JOLI

Home on the Range: Where the Prairie Meets the Plains in Central West Texas

This Saturday is the National Day of the American Cowboy – so to celebrate – The Grace Museum and our JOLI partners are honoring real cowboys and cowboy culture all week! Hear from four true American (and Texan) cowboys in this video from one of our favorite past exhibits, Home on the Range. Featuring: John Matthews – Lambshead Ranch, Phil Guitar – Guitar Ranches, Arlon Baize – Working Cowboy, and Boots O’Neal – 6666 Ranch.

Still Life in Photography: Laura Pickett Calfee

Since the mid-1990s Calfee has photographed homes occupied by the same families for generations focusing on casually arranged mementos, lovingly used objects and telltale signs of previous owners. The intimate photographs illuminate the significance of the fading tradition of holding on to the home place and caring for objects handed down from generation to generation. The subtly-hued photographs place one or more specific objects into small carefully composed vignettes.

Grant Wood 3D Landscape Art Activity

Learn about American Regionalist artist, Grant Wood, and make your own 3D landscape work of art! Supplies: long sheet of paper, pencil, scissors, glue/tape, crayons/colored pencils/paint/markers

Reid Crowell – Farm and Ranch

It’s #WayBackWednesday and we have a really interesting Agriculture + Art + History connection to share for #FromFlowersToFoodWeek!

Staff Picks: Annemarie picks La Luz Sunrise by Peter Hurd

Children’s Programming Coordinator, Annmarie Holder shares why she picked La Luz Sunrise by Peter Hurd as one of her favorite pieces from The Grace Museum’s permanent Art Collection.

Tot Spot: Mail-A-Hug

Families – it’s Tot Spot Time and today we are learning about Lithography and artist Jerry Bywaters and then making a HUG to send in the mail to someone who needs it! The supplies you will need are: Large Piece of Paper, large envelope, pencil, markers/crayons/paint, scissors (for the adults). Supply kits can also be picked-up from The Grace Museum in our lobby!

Illustrated Happy Hour: Andy Warhol – Space Fruit + Old Fashioned Cocktail

It’s That Retro Week Illustrated Happy Hour and we are throwing back to Andy Warhol’s ‘Space Fruit” series from 1977 from the collection of The Grace Museum. Check out this print series while sipping on an Old Fashioned as taught by Krystalle at Cypress Street Station! Then paint along at the end.

How to Make: Mood Jewelry

Follow this step-by-step instruction for how to make your own thermal – “mood” jewelry.

Film Friday: Earlie Hudnall, Jr. – American Photographer

We have a special Saturday edition of our #FilmFriday series today! We are happy to share this image from The Grace Museum Collection by @txcommarts – 2020 Texas State Artist (2D) – Earlie Hudnall, Jr. titled “The Guardian”.

Illustrated Happy Hour: Luis Jimenez and Jesus Moroles – A Shared History

For Illustrated Happy Hour this week we celebrate two important American sculptors who have a shared history. Both, born in Texas – rose to international acclaim and have represented the US as iconic symbols through their work. Sadly – both artists left us too soon. Settle in and make this week’s layered patriotic cocktail with Cypress Street Station and learn about Luis Jimenez and Jesús Moroles! Paint along at the end.

Way Back Wednesday: History of the American Flag

It’s #WayBackWednesday and we are sharing this history of the American Flag! The flag has a really interesting history and The Grace Museum has an example of a handheld 48 stars flag from 1958. Check out this history of the flag via PBS as well as this short video visual evolution of the flag!

Discover Your Own Shared History: Begin Your Genealogy Search

Getting started on your Genealogy research can feel intimidating and overwhelming. Thankfully there are many helpful people and resources available to assist you at the Abilene Public Library and via online and digital sources. Watch this brief overlook at getting started and working with Ancestry.com’s system specifically.

How To Ice Dye

We are excited to announce (to all of you Gen X-ers and Millennials) that…. Tie-Dye is BACK! Follow along on this SUPER EASY method for Ice Dyeing that is sure to bust the heat and boredom this Summer.

Film Friday: Summer on Film

It’s #FilmFriday at the end of Summer Heat Week and we wanted to cool off with this beautiful photograph by American photographer, George Krause of this little boy playing in what appears to be water from a fountain in the year 1970 in Philadelphia.

Illustrated Happy Hour: Forged in Fire

It’s Illustrated Happy Hour and we are talking about FIRE – at least sculpture formed by fire! Check out welding and casting and learn to make a Spicy Paloma cocktail with Cypress Street Station and then paint along at the end!

Way Back Wednesday: Swimming in Taylor County

It’s #WayBackWednesday and this week we are talking about Summer Heat and here in Texas we are feeling that heat this week! Our Summer heat is not a new thing for us and we found these “cool” photos of people cooling off in our neighbor town, Buffalo Gap, around the turn of the century. Buffalo Gap is still a respite for many locals and travelers, alike – with many offerings for recreation, dining, history, and beautiful scenery.