Tyler Museum of Art: First Friday Tour with Dr. Clark “Remember When” with the Collector

         

   (TYLER, TX) June 2, 2011 – Take a stroll down “Memory Lane” during a free guided tour of the Tyler Museum of Art exhibition Remember When: Marvels and Memories from the Collection of Dr. James Clark. Dr. Clark will lead visitors through the exhibition offering insight into his personal collection of vintage movie posters, collectibles and historical items. Admission to the exhibition is free, and the tour begins at 11:00 a.m. in the Museum’s North Gallery.

“Most of the items included in this colossal exhibition are extremely rare examples,” said Ken Tomio, Curator of the Tyler Museum of Art. “Dr. Clark has spent decades searching for each piece, working with other collectors and through special auctions to refine his collection. Remember When is a unique and impressive presentation of materials which the public would normally not be able to enjoy at one time.”

The exhibition is the sixth in the Museum’s Tyler Collects series and contains over 500 items. Dr. Clark says that his fascination with movie posters stems from his high school job, when he worked for Interstate Theatres in Paris, Texas. His primary duties included changing out the movie posters and the theatre’s marquee. Over his thirty years of collecting, Dr. Clark has expanded his focus to include various items from the 1940s and 50s that recall prominent moments in American history as well as personal childhood memories. Visitors to the exhibition will see a collection of rings that children could receive by sending in cereal box tops, watches bearing favorite characters like Gene Autry and Dick Tracy, and baseball cards featuring some of the game’s greatest players including Babe Ruth, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. 

First Friday Tours are offered free of charge each month and usually last under an hour. Visitors are invited to stay for lunch at the Museum Café where they can enjoy a special lunch selection prepared just for First Friday. Remember When: Marvels and Memories from the Collection of Dr. James Clark will be on view through Sunday, August 14, 2011.

Exhibition support has been generously provided by Lead Sponsor, Harold and Rosemary Beaird. Supporting Sponsors are Grant, Catharine, Clark and Sara Faulconer; Joe and Betty McMahan; Cecil and Bernie Ward, and Sherilyn and Patrick Willis. Sponsors are Citizens 1st Bank; James and Donna Culver; Susan and Ron Donaldson; Betsy and Elmer Ellis; Verna and George Hall; Tom and June Lowery; Gail and Harry Wallace, and Sam and Carrie Wolf. Collectors’ Circle Sponsors are Byars Foundation and Sheryl Rogers Palmer. Corporate Member Sponsor is Southside Bank. Media Sponsor is Tyler Morning Telegraph.

The Tyler Museum of Art, accredited by the American Association of Museums, is located at 1300 S. Mahon Ave., adjacent to the Tyler Junior College campus off East Fifth Street. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. (The Museum is closed Mondays and major holidays.) Lunch is available in the Museum Café from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and the TMA Gift Shop is open during Museum hours. For more information, call (903) 595-1001 or visit www.tylermuseum.org.