Summer Speaker Series at Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park. Photo: google

As a history enthusiast, I enjoy visiting historical sites and learning all I can about them. Unknown to some residents, this area has an extensive amount of history, historical markers, and parks. One example is the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park. On May 8, 1846, U.S. and Mexican troops clashed on the prairie of Palo Alto. Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park preserves the site of this battle and examines the causes, events, and consequences of the U.S./Mexican War. (Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park, 2021)

This park is hosting a Summer Speaker Series to educate and inform the public about the Battle of Palo Alto and related topics. I have attended the previous two lectures and sincerely appreciate the effort put through by the volunteers and speakers to bring us these events. These presentations are very interesting and appeal to local history buffs. They are held in the visitor center at 10a.m. and seating is limited to 25. Below is a brief synopsis of each.

Saturday June 19 Riverboat Trade
Joe Matthews, a valley native, presented the discussion about riverboats of the Mexican-American War, including the history of riverboats and the people involved. As a visual aid, Aurelio Romo brought in his 7ft. replica of Bessie, a shallow-draft boat, which he put together during the COVID quarantine. Riverboats like these were first used mostly by ranchers and small businesses to move supplies. During the Mexican-American War, they were used to move troops up and down the Rio Grande River. Back then, the river was so much wider and ferries were commonly used. Some of the earlier traders included Charles Stillman, who came from Europe at the age of 18 and was instrumental in setting up the riverboats. After the war, the riverboats were used mostly for trade and during the Civil War, they helped smuggle cotton into the South by “Confederate sympathizers” who most likely were only interested in making money.

Highlight: General Zachary Taylor developed a reputation as an outstanding man, known for upholding treaties with the native people and often stated “we’re at war with the Mexican army, not the people.”

Saturday June 26 – Texas Rangers, Scouts, Spies of the U.S. Mexican War
Wade Marcum, a teacher, presented the discussion about the early Texas Rangers in three parts: ranger history, ranger descriptions, and a show and tell/Q&A. Visual aids included several pistols, rifles, and revolvers as well as two different horse saddles.

Most of the early Texas Rangers were volunteers, which was Stephen F. Austin’s idea. Their reputation was that they “ride like a Mexican, trail like an Indian, shoot like a Tennessean, and fight like the devil.” They took the best from each culture that they came across. In 1846 with the Mexican/American War looming, these volunteers operated under the Law of Retaliation because they had scores and grudges to settle with the Mexican people.

The introduction of horses in the area made a difference in how Indians did battle and a revolution in firepower came with the invention of the Colt 5 shot revolvers by Samuel Colt. Captain Jack Hays bought them for this troops in the Texas Navy but when it disbanded, Colt was out of luck. He later met with Samuel Walker up east and designed the 6 shot .44 caliber revolver.

Coming up next: Saturday July 3 Grenadiers in the Mexican Army

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
7200 Paredes Line Road
Brownsville, TX 78526
(956) 541-2785

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park

San Antonio Museum of Art announces acquisition of historic Chinese artworks

San Antonio Museum of Art. Photo: google

Yesterday the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) announced the acquisition of important historic Chinese artworks, including a gilt openwork crown and a gilt plaque decorated with a standing lion, both from the Liao dynasty (907–1125); a set of jade belt plaques from the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), and a set of gilt silver hairpins embellished with kingfisher feathers from the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). These new artworks expand SAMA’s stellar collection of Chinese art, which has particular strengths in ceramics from the dawn of Chinese civilization to modern time. The new acquisitions are part of an ongoing effort to enhance under-represented areas within the Museum’s wider Asian art collection such as metal work and jade. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

“The artworks announced today capture the incredible artistry and skill of Chinese craftsman from across history, while also illuminating the importance of these objects—and the imagery and material they hold—to Chinese culture and society,” said Shawn Yuan, Associate Curator of Asian Art. “We are delighted to enhance the Museum’s Chinese art holdings with these stunning works, which further our ability to share narratives and develop understanding of Chinese material culture through time.”

Crown
China, Liao dynasty (907-1125)
Gilt bronze
H. 11 7/16”
Purchased with funds provided by the Bessie Timon Endowment Fund
2021.1.1

The magnificent gilt crown is a mortuary item for a noblewoman of the semi-nomadic Khitan people, who lived in today’s northern China and Mongolia in the 11th to 12th century. The domed cap is covered with chased floral scrolls and surmounted by a lotus flower and a now-missing deity. On each of the attached standing “wings,” two glorious phoenixes, with wide spreading wings and long tails, are positioned among scudding clouds. This crown is an example of the luxurious lifestyle of the Khitan elite, who established the powerful Liao dynasty and controlled an enormous landmass bordering Korea to the east and central Asia to the west. Acquiring this crown helps the Museum to present a more complete image of the rich Liao dynasty material culture, along with the Museum’s expansive collection of Liao ceramics.

Plaque with a Standing Lion
China, Liao dynasty (907-1125)
Gilt bronze
L. 8 3/8” W. 4 7/8”
Purchased with funds provided by the Bessie Timon Endowment Fund
2021.1.2

The gilt bronze plaque decorated with a standing lion is an example of the impressive craftsmanship of the Liao dynasty. The energetic lion, hammered in low relief, stands on his left hind leg while thrusting the other forward. The lion’s broad chest rises, and his massive head turns backward as his flamboyant mane sweeps upward. Under the bushy eyebrows, the lion’s eyes focus intensely on a flaming pearl. The imagery has a Buddhist origin: the lion guards the Buddha’s teaching while the flaming pearl represents the Buddha’s wisdom. The images of a lion with protective power are rarely seen on other Liao works in the Museum’s collection.

Belt Plaques
China, Ming dynasty (1368-1644)
Jade
Elongated tab: 3.5”x1.4”; rectangular: 3.1”x1.4”, 2.2”x1.4”, 1.4”x0.7”; tear-drop: 1.4”x1.3”
Purchased with funds provided by the Bessie Timon Endowment Fund
2021.1.3.a-r

The set of eighteen jade plaques is the first important jade work to enter the Chinese collection. Jade has been China’s most valued gemstone since the dawn of its civilization. These plaques were once attached to belts worn by noblemen. The rectangular plaques are carved in high relief with lively scenes of male figures teasing frolicking lions with ribbons—an auspicious subject with a long history in Chinese art. The hardness of jade is second only to that of diamonds. The delicate carvings on these plaques present the impressive craftsmanship of the jade carver.

Hairpins
China, Qing dynasty (1644-1911)
Silver and kingfisher feather
5 ¾” to 5 ¼”x3 ¼” by 3 1/8”
Purchased with funds provided by the Bessie Timon Endowment Fund
2021.1.4.a-c

The set of three gilt silver hair pins is an exciting addition to SAMA’s collection of Chinese dragon robes, embroidered brocade, shoes, and jewelry—all items from the wardrobes of upper-class families. All three hairpins are inlaid with kingfisher feathers, whose colors are as brilliant as azurite, lapis, cobalt, and turquoise. They were iridescent under the sunlight, creating a dazzling visual effect. Kingfisher feathers were a luxury material used on hair ornaments and crowns for thousands of years. The dominant image on each hairpin is a stylized bat with foliate wings outlined in thin silver. Bats are considered auspicious because the word bat is pronounced the same as luck and blessing.

The San Antonio Museum of Art serves as a forum to explore and connect with art that spans the world’s geographies, artistic periods, genres, and cultures. Its collection contains nearly 30,000 works representing 5,000 years of history. Housed in the historic Lone Star Brewery on the Museum Reach of San Antonio’s River Walk, the San Antonio Museum of Art is committed to promoting the rich cultural heritage and life of the city. The Museum hosts hundreds of events and public programs each year, including concerts, performances, tours, lectures, symposia, and interactive experiences. As an active civic leader, the Museum is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the city and the region, and to supporting its creative community.

Plaque with a Standing Lion China, Liao dynasty (907-1125) Gilt Bronze L. 8 3/8″ W. 4 7/8″ Purchased with funds provided by the Bessie Timon Endowment Fund 2021.1.2 Courtesy photo, used with permission.

San Antonio Museum of Art

Celebrate National Day of the Cowboy at the Briscoe Western Art Museum

National Day of the Cowboy celebration spans day and night on July 24. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The Briscoe Western Art Museum presents the return of its National Day of the Cowboy celebration on Saturday, July 24, from 10a.m. to 2p.m. at the Briscoe. The free community event, which includes free admission to the museum and its exhibitions, features indoor and outdoor activities for cowpokes of all ages. And there is no riding off into the sunset when the daytime National Day of the Cowboy celebration concludes. The fun continues with the Briscoe’s “Sips and Sounds of the West” series at 6:30p.m. with live music in the museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden. The ticketed event is a night of music, drinks, and tasty bites under the stars. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)

Cowboy Fun Under the Sun – And Throughout the Museum

One of the Briscoe’s most treasured annual events, National Day of the Cowboy is held on the fourth Saturday of July each year. After a pause in 2020, the celebration returns, inspired by the Briscoe’s blockbuster summer exhibition, Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western. The exhibition tells the dramatic story of the Hollywood Western from the late 1960s through the 1980s, recreating a 1960s-era theater experience that features more than 60 original movie posters, authentic lobby cards and costumes worn by John Wayne. Do not be surprised if The Duke himself is roaming the exhibit, ready to take pictures with adoring fans.

National Day of the Cowboy Celebration highlights include:

Free admission and activities for the whole family, including guided tours of the Briscoe. The tours, with bilingual options, will highlight artworks that relate to cowboys, cowgirls and vaqueros.
Cowpoke games and crafts, where you can outfit yourself in a cowboy vest and spurs, make a stick pony and try out some barrel racing, learn how to rope and brand cattle, herd some balloon animals, do a little bull riding, show off your gunslinging skills, and more.
Lil Partners Reading Zone, offering up cowboy tales in the museum’s San Antonio Public Library Kampann Library Portal. Sit a spell and enjoy a book reading with Emily Wilson, the Briscoe’s Curator of Art. Wilson’s recently published children’s book, “Charlie Russell and the Gnomes of Bull Head Lodge,” crafts a modern fairy tale based on the life of one of the fathers of Western art, Charles M. Russell (1864–1926), and his many letters. Stop by to learn the art of gnome-making so you can craft your own cowboy gnomes.
Bruce Morgan, a stuntman who played a role in making scenes memorable in Hollywood Westerns in the 1970s, shares behind-the-scenes stories about movie stunts.
Dairy Farm Demo, with a traveling milking parlor featuring a live cow for all to learn how to milk, with a hands-on practice station with milking balloons.
Chuck wagon cooking with samples of peach cobbler and beans, along with food truck grub available to satisfy any hungry cowpokes.

The fun continues after the sun sets with the Briscoe Western Art Museum’s Sips and Sounds of the West series at 6:30p.m. in the museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden. With live music from singer/songwriter Marcy Grace and band, drinks and tasty bites under the stars, enjoy a night out celebrating all things cowboy. Surrounded by the beauty of the garden’s fantastic bronze sculptures and lush greenery, kick back and soak in the sounds of West with music, drinks, and food until 9:30p.m.

Named 2019 Solo Artist of the Year by “Formo” Magazine, Grace was nominated by the 2021 Texas Radio Music Awards for Best New Female Artist and has had three Top 40 singles on the Texas Regional Radio Chart. Her song “Margarita Man” is featured in the film “The Margarita Man” starring Danny Trejo and San Antonio’s own Jesse Borrego. Sips and Sounds of the West tickets are available online and are $15 for members, $25 for non-members and each ticket includes two complimentary beer tickets.

The National Day of the Cowboy was designated in 2005 as a day to celebrate and preserve the heritage of the American cowboy, cowgirl and vaquero in the United States. The state of Texas declared it a day of honor in 2015 and the Briscoe annually hosts a celebration event, throwing open the doors of the museum to honor the cowboy, cowgirl and vaquero in us all.

From its McNutt Sculpture Garden to the museum’s beautifully restored historic home inside the former San Antonio Public Library building, the Briscoe’s collection spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and a fantastic Museum Store, providing art, culture, history and entertainment. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online. Per the latest CDC guidelines, vaccinated guests are welcome to enjoy the museum and Jack Guenther Pavilion without a mask. The Briscoe respectfully requests all non-vaccinated guests wear face coverings.

Briscoe Western Art Museum

Celebrate Father’s Day at the Briscoe Western Art Museum

Westerns, Whiskey, and deals make the Briscoe a must for Father’s Day. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

Give dad a blockbuster Father’s Day at the Briscoe Western Art Museum where summer fun includes Hollywood Westerns shown in their full glory during the museum’s Summer Film Series. Let dad kick back and enjoy the 1970 classic “Little Big Man” at the Briscoe’s draft house-style film screening, served with a side of whiskey tasting courtesy of Ranger Creek Distillery. Father’s Day is also Locals Day at the Briscoe, where all Bexar County residents receive half off of general admission. Locals can enjoy the museum and the movie for $6. General admission to the museum, including the film, is $12. Or gift dad a museum membership so he can enjoy the Summer Film Series and more Western fun for free all year long. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)

Treat Dad like a king with a free whiskey tasting from Ranger Creek Whiskey and free Ranger Creek Beer paired with fantastic barbecue available onsite. Enjoy the 1970 classic, “Little Big Man,” the story of Jack Crabb telling the tale of his life being raised by Native Americans and fighting with General Custer. The film and tasting is Sunday June 20 at 1p.m.

Ranger Creek is San Antonio’s award-winning “brewstillery,” handcrafting beer and whiskey with love, attention, and Texas attitude. Ranger Creek Distillery makes award-winning Texas bourbon, single malt and rye whiskey, all grain-to-glass spirits made in small batches using Texas ingredients. The Father’s Day whiskey tasting will feature an array of Ranger Creek’s lineup, as well as free Ranger Creek beer.

The Summer Film Series is the perfect complement to the Briscoe’s summer exhibition, Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western, on view through September 6. Showcasing the cinematic art and storytelling of the Western, the Briscoe has transformed into a 1960s movie theater, welcoming everyone with a red carpet, velvet ropes and the unmistakable smell of popcorn. The exhibition includes almost 60 vintage original movie posters as well as movie costumes and dozens of authentic lobby cards. Display screens throughout the exhibition feature film clips illustrating representative moments of the genre and costumes worn by John Wayne in the movies “Chisum,” “The Cowboys,” and “The Undefeated” are on display.

Still in the Saddle was organized by the Briscoe with guest curator Dr. Andrew Patrick Nelson, a historian of American cinema and culture, film programmer, museum curator, and media commentator. Nelson is Chair of the Department of Film and Media Arts and Associate Professor of Film Studies at the University of Utah, as well as the author and editor of numerous books and essays on Western cinema, including “Still in the Saddle: The Hollywood Western, 1969-1980” and “Contemporary Westerns: Film and Television since 1990.”

The Summer Film Series continues with “True Grit” on July 18, “The Long Riders” on August 22, and “The Shootist” on September 5. Each film is free with museum general admission and as always, museum members enjoy the museum and film for free. Briscoe Summer Cinema passes include three films for $25 or enjoy all five films for $50 and receive an individual museum membership, granting you unlimited access to the Briscoe’s exhibitions and programming throughout the year. Tickets are available online, while Summer Cinema passes are available by calling 210.299.4499.

To further celebrate dads, the Briscoe is offering Father’s Day membership specials that include a year-long membership to the museum, as well as gifts for dad to sit back and enjoy. The membership specials are available online, with pickup from the Briscoe’s Museum Store in time for Father’s Day.

Package options include:

• “The Duke”: Allow dad to head West with an individual membership, along with a Briscoe Western Art Museum t-shirt and a Briscoe trucker cap from the Briscoe’s Museum Store, $65.
• “The Cowboys”: Duo membership includes museum admission for two adults, as well as a Briscoe Western Art Museum t-shirt, a Briscoe trucker cap, a pair of Texas Navy Men’s Socks, and a Blue/White Camp tin coffee cup, $85.
• “The Plainsman”: A family level membership that includes admission to the museum and events for two adults and all children/grandchildren under 18, as well as a Briscoe Western Art Museum t-shirt, a Briscoe trucker cap, a pair of Texas Navy Men’s Socks, and a Blue/White Camp tin coffee cup and “The Chisolm Trail” by James E. Sherow, $100.

All membership options include unlimited admission to the Briscoe and free or discounted admission to its events, as well as invitations to private member-only events. Full membership benefits are available online. Memberships are instrumental support that help the Briscoe continue to share the art, history and culture of the American West and are tax deductible.

The Briscoe Western Art Museum is dedicated to preserving and presenting the art, history, and culture of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage. It is located on the San Antonio River Walk at 210 W. Market Street in the beautifully restored 1930s former San Antonio Public Library building. Named in honor of the late Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe Jr. and his wife, Janey Slaughter Briscoe, the museum includes the three-story Jack Guenther Pavilion, used for event rentals and programs, and the outdoor McNutt Sculpture Garden.

Briscoe Western Art Museum

Summer events at the Briscoe Western Art Museum

The Briscoe’s Sculpture Garden at night. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

Summer fun takes on a Hollywood flavor as the Briscoe Western Art Museum showcases the cinematic art and storytelling of the Western. From an actual red carpet, velvet ropes and the unmistakable smell of popcorn to film clips rolling throughout the exhibition, the Briscoe transforms into a 1960s movie theater for its new exhibition, Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western, now at the Briscoe until September 6, 2021. To add even more blockbuster fun to the exhibition, the museum is hosting a stellar line-up of programming and events to further bring the Hollywood Western to life. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)

Summer of Cinema Events Line Up:

Trivia with a Western Twist
Wild West Trivia at the Briscoe
Friday, June 11, 7p.m. – 9 p.m.

Enjoy a fun night of Western trivia and test your smarts at the Briscoe’s first Wild West Trivia Night. Bring your friends to create a team or join a table of soon-to-be-friends and test your Western smarts. Teams will revel in some friendly competition to score prizes while enjoying food, beer, and wine under the stars in the McNutt Sculpture Garden. Gather your posse, grab margaritas from La Gloria’s margarita truck onsite and see who ends the night still in the saddle, with the top three teams taking home prizes. Participants must be 21 to attend. Tickets are $10 for members, $25 for future members, and include two drink tickets.

Popcorn, Beer and Cinematic Art: Summer Film Series

Perfectly paired with the exhibition, the Briscoe’s popular Summer Film Series returns with an eye toward the West. The Summer Film Series features an iconic film on the third Sunday of each summer month, with Briscoe guest curator Dr. Andrew Patrick Nelson introducing each movie and explaining how it relates to Still in the Saddle. Nelson, the guest curator of Still in the Saddle, is a historian of American cinema and culture, film programmer, museum curator, and media commentator, as well as the Chair of the Department of Film and Media Arts and Associate Professor of Film Studies at the University of Utah and the author and editor of numerous books and essays on Western cinema.

Each film is free with museum general admission and as always, museum members enjoy the museum and movie for free. Briscoe Summer Cinema passes include three films for $25 or enjoy all five films for $50 and receive an individual museum membership, granting you unlimited access to the Briscoe’s exhibitions and programming throughout the year. Tickets are available online, while Summer Cinema passes are available by calling 210.299.4499.

Father’s Day Special “Little Big Man”
Sunday, June 20, 1p.m.

Bring Dad to an afternoon at the movies with a Texas twist: a side of barbecue and whiskey. Father’s Day is Locals Day at the Briscoe, where all Bexar County residents receive half off of general admission. Enjoy the museum and the movie for $6. Treat Dad like a king with a free whiskey tasting from Ranger Creek Whiskey and free Ranger Creek Beer, perfect to wash down the fantastic barbecue onsite. Then enjoy the 1970 classic, “Little Big Man”, the story of Jack Crabb, looking back from extreme old age, telling the tale of his life being raised by Native Americans and fighting with General Custer.

“True Grit”
Sunday, July 18, 1p.m.

Grab a beer with The Duke and enjoy 1969’s “True Grit”, where John Wayne’s performance as U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn earned him an Oscar. Popcorn, candy, and free beer from Ranger Creek, alongside fantastic food truck fare, make it a perfect way to enjoy a classic.

“The Long Riders”
Sunday, August 22, 1p.m.

Escape the August heat with an afternoon at the movies with 1980’s “The Long Riders”. Grab your brother and watch real-life brothers portray the Jesse James gang in a sympathetic portrayal of the brothers who begin their legendary bank raids because of revenge. Brothers James and Stacy Keach star as Jesse and Frank James; David, Keith and Robert Carradine play Cole, Jim and Bob Younger; Dennis and Randy Quaid play Ed and Clell Miller, and Christopher and Nicholas Guest play Charlie and Bob Ford.

“The Shootist”
Sunday, September 5, 1p.m.

Close out the summer with John Wayne in his final film role in 1976’s “The Shootist”. Wayne portrays a dying gunfighter spends his last days looking for a way to die with a minimum of pain and a maximum of dignity. Still in the Saddle closes on Labor Day and this last film of the summer series is a great way for a fantastic exhibition to ride off into the sunset.

Cinematic Books

Briscoe Virtual Book Club: “True Grit” by Charles Portis
Tuesday, July 6, 6:30p.m.

The museum’s virtual book club will focus on titles that have become blockbuster movies including “True Grit” by Charles Portis in July, then “Blood Meridian” by Cormack McCarthy in September. There is no charge to participate in the book club.

An oasis of Western beauty just off the River Walk, the McNutt Sculpture Garden and the museum grounds feature 32 sculptures portraying various aspects of Western life. Inside the museum’s beautifully restored historic home inside the former San Antonio Public Library building, the Briscoe’s collection spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and a fantastic museum store, providing art, culture, history and entertainment. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online. Per the latest CDC guidelines, vaccinated guests are welcome to enjoy the museum and Jack Guenther Pavilion without a mask. The Briscoe respectfully requests all non-vaccinated guests wear face coverings.

Briscoe Western Art Museum

The DoSeum accepting applications for 2021 Artist-in-Residence Program

The DoSeum seeks artists who will create a miniature exhibit to complement ‘DoSeum Express: Tiny Trains and Trolleys’. Photo: google

The DoSeum is now accepting applications for their fifth-annual Artist-in-Residence Program (AIR). For this year’s Artist-in-Residence exhibition, The DoSeum is looking for a San Antonio-based or regional visual or multidisciplinary artist who has experience or has worked in miniatures or miniature scenery. The artist’s installation will complement DoSeum Express: Tiny Trains and Trolleys, a new holiday exhibition featuring working train sets which will become a holiday tradition at The DoSeum in the years to come. (The DoSeum, 2021)

For this program, The DoSeum seeks to partner with professional mid-career artists who seek ways to challenge the young, curious minds of San Antonio through their art. The Artist-in-Residence program provides children with the opportunity to interact with the work of a professional artist to appreciate the artistic process while connecting to themes of STEM and literacy.

The DoSeum will provide the venue, staging, and trains. We request artist support to create the miniature scenery through which the trains will travel. Imagination, creativity, and outside-the-box thinking is encouraged. Children will not touch the scenery but will be viewed through interactive pop-up bubbles, periscopes, and cameras (provided by The DoSeum). We are seeking up to 6 artists to provide a 4’x8′ landscape (base material will be provided).

Previously chosen residents submitted proposals that simultaneously challenged themselves to explore new facets of their own work while incorporating meaningful experiences for guests. We are seeking up to six artists. The selected AIR artist(s) will receive an honorarium of up to $1,000 and production costs of $2,500 to aid them in the execution of their project.

ELIGIBILITY

Artists must meet these following requirements to be considered:

Open to visual and multidisciplinary artists.
Desire to work collaboratively with museum staff and the public to create works that step away from traditional models.
Experience creating social engagement participatory works of art.
Experience with miniatures and creating miniature scenery
Local and regional mid-career professional artists are encouraged to apply.
Artists presently enrolled in post-secondary or graduate-level programs are encouraged to apply after completing studies.
Chosen artists will need to pass a background check.

Artists with the above-mentioned experience, interested in exploring non-traditional exhibition spaces, and available for The DoSeum’s 2021 production and exhibition timeline are strongly encouraged to apply.

TIMELINE

Application Deadline: Friday, June 18, 2021

· June 2 at 10a.m.: Optional Virtual Question Forum – Registration link for Q&A.

· June 18: Application Deadline

· June 18-25: Organization Deliberation

· June 25: Finalists Announced

· July 16: Finalist Proposal Deadline

· July 23: Winners announced

· August – October: Prototyping and Fabrication

· November 6: Exhibition Opening

For information regarding the Artist-In-Residence program, eligibility, or questions about the process please contact Meredith Doby, VP of Exhibits.

More information about the program is available online.

The DoSeum is one of the leading children’s museums in the nation; a place where your mind is always at play. The DoSeum offers innovative exhibits and experiences to get children excited about concepts in science, math, art, and literacy and encourages them to take the excitement into the world. Through joyful learning and discovery, The DoSeum Experience grows curious minds, connects families, and transforms communities. For more information, visit TheDoSeum.org The DoSeum is a 501 c3-non-profit organization.

San Antonio Museum of Art launches monthly art and makers market

San Antonio Museum of Art to launch ‘Museum Market’ in June 2021. Photo: google

The San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) is excited to announce the launch of Museum Market, a monthly market kicking off Saturday, June 12, 2021. Produced in partnership with the Southtown Market Co., the Museum Market will feature a variety of products from local artists, designers, collectors, bakers, and other local makers. The market will be an ongoing effort held on SAMA’s campus in the Sculpture Garden the second Saturday of each month and will operate from 10a.m. to 3p.m. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

The goal of the Museum Market is to continue to connect the downtown San Antonio and Museum Reach communities with local makers from the Alamo City while supporting small businesses and encouraging market-goers to shop local. Confirmed vendors for the first SAMA Saturday Museum Market include:

• Beesweetology – Local honey
• Trinity – Pop art and jewelry
• Be Kind Rewind – Unisex vintage clothing
• Republic Bakery – Baked goods
• Hazel Laine Studio – Pop art apparel
• Relyt.co – Health and beauty goods
• La Familia Lorenzo – Fine art
• Sundown Vintage – Handpicked vintage clothing
• Trinket Armor – Gold plated jewelry and hats

“We’ve had great success with our holiday market and we’re delighted to extend it to a year-round market. Our campus has always been a place for our community to get together, and we hope that the market will bring new people to our campus. It’s a great way to enjoy the neighborhood and to spend the day on the Museum Reach.” – Emily Sano, the San Antonio Museum of Art Co-Interim Director.

The Museum Market will offer seasonal items and a rotation of new and ongoing vendors each month. For more information on SAMA’s monthly market, visit SAMA’s website. To apply to participate in the market as a vendor, contact Southtown Market.

San Antonio Museum of Art

San Antonio Museum of Art honors military personnel with free admission

Photo: San Antonio Museum of Art, used with permission.

This year, the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) will once again participate in Blue Star Museums — a national collaboration between the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and museums across the U.S. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, SAMA will offer active duty military personnel, including the National Guard and Reserves and their families, free general admission into the Museum. This summer, visitors to SAMA can explore new and current exhibitions on view, including Movie Metal (on view through June 20, 2021) and America’s Impressionism: Echoes of a Revolution (on view starting June 11, 2021) as well as SAMA’s collection of works. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

San Antonio Museum of Art

San Antonio Museum of Art to participate in 2021 Texas Biennial

Big Medium announced the five museum exhibition partners in the 2021 Texas Biennial: A New Landscape, A Possible Horizon, which includes the San Antonio Museum of Art. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Big Medium is pleased to announce the 51 participating artists and five museum partners of the 2021 Texas Biennial: A New Landscape, A Possible Horizon, co-organized by curators and artistic directors Ryan N. Dennis and Evan Garza. For the seventh iteration of the Biennial and for the first time in its history, the project will be distributed across five Texas museums, featuring exhibitions, programs, and works of public art in San Antonio and Houston from September 1, 2021, through January 31, 2022. Works will be implemented and on view at the San Antonio Museum of Art beginning August 19, 2021 through December 5, 2021. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2021)

In addition to artists living and working in Texas, the Biennial curators have broadened the scope of the project to include “Texpats,” i.e. Texas natives and artists with deep connections to the Lone Star State working in any part of the world. In another first, the 2021 Texas Biennial will also feature international artists for whom Texas and its history are subject matter.

Big Medium is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting artists and building community through the arts in Austin and across Texas. We provide opportunities for artists to create, exhibit, and discuss their work and connect to an engaged and diverse audience. We strive to make art a part of everyday life.

The Texas Biennial is a geographically-led, independent survey of contemporary art in Texas. The 2021 Texas Biennial: A New Landscape, A Possible Horizon is the seventh iteration of the program, making the Texas Biennial the longest-running state biennial in the country. The program was founded in 2005 by Austin nonprofit Big Medium to provide an exhibition opportunity open to all artists living and working in the state. Since its inception, the Texas Biennial has brought the work of over 300 artists to new audiences, spring boarding many artists’ careers and underscoring the diversity of contemporary practice in Texas.

Ryan N. Dennis is the chief curator and artistic director of the Center for Art & Public Exchange (CAPE) at the Mississippi Museum of Art. Evan Garza is a Washington, DC-based curator, writer, and a 2021–2022 Fulbright U.S. Scholar at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin, Ireland. The curators are each natives of Houston, Texas.

Exhibition Partners:
San Antonio
Artpace (August 5 – December 26, 2021)
McNay Art Museum (September 1, 2021 – January 9, 2022)
Studio at Ruby City (August 1, 2021 – January 30, 2022)
San Antonio Museum of Art (August 19 – December 5, 2021)
Houston
FotoFest (September 2 – November 13, 2021)

Artists featured in the 2021 Texas Biennial range from emerging artists and collectives to well-established and internationally celebrated artists working in sculpture, film and experimental video, photo-based media, installation, sound, painting, printmaking, music and performance, social practice, and public art. The curators selected artists from more than 850 considerations over the last 18 months. Both Garza and Dennis performed hundreds of studio visits––in person before the pandemic and exclusively through virtual means since March 2020. Shortly after their appointment to curate the Texas Biennial, both Dennis and Garza moved with their respective partners and families out of Texas––Dennis to Jackson, Mississippi, and Garza to Washington, D.C.––immediately followed by the coronavirus pandemic and a year in lockdown. Separated from each other, their Big Medium team in Texas, and artists across the country by thousands of miles, Dennis and Garza organized the 2021 Texas Biennial via Zoom, FaceTime, email, phone, and text with the aid of curatorial and production assistant, Rigoberto Luna, in San Antonio and the support of Coka Treviño, Shea Little, and Big Medium in Austin.

“Intentionally broad in its scope and organized throughout the pandemic, the 2021 Texas Biennial is spread across San Antonio and Houston in order to realize a diversity of practices and explore a vast landscape of disciplines, themes, and historical events relevant to both Texas and contemporary global discourse. Principal themes of the project––the mutable histories contained within objects and people, activism and issues of racial and social justice, and narratives unique to the history and land of Texas––are examined in multiple creative disciplines and across multiple sites.” – Evan Garza

Briscoe Western Art Museum presents Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western

Special exhibition, trivia night, and a summer film series brings Hollywood to the River Walk, Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

This summer, the Briscoe Western Art Museum will showcase the Hollywood Western in a new light during Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western, premiering at the Briscoe May 28 – September 6, 2021. Step back in time and see the classic films in the context of then-current events, including the turbulent 1960s. Pairing historical context with film insights and facts to highlight the films and the genre in a new perspective, Still in the Saddle showcases the cinematic art and storytelling of the Western. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)

From an actual red carpet, velvet ropes and the unmistakable smell of popcorn to film clips rolling throughout the exhibition, the Briscoe will transform into a 1960s movie theater featuring almost 60 vintage original movie posters, as well as movie costumes and dozens of authentic lobby cards. Display screens throughout the exhibition will feature film clips illustrating representative moments of the genre, and costumes worn by John Wayne in the movies “Chisum,” “The Cowboys,” and “The Undefeated” will be on display.

The cinema focus is an opportunity for the Briscoe to spotlight the culture of the American West through the art of movies. “In the 1940s and 50s, the Western was the most popular movie genre in America. Even through the social unrest, political turmoil, economic uncertainty, and generational change we witnessed from 1969 to 1980, Hollywood Westerns continued to capture audience attention,” explains Michael Duchemin, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Briscoe Western Art Museum. “As the world outside of the theater doors changed, many thought the Western would ride off into the sunset. Yet the Western remained as rich and complex as at any time in its history. Looking at these films in the social context of the period provides a renewed appreciation of the stories these films share.”

Still in the Saddle was organized by the Briscoe with guest curator Dr. Andrew Patrick Nelson, a historian of American cinema and culture, film programmer, museum curator, and media commentator. Nelson is Chair of the Department of Film and Media Arts and Associate Professor of Film Studies at the University of Utah, as well as the author and editor of numerous books and essays on Western cinema, including “Still in the Saddle: The Hollywood Western, 1969-1980,” and “Contemporary Westerns: Film and Television since 1990.”

Also this summer, the Briscoe’s popular Summer Film Series returns, kicking off with “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” on Sunday, May 30. The Summer Film Series features an iconic film on the third Sunday of each summer month, with 1970’s “Little Big Man” on June 20, “True Grit” on July 18, and “The Long Riders” on August 22. “The Shootist” will close out the summer on Sept. 5. Guest curator Andrew Patrick Nelson will introduce each movie and explain how it relates to Still in the Saddle. Each film is free for members and $ 10 for future members or enjoy both general admission to the Briscoe and the film for $12. Briscoe Summer Cinema passes include three films for $25 or enjoy all five films for $50 and receive an individual museum membership, granting you unlimited access to the Briscoe’s exhibitions and programming throughout the year. Tickets are available online.

Red Carpet Fun
Still in the Saddle events and programming include an opening preview party, a curator’s talk and meet and greet, and the kick-off of the Briscoe’s popular Summer Film Series. Note: All events will follow COVID safety protocols. Event details and scheduling are subject to change.

• Exclusive Preview Party:
Still in the Saddle: A New History of the Hollywood Western Exhibition
Thursday, May 27, 6p.m. to 8p.m.

Join guest curator Andrew Patrick Nelson, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Film and Media Arts and Associate Professor of Film Studies at the University of Utah, and Briscoe CEO and President Michael Duchemin, Ph.D., to go behind the velvet ropes for a first look at Still in the Saddle. The event includes complimentary valet, beer, wine, specialty cocktails, and light bites. Free for Briscoe members and $25 for future members, tickets are available by calling 210.507.4864.

• Meet & Greet and Curator’s Talk with Andrew Patrick Nelson
Saturday, May 29, 2 p.m.

Join the Briscoe’s guest curator Dr. Andrew Patrick Nelson, Chair of the Department of Film and Media Arts and Associate Professor of Film Studies at the University of Utah, for an in-depth look at this summer’s blockbuster exhibition, Still in the Saddle. Nelson will analyze the films that comprise the exhibition and discuss how the 1960s made the Western richer and more diverse. Included with museum admission.

• Briscoe Summer Film Series: “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”
Sunday, May 30, 1p.m.

Start your summer with a Western classic, paired with an old-fashioned malt from Cheesy Jane’s food truck, sweet treats from Candy Counter, and free beer from Ranger Creek Brewing as the museum morphs into a draft house cinema to give everyone the full movie theater experience. Guest curator Dr. Andrew Patrick Nelson, Chair of the Department of Film and Media Arts and Associate Professor of Film Studies at the University of Utah, will introduce the 1969 classic, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and highlight how it fits into Still in the Saddle. Free for members and $10 for future members or enjoy both general admission to the Briscoe and the film for $12.

• Wild West Trivia at the Briscoe
Friday, June 11, 7p.m. to 9p.m.

Enjoy a fun night of Western trivia and test your smarts at the Briscoe’s first Wild West Trivia Night. Bring your friends to create a team or join a table of soon-to-be-friends and test your smarts. Teams will revel in friendly competition while enjoying food and signature cocktails. Participants must be 21 to attend. The event is $10 for individual or $50 a team for a team of six people.

The Briscoe Western Art Museum

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