International Museum of Art

The International Museum of Art is a museum in El Paso, Texas housed in a historic residence designed by Henry C. Trost. The home was the W.W. Turney residence built for state legislator, lawyer, and rancher William Ward Turney in 1908.[1] The International Museum of Art shares history with the El Paso Museum of Art, which occupied the Turney building until 1998. After it moved into its new building, the International Museum of Art reopened in 1999.

International Museum of Art
El Paso International Museum of Art
Established1924 (1924)
LocationEl Paso, Texas, United States
Coordinates31°46′15″N 106°28′55″W
TypeArt museum
Collection size475
FounderKate Moore Brown
Websiteinternationalmuseumofart.net

About

The International Museum of Art takes up around 14,000 square feet.[2] The museum also has a 168-seat auditorium and space for art classes.[2]

History

The El Paso International Museum Association began in 1924 and the group started collecting art at a rapid pace.[3] Kate Moore Brown was a leader in helping to create the museum, which started with the purchase of several display cases for displaying the Percival Henderson collection.[4] The museum's association planned to open a building in 1929, but were deterred because of the Great Depression.[3] The group received a Texas state charter in 1930.[5] The Women's Club of El Paso helped promote the idea of the museum.[6]

In 1941, they moved into former home of former State Senator William Ward Turney.[3] The property was owned by the City of El Paso and the museum was leasing the W.W. Turney house on 1205 Montana Street.[7] In 1944, the museum's board began to raise money to pay for the taxes owed on the house.[8] The International Museum of Art formally opened its doors on May 2, 1947.[9]

The museum was planned to be expanded in the late 1950s at a cost of around $725,000 in funds from a bond issue.[10] The expansion would include two new art wings, an auditorium and a children's section.[10] The renovations took place in 1960 with the architectural firm of Carrol and Daeuble and Associates.[4] The Kress collection, donated by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, was installed in the building in May 1961.[4] Around this time, the museum became known as the El Paso Museum of Art.[11][12] The El Paso Museum of Art moved from the Turney home in 1998.[11] The new location was in Downtown El Paso and initially, Mayor Carlos Ramirez wanted the Turney building to house offices for museum administration.[13]

In 1999, forty-two charter members made up the new El Paso International Museum of Art.[14] The volunteers supporting the museum created an International Association for the Visual Arts and remained in the Turney building.[11] The association began to lease the building from the City of El Paso.[11] They also began an El Paso Artists Hall of Fame, which honored two artists a year.[15]

Collection

The museum has over 450 paintings and 25 sculptures on display.[2]

The International Museum of Art obtained a kachina doll collection donated by Deane Miller in 2000. The collection was valued at $40,000.[16]

References
  1. "Residence of W.W. Turney | Photograph". Wisconsin Historical Society. 2011-11-23. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
  2. Crowder, David (22 June 2014). "International Museum of Art". El Paso Inc. Retrieved 2019-03-25.
  3. "Miss Huggett to Speak in El Paso Museum". El Paso Times. 18 January 1944. Retrieved 23 March 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Curlee, Kendall (12 June 2010). "El Paso Museum of Art". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  5. "Charters Granted". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. 23 February 1930. Retrieved 23 March 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Association Gets Turney Home for El Paso Museum". El Paso Herald-Post. 27 April 1940. Retrieved 23 March 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Showdown Due On Turney Home Today". El Paso Times. 30 April 1943. Retrieved 23 March 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Corya, Jane (10 September 1944). "Turney Home Seen As Ideal International Museum Site". El Paso Times. Retrieved 23 March 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Art Center Sets Formal Opening Date". El Paso Herald-Post. 28 April 1947. Retrieved 23 March 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Enlarging of Museum Outlined". The El Paso Times. 13 December 1958. p. 1. Retrieved 23 March 2019 – via Newspapers.com. and "Enlarging of Museum Outlined". El Paso Times. 13 December 2019. p. 5. Retrieved 23 March 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "About the Museum". International Museum of Art. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  12. "Art Museum to Sponsor Program". El Paso Herald-Post. 22 January 1959. Retrieved 25 March 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. Villalva, Maribel (23 August 1996). "Mayor Sees Offices, Not Art For Old Site". El Paso Times. Retrieved 25 March 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Plaque Unveiling". El Paso Times. 1 August 2004. Retrieved 23 March 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. Villalva, Maribel (25 July 1999). "Nominate Artists for Hall of Fame". El Paso Times. Retrieved 25 March 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. Leos, Claudia (6 February 2000). "Kachinas Find Home At International Museum". El Paso Times. Retrieved 25 March 2019 – via Newspapers.com.

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