Tyler Museum Of Art Closes Williford On Mother's Day
Graham Williford adored his mother.
The late art expert and connoisseur from Fairfield, received a lifetime of matriarchal encouragement in his passion for the arts - resulting in the vast collection that helped rekindle international appreciation for 19th-century American artists.
The late art expert and connoisseur from Fairfield, received a lifetime of matriarchal encouragement in his passion for the arts - resulting in the vast collection that helped rekindle international appreciation for 19th-century American artists.
That collection is in the spotlight with the Tyler Museum of Art's Graham Williford's America, and the TMA is celebrating the final day of this landmark exhibition with free admission to all visitors in commemoration of Mothers Day on Sunday.
Graham Williford's America, which has attracted thousands of visitors since opening Jan. 27, features close to 60 oil paintings, sketches and works on paper by celebrated artists including Thomas Cole, Winslow Homer, Maxfield Parrish, John Singer Sargent and James McNeill Whistler, offering a panoramic view of some of the most important contributions to American art of the 19th century, TMA Director Kim Bush Tomio said.
"We felt it was prescient timing that Mother's Day this year coincided with the last day of this wonderful exhibition, especially since Graham Williford and his own mother were so very close," she said. "Much of the artwork you see displayed in his extraordinary collection is a direct result of her influence and encouragement, and we're proud to celebrate that with this special day of free admission."
John Williford, Graham's second cousin, recalled Graham Williford as "definitely a mother's child. His father was one of those who believed you should buy land and ranch it, and go to church. His mother, on the other hand, was an English teacher who actively encouraged him in his love of the arts.
"When he had one of his paintings by Dennis Miller Bunker displayed in the 'Americans in Paris 1860-1900' exhibition at the National Gallery in London - a real page-marker in his life - he said his only regret was that his mother wasn't there to see it," he said.
The Tyler Museum of Art is located at 1300 S. Mahon Ave., adjacent to the Tyler Junior College campus off East Fifth Street. Regular hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Light lunch is available in the Museum Cafe from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and the TMA Gift Shop is open during exhibition hours. For more information, call (903) 595-1001 or visit www.tylermuseum.org.
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