The Frontier Times Museum has expanded its permanent western art collection with a major donation from beloved local artist Bill Stevens, adding 21 paintings and eight bronze sculptures to its holdings.
The artwork had been on loan to the museum for the retrospective exhibit “Bill Stevens: Rodeo Cowboy to Cowboy Artist” when Stevens decided to donate the collection, giving the museum a permanent home for a significant body of his work.
Stevens was inducted into the Frontier Times Museum’s Texas Heroes Hall of Honor in 2016. The Hall of Honor was established by the museum to recognize individuals whose leadership, creativity, example and hard work help preserve the pioneer spirit and the character of Texas.
A former rodeo champion, Stevens has built a career spanning multiple aspects of Western culture. In addition to painting and sculpting, he has worked as a cartoonist and has been involved in rodeo and other Western traditions.
Among the works included in the donated collection is “Kelly’s Coffee,” a study for one of three murals Stevens painted on buildings throughout downtown Bandera.
The mural is connected to Bandera County farrier Kelly Scott, who was inducted into the Texas Heroes Hall of Honor in 2015.
According to a 2015 American Farriers Journal report, Stevens created the “Kelly’s Coffee” mural on 4-by-8-foot panels that were installed on a building at the intersection of 12th Street and Highway 16.
Local historian Dave Burrel described the mural at the time as a way to create a “spectacular” welcome to the Cowboy Capital of the World.
Stevens studied under several members of the Cowboy Artists of America, including Joe Beeler, Ray Andersen and Mehl Lawson. Western sculptors Fritz White and Jay Hester also influenced Stevens and helped develop his work as a sculptor.
His paintings and sculptures have been exhibited at numerous shows and galleries, including the Alamo Invitational Western Art Show in San Antonio, the Mountain Oyster Art Show in Tucson, Arizona, and the Western Heritage Classic Art Show in Abilene.
Rebecca Norton, executive director of the Frontier Times Museum, said the donation represents an important addition to the museum's collection.
“This is one of the most important gifts the museum has received in its 93-year history,” Norton said. “To have artwork of this caliber truly elevates the strength of our western art collection. Bill is such a wonderful supporter and friend of the museum and we could not be happier that he has deemed our museum a worthy home for his collection.”
The Stevens collection and retrospective exhibit are on view in the museum’s Doane Gallery of Western Art.
The Frontier Times Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The museum is located at 510 13th St. in Bandera.
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