CONTACT: Honnah Taylor
806-651-2235
Proximity: Rarely Seen Paintings from PPHM Come to WTAMU’s Dord Fitz Formal Gallery
Canyon, Texas — Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and West Texas A&M University Art Program proudly present Proximity: Paintings from Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, a compelling new exhibition that invites viewers to consider how art brings us closer to one another, to the past, and to place. Exhibition opens August 25.
Featuring rarely seen works from the PPHM collection, Proximity showcases landscapes, portraits, and still life paintings by celebrated Texas artists including Isabel Robinson, Maurice Bernson, Olin Travis, Fred Darge, and Harold Bugbee. These paintings offer more than aesthetic beauty, they become vessels of identity, memory, and regional connection.
“In curating this exhibition, I wanted to highlight not only the individual artists but also the relationships their work creates,” says Deana Craighead, Curator of Art at PPHM. “These paintings reflect a shared geography, a shared history. In many ways, they help define who we are – then and now.”
In a region shaped by wide-open spaces and close-knit communities, Proximity explores how art narrows distance: between artist and viewer, between history and the present, and between the collective and the personal. It’s an opportunity to engage with the cultural richness of the Panhandle-Plains through works that have long been part of our story, yet rarely on public display.
Graduate students Kenedy Wheeler and Madilyn Ballew, serving as curatorial apprentices, have played an active role in developing Proximity as part of their coursework. Their hands-on experience includes selecting artworks, contributing to curatorial discussions, conducting research, drafting extended labels, and assisting with artwork preparation and
installation. Their contributions not only enhance the exhibition but also highlight the museum’s vital role in educating and mentoring the next generation of arts professionals in our region.
This exhibition also marks a continued partnership between PPHM and WTAMU’s Art Program, deepening the commitment to preserving, studying, and celebrating the art of our region. Visitors are encouraged to explore the gallery and reflect on ways art connects us across time and space.
Proximity: Paintings from Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum
August 25 – October 24, 2025
Dord Fitz Formal Gallery | Mary Moody Northen Hall | West Texas A&M University.
Admission is free and open to the public during regular gallery hours.
For more information, visit www.panhandleplains.org or call 806.651.2244.
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Thank you!
Honnah Taylor
Director of Marketing & Communications
Cultural Foundation of the Texas Panhandle
Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum | TEXAS Outdoor Musical
D: 806.651.2235 | T: 806.651.2244
cultural foundation | panhandleplains.org | texas-show.com