The Abilene Preservation League is inviting the community to pick up a paintbrush and a piece of Abilene's past this weekend.
The nonprofit is hosting a Brick Painting Party on Saturday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Elks Arts Center Ballroom in downtown Abilene. Tickets are $20 and include a historic brick, painting supplies, light refreshments and entry into a live raffle. As of Tuesday, only four tickets remained.
The event is part of the league's efforts to raise operational funding, and to connect residents with a piece of the city's architectural history.
The bricks being used come from the Abilene Brick Company, which dates to 1909. Corrender Taylor, the league's creative program coordinator and historian, says the company played a foundational role in shaping the city.
"The cool thing with the Brick Company is it's been around, or it was around, early 1900s, 1909," Taylor said. "And over time it changed names and changed owners a lot. But the main breadth of it is that it helped build Abilene."
Taylor says the company shipped bricks by rail across the country before closing in the late 1980s. Local researcher Paul Smith will give a short presentation on the company's history before painting begins.
The event will be held at the Elks Arts Center Ballroom, which opened in 1913 and is considered the oldest ballroom in the Big Country. Community engagement and events manager Kaitlyn Ferguson says the venue was a natural fit.
"The ballroom is the oldest in the Big Country," Ferguson said. "The building has been established since 1913. So just kind of like how the bricks were used for some of the buildings, the older buildings here in downtown, it just kind of pairs well."
The Abilene Preservation League was founded in 1977. Executive Director Abigail Payne says the idea for the event came together almost by chance, a conversation with new board member Kellie Ulbricht, who mentioned her artist friend Katie Grace, sparked the concept of painting historic Abilene bricks as a fundraiser.
No artistic experience is required to attend, Ferguson said.
"Anybody that doesn't have any artistic ability or creativity, that's okay," she said. "Because these bricks and painting these bricks are made to be your own, to take with you, and then just kind of learn the history behind it."
Attendees will follow a step-by-step tutorial led by artist Katie Grace Pacheco. Those who want an additional brick as a keepsake or gift can special order extras directly through Pacheco.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit abilenepreservation.org.
