En route to Denver, Colorado for a conference presentation, our travels brought us through the vast expanse of west Texas. This path gave us the opportunity to see two charming western towns, Abilene and Lubbock. In Abilene, we hoped to spend some time in their historic downtown district, while Lubbock was on our radar because it is a possible law-school destination for both Olivia Discon and Chrissy Biello. Exploration was in order!
Grace Museum
by Olivia Discon
Abilene, Texas, has a lovely and historic downtown.
Known as the Storybook Capital of Texas, the city is truly proud to bear the title. Around the area, you can find public sculptures…
…cartoon characters, bookstores, and other fun literary-themed spots. We stopped by the mini sculpture walk in Everman Park, and Chrissy and I had a great time reminiscing about the titles and book characters that marked our childhood and our respective love of reading at an early age.
After that, we went into the historic Grace Museum. The building itself is beautiful, and the current exhibit was really interesting. Within the exhibit, there was a handmade wooden “chapel” displaying about 20 paintings that depicted contemporary or average-looking people in religious scenes, which was thought-provoking and very well done. What stood out to me the most were the gold leaf paintings and the creative ways biblical stories were referenced.
There was a book in the gallery that explained which biblical story matched up with the modern figures in the paintings, which I thought was a nice touch. Yawn and Chrissy were more into the nature scenes, which were different from the religious imagery but still detailed and visually appealing.
One of my favorite parts of the museum, though, was the Youth Art Month gallery. Local students had their work displayed, and it was honestly so fun to see. There was a range of ages (and maybe a range of talent, too), but the community engagement aspect was the best part. I did something similar as a kid, and I still remember the feeling of pride seeing my art displayed, standing next to my parents as they took pictures. But more than that, it’s about showing kids that they belong in these spaces—that they can be part of the art world, even at a young age.
Having the privilege to have gone to several museums with LEAP, I can say that this visit became an unanticipated favorite!
With that pleasant surprise on our minds, we stopped for a quick bite to eat at the highly-rated Jay’s BBQ…
…found the restaurant to live up to its ratings in both hospitality and taste, and we headed to Texas Tech University to visit their law school and get a glimpse, perhaps, of our futures.
Texas Tech Law School and University
by Chrissy Biello
Known for its nationally ranked Advocacy Program and commitment to public service, Texas Tech Law School is filled with immense opportunities that sets their students up for success. Thanks to Dean Saavedra, Assistant Dean of Admissions, and Ms. Moorhead, Director of Admissions, Olivia and I had the chance to tour the law school.
As she took us through the law school, there were many appealing aspects that would draw many students in. One aspect that I found particularly intriguing was the Lanier Auditorium, where the law school hosts many programs for its students. Ms. Moorhead explained they are usually during the lunch hour, allowing students to have the option to attend as there are no classes scheduled during that time.
With multiple clinics, organizations, and externships to choose from, there is something no matter what you are interested in. From this, one is able to go down many different paths to determine what truly aligns with them.
In all, Texas Tech Law School is not only nestled in an area with astounding architecture and art, but it also contains a plethora of ways for students to grow by giving them the resources to do so. Olivia and I would like to thank Ms. Moorhead for giving us a great tour and experience at Texas Tech Law School; it truly gave us a glimpse into the life of a law student at Texas Tech.
As we were on the Texas Tech campus, we decided to take the chance to walk around and see the art that the students are able to experience everyday. With multiple Moroles sculptures on campus, we LEAPed at the opportunity to go and see them. They were all very striking, and made us feel at home, as Huntsville has many Moroles sculptures as well.
We also enjoyed Deborah Butterfield’s “Wind River” sculpture. Having the previous experience of seeing one of her horse sculptures at the Besthoff Sculpture Garden in New Orleans, I was happy to be making that connection at Texas Tech.
One that is a quite funny play on words is the “Read Reader.” This bronze sculpture is multiple books stacked upon each other, ultimately creating a man reading. Terry Allen, the artist, is actually from Lubbock and is also known for being a great musician!
James Surls, a Sam Houston State University alumni, has a piece in front of the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center. This turquoise sculpture has three different sections and was different than the traditional wooden Surls sculptures I have seen.
One of the most appealing aspects of Tech’s campus is its beautiful mediterranean architecture, landscaped grounds, and the art that adorns those grounds. One sculpture that combined these latter two components was “Agave Dreams” by Juilan Voss-Andreae.
Before leaving Lubbock, we also had to explore the downtown district, as well as the Museum honoring the city’s most famous son: Buddy Holly. We, of course, had to get a photo inside the large glasses that resembled Holly’s.
We then concluded our time by taking a selfie with the Buddy Holly sculpture nearby…
…and looking at some of the names on the Buddy Holly Walk of Fame, spying Texas luminaries such as Roy Orbison, Terry Allen, Mac Davis, Guy Clark, and Bob Wills.
It was a fitting end to a day that is unlikely to “fade away,” with thoughts of our future in law and reflecting on a day with art.
A prevalent motif is also theatre, as he has experience in this profession and uses it as inspiration. His paintings allude to this trade, and depict images of performers getting ready for a play or the proscenium of a theater.
Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics 