“People are always trying to take my work too literally, to list the things that are nothing more than ingredients of my pieces. . . .It’s like gestalt: the whole is always more than the sum of the parts. Most people never go beyond that list of objects to deal with the content, the meaning those objects assume in their … David McManaway: Cult of the Commonplace

The Hispanic Heritage Display Committee presents Entretenimientos: Música, Baile y Radio. This exhibition was created by Abilene’s Hispanic Heritage Display Committee, a group committed to archiving, preserving, and displaying the histories of Hispanics in Abilene for the community and its future generations. This exhibition highlights just a small portion of the rich history of music, dance, and entertainment in Abilene’s … Abilene’s Hispanic Heritage Display Committee presents: Entretenimientos: Música, Baile y Radio

“Where glittering barrooms graced the night Amid the songs of dance-hall queens; Where rugged men with boots and beards Watched the swiftly moving scene, They bought their joy and paid in gold When they came to Abilene” The words of this 1936 poem by Walt Cousins still ring true, with urban development continuing to make its way into nearly every … Downtown Abilene: At the Crossroads of Rugged and Refined

In 2008, The Grace Museum dedicated the Alice and Bill Wright Photography Gallery in response to the Wrights’ on-going gift of fine art photographs to the museum’s permanent art collection. Photographs donated by the Wrights formed the foundation of the collection that has now grown to more than 900 fine art photographs representing more than 275 photographers. Many recent additions … Focus on Photography: Selections from the Permanent Collection

In the 85 years following the founding of the Abilene Fine Arts Museum (AFAM), with the stated goal of creating an important art collection “for the good of the citizens of Abilene,” the art collection has grown to include more than 2,500 invaluable works of art. Dating from the 13th to the 21st centuries, important paintings, sculptures, works on paper, … Invaluable: Collection Treasures from Past Exhibitions

From the curator, Judy Tedford Deaton Photographer Terry Cockerham laments the fact that many Texas residents have never experienced the majestic beauty of the Big Bend area of Texas. He is so adamant about the value of this part of the state that he has spent more than a decade documenting exactly why the Big Bend should be on everyone’s … Terry Cockerham: Big Bend

”Remnants of personal stories, visions and observations in nature are the driving forces in my work. I believe what we see and do in our daily lives leaves a mark on our planet. Currently, we are depleting our natural resources and altering the environment, resulting in climate change and the disappearance of animal species. It is the direct impact of … Sherry Owens: Promise Me The Earth

Evidence remained of the life of the homesteader, but Abilene was beginning to urbanize. An electric streetcar system had just begun service. The state-run Epileptic Colony was celebrating its seventh birthday and was the city’s largest employer. Following drought-breaking rains, the city’s water supply seemed secure. Although electricity was appearing in some houses, gas was still in dominant use for … Historic Period Rooms

The Grace Museum is collaborating with Abilene Christian University’s Introduction to Public History: Interpreting American Pasts course to create monthly exhibitions that coincide with different cultural heritage months throughout the year. These exhibitions highlight the narratives of various cultural groups that are integral to Abilene’s history while weaving these stores into the broader historical fabric of the United States. Independence … Independence Day – Cultural Heritage Exhibition 2022

The Grace Museum is collaborating with Abilene Christian University’s Introduction to Public History: Interpreting American Pasts course to create monthly exhibitions that coincide with different cultural heritage months throughout the year. These exhibitions highlight the narratives of various cultural groups that are integral to Abilene’s history while weaving these stores into the broader historical fabric of the United States. May … Asian American and Pacific Islander Month – Cultural Heritage Exhibition 2022

“In the history of symbols the cosmic tree is described as the way of life itself, a growing into that which eternally is and does not change; which springs from the union of opposites and, by its eternal presence, also makes that union possible. It seems as if it were only through an experience of symbolic reality that man, vainly … Terry Hays: Cosmic Garden