Banjara Textiles and Jewelry from the Jerez Collection

July 14 - September 11, 2022

From the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts:

“The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts is pleased to announce the opening of two new exhibits: Banjara Textiles and Jewelry from the Jerez Collection and Towards a 21st Century Abstraction. These two beautiful exhibits will open on Thursday evening, July 14, and the reception is free and open to the public. The opening reception will last from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., and live music and refreshments will be provided. The Jerez Collection of textiles and jewelry, handcrafted by the Banjara peoples of India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, was lovingly assembled over the years by Sherry McDonald Stewart, Daphne S. Nallie, and Daisy S. Gill. A small but stunning selection from the collection is exhibited at SAMFA. “Banjara” is an umbrella term used by outsiders to describe multiple formerly-nomadic peoples living throughout India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, who are descended from a single group but now vary in language, in cultural norms, and in name, depending on where they live. There are an estimated 5.6 million Banjaras in India. The Romani of Europe also are believed to be descended from Banjara ancestors. Banjara textiles, though styles can vary from region to region, are characterized by vibrant, colorful designs, elaborate hand-embroidery, and the incorporation of mirrors, shells, and metallic thread. In addition to the eye-catching clothing, Banjara women traditionally wore large jewelry, including ivory bangles, anklets festooned with bells, and necklaces of intricate beadwork.

Towards a 21st Century Abstraction is a group exhibit of contemporary American Abstract- Expressionist painters, organized by the artists themselves. The collection is made up of seven

artists working in studios across the country. Their paintings have been exhibited and collected extensively across the United States and internationally. They include: Sammy Peters, Katherine Chang Liu, David Bailin, Connie Connally, Jeri Ledbetter, Brad Ellis and Doug Trump. In a period of art that values reproducibility, speed, and spectacle, these seven artists find a common ground and belief in the unique, the contemplative, and the inventive use of their materials. Also on display in the SAMFA galleries is a gorgeous array of new gifts to the SAMFA collections, received in the past two years. The SAMFA collections have grown exponentially in

recent years, thanks in a large part to the generous gifts of collectors and donors who have sought us out. As the museum’s notoriety has grown in its primary focus areas of ceramic art, Spanish colonial art, Texas art, and American manufactured glass, many collectors have seen SAMFA as a fitting home for their treasures. Recent gifts include fifty-six works of British Studio Ceramics from Janis Ross of Houston, and exquisite works of Spanish colonial art from the family of longtime San Angelo resident Laura Derby, Dallas native Richard Parkman, and Thomas Duckworth of San Antonio. Other notable gifts include seventy paintings and works on paper by the gifted and prolific early Texas artist Franz Strahalm (1879-1935), given by his grandson, James Anthony Asch. These are just a few of the important gifts SAMFA has received. Selections from these gifts and many others will be on display in the museum’s second-floor gallery.

The exhibits will remain on display through Sunday, September 11. For more information about the exhibits please call the museum at 653-3333. The museum is supported by generous contributions from both individuals and businesses. This project is made possible in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts and the San Angelo Cultural Affairs Council. SAMFA’s hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 am to 4 pm, and Sunday, 1 pm to 4 pm. Admission is currently free. In order to protect the health and safety of staff and visitors, masking and social distancing are recommended inside the museum.”

Artist talk: July 6, 2022

San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts - SAMFA

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San Angelo, 76903 TX

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