The Cultural Affairs Council would like to thank the community for another great Outdoor Sculpture Weekend. The 32nd Bi-Annual Outdoor Sculpture Weekend: SculpTOUR was held this September 21-22, 2012. Artists from across Texas exhibited their works throughout Abilene’s downtown arts community.
The weekend began with an opening reception Friday at The Grace Museum. Guests were invited to view the three opening exhibitions: Wild Things: Sculpture by David Everett & Paintings Billy Hassell, Texas Impressionism: Branding with Brushstroke and Color, 1885-1935, and Quiet Beauty: Photography by David Gibson. An artist’s talk was held during the opening with a great public response. The artists were able to discuss with the group their creative process and answer questions ranging from what inspired their artwork technique and materials used.
Saturday, an iron pouring was held in the parking lot across from Frontier Texas! The Atomic Iron Commission in conjunction with the Abilene Christian University Art & Design Department, led by Geoff Broderick, poured 2,600 degree iron into premade sand casts. Broderick demonstrated the fiery process of making iron pieces using molds created by students at the ACU Art Department. The process presented by Broderick was the same process used during the 20th Century Industrial Revolution. The demonstration included artist explanation of the pouring process as they ventured through each step.
Saturday evening The Center for Contemporary Arts and the ACU Gallery held the opening for the Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition featuring artwork by Robbie Barber, Kurt Dyrhaug, Julia Ousley, and Tanya Synar whose pieces are on display along North 1st. Steve Neves, local artist and professor at Hardin-Simmons University, opened his show in the Center’s upstairs gallery. The ACU Gallery hosted an exhibit by Houston artists Paul Kittleson and Carter Ernst. The Saturday openings also included music, open galleries and the chance to meet the artists whose works were on display.
“The purpose of the Outdoor Sculpture Weekend is to provide the community with the opportunity to experience outstanding contemporary sculpture and visit with some of the most recognized artists working in Texas,” said Executive Director Lynn Barnett. “We encourage art lovers to come explore what Abilene has to offer as an Arts and Culture based city.”
For more information about next the next Sculpture Weekend or about the artists, visit www.abilenecac.org or call 325-677-1161.
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