Stretch and Grow at the Greater Denton Art Council

As an Exhibition Coordinator at Greater Denton Art Council I sat in on Board meetings to hear of all of the interesting ideas and details of upcoming art events in the Denton Community, brought all of the 2014, 2015 and 2016 exhibition files up-to-date, wrote letters to the artists about important exhibition deadlines, sent out contracts, updated the exhibition calendar, participated in the opening reception for American Bride's, and attended Margaret Chalfant's farewell reception.  My first assignment outside of the administrative office was to hand deliver American Bride posters to the accommodating shops and restaurants on the Denton Square, the community banks, and the Chamber of Commerce for display in windows.  This rigorous activity did not phase me a bit, and was definitely enjoyable as I was able to meet and greet the community at large.  Being flexible as an intern was a must.

The American Brides: Inspiration and Ingenuity exhibition featured wedding gowns from the Texas Fashion Collection, University of North Texas College of Visual Arts and Design.  Steven Porterfield, designer,  historian and owner of Cat's Meow vintage shop loaned some items for the show, and gave a gallery talk on June 28.  Myra Walker Texas Fashion Collection director invited designers Victor Costa of Houston, and Michael Faircloth the Winn Morton Dallas designers to lend dresses to the show.  The collection will continue to be on display through October 24 in the Meadows and Gough galleries at the Patterson-Appleton Center for the Visual Arts, 400 E Hickory Street, Denton, Texas.  Gallery hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday through Saturday.  Admission is Free.  Here are photographs I took at the opening reception.

Dean Robert Milnes, Dr. Laura Evans, Chan Juan Chen

These lovely people attended the opening reception representing University of North Texas.  Chan Juan Chen, graduate student at UNT modeled a contemporary wedding gown throughout the evening.

Margaret Chalfant, center, Executive Director of GDAC with Myra Walker, right, Fashion Curator.

"American Brides" represents 40 bridal gowns from the 1840's to the present time.  These are just some of the dresses selected from the Texas Fashion Collection for the magnificent display of the historical  wedding gowns.  

These UNT students modeled dresses from the Texas Fashion Collection at the opening reception.

I learned how bringing children into the common area of GDAC for Art Camp provided opportunities for creativity to flow through talking, painting, and playing music.  Because our youth participate in  museum environments as a natural place to visit, socialize and grow, they will return for future events.  Museums continue to be a special place for me to find connections to our culture, and will always be a part of my life.  I found out I may not want to work full-time in a museum, but definitely want to stretch and grow every time I enter the gallery doors.  I learned I want to teach art more than anything in this world.  I care about our youth and want to encourage them to create and experience art in all different avenues.  Children can be exposed to the museum atmosphere by attending events such as the William Joyce:  Guardian of Childhood exhibition, November 14, 2014, through January 18, 2015.

The most creative activity I was involved in at GDAC was the writing of the Press Release for William Joyce's exhibition.  Some of the dates and times may change, but he is coming to the Meadows Gallery, at Patterson-Appleton Center For the Visual Arts.  Get ready to read his books in the gallery space.  I hope GDAC uses my press release.  Here it is:

Greater Denton Arts Council 400 E. Hickory Denton, TX 76201

Press Release

Contact: Phone: (940) 382-2787 exdir@dentonarts.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 3, 2014

What:      William Joyce:  Guardian of Childhood

Details:    Original illustrations by noted artist William Joyce

Where:    Meadows Gallery, Patterson-Appleton Center For the Visual Arts
   400 E. Hickory Street, Denton, TX 76201

When:     November 14, 2014-January 18, 2015

                 Opening reception Friday, November 14, 2014, 5:30-7:30 pm

Gallery    Tuesday – Sunday, 1:00 – 5:00 pm

Hours:     Free and open to the public

THE GREATER DENTON ART COUNCIL PRESENTS 77 ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATIONS

 BY WILLIAM JOYCE

        DENTON, TEXAS, OCTOBER 3, 2014: 

The Greater Denton Arts Council presents William Joyce: Guardian of Childhood.

William Joyce is an author, illustrator, filmmaker and a pioneer in the animation industry.  The show features 77 of original drawings, paintings, and lithographs. Digital images of illustrations from his award winning book “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,” can be seen in the Meadows Gallery, Patterson-Appleton Center for the Visual Arts. His latest books released in the fall of 2013 “The Mischievians” and “Sandman and the War of Dreams” will be on display from November 14, 2014-January 18, 2015, for your enjoyment.  These illustrations are representative of 16 superbly created books that tell a story visually for children and

parents too!  Come see illustrations of “The Leaf Men and The Brave Good Bugs” that is currently being produced as a film. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

Williams Joyce was born in 1957 in Shreveport, LA, where he lives today with his wife and two children.  He attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and is a true luminary and creative spirit.  He has put his personal stamp on children’s media in every direction.

Come enjoy Joyce’s illustrations, digital images, and books, at Patterson-Appleton Center for the Visual Arts, 400 E. Hickory Street, Denton, TX 76201, November 14, 2014-January 18, 2015. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 1:00 to 5:00 pm.

The opening reception will be held on Friday, November 14, 2014, 5:30-7:30 pm.

               This exhibition was organized by the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, Abilene, TX.

        Additional information can be found at http://www.dentonarts.com/ .

# # #

Check out William Joyce's Moonbot Studios website at http://www.williamjoyce.com/

Anyway, I left the press release in the exhibition file.  Whether the future executive director choses to use my version of the release remains unknown.  Unexpected changes occurred in both of the museums through the summer months.  The Museum of Biblical Art's full of excitement atmosphere was totally different from the Greater Denton Art Council's quiet interior space.  I would not have missed being a part of either team of people that made the museum's behind the scenes responsibilities appear effortless to the public.  It takes a lot of people with different kinds of gifts to accomplish all of the demands of museum life.  I saw museums activities excite the people who visited them such as a scavenger hunt at the MBA.  For the public to continue to grow to love museums they need the types of activities I participated in at both of these museums.  All of the phone calls, filing assignments, the planning for the art camps, the preparation for the tours and the receptions were all necessary duties for these places to exist, and to benefit the public.  Museums may look stoical on the outside, but reach the public with a warm welcome on the inside.