Browse Exhibits (2 total)
Mandalas: Dean Joseph Quillian.
Originally exhibited May 4–August 19, 2018
Entry Hall
Introduction
In addition to being a pastor, professor, and administrator, Quillian was also a talented amateur artist. As a young person he started drawing freehand doodles in notebooks and on scraps of paper. Most of the designs featured a “love knot” motif, also known as “Solomon’s Ring,” in the center. In the 1950s Quillian started surrounding his square and diamond-shaped drawings with circles. In the 1970s Quillian began to add color to his drawings, a process usually done at home as a relaxation technique.
Through the writings of Carl Jung, Quillian learned that his “circles by a square” were mandalas. The mandala, literally circle in Sanskrit, is an ancient Hindu and Buddhist graphic art form representing the cosmos. According to Jung creating mandalas is a symbolic way of bringing order out of chaos and achieving unity in life. To Quillian drawing geometric designs was an unconscious form of self-expression. He found that giving his hands a task to do while attending meetings and conferences siphoned off excess energy and allowed his mind to focus more clearly on the topics of discussion.
This exhibition presents examples of Dean Quillian’s drawings dating from the 1940s to the 1970s. These graphic designs and other documents from the life of Joseph D. Quillian, Jr. are preserved in the archives at Bridwell Library.
The Archives at Bridwell Library
Originally exhibited February 1, 2017–June 30, 2017
The Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Galleries
Introduction
Archives are groups of historical records documenting the activities of organizations and the lives of individuals. Archives are also the repositories that house such records. Bridwell Library is an archive of many archives where researchers may access more than half a mile of archival materials documenting the history of the Methodist movement.
The historical records owned by Bridwell Library comprise three closely-related archives: the Perkins School of Theology Archive, the Bridwell Library Archive, and the Methodist Studies Archive. Additionally, four United Methodist bodies lodge their archival materials at Bridwell Library in order to enhance both preservation and access. The archivists of the South Central Jurisdiction, the North Texas Annual Conference, the Rio Grande Annual Conference, and the Texas United Methodist Historical Society work closely with the archivist of Bridwell Library to manage the most extensive set of Methodist-related primary resources in the Southwestern United States.
The archival program at Bridwell Library serves the historical research community by collecting, preserving, arranging, and describing historical records; promoting awareness and facilitating use of the archival collections; assisting researchers in person and remotely; curating exhibitions; and making presentations to university classes and outside groups. This exhibition explores the diversity of archival records held by and hosted by Bridwell Library.