It was an early morning for a Thursday during a Christmas break. But it was a LEAP trip, so of course it was early. With a first-day itinerary that included a law-school tour, two art museums, and an eight-hour drive, we needed to begin at dawn.
TAMU Law
By Cinthia Villarreal
As aspiring attorneys and with “Law” representing the first letter of the LEAP acronym, the first stop of our Southwest Trip was, naturally, the Texas A&M School of Law (TAMU Law)in Fort Worth.
Olivia and I walked through the front door thrilled for the tour that awaited us. I was personally elated, as this was my first time ever being in a law school. Dani Cortez, the Admission Recruitment Coordinator, was kind enough to set a tour for us with current TAMU Law Ambassador, Dalia El-Giar.
As a second year law student, Dalia was able to share a firsthand account of the law school and was candid about her journey so far, which included the typical class environment, internship opportunities, and housing.
We started at the Dee L. Kelly Law Library, which happened to be our favorite aspect of the visit; the coolest feature of this library being the motorized bookshelves! After she showed us the classrooms, courtrooms, and the lounge areas, we couldn’t resist but imagining ourselves sitting in one of those chairs as law students. Throughout the tour, we learned about the resources the school offers which range from international travel opportunities, externships, to legal clinics. TAMU Law is one of the top law schools in Texas, and getting a glimpse of the school’s culture truly made our aspirations a bit more realistic and a lot more exciting.
We then had the opportunity to talk to Mr. Cortez to address any questions about the tour and admission process. When we asked about personal statements, he emphasized the importance of showing our personality and passions through our writing. Before ending a very successful tour, it was an absolute must to visit the school bookstore and buy some matching swag!
Many thanks to the A&M School of Law staff for their hospitability, Mr. Cortez for his kindness and insight into the admissions process, and Dalia for her approachableness, honesty, and eagerness to share her perspective as a student.
Architecture & Art
Following our wonderful tour of TAMU Law, we hustled to a couple of nearby architectural marvels. The first was Philip Johnson’s Fort Worth Water Gardens, right across the street from the law school. Designed to neighbor the Fort Worth Convention Center, the “gardens” have at least five components: an entrance…
…an “aerated” pool…
…a quiet pool, a mountain, and a sunken water garden.
The latter element was fascinating, with its many layers and levels for water to cascade down—not to mention the steps you can skip across to access the lowest tier. It was on this tier that we posed for a long-exposure photograph—one that emphasized the cascading nature of the water (and our ability to stand still for eight seconds….).
With both of us working for the City of Huntsville, we also had to stop by Sundance Square to see the Richard Haas mural of the Chisholm Trail. This is a piece that completely transformed this area of Fort Worth, and it is also one of the pieces that prompted Linda Pease to reach out to Haas to do art work in Huntsville.
Such adventures, however, only foreshadowed our art experiences to come.
Amon Carter Museum of American Art
The first of these was the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Here, we were able to refresh our familiarity with Frederic Remington, whose work pervaded the museum.
We saw this western motif in many of its manifestations. Much of the collection from the 19th century, which included artists such as Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Moran, and Martin Johnson Heade, involved western symbolism. Moreover, we had a chance to see several of Georgia O’Keeffe’s works, including her painting of the San Francis de Asis, which we will be seeing later this trip!
It was a great visit, a chance to brush up on some artists and learn new artists.
The Old Jail Art Center Museum
A couple of hours from Fort Worth is one of the state’s best hidden gems: Albany’s Old Jail Art Center.
Their collection, which consists of more than 2,000 pieces, includes such luminaries as Paul Klee, Picasso, Thomas Hart Benton, Amedeo Modigliani, Peter Hurd, Bror Utter, Jesus Moroles, and James Surls.
We met several of the staff, all of whom were very nice. Kellie Bellah was on hand to greet us and get us started in the Museum; Patrick Kelly, the Museum’s Director, gave us a tour; and Amy Kelly, the Museum’s Collections Curator, gave us some in-depth information about several pieces in the collection. They were nice enough to take us to the “vault,” where we had a chance to see a Benton, two Grant Woods, two Picassos, an Alexander Calder mobile, and a Charles Pebworth!
While we immediately recognized the Surls’ piece in the Museum, it took us a minute to identify the Moroles’ pieces in the courtyard. In retrospect, the pieces should have been pretty easy to identify, but they were different than the totems we have seen in the past.
We also enjoyed seeing the artists in their exhibit galleries. Leigh Merrill had some very impressive photography…
…and Karla Garcia had some thought-provoking pieces in the historic section of the Museum—the actual “Old Jail.”
Although art can be intimidating, the fact that the Museum is set in an actual historic jail made us both feel right at home!
Seriously, though, it was a great first day on our southwestern tour: law, art, and architecture–just a few of our favorite things.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 