February 21- March 28
Olin Travis: “People, Places and Visions”
(Large and Square Galleries)
Angilee Wilkerson: The History Series, re: Collect
(New Works Space)
Video installation: Quin Mathews: “movement s”
Birds to Roost, 26x32, Oil on canvas, undated, Collection of Jean and Joe Oliver
A note from the director
Beginning in 1999, with the opening of In Context (Contemporary Art in Dallas 1889-1940), The MAC embarked on a series of exhibitions celebrating our early Texas artists. That exhibit, curated by Eleonor Jones Harvey, was followed by A Symphony of Shade and Light: Frank Reaugh and His Students. This great exhibit featuring the “Dean of Texas Art” was curated by Michel Grauer, who continues to be in the vanguard of curating and exhibiting early Texas art at The Panhandle Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas and elsewhere. Of course, the women artists of Texas played a major role in elevating Texas’ artistic contributions to the national and international art scene, and this fact became evident with the fantastic Mary Bonner and Women Artists of their Time, curated by Angelika Jansen-Brown.
Our most recent exhibit of Early Texas Art, was the comprehensive survey of the art of Otis Dozier, curated by Sam Ratcliffe, Head of Bywaters Special Collections at The Hamon Art Library at Southern Methodist University. This exhibit helped us better understand this larger-than-life figure who played such a pivotal role in inspiring and cultivating excellence among the young artists and art enthusiasts within the Dallas community.
Now, with Olin Travis: People, Places and Visions, we have a chance to explore four decades of Travis’ paintings, beginning about 1916, two years after his graduation from the Art Institute of Chicago. Olin Travis was Dallas’ first artist to complete his degree at a major art institute, where he received training by Kenyon Cox and Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida, among others. Over the course of his lifetime, Travis exhibited in scores of local and national venues, founded two prominent art schools, and discovered and nurtured a young artist named Everett Spruce (who attained national and international prominence). But Olin Travis’s importance as an artist transcends these achievements; it derives from his never-ending exploration of nature and self, which he articulated through a variety of mediums and genres. His body of work has stood the test of time, as witnessed by generations of art lovers who continue to appreciate his works.
None of our exhibitions of Early Texas art could have been possible without the incredible support of our staff, lenders, donors, curators, photographers, designers and others. I would like to thank Madeline Williamson for her lifelong commitment to the arts in Dallas. As a dedicated art teacher and gallery owner, she helped pave the way for future generations to appreciate the artistic legacy of Olin Travis as well as many other Texas artists. We deeply appreciate the insightful essay contributed by Susan L. Travis. Her scholarship in the fields of art and literature, coupled with her intimate relationship with her grandfather’s world, have helped create a greater understanding of this incredible artist. I would also like to thank Claude Albritton III and George Palmer for their help in curating this exhibit. Finally, I’d like to thank Sullivan Perkins for designing this beautiful exhibition catalog. They have always been a pleasure to work with and we appreciate all of the pro bono projects they have contributed to The MAC while maintaining the integrity of their services.
And finally, a huge thank you to the Summerlee Foundation, whose generous support continues to foster a greater understanding of the contributions made by the early Texas artists who have laid the foundation for generations to come.
Most sincerely,
Liliana Bloch
Director
The Great No, 36x30, Oil on canvas, c. 1926-1932, Collection of Stephanie and Larry Boettigheimer
Angie Wilkerson, History Series #26
Angilee Wilkerson: The History Series, re: Collect
Angilee Dawn Wilkerson (www.angilee.com) has exhibited throughout Texas, the US, and as far away as Brno, Czech Republic, and has received numerous awards for her work and reviewed in the art periodical Artlies.
She is an educator as well as a professional photographer.
Wilkerson received her Masters of Fine Arts in Photography from Texas Woman’s University.
Concurrently, "Sprawl", the 46th SPE National Conference for the Society for Photographic Education is meeting March 26 - 29, 2009, here in Dallas at the Fairmont Hotel.
