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New Braunfels Museum of Art and Music Collection

 Collection
Identifier: SWWC 129

Scope and Contents

The New Braunfels Museum of Art and Music Collection contains research and exhibition material from the museum and is arranged according to subject. Series include: Austin City Limits, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Clay Blaker, and the New Braungels Museum of Art and Music.

Series I: Austin City Limits begins with Season 2 (1977) press packets and other promotional materials, articles and information about the early days of the television show. It continues with press packets from Seasons 3-10, 12-19, 24. Four large plastic displays including images of Austin City Limits stage, Johnny Cash in greenroom, other behind-the-scenes images round out the series.

Series II: Stevie Ray Vaughan, includes numerous slides by photographer Sky Kaly of Vaughans's second tour with Double Trouble, 1985-1986, as well as other images of the Blues performer. Posters, concert tickes, clippings, and other memorabilia round out the series. Of note are the reports relating to Vaughan's tragic death in a helicopter crash in Wisconsin in 1990

Series III: Clay Blaker relates to the Country music songwriter and includes photos, LPs and cassettes, posters, and a Platinum sales award. There is also a Texas Ranger baseball jersey signed by Blaker.

Series IV: The New Braunfels Museum of Art and Music, documents the museum itself. It also features material from displays on polka music and Wurstfest. In addition there are some unidentified cowboy boots, accordions, and a cowboy hat.

Dates

  • 1977-2006

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials from the Wittliff Collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user assumes responsibility for determining copyright status, obtaining permission to publish, and abiding by U.S. copyright laws. https://www.thewittliffcollections.txstate.edu/research/visit/policies/publication.html

Biographical / Historical

The New Braunfels Museum of Art and Music originally opened in 2000 in New Braunfels, Texas, in the home of the former Hummel Museum. After the Nauer family who owned the rights to the original Hummel artwork had requested their return, the museum board looked to find a way to reconnect with the New Braunfels community. They brought in Charles Gallagher, who had creaed and directed "DiverseWorks," a multidisciplinary arts center in Houston, and Charlene Rathburn from the Abilene Fine Arts Museum to help define a new mission and strategic plan.

Gallagher, Rathburn, and John Paul Baptiste, who was at the time the Executive Director of the Texas Commission on the Arts, developed a list of goals for the museum including the celebration of the diverse historical traditions of Central Texas; the creation of interdisciplinary arts; and engagement with the local community. Gallagher was appointed Development Director and eventually becamse Executive Director of the newly formed New Braunfels Museum of Art.

Early exhibitions at the museum included "Uniquely Texas Icons," celebrating the creative works of twenty Texas artists in music, visual arts decorative arts, and crafts. Afterwhich, the name of the museum was altered to New Braunfels Museum of Art and Music to reflect the broader scope of the Central Texas artists. A string of successful exhibitions followed: "Picturing Here," "American Fiddler's Collection," "Made in Texas," and "The Texas Accordian Legacy: 100 Years of Music and Community.

By the end of 2001. The Museum's exhibitions and public programming had outgrown the downtown location, and relocated to historic Gruene, Texas, overlooking the Guadalupe River. With a growing staff, the leadership looked to create a museum up to the rigorous standards of the Smithsonian, to which they hoped to become affiliated.

In 2016, the New Braunfels Museum of Art and Music experienced another change in mission, and as a result, the Wittliff Collections accepted portions of its Texas music-related holdings in order to provide a permanent home for the collection.

Extent

15 Linear Feet

17 boxes

Metadata Rights Declarations

  • The descriptive data created for this finding aid is licensed under the CC0 Creative Commons license and is free for use without restriction.

Abstract

Collection of photos, documents, posters, and other items pertaining to Austin City Limits, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Clay Blaker, and the New Braunfels Museum of Art and Music.

Physical Location

Materials may be stored off-site. Advance notice is required for use: https://www.thewittliffcollections.txstate.edu/research/makearesearchappointment.html.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of the New Braunfels Museum of Art and Music, 2016

Title
Guide to the New Braunfels Museum of Art and Music Collection SWWC 129
Author
Mason Florus and Jonathan Moseley
Date
2017
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Revision Statements

  • 2022: Revised for ArchivesSpace by Katie Salzmann

Repository Details

Part of the The Wittliff Collections Repository

Contact:
601 University Drive
San Marcos Texas 78666 USA