Discover Austin's Tom Lea Trail

Join us for a walking tour with stops at the Blanton Museum of Art, Harry Ransom Center, and the Chancellor’s office to discover UT's rich history through its Tom Lea holdings and see treasures generally not available to the public. Tour embarks from the lobby. HARRY RANSOM CENTER 300 West 21st Street, Austin, Texas 78712

•Harry Ransom Center: Stand in awe of Tom Lea's preparatory drawing for Sarah in the Summertime painting, the artist’s self-proclaimed magnum opus. A life-sized portrait of his wife was made in the gratefulness of being home after World War II. The drawing was painstakingly restored by HRC Conservators in 1997.

•Blanton Museum of Art: Explore the study for Stampede, originally featured on the cover of J. Frank Dobie's book The Longhorns. This study, a one-inch to one-foot model for Lea's 1940 Stampede mural in the Odessa Post Office, is a remarkable piece. Also, see the Toro Suelto in black ink and learn about the C.R. Smith Collection of Western Art, which includes notable works such as The Year It Rained and The Lead Steer.

•University of Texas System Office: Enjoy two Tom Lea paintings chosen by Chancellor J.B. Milliken for his office while hearing comments from him and former Chancellor William Cunningham, who also had Lea paintings in his office. Discover what a lead steer can teach us about leadership.

•After the tour: Enjoy wine and charcuterie at the Byrne Reed House, headquarters of Humanities Texas, with a peek at more art by Tom Lea and fellow regionalist Thomas Hart Benton. BYRNE REED HOUSE 1410 Rio Grande St, Austin, TX 78701

•If you have time... Before the walking tour, visit the Bullock Texas State History Museum to view Tom Lea’s quote in the atrium: “Its richness is space, wide and deep and infinitely colored...” Use the QR code to navigate the Tom Lea Trail mobile website, which features pictures, music, and narration. BULLOCK TEXAS STATE HISTORY MUSEUM 1800 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701

Host or Publisher Tom Lea Institute