Former Texas A&M University employees Dr. Peter Witt and his wife, Dr. Joyce Nies, have donated approximately 20 modern Native American artworks to the University Art Galleries, including two sculptures by renowned Native American artist Allan Houser.
“Hopefully, when people see the artworks on display, it spurs their interest in Native American artists,” Nies explained. “Art touches people in unexplained ways, speaking to each viewer in different voices.”
Shortly after their donation last fall, the artworks were included in the J. Wayne Stark Galleries exhibition, “Spirit Visions: Native American Art from the Permanent Collections.” The artworks will remain in the university’s permanent collection to be included in future exhibitions.
“We have a small Native American population on our campus, but they should see themselves represented,” Witt enthused. “We hope gallery visitors gain a greater appreciation for the beauty and artistic abilities of Native American artists, and we hope that our gift will inspire other individuals to consider donating artworks to the galleries.”
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Art Credits:
Header Image: Allan Houser, Camp Talk, 1979, Bronze, Gift of Peter Witt and Joyce Nies in honor of Bert and Ellen Witt.
Top Left: Allan Houser, By the Spring, 1984, Marble, Gift of Peter Witt and Joyce Nies in honor of Bert and Ellen Witt.
Top Right: Robert Rivera, Gourd Mask, 1997, Painted gourd, feathers, reed strips, Gift of Peter Witt and Joyce Nies.
Bottom Left: Jackson Beardy, Loons, 1978, Ink on paper, Gift of Peter Witt and Joyce Nies.
Bottom Right: Robert Rivera, Anasazi Design (Painted Gourd Vessel), 1993, Gourd, ink, Gift of Peter Witt and Joyce Nies. / Robert Rivera, Untitled (Gourd Sculpture with Feathers), n.d., Gourd, acrylic, natural pigments, On loan from the collection of Peter Witt and Joyce Nies.
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