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Greetings!
We hope you enjoy this edition of CASETA's E-news. This month we feature the second installment in our new "Collector Spotlight" as well as some Symposium updates.
As always, your input is important to us. Feel free to reply to this email with any comments, suggestions or questions.
Have a safe and happy holiday season.
We hope to see you in the new year!
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Note from the Board
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 Greetings from
Howard Taylor,
Board of Directors
When I arrived in Texas
twenty-five years ago most of the art museums in our state did not exhibit,
collect, sponsor scholarly research nor seem to have much appreciation for the
early visual art heritage of our state. Today that has dramatically changed.
CASETA which was founded by Bill Cheek and Bill Reeves, in my opinion has been
the greatest driving force in what has become an intense and almost competitive
interest, by many of the art museums in the state, to collect and exhibit early
Texas art. Jack Davis, another passionate collector, dedicated educator and
CASETA Board Member, has strongly advocated for and helped create inspiring
educational materials and programs that have been used extensively by public
schools throughout the state.
Since
1985 when we opened our art museum in San
Angelo we have hosted thirty exhibits that have
featured early Texas
art. Over twenty years ago we organized an exhibit drawing on the collections
of the Witte Museum in San Antonio with the guidance of Cecilia
Stienfeld. To me personally the greatest revelation came through my acquaintance
with Bill Cheek, who is a native of nearby Eldorado, Texas.
His passion and generosity led to a comprehensive exhibition of his collection
at our Museum and inspired our Board and supporters to begin to proactively
collect early Texas
art and to take a much deeper look at our own local roots. Because of Bill we
undertook some serious research which continues to this day about the
Christoval Art Colony which took place for several summers in the early 1920's
just outside of San Angelo.
Currently
our Museum is exhibiting the fabulous collection of early Texas art created by A.C. (Ace) Cook. We
have done this as a joint venture with our good friends at the Tyler Museum
of Art where it was featured this past summer and fall. We opened the exhibit
in San Angelo
on November 20th and it will continue through January 18th.
It is accompanied by a beautiful and informative gallery guide with
commentaries by Edward P. Pillsbury, Michael Grauer, Edmund Scott Parker,
Charlene Cook Lindstrom and Morris C. Mattson. Our Museum has added a small
section to the exhibit working with the San Angelo Art Club, which was organized
by Helen King Kendall and other local artists, many of whom were participants
in the Christoval Art Encampment. In it we
feature the work of several of the early leading artists of San Angelo such as Helen King Kendall,
Margaret Tupper and Dwight Holmes. Of particular interest are a number of works
by Xavier Gonzales who taught at the Christoval Colony and maintained contact with
his friends at the San Angelo Art Club until his passing in 1983.
Over
six hundred people attended the opening of Texas In My Soul: A.C. Cook and the Hock Shop
Collection. Many were on hand the following day when A. C. (Ace) Cook gave one
of the most delightful and informative gallery talks I have ever heard. Many
people from around the state that could not be here for the opening have since
made a special trip to see the show. It
is truly stunning and well worth the journey. I am always pleased to welcome
CASETA members so let me know if you do pay a visit. When it comes to early Texas art and those who
care about it I am delighted to meet people who share this passion. I
always learn something new and am eager to advance my understanding of this
vital subject on what has now been a twenty-five year odyssey of discovery.
Howard Taylor
Director, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts
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Note from the Office
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Greetings from 
Program Administrator
Earlier this month I was invited to attend a meeting of the Austin and San Antonio chapter of the "Texas Art Collectors" (TAC) and the Flatbed Forum of Austin. These groups came together for an informal gathering at the home of Robert and Hillary Summers. I had the opportunity to share information about CASETA with many new faces as everyone enjoyed the Summers' remarkable collection of mid-century Texas modernist art. Living in Austin, it is always nice to become acquainted with a fresh group of art enthusiasts who are open and eager to learn about our organization. We enrolled seventeen new members in CASETA that afternoon and hopefully piqued the interest of many more. It was an excellent ending to a very busy and successful year for CASETA.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the many events that I have attended this year and the people I have met through my association with CASETA. As I look towards 2009 I am am very excited about what we have in store for lovers of early Texas art. The Symposium committee has been hard at work for many months planning a fantastic and informative weekend of events in May. When I return to the office in January, I will be hard at work producing CASETA's first-ever print advertisements for the Symposium. I am excited about all of the Early Texas events and exhibitions planned for the coming year and look forward to meeting and visiting with you in the months to come.
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New! Collector Spotlight
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 "
Lorene David: Artist
and Teacher of Southeast Texas"
by Tam Kiehnhoff
The story of the art of Southeast Texas
is a surprising and rich one, waiting to be told. Just a quick foray into the paintings,
sculptures, exhibition programs and memories of the artists who have worked
here yields an exciting store of material for both collector and
researcher. Although a strong
representation of area artists can be found in the general reference guides on
early Texas art, notably Texas Painters, Sculptors & Graphic Artists by
John and Deborah Powers, and the Dictionary of Texas Artists, 1800-1945
by Paula and Michael Grauer, significant gaps still exist in the documentation
of the art of the Golden Triangle, as the contiguous metropolitan areas of
Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange are known.
One of the important early` artists who came to this area
and had a significant impact was Lorene David.
Born in 1897 and raised in Independence, Missouri, she received her bachelor's degree from Central Missouri State
Teachers College in
1922. In 1931 she moved with her aunt to
Beaumont to be
near relatives after the death of her uncle.
She began teaching art immediately in the Beaumont
public schools and in 1933 she received her master of arts from Columbia University
in New York. She also studied at the Art Students League
of New York and at the Kansas City Art Institute. In 1948, David became art director for the Beaumont public schools
and held that title until she retired in 1967.
Beaumont years, David exhibited significantly in juried shows,
often winning prizes, both in Texas
and nationally. She showed in New York, California, Denver, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Washington, D.C. and New
Orleans from 1932 through at least 1956...
...to continue reading this article click here...
image: Lorene Davis, "Destination Unknown"
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Project Spotlight
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 CASETA Curriculum Project
With the recent development of online modules for each of the CASETA/NTIEVA curriculum units, early Texas art education resources are available at no charge to any teacher or student with access to the Internet.
CASETA Board Member Jack Davis shares the following information about this exciting development:
With a grant from the Texas Education Agency, CASETA contracted with the North
Texas Institute for Educators on the Visual Arts (NTIEVA) at the University of North Texas
in 2005 to develop three prototype instructional units based upon the work of
early Texas
art and artists. Working with an
Advisory Committee from CASETA, the staff at the Institute proposed to develop
three units, one focused on early childhood students, one focused on elementary
school students (K-5) and one focused on middle school students (6-9). The three units were developed around three
big ideas: Texas Skies, Visions
of Texas, and the Dignity of Work. The units provide
teacher information as well as student activities and are coordinated with the
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
Texas Skies (Early Childhood): The big idea embracing Texas Skies is that artists can tell a story through universal
human experience. The concepts and ideas
developed in the unit are that (a) artists use color to represent weather
conditions and emotion, (b) the story that an artist tells is based on
observations of the environment and past experience, (c) an individual can make
predictions based upon observation of patterns in the environment, and (d)
color can tell a story about weather conditions and emotion.
Visions of Texas (Kindergarten- 5th Grade): The big idea of Visions of Texas is that early Texas artists observed
their environment carefully and uncovered the remarkable in the ordinary. Artists look at the world with fresh eyes,
then take their unique vision of the world, and create a way to share it. Ordinary people may look at the
characteristics of the land around them and find the plants too prickly, the
water too murky, or the sky too grey to be interesting, but an artist has the
ability to find uncommon beauty in the commonplace. Early Texas artists found beauty in thorny cacti
as well as flowering bluebonnets. The artists of Early Texas preserved the
landscapes of their regions in oil, watercolor, pastel, and print media,
creating a vision of Texas
that will last across state lines and across time. The concepts and ideas
developed in the unit are that (a) artists working in a specific geographic region
can incorporate regional characteristics of the landscape into their vision of
what the land means to them; (b) artists use multiple techniques to create a
sense of depth and distance in their work; (c) observation of one's everyday
surroundings can serve as the inspiration for a meaningful work of art.
Dignity of Work (6th-9th Grade): Early Texas
art recorded the hard work of people who migrated and settled in Texas. Their hard work contributed to their families
and communities, playing a strong role in the development of the state of Texas. The dignity of
hard work was and is still a part of the Texas
mentality. It is prevalent in the history of Texas,
the culture of Texans, and the art that represents the people of Texas. Many works of
early Texas
art preserve the lives and the daily activities of the people they represent.
These works record details of clothing, daily chores, and special events in
their lives. Work is important not only as a contribution to both family and
community, but also as a form of self-worth and a source of self-esteem. This
unit uses the theme of work to explore the role of hard work in settling the Texas frontier, and the
value of work during the Great Depression.
The concepts developed in the unit are that (a) Texas
developed as a result of the hard working people who migrated and settled here;
(b) Texas
attracted people from various cultures in search of work and opportunities for
a better life. (c) art can be used as a primary or secondary resource to
research historic social conditions; and (d) the subject of "work" is portrayed
in Texas art
throughout its history.
Work
included in the units was obtained from both collectors and museums. A limited number of printed copies and CDs
are available from CASETA and from the North Texas Institute for Educators on
the Visual Arts (NTIEVA).
Workshops
have been conducted throughout the state to train teachers to use the units in
their classrooms. The units are
available online in a downloadable format at the NTIEVA website.
With a
grant from the Edward and Betty Marcus Foundation through the New Media
Consortium, during the past year the units were translated into an interactive
computer format using the software Pachyderm. The Pachyderm format allows
teachers and students to engage interactively with the units. These interactive units are also available on
the NTIEVA website.
Reports
are that teachers have enjoyed using the curriculum materials very much and
that they have been a great success with students.
If you have any questions about this project, feel free to contact NTIEVA through their website, or contact CASETA.
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| CASETA Research Scholarship
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$1,500 Graduate Research Scholarships for New Research on Early Texas Art
CASETA is pleased to announce two $1,500 Graduate Research Scholarships for
students pursuing original research on early Texas art and/or artists. Graduate students in Texas
public and private universities are invited to submit a proposal for an
original / primary research project on early Texas art and/or artists that is endorsed
and supported by a faculty mentor. These
scholarships are for the support of research not yet undertaken[1]
Each scholarship will provide $750 in "up front"
money to be applied toward the completion of the project. Upon completion of the project, the remaining
$750 will be paid. The award can be paid
directly to the recipient or through their institution if the institution
agrees to administer the scholarship. If
desired, each recipient will be linked with an appropriate contact person with
expertise in early Texas art - a curator, a collector, or a scholar who agrees
to work with the recipient and their faculty mentor during the research process
by facilitating contacts and making primary research materials available. Submission deadline is March 1, 2009. Awards will be announced no later than May 15, 2009. Visit CASETA's website for complete details, eligibility requirements and submission information.
[1] Completed research may be submitted for consideration
for CASETA awards. Visit the CASETA website
for a complete description. |
Info for CASETA Members
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Members-Only Area!
CASETA members can log in to check out the message board and other features. We are currently in the process of adding new features- such as past auction results and an online exhibition- so check back often for new additions!
To join CASETA visit our website at caseta.org.
First Time Log in instructions for CASETA members:
1. Click here or click on the Members-Only tab at caseta.org
2. Select the "forgot password" option and follow instructions *Be sure to enter the email address at which you received this email*
3. Check your email. You should receive an email including your username and a temporary password.
4. Log in to the Members-Only area and change your password in the "My Profile" section.
5. Enjoy the message board. Check back often for updates!
If you have any trouble logging in to the website or receiving your password, please contact cd26@txstate.edu. Be aware that an updated version of your web browser may be required to utilize all website functions.
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Early Texas Art Across the State
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Current Lectures, Exhibits and Events
We know that our list is not complete, so please help CASETA keep its members in the loop!
If you are aware of any current or upcoming early Texas art exhibitions or events, please email information to cd26@txstate.edu.
Early Texas Art Events
Art of the American West/ Texas Art Auction
January 24
Heritage Auction Galleries, Fine Arts Annex
Dallas, Texas
Early Texas Art Exhibitions
Bluebonnets and Beyond: Julian Onderdonk, American Impressionist
September 19 - January 11
Witte Museum
San Antonio, Texas
Everett Spruce (1908-2002): Works on Paper
October 27- January 9
Mildred Hawn Gallery, Hamon Arts Library @ SMU
Dallas, Texas
VISIONING BEAUTY: An Ella K. Mewhinney Retrospective
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Save the Date!
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2009 CASETA Symposium on Early Texas Art
May 1-3, 2009
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center
Austin, Texas
- 4 star hotel venue offering
onsite restaurants & lounge
- Leading purveyors of Texas
art featured in the "Texas Art Fair" open to the public for the first time and
publicized in local and national newspapers and art publications
- Top scholars, collectors and
ETA enthusiasts presenting in varied session formats, including panel,
roundtable discussion and lecture with Q&A
- Exclusive opportunities to
network with fellow art patrons while enjoying the Austin art scene
We are proud to confirm the following speakers for the 2009 CASETA Symposium on Early Texas Art:
-Artists John Alexander, David Bates, Melissa Miller and Bob Wade will discuss the early Texas artists that influenced their careers in a panel discussion moderated by Annette Carlozzi, Curator of American and Contemporary Art at the Blanton Museum
-Collectors Mary Arno, Jason Schoen and Randy Tibbits will discuss their collections in a panel format
-Dr. Ted Pillsbury, Chairman of Fine and Decorative Arts for the Heritage Auction Galleries will present the keynote address "Texas Art: Past, Present and Future"
-Dr. Sam Ratcliffe, Head of the Jerry Bywaters Special Collection at SMU, will discuss art in Texas cities during the late 19th century
-David Coleman, Curator of Photography at the Harry Ransom Center, will discuss early Texas photography
-Bonnie Campbell, Director of the Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, will discuss the Capitol collection
-Artist Karl Umlauf will discuss his early Texas art influences including Spruce, Guerin, Fearing and Lester
-Carl McQueary,Independent Curator, will present a survey of early Texas art as related to the exhibition "The Texas Seen" opening in 2009 at the Grace Museum in Abilene
-Art Professionals Cheryl Carrabba, Mark Vangelder, Don Berkman and others in a round table discussion of art conservation and framing early Texas art
-Ellen Buie Niewyk, Curator of the Jerry Bywaters Special Collection at SMU and 2008 CASETA Publication Award Winner, will discuss the collections held by the Hamon Arts Library at SMU
More information about the speakers' topics and the program will be available soon.
Check caseta.org for more information!
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CASETA's E-news is sent monthly as a service to our members. To join CASETA, visit our website at caseta.org. Please feel free to share any comments or suggestions by email or phone. If there is content that you would like to see in the E-news or on our website, please let us know! Sincerely,
Courtney DiSabato
Program Administrator
CASETA
cd26@txstate.edu
(512)245-1986
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