Local access to art better than ever in 2013

As 2013 is rapidly coming to a close, it seems a good time to look back at a few of the highlights of the area’s visual arts efforts over the past year. With the help of hundreds of area artists, hordes of area volunteers, numerous galleries, schools and teachers, local government and businesses, area access to the visual arts has never been better and more and more sectors of the community are gaining a greater appreciation for why art matters.

NON-TRADITIONAL AUDIENCES: “Because Art Matters” (BAM), an outreach arm of The Woodlands Waterway Arts Council, with the help of well-known area artist Vickie McMillan, has led the area’s efforts to take art to under-served sectors of the county.
FESTIVALS: The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival for 2013 was such a success that The Woodlands Waterway Arts Council was able to provide more than $65,000 to its art charity partners (The Pavilion Partners, The Conroe Art League, The Woodlands Art League, The Woodlands Children’s Museum and the Ann Marie Hopkins Arts Alliance), art teachers, art students scholarships, and education and community art projects such as mentioned above for BAM.
CELEBRATING COUNTY ART TEACHERS: The Woodlands Waterway Arts Council led efforts in acknowledging area high school art teachers.
PUBLIC ART: Two new bronze sculptures were unveiled in August at Founders Plaza in downtown Conroe.
ART ON PERMANENT DISPLAY IN COUNTY HISTORY MUSEUM: A comprehensive collection of paintings, drawings and sculpture created by the renowned Conroe painter and sculptor Mark C. Clapham, who died in early 2012, went on view this year at the Heritage Museum of Montgomery County.
CONROE ART LEAGUE HAS A BANNER 50TH YEAR: “If you build it, they will come,” tells only part of the story of the success the Conroe Art League has had since it began 50 years ago and since being made a permanent tenant in the building renovated by the city of Conroe, now known as the Gallery at the Madeley Building.