Michael Grainger planned to attend the exhibition opening and speak at a reception at the Museum on February 24th. Unfortunately, Mr. Grainger passed away on Friday, February 8th in Daingerfield, Texas.

Mr. Grainger had been in ill health and it was his illness that led to the decision to donate his art collection to a museum. "I want my art collection to bring enjoyment and fulfillment to a great number of people, as it has brought such enjoyment and fulfillment to me," he stated in an interview shortly before his death. "I hope some of the schools in the East Texas area will take the opportunity to use this exhibit as a teaching tool. I think that's very important." Other museums around the state had expressed an interest in the collection, but Mr. Grainger decided to approach the Tyler Museum of Art.

"I was delighted when Michael called last year and told me of his idea to donate his collection," said Mrs. Tomio. "I traveled to Daingerfield with our curator to visit Michael and see the collection. It is a very strong group of works by important artists at the forefront of contemporary art. It was particularly appealing because of the number of Texas artists represented, which was the primary focus upon which our permanent collection was begun."

"Building a permanent collection is of critical importance to a museum," Mrs. Tomio added. "It is a vital element in a museum's growth and its ultimate legacy to the community it serves. The Tyler Museum of Art strives to selectively broaden its permanent collection holdings with works of art that meet the Museum's acquisition guidelines and collection emphases. These works of art are a wonderful addition to the Museum's collection, and we are very grateful to Michael Grainger for entrusting this institution with art that will educate and enrich generations to come. Everyone associated with the Tyler Museum of Art was deeply saddened by Mr. Grainger's death. We were all looking forward to having him here when we unveiled the collection in its new home."

Mr. Grainger began collecting art in the 1990s. He was particularly attracted to paintings with texture and pattern. "I found that certain works of art moved me emotionally, and those were the pieces that I purchased," he recently stated. "I have a deep attachment to every work of art in this collection. While not unaware of the investment side of art collecting, that was not what drove me." Mr. Grainger gave a lot of credit for guidance along the often difficult path of collecting to Camille Lyons, owner of the Lyons Matrix Gallery in Austin (now closed.) "Camille was very important in guiding me," he said. "She taught me the importance of coherency in building an art collection. She was an absolute joy to work with."

The works of art in this collection are by eleven American and two European artists, all contemporary and many with Texas connections. In the group are figurative and abstract paintings, prints, and sculptures by artists Tré Arenz, Christian Caburet (French), Michael Ray Charles, Larry Graeber, Sam Gummelt, Ulrike Hogrebe (German), Valerie Jaudon, Otis Jones, Melissa Miller, David Row, Susan Whyne, June Wilson, and Sydney Yeager.

There will be a reception on Sunday, February 24 at 2:00 p.m at the Museum with remarks by TMA Director Kimberley Bush Tomio. Both the exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.

The Tyler Museum of Art is supported by its members, the City of Tyler, and Tyler Junior College. Additional funding for exhibitions is provided by the Rogers Foundation and the Watson W. Wise Foundation.

The Tyler Museum of Art is located on the east side of the Tyler Junior College campus at 1300 South Mahon. Museum hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday. The Museum is closed Mondays and major holidays.