The Wichita Falls Museum of Art has enjoyed a resurgence the past two years, earning accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums in 2019 and continuing its tradition of hosting a variety of creative exhibits.
The WFMA welcomed new director Tracee Robertson, who came from the University of North Texas Art Galleries in Denton. She envisions great things for the museum in 2021 and beyond.
“After being at MSU Texas, observing and learning the community and the museum, I see great potential to build on the strengths of the museum and contribute to a culture of engagement at the university and in our city and region,” Robertson said. “Last fall, the museum achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums. This acknowledges that our talented team, our dedicated Museum Advisory Board members, and our collaborative partners continually strive for excellence within our field and in service to our audiences, in all that we do.”
The WFMA is one of only 48 museums accredited in Texas. The WFMA supports the university’s liberal arts mission and is an educational resource offering varied programs and events for the North Texas region. Founded in 1967 as the Wichita Falls Museum and Art Center, the museum earned accredited status for the first time in 1973. In 2001 the process began to allow Midwestern State University to acquire the Museum through a donation and the ownership was transferred in 2005.
Robertson embraces WFMA’s dual role in serving the university and the community.
“We have ambitious goals to grow as an academic museum, drawing students out of the classroom to develop skills from engaging with visual art that serves them in their own disciplines,” Robertson said. “Learning from art empowers communication, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving. Art reaches inward, helping us to know our likes and what moves us and providing respite from the pressures of daily life.”
Her vision is to see those who experience WFMA enrich their own lives through art.
“A relationship with art is a two-way street, like any relationship. We have to allow art to reveal its relevance by giving it our time like we do exercise or studying or Instagram,” Robertson said. “When we spend time with art, it awakens in our curiosity, wonder, and inquiry ̶ viewpoints that help us relate to others and to our world ̶ I envision the museum being a magnet that draws people together, a place of belonging you want to return to again and again, where art is relevant to your life.”
Robertson appreciates the welcome she’s received since moving to Wichita Falls.
“I have enjoyed the kindness, creativity, and intelligence I've encountered in the people I've met, and their willingness to share and explore,” Robertson said. “One of the things I like most about Wichita Falls, aside from the warmth and generosity of the people, is the ability to have a vibrant urban experience downtown. The beauty of our campus and our city parks and the robustness of the arts, history, and libraries ̶ and how accessible these things are ̶ make Wichita Falls a rich place to live. I’m very excited and happy to be here!”
Plan your visit: The WFMA is located at 2 Eureka Circle and is open free of charge Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free parking is available. Keep up with the latest exhibitions and activities at wfma.msutexas.edu.
Weekend workshops: The WFMA holds weekend workshops from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Saturdays. The workshops are free walk-in art lessons. Masks and distancing are required. Tables will be space six feet apart. For more information call (940) 397-8900.