Private Treasures Go Public at San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts
The San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (SAMFA) presents 'Discovering Global Treasures in Concho Valley Collections,' an exhibition that brings artworks from private Concho Valley collections into the public sphere, on view through August 30, 2026. The show aims to democratize art access for the predominantly blue-collar West Texas community, featuring a diverse array of works from Joan Miró and André Masson to anonymous Tibetan and European devotional pieces, Beethoven manuscript fragments, and contemporary works by Quang Ho and Sherrie McGraw. Highlights include Oreland Joe's 'Miss Rainbow,' painted on an 1892 gold mining stock certificate, and a display of spurs and belts from local collectors. The exhibition's salon-style hang and varied wall colors intentionally depart from the sterile white cube, fostering a relaxed atmosphere. Curated to bridge private collecting and public access, the show includes international art, Western landscape themes, and working-class artifacts, reflecting the region's identity. SAMFA offers free general admission, reinforcing its mission to make art accessible. The exhibition is supported in part by the Rabkin Foundation Travel Grant.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Discovering Global Treasures in Concho Valley Collections' is on view at the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts through August 30, 2026.
- The exhibition features artworks from private collections in the Concho Valley, aiming to make art accessible to the public.
- Works include Joan Miró's aquatint etching 'Le Vent Parmi Les Roseaux' and a lithograph by André Masson, who shared studios in Paris in the 1920s.
- Also included are etchings by Renoir and Pierre Bonnard, a 19th-century Tibetan Thangka, and an anonymous Madonna and Child.
- Ludwig van Beethoven manuscript fragments from Symphony No. 9 and Piano Sonata No. 32 are displayed.
- Contemporary works include Quang Ho's oil painting 'In the Woods' and Sherrie McGraw's 'Night of the Night Fires' depicting a Taos Pueblo bonfire ceremony.
- Oreland Joe's 'Miss Rainbow' is painted on an 1892 gold mining stock certificate.
- The exhibition also displays spurs and belts from private collections, highlighting the region's working-class heritage.
- SAMFA offers free general admission to the public.
- The article was supported in part by the Rabkin Foundation Travel Grant.
Entities
Artists
- Joan Miró
- André Masson
- Pierre Bonnard
- Renoir
- Quang Ho
- Oreland Joe
- Sherrie McGraw
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- Maria Martinez
Institutions
- San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts
- Rabkin Foundation
- Glasstire
Locations
- San Angelo
- Texas
- United States
- Concho Valley
- Marfa
- West Texas
- Paris
- France
- Tibet
- Taos Pueblo