Russell Ellison said he was done. After his 2017, two-person exhibition with fellow artist Julia Six at The Center for Contemporary Arts, Ellison convinced himself that he wouldn’t have another art exhibition. The 84-year old artist says he’s lost track of how many exhibits he has participated in over the years, but 2021 marks his 20th year in Studio No. 1 upstairs at 220 … [Read more...]
Burundi-Born Artist Presents Abilene with ‘Imaginative Interpretations’
Take a drive down South 3rd Street in Abilene’s iconic SoDA District, and you’ll find a fluorescent pink wall bearing a multicolored painting of an abstract face. This striking mural was created by local artist Anthia Nibizi, one of the artists to be featured in a special exhibit debuting at the Center for Contemporary Arts during Black History Month. Born in Burundi, in … [Read more...]
Center’s ISAC contest expands to include regional art students
In 2008, artists from the Center for Contemporary Arts were looking for a way to mentor young artists and give them an opportunity to exhibit their work in a public gallery space. Thus, the Intercollegiate Student Art Competition, ISAC for short, was born. Russell Ellison chaired the committee establishing this competition and felt strongly that creating a venue for student … [Read more...]
Christmas Comes Early for Matt Robinson
The Christmas season starts in September when you’re in the holiday lighting business, but electrician and business owner Matt Robinson said Christmas came early for him in a different way last year. The Friday after Thanksgiving, Robinson was reaching the end of a major undertaking – spreading festive holiday lighting throughout downtown Abilene – and he and his crew were … [Read more...]
Art, History, Heritage and More
The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature will be buzzing with activity during the Children’s Art & Literacy Festival June 6-8, but there are a variety of other museums to explore in Abilene and the surrounding area. Nearly any kind of museum imaginable is within a short driving distance from downtown Abilene. All kinds of history museums are available, … [Read more...]