((I saw this piece on Facebook and asked if I could share it here. – Ed.)
By Carolyn Ellis
Though we live outside of a town called Kemp (TX – pop. 1,000), most of my artwork and activities are in Athens (TX, pop. 12,000, 45 min. away). As small as Athens is, wealth, culture, and education (Trinity Valley Community College – TVCC) have distinguished Athens for generations, making it much more than the sleepy little East Texas town you’d expect.
TVCC was founded in 1946 when the population of Athens was about 5,000, which surely makes it clear that Athens had a master plan in place even then. I mean who starts up a college in a town of that size! The Henderson County Performing Arts Center (www.hcpac.org) being 50 years old — is a another sign that culture was active in Athens long ago!
The gorgeous Cain Center (www.caincenterinc.org) is heading into its 31st year and has all kinds of offerings for the community: state of the art exercise equipment, heated olympic pool, full size gym, tennis courts, all kinds of classes, vending event space, reception space, 80+acres, disc golf course…plus a gorgeous building that gives me goose bumps everytime I go there. Since the Cain Center Director loves art and music there is also art all over the place, and regular music events.
The first time I came to Athens to take our older children to TVCC I saw architecture and urban planning which told me rigjt away that Athens was a happening place. At present I have artwork at the Cain Center, two hair salons, and Agape House (private gallery) — all in Athens. Abstract art is not a natural choice in East Texas but I’m committed to trying to change that.