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Current Exhibitions Future Exhibitions Back to Exhibitions )
Bessie Potter Vonnoh, Mildred, n.d. Cast bronze, 8.25 inches. Tyler Museum of Art 2001.10)
Charles Umlauf, Angel of the Annunciation, 1958. Bronze sculpture, 39 x 13 x 8 inches. A gift from Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Carmichael in memory of Miss Mickie Carmichael 1972.2.1
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Clyde Connell, Swamp Ritual, 1972. Mixed media, 81 x 24.25 x 11.75 in. A gift from Atlantic Richfield Company, Dallas, Texas 1987.03.02
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Keith Carter, Girl and Hands, Jefferson County, 1989. Toned silver gelatin print, 15 x 15 inches. Tyler Museum of Art, purchase made possible by a grant from Target Stores and the Dayton-Hudson Foundation 1990.4.37
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Brian Cobble, South Broadway, 2002. Pastel on watercolor board, 20.5 x 38.125 inches. Purchased with funds donated by Betty Summers and the Byars Foundation in honor of Ken Tomio; and Dr. Harold and Eleanor Cameron, Sheryl Palmer and Bobby Fry, Dr. Jerry and Alice Parrish, Myrtis D. Smith, Ken and Kim Tomio, and Anonymous 2004.01
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Philip John Evett, Lifeguard, 1990. Cherry and mahogany with enamel, 44 x 19 x 11 inches. Purchase, General Acquisitions Fund 2004.14
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Graydon Parrish, Victory, 2002. Charcoal and graphite on blue-toned paper, 25.25 x 14.25 inches. Gift of the 2001/2002 Collectors' Circle honoring Dr. and Mrs. Harold Cameron 2002.34
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Murray Bewley, Young Girl, 1925. Oil on canvas, 16 x 14 inches. Tyler Museum of Art, gift of the 2003 Collectors' Circle 2003.31
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Porfirio Salinas, Hill Country, Fall, c. 1930s. Oil on canvas, 9 x 12 inches. Gift of the 2004 Collectors' Circle 2004.10
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Thirty-three Years of Collecting at the Tyler Museum of Art January 25–June 18, 2005 
The permanent collection of any art museum defines the very essence of the institution, gives it meaning and purpose, and is a lasting legacy for past, current, and future generations. It is no different at the Tyler Museum of Art (TMA), though here we have what many consider a hidden treasure. The TMA collection is of broad scope and high quality, but our shortage of available gallery space has kept the majority of it from being adequately exhibited. A museum's permanent collection should be displayed in rotating installations, inviting visitors to discover the inextricable connections that link artistic and cultural traditions – connections that have always influenced art and culture and that now characterize our lives in a global community. TMA got off to a tentative start in building its Permanent Collection, but has seen tremendous growth in the ensuing 32 years due to individuals with vision and determination to bring works of high quality and relevance to our public. The first works owned by the Museum were gifts to TMA. Bror Utter's Posada Gaudi (1972.1), a wonderful etching by a well-known Fort Worth modernist artist, was first, followed later in the same month by Angel of the Annunciation (1972.2). This bronze sculpture of an angel pointing upwards (towards heaven) is the work of another Texas artist, Charles Umlauf, who was the teacher of Miss Michael Carmichael of Tyler, who had recently passed away. Her parents presented the work to Tyler Museum of Art as a memorial to their daughter. Over the years it became a well-recognized image for the Museum. While the list of works owned by Tyler Museum of Art continued to grow, it was not until 1987 that TMA made the formal decision to build a Permanent Collection focusing on works by contemporary artists from Texas and the surrounding states, and photography focusing on the East Texas Region. Since 1987 additional works of art have been gifted to the institution, and others have been purchased with donated funds. These benefactors—individuals and, in some cases, organizations and foundations—become vital partners in forming the collection and defining the Museum's purpose and authenticity. Some of the Museum's most significant works have been added to the collection through such donations. Swamp Ritual by Clyde Connell (1987.3.2) was a gift of the Atlantic Richfield Company in Dallas. A major grant from Target Stores and the Dayton-Hudson Foundation made it possible for Tyler Museum of Art to acquire a suite of photographs by Keith Carter in 1990. Vernon Fisher's Jon Moses (1990.6a-e) was given by Vernon and Amy Faulconer of Tyler, and a wonderful pastel by Brian Cobble, South Broadway (2004.1), was given by a group of supporters in Tyler. Gifts given by many individuals to honor the memory of Judy Sugerman Davis were used to purchase the lovely bronze portrait titled Mildred (2001.1), created around 1895 by American artist Bessie Potter Vonnoh. Many other individuals have added beautiful and important works of art to the collection as well. In 2001, in honor of its 30th anniversary, the Museum created a new level of membership—the Collectors' Circle—specifically designed to support the Museum's programs as well as the Endowment and the Permanent Collection. Members of the Collectors' Circle each year use a portion of their donated funds to purchase a work of art. The first Collectors' Circle gift came in 2002: Graydon Parrish's Victory (2002.34), an exquisite drawing of a female nude in the classic French Academic tradition. In response to the Museum's new commitment to add works by early Texas artists to the collection, the members of the 2003 Collectors' Circle chose Young Girl (2003.31), a 1925 oil painting by well-known Fort Worth artist Murray Bewley. In 2004, the Collectors' Circle added yet another important work by an early Texas artist: Hill Country, Fall by Porfirio Salinas (2004.10). The Tyler Museum of Art now holds over 600 works in its Permanent Collection. The collection will continue to grow to ensure that the Museum remains a vibrant and relevant institution in this community. A museum's permanent collection preserves works of importance, influence and value for the public's enjoyment, as well as for its education and inspiration. It is a lasting legacy. |