Sometimes the universe just seems to want to give you a gift and graces you with a blessing beyond words. This happened to me a few weeks back. I had received a call from Johnny Langer of Source Historical, who is a great friend and trusted colleague concerning an item that had been found while he was in Hamilton Texas researching the original color scheme of the Hamilton County courthouse. He calls me all excited but not really wanting to tell me too much. He said they think they found the original bas-relief sculpture that legend said stood behind the judge’s bench. I say legend because there is no notation on the original plans for the sculpture. He and Gordon Marchant (architect),and the County Judge were looking at it and discussing it. He said I should be getting an invitation to give my professional assessment of the sculpture. He added “and you will get and additional surprise. I’m not saying but ask about the Picasso. That’s all I’m going to say.”
Well the call finally came from Bill Wilson of RBR construction. I’ve known Bill Wilson for some time and have a high degree of respect for his abilities to manage restoration projects. ( a job that is really harder than it looks). He gave me the name of Francis and Ray Ramsey and their phone numbers. He said it is located in a storage room on the 2nd floor of their art gallery. He added. “That is all I’m going to tell you because you need to experience it just as the rest of us were able to experience it.”
I called and left messages on all the phone numbers that I was given and waited for a return call. After a couple of days a very gracious lady returned my call and we discussed when would be a good time to come by and inspect the sculpture, a Friday after lunch. It was on my way back from Austin to Lubbock. So I thought I would stop by and inspect and photograph it and then be on my way back to Lubbock. Should not take more than an hour, or so of my time. Boy was I wrong!
I arrived in Hamilton a little early and stopped for lunch awaiting the arrival of the Ramsey’s. Hamilton is a small town of 3 thousand or so, in the middle of ranch country about 80 miles north east of Austin Texas. It is on two somewhat major crossroads so I have driven through the town several times in the past but never stopping. On the front door of the building it list “shown by appointment only” with phone numbers underneath. I could see through the glass into the dark room beyond that it was filled with paintings.
Soon a car drives up and a lady waves at me through the window. After parking Mrs. Ramsey walks up to the front of the building to meet us. Her husband Ray is coming through the back of the building and is opening up the front door from the inside. We are already talking about the sculpture, its history, its travels, and how it came back to Hamilton. So we are walking through a Gallery full of art but I’m focused on the story and as she is talking she is leading me to the back and up the stairway to the room where the Sculpture is stored.
After doing my investigation work and photographing the sculpture. I head down to the first floor where the gallery owners are talking to my friend and from the look on her face I realize that she is amazed. They have now turned on the overhead lights and the room literally is filled to the brim with art work. But not just standard western art that you always seem to find in small western ranch towns but from all the old art masters. Renoir, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Monet, artist from French impressionist, to Constructivism, from the Byzantine area, to Art Nouveau, to Andy Warhol. Some of whom I have never heard of but now know how valuable they are. So after and brief tour I say “I heard a rumor that you have a Picasso.”
“A Picasso?” She turns and opens a door turns on a light “We have almost a whole room filled with Picasso’s.”
Speechless I step into the room and look at all different eras of Picasso’s life from simple sketches to sculptures. There might not have been hundreds but there was certainly more than thirty.
So for the next few wonderful hours I get to experience all this incredible art, and get a personal tour from two very passionate and well versed art lovers. A collection that rivals any personal collection I have ever seen even rivals most museums and located in a most unlikely place in the heart of Texas.
If you are looking for a great place to see art and want to see it up close and personal. Head to a true art capital - Hamilton Texas. The number is on the door. Ray and Francis Ramsey love to show off their art and it will be a day you will never forget. Information about the collection can be found here.
My report on the Lady Justice sculpture can be viewed here.
My report on the Lady Justice sculpture can be viewed here.
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