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Recent Acquisitions Releases Press Release Archive |
Latest TMA Exhibition Focuses on Our Favorite People: Texans Tyler, TX—Leave it to a Tennessean to show Texans in their best light. Like one-time Republic of Texas president and first Texas governor Sam Houston, photographer Michael O’Brien is a native of Tennessee. But also like Houston, O’Brien’s heart and talents are focused on the Lone Star State. An exhibition of some of O’Brien’s favorite Texans opens April 14 at the Tyler Museum of Art and runs through June 5. The Face of Texas: Photographs by Michael O’Brien features a fascinating and diverse array of individuals from across the state. Some of the colorful portraits are of Texas’ most famous citizens: President and Mrs. George W. Bush, Lady Bird Johnson, Willie Nelson, Earl Campbell, Troy Aikman, Sissy Spacek, Carl Lewis and the members of Destiny’s Child and ZZ Top. Other subjects are lesser known but no less intriguing, like the Gatorfest Queen, members of the Odd Fellows from Waxahachie, a high school drill team, rodeo stars, ranch hands and regional heroes. The photographic images are printed on Epson archival paper with an inkjet printer. Photos by O’Brien, a freelance magazine photographer for more than 25 years who now lives in Austin, have routinely appeared in Texas Monthly, National Geographic, Time, Life, Fortune, Forbes and many other publications. The artist and photographer will be at the TMA for a special gallery talk and opening reception for his exhibition Thursday from 5:30 pm–7 pm. This event is open and free to the public, but reservations are required and can be made by calling 903-595-1001. “This exhibition was organized by The Old Jail Art Center in Albany and that contributes to its unique Texas style,” said Kimberley Tomio, TMA director. “Everyone who views these incredible portraits comes away with their own list of favorites, but each offers a unique, intriguing glimpse of what it means to be a Texan.” The exhibition photographs and additional O’Brien portraits have been compiled in a book published in 2003, The Face of Texas: Portraits of Texans by Michael O’Brien with Stories by Elizabeth O’Brien (Bright Sky Press, Albany, TX.) Elizabeth is Michael O’Brien’s wife and a former Life magazine reporter. The couple, who now live in Austin, collaborated on the book; Elizabeth writing brief background sketches, and Michael contributing the photographs. The book is available for purchase in the TMA Gift Shop. Visitors to the Tyler Museum of Art, located adjacent to the Tyler Junior College Campus at 1300 S. Mahon, can enjoy the Museum Café for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Tuesday–Friday, and visit the Museum Gift Shop during exhibition hours Tuesday–Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Museum is closed on Mondays. For more information call 903-595-1001. |