Crayon artist Williams sacrifices sculptures for wildfire education

One of artist Herb Williams’ more intriguing — and certainly riskier — projects was inspired by a National Ranching Heritage Center employee who worried about Texas wildfires that have threatened some of the ranchers she knows. Williams’ exhibit, “Unwanted Visitor: Portrait of Wildfire,” opens today in the center’s Proctor Park, near the Jowell House and Mail Camp. Williams will be present at a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. today, and will discuss the exhibit with visitors. Many may recall Williams as the visiting artist who used tens of thousands of crayons to create amazing artworks, displaying a number of them at this year’s Lubbock Arts Festival. Emily Arellano, the Helen DeVitt Jones Endowed Manager of Education Programs at the National Ranching Heritage Center, said center director Jim Pfluger expects her to bring attention to contemporary ranching issues. “I felt this would be a unique and interesting way to educate the public about wildfires,” said Arellano. She said she thought about using the outside space because the indoor galleries have been under construction for the past year. Williams said one reason he was contacted is because the colors of the crayons would mimic wildfires so well. Consider, however, the high temperatures of the past summer, when Arellano and Williams first communicated about the project. Arellano’s desire to place the sculptures outdoors would only guarantee any freestanding, three-dimensional crayon artworks created by Williams will be destroyed by the sun. That is, they will melt. Which is precisely the point...more