Recent Acquisitions: Gifts of the Collectors Circle

The generosity and work of the Collectors Circle is the focus of this exhibition that features works of art purchased and conserved by this outstanding group of Grace supporters.

On the evening of January 29, 2023, The Grace Museum celebrated its eleventh annual Collectors Circle event. The tradition was established in 2012 by the museum’s Exhibitions and Collections Committee with goals of bringing new focus and raising funds to acquire additional works of art for the permanent collection. The collection itself originated in 1937 with the founders of the Abilene Fine Arts Museum’s goal to collect art for the good of the citizens of Abilene. The Grace Museum is the steward of the collection that has grown for the last eight decades through carefully screened donations from artists, collectors and private individuals to create an exemplary collection of American art with Texas connections. 

Since 2012, Collectors Circle members have purchased outstanding works of art by artists Bob Stuth-Wade, Alice Neel, Linda Ridgway, Sarah Williams, William Lester, Valton Tyler, Brian Cobble, John Guerin, Charles Umaluf, Myron Wood, Sherry Owens, Cynthia Brants, Toni LaSelle, and many other major artists. The Grace permanent art collection continues to be featured in art exhibitions at the museum and loaned to other museum exhibitions upon request. As the only Abilene-area museum accredited by the American Association of Museums, we maintain the highest professional standards for the preservation and presentation of works of art in the collection.

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