The Frontier Times Museum will host an exhibit titled Capturing the Old West in Bronze featuring the artwork of Shermalee and Lou Mack, running from July 26 until Nov. 4.
The exhibit’s opening is being celebrated in conjunction with the National Day of the American Cowboy, with a reception from 5:30 to 8:00 in the evening featuring wine and refreshments. The reception will also take place at the Frontier Times Museum.
The exhibit’s artists, Lou and Shermalee Mack, were longtime Bandera residents. Together, they opened the Skyline Ranch RV Park. In addition to their business, they also raised eight children.
Their son, John Mack, is the main catalyst behind this exhibit, having coordinated the event with the Frontier Times Museum.
He says that his parents' upbringings were a huge influence in their art, with his father being born on a Native American reservation, and his mother being raised in Trinidad, Colorado, where they met. John Mack describes it as “love at first sight.”
“Dad had a different appreciation of western life,” Mack said. “Mom was more philosophical and emotional.”
Shermalee Mack began her art career in the 1970’s with her paper mache sculptures. She began entering her art into the San Antonio Stock Show’s art division, where she quickly became notable, with Lou’s art coming a bit later.
Her son John Mack told numerous favorite stories about her and Lou’s career, including the couple selling a sculpture to Dolph Briscoe, a politician and great aficionado of western art. He also recounted the story of the time his parents traded a buffalo sculpture for some buffalo hide in South Dakota.
They received a call a few weeks later saying that it was one of two pieces that had been stolen in a break-in at the lodge.
The exhibit came about when John Mack was visiting the Frontier Times Museum, to visit one of his favorite pieces from his family: The Shawl Dancer. After striking up a conversation with museum director Rebecca Norton, the duo quickly set to work setting up the exhibit.
Lou Mack passed away in 2024, with Shermalee preceding him in 2018. John Mack said that if his parents were looking down on this exhibit, they would love it.
While Lou was shyer about his art, it was still a strong passion of his, said Mack.
John Mack wants the public to take away just how different the show and art will be.
“Whether a gunfight or a gambling table, their artworks are so diverse,” said Mack.
The exhibit runs from July 7 to Nov. 4 at the Frontier Times Museum. They are open Monday through Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
For more information visit their website at www. frontiertimesmuseum.org.
