On September 23, 2022, the Art Museum of Southeast Texas honored the founder and executive director of The Art Studio, Inc. at their annual gala. The following is the speech he wrote to give at the event.
To Lynn Castle, who made AMSET a world class facility and a place that is available to everyone: It is your openness, amiability, and dogged dedication that raised our bar as an arts community and set the pace for the rest of us to follow. My only regret is that I wish I had thought of the “Eat a Bug at Free family Fun Day” first. Lynn, you made the arts understandable and approachable for our community to embrace and enjoy. Your lifelong dedication to the museum is a gift to our community.
To my fellow honorees, the Kinsels, Jane and Jo Bob, and Keely and Craig: I am proud to share this event with you all and thank you for your years of service to this irreplaceable precipice. To the committee chairs, Gerald Farha and Julie Casanova, and committee members, Albert Nolen and Kit and Camille Ohmstede, you knocked it out of the park regarding the event and everything about it.
I want to thank my loving wife Sheila who stands by me no matter what. Sheila is a working artist in charge of creating amazing displays at the Beaumont Children’s Museum. She is far too humble about her creations and needs to create more of her amazing art. She is also dedicated to our family- a collective of 5 daughters and 1 son and 10 grandchildren.
I want to quote Sir Isaac Newton: “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
Those giants for me were the organizations Beaumont Art League and the then, Beaumont Art Museum, and the Lamar University art department; all were well established facilities decades before TASI came along and they had already developed a strong audience for the Arts. We were able to do what the Museum and League were not doing and went from there. Individuals are giants too. I spent many hours working for David Cargill and discussing the nature of The Art Studio and how we could best serve the community. Maudee Carron was more than thrilled to have another venue to show and always affirmed our relevance to the community. Lamar University helped us gain the tools and skills to be a viable art facility. Frank White and Bob Willis, early leaders of the Art Museum and Art League, although contentious, showed unified support of the Studio and its mission. These are just a few of the many “Shoulders of Giants” TASI had the good fortune to stand upon without which our job would have been far harder or maybe impossible.
The Studio was established in 1983 in a small warehouse called the Jackson Casket Company at 1076 Neches St. in downtown BMT. Artists Keith Carter, Danny Dubuisson, Maudee Carron, Doris Lejeune, Steve Crane, Linnis Blanton were among some of our earliest exhibitors. When Keith Carter won our 1986 membership show, it was work that ultimately became his first book, “Uncertain to Blue”. I purchased “Oatmeal” for $75 framed! That night we also had our tires slashed by a gang of kids. Most were caught by Keith’s stepson who recognized the kids and had them rounded up. I thought we would never get anyone downtown again! But lo and behold people are attracted to excitement and the following exhibition had a record number of patrons entering our facility!! We did hire security after that!
These days we are showing growth of our membership and the proliferation of a huge population of visual artists in our region. For example, last June, The Alternative Show had 140 entrants. The Art League was showing 60-70 pieces in their show and other galleries were also loaded to the walls with art. I estimate we have 200-300 active working artists in our region which is a phenomenal number considering our community’s size. In fact, ceramic artists with a national footing are encouraging us to continue what we are doing because they have never seen a community this small have so many organizations and so many artists. Museums, the symphony, and stage theaters all are packed with audiences and active in the community. In my broader ceramic community, we submitted a proposal to NCECA, a national clay conference, and have been accepted to make a presentation next March in Cincinnati about the Studio, but more broadly our arts community. Titled “Voices in the Wind” our presentation encourages artists in small communities to establish workspaces and galleries for artists.
In conclusion, the Arts in Southeast Texas are alive and thriving! The community’s support for the arts has never been stronger and more needed. Art is the third wave of recovery from terrible events like hurricanes, personal losses, or the struggle of mental issues. Simply attempting to create, i.e. scribbling on a paper, gives the mind a breather and recharges your energies. Art raises our children’s ability to learn. Art humanizes our community by sharing our unique creativity with others. Art opens our hearts and eyes to the wonderful diversity with which our community is blessed. Arts organizations relish the opportunity to introduce the arts to many more people who are seeking fun, artistic development, or even finding solace. The Arts are here in Beaumont, and they will enjoy a long and happy life.
