THEKEYSTONE THEWITTLIFFCOLLECTIONS FALL 2009 | SOUTHWESTERNWRITERSCOLLECTION | SOUTHWESTERN & MEXICANPHOTOGRAPHYCOLLECTION ® A member of The Texas State University System from the CURATOR (right) Connie Todd, Hola amigos— plus a support crew of interns, 15 student workers, and one (left) View into the new 2008, Ave Bonar In January 2010, I will retire temp (Valerie Anderson, who has just moved on to the gallery hall, below the archway carved and (center) as curator of the Wittliff Registar’s Office). And we are all extremely busy. painted by David Everett Water Witching (Bill Wittliff), 1996, Collec tions after twelve-and- We host thousands of visitors and hundreds of scholars (below) Guests entering Keith Carter a-half very happy and remark- each year, and the Wittliff Collections now enjoy an interna- the gallery hall after the able years. tional reputation. Our two book series have thrived and, ceremonial ribbon cutting When I began working along with our in-house publications, have won scores of here in September 1997, the design awards. The Keystone debuted in 2003 and has been South west ern Writers Col lec - going strong ever since. We’ve brought in significant new tion had been in its new space material in literature, journalism, film, television, music, and in the Alkek Library for about photography—as a matter of fact, our collections have at OUR VERY SPECIAL six years, and the South - least quadrupled in the last 10 years. THANKS to all western & Mexican Photog - Through it all, presiding over the growth and expansion come in, those who have raphy Col lec tion had opened not only of our holdings, but also of our activities and [continued from p. 2] provided recent the year before. The staff back spaces, I’ve felt enormous gratitude for the staunch support Friends of the Wittliff financial support then was pretty small: Steve Davis, who started in 1994, and and goodwill of our many friends both inside and outside of WE’RE OPEN # Founder’s Circle (Sept 1, 2008 – Mara Levy as library assistants, and a couple of student the academy and for the ongoing guidance of my friend and Susan C. Bailey Sept 30, 2009). workers. Though I was well aware of the exceptional hold- mentor, founding donor Bill Wittliff. OVER 500 GUESTS cele- the University of Texas # Curator’s Circle Special Project ings in these collections, I knew that the materials on the 7th Now, when I walk through the galleries and see students brated the Wittliff Collections Grand Press: A Certain Alchemy, published Rick Baish Support & Sponsors floor of the library were seen both as the university’s “crown enthralled by the photographs, or when I talk with a manu- Reopening on Saturday, October 17. After founders last October in the Wittliff’s photography book Mary Crouch Caroline A. Forgason jewels” and as its “best-kept secret.” Now was the time to script researcher who has flown halfway around the world to Bill and Sally Wittliff, Curator Connie Todd, and Texas State series (see the Fall 2008 issue of The Keystone), and Fireflies, Janis & Joe Pinnelli The Summerlee # impress and engage the stu- access Cormac McCarthy’s President Denise Trauth cut the silver ribbon to open the Carter’s images of children, published this October. In the Collector’s Circle Foundation dents, staff, faculty, and papers, or when I speak to new spaces, the crowd enjoyed remarks by Todd and Presi - original galleries adjacent to the new ones, Nueva Luz / New Cruz Bay Publishing, Martin-Woods Family Inc. (American public by showcasing the a crowd of over 500 peo- dent Trauth, a special video prepared for the occasion, and a Light showcases photographs never before hung on Wittliff Ranch Co. Cowboy Magazine) wealth of both collections. ple, as I did at our recent brief talk by photographer Keith Carter. Carter later took the walls (see pp. 12-13). Sunny & Shelton Smith Charlene Johnston The library and the univer- Grand Reopening, I see a opportunity to chat with people while signing copies of his Receptions, readings, panel discussions, and other spe- Alan Dreeben Katie Salzmann John Nau / Silver Eagle sity, to their credit and to much different scene than books. Surprise attendees included Sam Shepard and Jerry cial events are now being held in the main gallery. Designed # Sponsor’s Circle Distributors our advantage, were in total I did when I began work- Jeff Walker, both of whom have archives at the Wittliff. to complement the southwestern feeling of the original Maggie Bains Dan Bullock & agreement. ing in a rather quiet corner And now the new gates are swung wide, welcoming vis- rooms, the new space is enhanced by richly stained wood. Jane Hilfer Annette Carlozzi Within months the of the library. I see the itors, classes, tours, and researchers to the greatly expanded Carpet and a coffer-and-slat ceiling manage the fine acousti- Mike & Sallie McKetta Guy Bob & staff grew to include our public scope of the Wittliff public spaces. Over a year in construction, the new photog- cal quality of a built-in audio/visual system. A moveable Bob & Monika Rivard Cindy Buschman first-ever archivist (the Collections at last match- raphy galleries, enlarged reading room, and renovated work wall opens to accommodate events with larger audiences. Jim Studer & I. Craig Hester posi tion now held by Katie ing the great potential of areas are at last complete. The Lonesome Dove Room also received a new wall, to Roseann Mandzuik Susan Longley # Salzmann, since 2004), and the literary archives and The grand foyer features a polychrome carved jackrab- display a grouping of Bill Wittliff’s photographs taken during Friend’s Circle Susan Aspinall Block Judith Aronow two assistant curators: one photographs themselves. bit-and-cactus mahogany panel by sculptor David Everett. the filming of the miniseries. The permanent exhibition of Jan Bullock & Nancy Collins for the Writers Collec tion I see the avant garde of Beneath this, the entrance to a short exhibit hall opens onto props, costumes, script drafts, set designs, and other mak- Robert Green John Dudley (Steve, promoted in 1997), a new main gallery and two smaller ones nested within. ing-of materials from our major Lonesome Dove production Mary Margaret & the twenty-first century Beverly Fondren Ray Farabee and one for the Photog - library: a place where the Exhibition space is nearly tripled—with the two preexisting archive continues to delight fans from far and wide. Carollyn Geldert J. Philip Ferguson & raphy Collection (Carla cultural arts are cele - galleries, now as many as 150 prints can be on view. The Reading Room is now nearly twice as large, to Forest Hill Kathy O’Neil Ellard, 2000). brated, studied, and dis- First to be featured in the new exhibition spaces is work accommodate additional researchers interested in the S. C. Janda Mr. & Mrs. Albert F. As time passed, our staff has continued growing—we cussed, and where students and people of all ages come to be by Keith Carter from his two most recent monographs with Cormac McCarthy Papers. It features stained-wood cabi- Frances Nail “Boo” Hausser added a media relations and pub lications coor di nator in inspired. netry, equipment to provide access to audio/visual materials, Henry & Judy Sauer Alice Lynch 2002 (Michele Miller), and that same year hired a new devel- I retire with my mind at ease, because I know our course and tables handmade from longleaf pine. Reid & Susan Wittliff Barbara Morgan & opment officer (Beverly Fondren). has been set. The Wittliff Collections are thriving and will The newly painted Southwestern Writers Room Bill Wright Jerry Galow We gained another archivist in 2005 (Joel Minor), an continue to do so. It’s been a great and satisfying position, reopened with the Common Experience exhibition, The Dianne & Jim Pape Evan & Julia Smith Marcy Young events assis tant (Amy Cochran, with us since 2006), and, but I came to it somewhat late in life; and in order to enjoy Lightning Field: Mapping the Creative Process (see pp. 4-5). Reid & Susan Wittliff # Supporters this year, an assistant curator for acqui sitions (Shin Yu Pai, the many things I want to do before heading for the last This inspiring space will continue to be the location for [continued on p. 3] Valerie Anderson see p. 12). Add an archives assist ant (Mary E. García, who more intimate readings and events. round up, I figured I’d better start pretty soon. Catherine Jones joined us in 1999), an office manager (now GG Mortenson, Mil gracias, amigos, for your support and encourage- Relocation of the Wittliff Collections office and creation Michelle Peyton ON THE COVER since 2008), and in the Cataloging Department a cataloging ment along the way. I plan to attend many future Wittliff of new work and storage areas complete the expansion and Jerold Rehmar Tom Waits, Northern librarian (Karen Sigler, 2001) and a head cataloging assistant events, so this is not adiós but simply hasta luego. # provide much needed space for continued growth and sup- Karen Sigler California, 2006, Michael O’Brien 2 (Joe Sumbera, 2000)—and that puts our full-time staff at 13, —Connie Todd, Curator, September 1997 – January 2010 port of our mission to instruct, illuminate, and inspire. # 3 Rusty Key CELEBRATING We can never see the flashes afternoon.” Crumley claimed that it took him eight years to ASHES OF WACO ARCHIVES of inspiration that strike writers, but at the Wittliff Collec - write the line, and the manuscript drafts show the ways he ONLINE PROJECT GOES LIVE The Alkek Library’s tions we can map the impressions from such moments by painstakingly worked over the words.