Tyler has a number of events, programs
and organizations that work to help raise
awareness of local art.
Places like Café Tazza on Old Bullard
Road display art every Thursday, and there
are countless numbers of art showings around
Tyler Junior College and downtown Tyler.
“I’m surprised at how well represented
local art is here,” Carla Yaw, an arts major at
TJC, said. “It really brings out the talent in
the area.”
Art showings for unknown artists are becoming
more common in Tyler. For example,
the Underground Art Show will be on May
2 at 7 p.m. It is taking place on the corner
of College Street and Erwin Street on the
downtown square.
Supposedly this popularity can’t be
claimed by the museums in the area, which
bring in art from across the country and from
different time periods, such as the Tyler Museum
of Art on campus.
“It’s unfortunate not enough people get
out to see them,” Chris Stewart, art department
chair and instructor, said. “I’m always
dismayed that we have students that don’t
even know about the museum on campus.
There’s just a lack of interest in the population.”
W
hile local art in Tyler gets plenty of attention,
it’s the museums of East Texas that
apparently don’t get much recognition or
awareness.
Museums, such as the Museum of East
Texas, are museums that even some Tyler art
students don’t know about.
The Longview Museum of Fine Arts
boasts a large number of art galleries as well
as a sculpture garden, with plenty of art walks
and events over the summer.
The reason for the lack of popularity
could be contributed to students being busy
with work or their studies and not being able
to take the time to see these museums.
“I would love to be able to go to as many
museums around here as I can,” Art Major
Alexandria Hobbs said. “But I’ve just been so
busy with school that I haven’t had the time.”
Students who are part of the Art Club
usually get to take a trip to the Dallas Museum
of Art, which holds art from around the
world, including an exhibit on King Tut, but
students who are not club members have to
go to the museum on their own, which can be
a hassle for some.
“It’s mainly transportation and cost,”
Carla Yaw said. “You have to drive all the way
out to the museum, go through traffic, and
then pay to get in.”
Each museum has a Web site so that
people may research what is at the museums
before they make the trip.
“I hope the students will take in consideration
the museums in the area,” Stewart said.
“We need to support art in any way possible.”
