Fall Regional Art Symposium Announced: Heard-Craig Center for the Arts, McKinney, Texas

"The history of art in Texas is, like any good story, filled with characters, unfolding events, and underlying themes.” Annie Royer, Artist/Art Historian.

The Heard-Craig Center for the Arts is honored to host a one-day Texas Regional Art Symposium on October 10, 2009. Historical and contemporary art exhibits will feature well known historic artists of the region, such as Frank Reaugh, Jerry Bywaters, and Frank Klepper. Distinguished speakers will include Lonn Taylor, Francine Carraro, Victoria Cummins, Bob Reitz, Light Cummins, Sam Ratcliff, and Carol Roark on subjects ranging from southwest material culture to original research on individual artists such as sculptor Allie Tennant and painter Frank Klepper. The capstone of the symposium will be an open discussion led by area collectors who will exhibit and discuss their favorite pieces of art. The Texas Regional Art Symposium will also be hosting the Patricia B. Avery Regional Art Exhibit, applications for this exhibit will be accepted until August 1. Local artists will study a site-specific painting from among the works in the Heard-Craig Center for the Arts collection or participating private collection. The artist is then required to travel to the subject of the piece he or she has studied in order to create their response to the original piece. Exhibiting artists will receive free admission to T.R.A.S. as well as the opportunity to sell their work without gallery fees. There will also be a scheduled opportunity to meet and greet with the artists as well as prominent historians, curators, art dealers, and art collectors. “By bringing together historians, curators, collectors, and local artists, the Heard-Craig Center offers our community a forum for dynamic discussion, as well as the presentation of new research on regional art in Texas,” says Barbara Johnson, director of the center. This annual event will encourage a greater understanding of 19th and 20th century Texas visual arts (painting, photography, decorative arts, sculpture), and foster the development of the next generation of creators, collectors, and historians of art and culture in Texas.

Tickets $20 for the full day of activities.
Students with I.D. may attend for $10.
For more information, go to www.heardcraig.org
or contact Barbara Johnson: Heard-Craig Executive Director
bjohnson@heardcraig.org
972-569-6909
Heard-Craig Hall is located at
306 N. Church Street in McKinney, Texas