| ART OF THE AMERICAN WEST BY BUSTER JONES |
HELLO TO ALL.
I HAVE BEEN REALLY BUSY TYING UP LOOSE ENDS AND GETTING READY FOR
THE NEW YEAR. I HAVE A FEELING IT'S GOING TO BE A FUN FILLED,
WORKSHOP BUSY, LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR THE ALWT MEMBERSHIP IN
2012. I WISH YOU THE VERY BEST.
I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH SOME WORTHWHILE THOUGHTS THAT HOPEFULLY
YOU WILL CONSIDER.
I HAVE BEEN REALLY BUSY TYING UP LOOSE ENDS AND GETTING READY FOR
THE NEW YEAR. I HAVE A FEELING IT'S GOING TO BE A FUN FILLED,
WORKSHOP BUSY, LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR THE ALWT MEMBERSHIP IN
2012. I WISH YOU THE VERY BEST.
I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH SOME WORTHWHILE THOUGHTS THAT HOPEFULLY
YOU WILL CONSIDER.
I would like to extend my congratulations to all of the new officers of ALWT, and I am certain that
the league will be in good hands. Good luck to all of you.
When Paula and I restarted the arts at GAC in 2009, I had been semi retired from professional art
for a few years, And I told Paula that I would lead the League for one year and then the
membership could elect another leader to carry on from that time.
I considered 2009 a complete success in that we selected 15 top notch Advisory Board members
with only one resignation in 2009, and gained a total of 55 members and a good relationship with
the management of GAC. I had invited the Executive Director and her assistant to be active
members of the Advisory Board and they agreed. We had a commitment for the League's
scheduled use of the exhibit hall for January,February, May, June, August, September, and
November in 2010, with workshop space available throughout the year as the workshops became
available, evenings included. GAC was taking an active part in promotion of all activities by our Art
League. That included press releases radio spots and any other public relation available ads.
We had a full slate of very good West Texas entertainers to volunteer at no cost to us coming in to
entertain on the third Saturday of each month, special occasions such as Christmas, art show
openings, First Friday, etc. It also brought in an amount of money, (donations) for GAC. My
thoughts are, bring in as many people as possible when there are exhibits being shown. There is
room for approximately 140 people in the exhibit hall and can be filled each month. Donations are
generally good. Performing Arts should be used because they are a good draw, plus, they should be
included in fine arts. If there are problems, correct them.
These activities were dropped in 2010. My group entertained at channel 34 and we advertised our
shows and activities at GAC. That was a win win opportunity for us without costs
There is one final situation I would like to cover. Since my very early days with the Lubbock Art
Association, I have seen vast changes in direction. Back prior to 1960, one of the members of
LAA, Dorothy Irwin and a few other members, addressed the City council and begged them to
assist the artisans of Lubbock and the area and furnish a home for them. In response, in 1960, a
beautiful building was built by the city, that, and the surrounding property was dedicated to the arts
community in Lubbock and surrounding areas and it was called the Municipal Garden and Arts
Center. It was a venture that involved the City of Lubbock, The Garden and arts of Lubbock, and
the Lubbock Art Association. It was highly successful and the Lubbock Art Association flourished.
It buzzed with activities and LAA soon celebrated a membership of over 600 members. Workshops
and shows were virtually non stop featuring some top artists, as well as performances by local and
nationally known entertainers. Visitors included celebrities all the way to the Governor's office.
There always seemed to be an excellent fine arts exhibit or show. Then, after several good years,
someone at City Hall, for some reason unknown to me, started to think about making money off
the property. That seemed to include charges associated with any of our art activities. Workshops
became too expensive and charges for rooms too high. There seemed to be and excessive amount
of non arts activities. Activities with very little art and a whole lot of day care and summer camp
activities for kids.
However, Abandoning this beautiful property which would be the dream of any arts group, is not a
proper solution. Thinking about buying a property was tried after the LAA failure and did not work
out. I don't believe it is worth trying again. Maybe with a small number of people, a for profit
association would work if managed properly.
Bottom line, go to the City Council, hire a top notch debater, if you have to, and resell the council
on leaving GAC as is, refurbishing the building, and getting non arts projects out, and stop
competing with the private sector for profits. I talked to Paula about this in the beginning and she
agreed that more arts oriented projects should take precedence over what is presently being done.
Someone else evidently had a different idea. A good debater might be able to change the mindset at
City Hall.
Lastly, and tis is a project I tried to initiate in 2009, donate a lighting system to GAC that will lend
itself to an art display, and a display system for hanging pictures that is fast and accurate. Grace
Clinic,s art display is a good example. We need to give back to our host whenever an opportunity
arises.
I am two years late in doing what I intended to do at the end of my year, but now, I will return to
my studio and attend to my other projects, the main one of which is to memorialize, with my art,
the Greatest Generation. If you're not familiar, go to Google.
If you wish to join the endeavor, give me a call. You, no doubt, have family that belong to that
generation, and they should not be forgotten.
Thanks, and good luck.
Buster Jones.
the league will be in good hands. Good luck to all of you.
When Paula and I restarted the arts at GAC in 2009, I had been semi retired from professional art
for a few years, And I told Paula that I would lead the League for one year and then the
membership could elect another leader to carry on from that time.
I considered 2009 a complete success in that we selected 15 top notch Advisory Board members
with only one resignation in 2009, and gained a total of 55 members and a good relationship with
the management of GAC. I had invited the Executive Director and her assistant to be active
members of the Advisory Board and they agreed. We had a commitment for the League's
scheduled use of the exhibit hall for January,February, May, June, August, September, and
November in 2010, with workshop space available throughout the year as the workshops became
available, evenings included. GAC was taking an active part in promotion of all activities by our Art
League. That included press releases radio spots and any other public relation available ads.
We had a full slate of very good West Texas entertainers to volunteer at no cost to us coming in to
entertain on the third Saturday of each month, special occasions such as Christmas, art show
openings, First Friday, etc. It also brought in an amount of money, (donations) for GAC. My
thoughts are, bring in as many people as possible when there are exhibits being shown. There is
room for approximately 140 people in the exhibit hall and can be filled each month. Donations are
generally good. Performing Arts should be used because they are a good draw, plus, they should be
included in fine arts. If there are problems, correct them.
These activities were dropped in 2010. My group entertained at channel 34 and we advertised our
shows and activities at GAC. That was a win win opportunity for us without costs
There is one final situation I would like to cover. Since my very early days with the Lubbock Art
Association, I have seen vast changes in direction. Back prior to 1960, one of the members of
LAA, Dorothy Irwin and a few other members, addressed the City council and begged them to
assist the artisans of Lubbock and the area and furnish a home for them. In response, in 1960, a
beautiful building was built by the city, that, and the surrounding property was dedicated to the arts
community in Lubbock and surrounding areas and it was called the Municipal Garden and Arts
Center. It was a venture that involved the City of Lubbock, The Garden and arts of Lubbock, and
the Lubbock Art Association. It was highly successful and the Lubbock Art Association flourished.
It buzzed with activities and LAA soon celebrated a membership of over 600 members. Workshops
and shows were virtually non stop featuring some top artists, as well as performances by local and
nationally known entertainers. Visitors included celebrities all the way to the Governor's office.
There always seemed to be an excellent fine arts exhibit or show. Then, after several good years,
someone at City Hall, for some reason unknown to me, started to think about making money off
the property. That seemed to include charges associated with any of our art activities. Workshops
became too expensive and charges for rooms too high. There seemed to be and excessive amount
of non arts activities. Activities with very little art and a whole lot of day care and summer camp
activities for kids.
However, Abandoning this beautiful property which would be the dream of any arts group, is not a
proper solution. Thinking about buying a property was tried after the LAA failure and did not work
out. I don't believe it is worth trying again. Maybe with a small number of people, a for profit
association would work if managed properly.
Bottom line, go to the City Council, hire a top notch debater, if you have to, and resell the council
on leaving GAC as is, refurbishing the building, and getting non arts projects out, and stop
competing with the private sector for profits. I talked to Paula about this in the beginning and she
agreed that more arts oriented projects should take precedence over what is presently being done.
Someone else evidently had a different idea. A good debater might be able to change the mindset at
City Hall.
Lastly, and tis is a project I tried to initiate in 2009, donate a lighting system to GAC that will lend
itself to an art display, and a display system for hanging pictures that is fast and accurate. Grace
Clinic,s art display is a good example. We need to give back to our host whenever an opportunity
arises.
I am two years late in doing what I intended to do at the end of my year, but now, I will return to
my studio and attend to my other projects, the main one of which is to memorialize, with my art,
the Greatest Generation. If you're not familiar, go to Google.
If you wish to join the endeavor, give me a call. You, no doubt, have family that belong to that
generation, and they should not be forgotten.
Thanks, and good luck.
Buster Jones.