Gay Beitscher generously gives her time, energy, ideas, and dollars to The Grace Museum and other local groups. She truly loves and supports the arts, and Abilene is all the better for it. The Grace will honor Gay at its annual Grace Gala fundraiser Sept. 30.  Why does she support the arts? “If not me, then who?” Gay said. “Art adds something beautiful and happy to our … [Read more...]

It’s been 31 years since the doors of the new Grace Cultural Center opened to the public. After years of persistent fundraising, planning and renovations of the old Hotel Grace building, the ribbon-cutting day in February 1992 was a dream come true for many people in Abilene. It pointed towards a brighter future for our city on the very cusp of a revitalized downtown.   As … [Read more...]

Imagine trying to capture on paper the feeling of a dream, or a distant memory, giving shape to the fleeting images inside your mind. How would you do it? Contemporary artist Susan kae Grant has developed an intriguing method of photographing shadows for this very purpose – the perfect entity to convey the universally prevailing theme of light and dark. A lens-based artist … [Read more...]

Texas history buffs will love The Grace Museum’s newest exhibition that tells the unique story of Smith’s Station and the old Butterfield Overland Mail Route, located on Chimney Creek Ranch just over 30 miles northeast of Abilene. Established in 1876, Chimney Creek Ranch is home to cattle and native animal species along with conserved grasslands and vital water sources. … [Read more...]

Artists don’t always begin as artists. Sometimes successful professional artists start their careers with an entirely different focus before finding their creative path. This has been true for Terry Cockerham, a Texas photographer who came out of college with a science degree and joined the army. “When I finished my undergraduate degree in science in December 1971, I was … [Read more...]