Current and Upcoming Exhibits

June 7, 2003 - August 28, 2004
Dinosaurs of Texas

Bring your students to see the most dino-mite exhibit this year! Guided and supported by Abilene area teachers and students, this special exhibit features fossil and cast specimens from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras found in Texas. The multifaceted exhibit is curated in collaboration with the Texas Memorial Museum at The University of Texas at Austin and the Dallas Museum of Natural History.

August 14 - October 18, 2003
Sylvia Martinez Johnson: Paint Girl of New Mexico

Joyful colors, delightful New Mexican scenes, and religious themes are among the many elements that make Sylvia Martinez Johnson's work so special and appealing. Sylvia Martinez Johnson: Paint Girl of New Mexico is scheduled to coincide with Hispanic Heritage Month and is sponsored by Sindy and David Durham.

August 14 - October 18, 2003
Censored and Sanctioned: Soviet Art of the Cold War from 1956-1986, Part V: Industrialization

The Cold War achievements of the USSR economy were astounding. The world saw Sputnik in the sky in 1957, the growth of a formidable Soviet military arsenal, and the output of heavy industries-like steel, natural gas, and oil-approaching levels of capitalist economies. Social Realist art documented the proletariat in heroic portraits featuring hopeful, optimistic people productively at work. Nonconformist art conveyed the loss of individuality and revealed the monotonous, unfulfilled lives of people trapped within the classless society.

September - December 2003
Willie & Joe: Bill Mauldin's Army

Bill Mauldin trained in the infantry with the 45th Division at Camp Barkeley in Abilene. He learned newspaper craftsmanship at the Abilene Reporter-News and later worked as an artist for the 45th Division News and Stars and Stripes. His cartoons of "Willie and Joe," two rough soldiers portraying the American soldiers' view of combat, brought him recognition throughout the English-speaking world and a 1945 Pulitzer Prize. Special tours of the hands-on Willie and Joe exhibit may be scheduled in conjunction with a tour of the Abilene Reporter-News. The combined tour provides students a view of modern newspaper production, followed by historical perspectives at The
Grace Museum.

October 4, 2003-January 3, 2004
Paintings by Mondel Rogers

A West Texas native, Mondel Rogers, grew up on a small ranch near Sweetwater. His love of the area is conveyed through his paintings. His work revisits the people and the architecture from his childhood.

October 28, 2003-January 10, 2004
Censored and Sanctioned: Soviet Art of the Cold War from 1956-1986, Part VI: Fantasy and Reality

Art provides an avenue for people to experience imaginative play, illusions and dreams-the natural social behavior of human beings. Sanctioned artists, charged with the job of reflecting Communist ideals, and often their perception of reality, were prohibited from illustrating the real human experiences of the subconscious and dreams. Despite the perilous consequences, other artists dared to create and express fantastical images through Nonconformist art styles.

Sylvia Martinez Johnson: Paint Girl of New Mexico

Bright colors, inspirational scenes and a glimpse of New Mexico fill the artwork of Sylvia Martinez Johnson. Sylvia grew up in Los Alamos, New Mexico and found a muse in her surroundings and the people she knew. Much of her art focuses on everyday life from market scenes to festivals.

Other works in her collection focus on religion. Inspired by the Book of Revelation, she created "Rapture," the first in a series of twelve large oil paintings. This led to an interest in Eastern Orthodox icon painting as seen in works such as Angelita, seen right.

Sylvia will be conducting artist-in-residence classes in Abilene area elementary schools September 17th through the 19th. She will also give a Gallery Talk at The Grace Museum on September 18th at 6:30 p.m., as well as lead a chalk art activity during the Festival of the Americas on the afternoon of September 20th.

Sylvia Martinez Johnson: Paint Girl of New Mexico will run through October 18th. For more information, contact The Grace Museum at (325) 673-4587.

Photo of Angelita with this article, and: Sylvia Martinez Johnson, Angelita,
oil on linen with 23k gold leaf Part of the Paint Girl of New Mexico exhibit.

Outreach Docents

Are you looking for an activity that will drive home a certain concept?

Trained outreach docents are available to bring exciting art projects, lesson plans, supplies and resources to your classroom. Choose from a wide variety of projects Available, or tell us your lesson objectives and we will create a lesson for you.

Teachers in Abilene, Wylie, and Hawley School Districts may obtain free
curriculum-based art lessons by contacting Marianne Wood, Museum Art Educator, at 673-4587 or marianne@thegracemuseum.org

Teacher Resource Opportunities @thegrace.fall

Call the Education Department at 673-4587 for information about any of the following.

Stayin' After School: Dinosaurs of Texas Teaching Guide and Tour. Thursday, August 28, 4:00 - 5:30 pm

Teachers will receive the Dinosaurs of Texas Educator Guide with lessons providing Science, English, Language Arts, Math and Art based objectives. Teachers will view completed projects, tour the exhibition, preview new Dinosaur Traveling Trunks, and learn how to sign up classes for museum tours. FREE. Register through Region XIV ESC.

Stayin' After School: Soviet Art Classroom Connections
Thursday, September 4, 4:00-5:30 pm

Teachers will receive the new Educator Guide for the art exhibition Censored and Sanctioned: Soviet Art of the Cold War. Lesson objectives related to English, Language Arts, Social Studies, Geography and Art. Teachers will receive an in depth tour of the exhibition and view completed projects. FREE. Register through Region XIV ESC.

Teacher Workshop 1900-1950: Historic Traveling Trunk
Tuesday, September 23,1:00 - 4:00 pm

Teachers will learn to use the traveling trunk resource designed as a multi-sensory, mini-museum for the classroom. The trunk provides exploration of regional history, social studies and geography through printed materials, timelines, oral histories, and artifacts. This program is created especially for teachers and students grades 3rd to 5th, but is adaptable to other grade levels. FREE. Register through Region XIV ESC.

Newsletter made possible by funding from The Edward & Betty Marcus Foundation, The Community Foundation of Abilene, the Abilene Independent School District, and the Wylie Independent School District.