State of the Art: Texas

After the obvious “everything’s bigger in Texas” expression, if there’s one thing people imagine when thinking of the Lone Star State, it’s that signature Western landscape. Home of Big Bend National Park in western Texas, Caprock Canyons State Park in the north, and Texas Hill Country in the central part of the state, the geological diversity—as well as the state’s frontier history—has inspired artists for centuries.

The Museum of Western Art in Kerrville pays homage to cowboy artists working from the mid-20th century to today. With a collection of nearly 150 sculptures and 250 paintings, the museum represents the likes of the Taos Society of Artists like Oscar E. Berninghaus and Eanger Irving Couse, as well as many other greats such as Joe Beeler, George Phippen and dozens more.

Heading way out west to the city of Alpine, the cultural center of the Big Bend area, is the Museum of the Big Bend. The museum hosts Western art exhibits throughout the year, including the annual Trappings of Texas, showcasing contemporary Western art and custom cowboy gear. This year’s event runs April 16 to 18.

The National Ranching Heritage Center, located toward the center of the state in Lubbock, is a museum and 19-acre outdoor

park with 50 historic structures dating back to the 1700s. The Heritage Center also has 42 life-size bronze outdoor pieces as well as a 44,000-square-foot museum space with seven galleries. Within those galleries, visitors can explore a variety of art and artifacts that tell the stories of Western culture, both historic and contemporary.

There really is no shortage of places to explore throughout this massive state that engage one’s Western sensibilities, from the discerning collector to the casual viewer. Texan artists capturing the wildness of the West include Chuck and Barbara Mauldin, Douglas B. Clark, Kathy Tate and Sharon Standridge. Top Western art galleries and other arts institutions based in the Lone Star State include RS Hanna Gallery, Southwest Gallery, Insight Gallery, Heritage Auctions and Bosque Arts Center.

Courtesy Briscoe Western Art Museum. A view of the Briscoe Western Art Museum grounds in San Antonio, Texas.

Photo by Wilson Photographs. The Museum of the Big Bend in Alpine, Texas.

The island city of Galveston’s downtown area. Courtesy Visit Houston.