring art to life. They can be what causes one work to be more meaningful to one viewer than another. Researching an artist’s intent - though not necessary to appreciate a work - can enhance and enlighten our experience, and even offer some surprising discoveries.

Amy Kelly, Registrar

LILA KATZEN, Bradford with Curl, 1979, stainless steel. Bequest of Edward R. Broida through the

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. 2008.067

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Helidonismata: a Celebration of Spring

Swallow, 2017. BILLY HASSELL. Lithograph on paper. Courtesy the artist and Foltz Fine Art, Houston.

Today, as I walked through the galleries of our new Spring exhibitions, I came upon this print by artist Billy Hassell- and was reminded of a special celebration that takes place this time of year in the country of Greece. The traditions of this celebration are some of my most cherished memories from my time living on the Greek coast as a foreign exchange student in my teens.

Just as our western spring begins in March, the season arrives to Greece in ‘Martios.’

Each year at this time, the change in season is marked by a special environmental signifier that has become an important part of Greek culture. 

This is the return of the swallows, or Helidonia. 

During March, the Greek barn swallow returns from its winter travels to make their nests across the country. The dark-colored birds fill the sky with song upon their return, and proceed to make nests of mud under awnings of homes and buildings throughout town. 

Instead of seeing the influx of birds as a nuisance, the Greek people embrace the return of the swallows as a cultural symbol of hope and new beginnings (It is actually considered to be lucky if a swallow chooses your home or business to build its nest!)

For thousands of years, this seasonal signifier has been the cause of festivals and celebration.

Children process through the streets with wooden spinners, singing carols and taking collections for charity. Poetry, music and artwork are shared. It is a time of community renewal.

One special tradition of Helidinosmata is the Marti bracelet- a lovely family tradition and gift to the swallows. At the end of February, parents tie a special red and white bracelet onto the wrist of their children, which is said to bring luck in avoiding sun burns in the coming warmer weather.

As parents tie the Marti on their child’s wrist they may recite the ancient phrase “This bracelet I made will protect my child from the burning March Sun”

Children in Greece wear their Marti all during the month of March, and then cut them off before Easter. They then hang them from branches or bushes for the swallows to find- which adds lovely color and texture to the many nests that dot each building. 

This is one of my favorite cultural celebrations that honors the relationship between humans and nature that surrounds us. It remains one of my favorite memories from my life overseas, and it’s definitely made me look at the messy Mud-Martins under my Texas porch with a bit more affection.

Erin Whitmore

Education Director

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Membership Month at OJAC

Each February, we at the OJAC extend our gratitude to our museum’s membership. 40 years ago, our founding members witnessed and supported the vision of co-founders Bill Bomar and Reilly Nail, who saw the potential in our community resources and established the values and foundation that still guide our institution. Over the decades, our growing membership has dedicated immeasurable time, talent and energy in the support of our mission. They were, and remain a key factor in our progress and success. Each new member gained adds to the potential and sustainability of our mission. It is this knowledge and with great appreciation that we honor your devotion and dedication- both past and future.

We look forward to the next 40 years of growth together.

Susan Montgomery, Membership and Development Coordinator

White Paint

Most people have a mental image of the color white. For some it may be a warm white, for others, a cool white—there are infinite interpretations. For the person working the paint counter at your big box store, its arbitrary. More than once, I have inquired as to the true white of a ceiling paint. On most every occasion the answer is “it’s white.” I don’t think just because I’m a visual artist or work at an art museum that I am the only one who’s particular as to the tint of a color. I would assume many of you also concern yourself with what a ceiling color may look like especially after a neck-breaking application. Who wants a yellowy ceiling? Isn’t that the reason most of us paint a ceiling white? Anyway, I can hear myself sounding like a real “paint snob” by asking, “Well, is it a bright white or do you have a color chip that I can see?” “I’m not sure…it’s just white,” is the normal answer as they scurry off to avoid further discussion on the subject. 

If you are as interested in color as I am, you should seek out the book The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair. It dives deep into the origins of colors…how they are made, who invented them, why are the named as they are, etc. There is even a section on whites! Each color is a single page read that’s full of fun facts that you can recite to the next “paint representative” at the sales counter. 

Patrick Kelly, Executive Director and Curator

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Dr. Jack Shackelford and his Red Rovers

The outbreak of the Texas Revolution in October of 1835 brought into the conflict a number of locally raised volunteer military units from various places in the United States. In Courtland, Alabama, Dr. Jack Shackelford raised his own company of nearly 70 enthusiastic volunteers who would come to be known collectively as the Red Rovers. An accomplished and progressive doctor, Shackelford served Texas not only with his military skill and command, but by his treatment and care of both Texan and Mexican soldiers wounded in battle. After their capture under the command of Colonel James W. Fannin, Jr. at the battle of Coleto, Dr. Shackelford was spared execution at the Goliad Massacre because of his training as a physician. He endured several weeks as a prisoner of war at Goliad and then at San Antonio before escaping the retreating Mexican army after the battle of San Jacinto.

After returning to his home state of Alabama from the conflict in Texas, Dr. Shackelford continued living and working in the town of Courtland with his family. Although his eldest son had died in the war, he and his wife Maria raised two other sons and a daughter. Dr. Jack Shackelford died on January 22, 1857, and a year later in 1858 Shackelford County was established and named in honor of the contributions and sacrifices he had made for the Texas cause.

Molly Sauder, Archivist and Librarian

Letters from Dr. Jack Shackelford in Goliad, Texas, to his wife, Maria, and his son, Edward, in Courtland, Alabama

Found in the collections of the Alabama Department of Archives and History

Reproduction of a younger Jack Shackelford

Texas Historical Commission marker for Dr. Shackelford

Shakelford County Courthouse in an early snow, fall of 1938.

Photograph taken by Virginia Clarke. Cannon was sold for scrap during WWII.

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Cozy Crafts @ Home: OJAC Activity Trunk

Live within driving distance of the OJAC?

Looking for some Edu-tainment for those kiddos cooped up inside on cold days?

We've got you covered. Keep little hands occupied and create special memories on weekends with our Art@Home Activity Trunk! 

Each week, we provide two new FREE craft-kits of activities for Ages 4-12 (but fun for the whole family!)

Weekly kit activities combine visual art with STEM, motor-skill development, Social Studies, or Language Arts themes.  

We are proud to have provided over 5,000 kits to residents of our surrounding communities since our program began this past spring- and are looking forward to a new year of crafts and activities!

Don't forget- we give a weekly prize for our favorite photo of kit creations (emailed to us or posted on Facebook), and winners entered into a raffle to receive our Spring #StayHomeStudioKIDS subscription!

So pick up your FREE kits today and get crafting! We can’t wait to see what you make. 

Hannah Rankin, OJAC Outreach Instructor

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