WHY I LOVE THE BROOKS!

In the month of February, we received this touching email from one of our long-time Brooks supporters. We were so moved by her story and how the Brooks impacted her life, that we wanted to share with you how the Brooks is "transforming lives through the power of art".

As a student at the Memphis Academy of Arts (yes, ACADEMY of Arts) part time and full-time from 1961 to 1964) I had many enjoyable "required" assignments there, some in art history classes, some to sketch and paint all around the Brooks Museum Grounds. I sold many of the on the spot watercolors that I painted of the Brooks and surrounding beautiful grounds.  Townsend Wolfe was my painting instructor when I painted a Cezanne-like oil of the amphitheater/ shell.  Every time I look at that painting, I remember how quickly I had to work because my painting class always ended too soon to suit me.  My husband, whom I met while attending part-time classes at the MAA, loves to remind me of all the chit-chat he overheard from me and my fellow part-time classmates while I was taking those painting classes under Burton Callicott.  He was the first person to personally take me for a tour of the Brooks.  He was a junior, but later graduated from the MAA with honors in painting.  I was a mere part-time freshman, with high hopes and dreams of becoming more familiar with the lives and works of the artists that I had always heard of and admired in our World Book encyclopedias. I wore out the "P" volume. I dreamed of someday being able to paint a "masterpiece" myself, of painting something someday worthy of hanging in such a wonderful place.  James G. Hargett, my husband, went on to win several regional art awards in painting.  But he is now very sick with cancer; we've had three years of surgery and chemotherapy.  

Of course, we have been back to the Brooks many times for different reasons.  For one, as an art teacher, I hand-delivered many student art entries for the Scholastics competition.  Several of my students from Humboldt Jr. High won awards.  I also arranged and bravely brought several art class groups to view special exhibitions at the Brooks.  They were always so thrilled as I would have been had I ever been able to visit a REAL art museum when I was a young student.  Actually, I had never had any type of art training until I graduated from high school and my mother enrolled me in the Art Instruction School, which was available by mail.  Because she had sort of a creative vent, she was always encouraging me to do something with my bit of talent, perhaps to partially fulfill her dreams; she loved me a lot, that I know.   

When my dad suddenly passed away at age 39, a lot of her dreams went by the wayside.  However, she was an entrepreneur of sorts and started/ operated a mail order business for years.  I actually illustrated a booklet for her on one of her most money-making ventures: raising fishing worms to sell by mail.  The title of the booklet was:  TWO WORMS LED TO A MILLION  ha.  I drew two "lovesick" looking fishing worms.  My mother truly inspired me to go on to college.  Later, after I was awarded an art scholarship through the Gooch Foundation,I was able to attend art school full-time.

As an art teacher, I submitted paintings to the special exhibitions for Mid-South Art Teachers in the late 90's, and in 2000.  I had four paintings accepted for exhibition the two years I submitted work.  I was so excited.  I will remember always the honor I felt as a few of my relatives and two of my beloved art teachers from the Memphis College of Arts came to see my work there at the Brooks.  Two instructors that I will always remember, not only as wonderful art instructors, but also as very highly regarded Memphis artists:  Ted Faiers and Burton Callicott.  I know Mr. Callicott came on one of these occasions.  These were such sweet gentlemen.  Of course, whenever THEIR work, or Townsend Wolfe's work, was exhibited there, I came to view their latest works.

Finally, whenever there is a really good exhibition there at Brooks, my daughter and I Love to do lunch at the Brushmark, see the new exhibition, and perhaps splurge on a fanciful object from the gift shop.  You can see that I am NOT lost for words when it comes to expressing my LOVE for Brooks!!

Myrna Hargett