BFAC closes out annual show; upcoming exhibit to feature works of Shalon Wilson

By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
It was just about standing-room-only at the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center on the afternoon of Oct. 5 as artists and art patrons gathered for the final day of the 32nd annual Juried Art Show.
Juror Christopher Stanley of Odessa attended a reception for the artists and talked to the crowd about the award-winning artwork in the show and why he selected them for the prizes. Stanley is an associate professor of art at the University of Texas Permian Basin in Odessa, and some of his pottery work was on display in the BFAC’s front gallery.

Artist and professor Christopher Stanley, right, talks to some of the art patrons attending the BFAC’s reception for the 32nd annual Juried Art Show on Oct. 5. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
“The work that I selected is based on the tradition that goes back throughout the history of art. A wise art historian once told me the greatest works of art always have a story and that story begins with the foreground, a middle ground and the background,” Stanley said. “Those specific pieces that involve the elements of art and perspective are not necessarily always defined by the artist and the viewer, and so this is really where the interaction begins between the work of art and the viewer as they see it. So art is not a literal truth, but in many ways a symbolic one, and I see the resurgence of storytelling in art and the figure, which makes me very happy, especially the figure.”
Stanley went through each of the nine award-winning pieces of art that he chose from the 80 included in the show.
“When I was looking at Barbara Hack’s — from Flower Mound, Texas — this piece, this gives us that beautiful, wonderful tradition of pre-camera … a portrait of an artist, but not in a sense of, like, what we would refer to in the prime of life, right? This is someone who is…the wrinkles are there, right?” Stanley said, directing the audience’s attention to Barbara Hack’s oil painting titled “The Artist,” which was the Best of Show winner. “I think, probably for me, the most exciting part of this piece, besides the face and the shirt with the paint on it, is also the books in the background. And so for those of us who are a bit older, right, the idea of sitting in repose and being contemplated, right, and kind of trying to reflect on our own existence, like that sublime thing that we all worry about, what is our legacy, right? What are we leaving behind? And so this, this portrait, immediately spoke to that.”
In addition to being an artist and a professor, Stanley also serves as the president of the Ector County Independent School District, and he spoke about the importance of art education in the schools.

Doylene Land, a member of the BFAC’s Board of Directors and former interim director, and Rhonda Crawford, BFAC director, greet guests at the reception for the annual juried art show last week. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
“The research that we’re doing with the kids in Ector County points out, and all of you hear this, if a child is involved in the arts and one other extracurricular activity — and that can be anything, and athletics … you can include that in there as one of the other extracurricular activity — we’re looking at a 99 to 100 percent graduation rate. That’s the secret sauce. You put marching band or band of any type in there and the ‘five Rs’…100 percent graduation rate. Those kids want to be doing this. But what’s the one thing we cut the most?” Stanley said, nodding in agreement as several members of the audience answered that art is often the first subject school district cut.
Stanley said schools often cut art classes because the state says they need to test on certain things. “And I don’t disagree with that,” he said. “You know, I want my students to learn coding and calculus and chemistry, along with reading, writing and arithmetic. But I also know that there’s a thing called a soul, and in order to feed that soul, you gotta have this. And if this isn’t there, we’ve just become machines.”
Following Stanley’s talk, he visited with those in attendance, and the artists took their work with them as they left.
With the annual juried show wrapping up, the BFAC is currently undergoing a replacement of the wall coverings. The next exhibit will open on Oct. 23 and will feature the artwork of former BFAC Director Shalon Taylor Wilson, who died in February 2024. That exhibit will be on display through the end of the year.
Additionally, the BFAC will have an exhibit of the landscape photographs of Bill Wright of Abilene.
The Breckenridge Fine Arts Center, which is located at 207 N. Breckenridge Ave., is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, call the BFAC at 254-559-6602, visit the website at www.breckenridgefineart.org, or take a look at the BFAC’s Facebook page.
Cutline, top photo: Christopher Stanley, who was the juror for the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center’s 32nd annual Juried Art Show, talks about the oil painting “The Artist” by Barbara Hack of Flower Mound. He spoke to a group of about 100 people gathered at the BFAC about the winners of the show. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Winners of the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center’s 32nd annual Juried Art Show

“The Artist,” oil, by Barbara Hack — Best of Show winner

“Reclining London,” oil, by Adam Lancaster — winner of the Shalon Taylor Wilson Memorial Award

“Balance,” pencil, by Jesse Lane — winner of the Lester and Virginia Clark Memorial Award

“Summer Santa,” oil, by Beverly Boren — winner of the Beene Award

“Aspirations,” oil, by Nora Dempsey — Honorable Mention

“First Saddle,” bronze, by Margaret Drake — Honorable Mention

“The Jester,” pencil, by Kinsey Lane — Honorable Mention

“Ocean Eye with Tentacle Wrap,” glass, by Rees Bowen — Honorable Mention

“New Years 2020 Spur Hotel Archer City, TX,” oil, by Robert Hollis — Special Mention
Click the links below for more Breckenridge activities
Eighth annual Sloan Everett Pure Country Pedal Memorial Bike Ride scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 19
Annual Stephens County Health Fair slated for Oct. 26
AgriLife Extension offers variety of programs for Stephens County adults, kids this fall