April Rifenburgh has been creating all her life. Originally from a small town near Springfield, Illinois, she cannot remember a time when she wasn’t making something. An artist member at the Center for Contemporary Arts since 2014, April has created her place in the Abilene art community and beyond. A high school art teacher by day and a candy maker by night, April is almost … [Read more...]
Celebrating Distinguished Artists
In 1957, Russell Ellison stepped off a northbound train at the T&P Depot in Abilene and began what would become an illustrious legacy in the art community. The Center for Contemporary Arts celebrated Russell and other influential artists with the Distinguished Artist Awards Banquet on June 4 in downtown Abilene. The annual event honors select Center Artist Members. 2021 … [Read more...]
Local and National Artists Compete in the 5th Annual CCAN
The Center for Contemporary Arts’ National Juried Competition (CCAN) is a catalyst to inspire people of all backgrounds. This marks the fifth year for this competition and exhibition, which will be on view in the Breed Gallery from Sept. 30 through Nov. 27. The goal of the CCAN competition and exhibition is to create a stimulating, competitive atmosphere among local artists and … [Read more...]
Dry Land Dreaming with Mary K & Anthony Huff
As the world came to a standstill in 2020, artists Mary K and Anthony Huff took to their studios to create an astounding body of new work. The duo created over 100 new artworks for their upcoming exhibition, Dry Land Dreaming, scheduled to open at the Center for Contemporary Arts at the end of July. The inspiration behind this prolific artist couple’s latest exhibition was … [Read more...]
316 Years of Art at The Center
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...]