Copperas Cove Public Library unveils paintings of area history

By PAMELA GRANT

Cove Leader-Press

Capturing our city’s history, more than a dozen artists teamed up to create an art gallery inside the library.

Tuesday night at 6 p.m., the Copperas Cove Public Library held a party celebrating the artwork and celebrating the artists who donated their works.

“Catherine [Blashack] and I conspired together to make this happen, and I just think it’s worked out great,” said Library Director Kevin Marsh. “I really like having the very diverse art—different artistic styles and different mediums. We’ve got wood carving and painting; we have things from recent history and things from the time of the dinosaurs...It shows that this place has had things going on here for a long time. It’s not just what’s happening now. This place has history, and it helps people connect to that history.”

Each artist in attendance was invited to share the meaning and history behind their artwork. Catherine Blashack, former Art Guild president, went over the history of the works whose artists were unable to attend the event, sharing interesting bits of information about each.

For example, Blashack talked about how hard Copperas Cove worked to get their hospital, eventually teaming up with Killeen to start Metroplex. She talked about Boys Ranch and the 6-man football team from Boys Ranch who were so good that some teams forfeited rather than play against them. She covered some history of the Allin House. Mrs. Allin, the wife of the first mayor of Copperas Cove, was a teacher, lawyer, and worked for the railroad. Other older businesses like The Daisy, Mickan’s Men’s and Boy’s Shop (some Mickans were in attendance and shared their own history), and other historically significant locations are also depicted. One piece, depicting Star Group Veterans Helping Veterans, was made by Bobbie Abbott, a Vietnam veteran.

“It’s about bringing out the history and making it as realistic as possible,” said Blashack about why they wanted to add more works to the library. “We hope that people will see that this town has a lot of history; that it’s rich with history.”

Blashack said that, after they finished the large mural in the library, Marsh came to her about the possibility of adding more paintings to help fill the walls around the room. She said that a lot of Covites are very proud of their history, but there is still so much more history that has yet to be shared.

Marsh said that he loves when people, especially children, come into the library and spend time checking out the art, some spinning around just to take it all in.

“I love it when they spend a little time with it and just cement that realization that this place has been here since 1879,” said Marsh.

Marsh said that the paintings show off the history of the area and what Cove has done and what Cove is doing now. It invites people to see the history and maybe even inspires people to learn more.

Paintings in the gallery include:

Veterans Helping Veterans Star Group – Bobbie Abbott

Boys Ranch – Dennis Furey

Metroplex – Dennis Furey

Cove Entertainment – Jeannie Lizama

Last Chief of the Tonkawa – Mallory Casto

Bad Boy – Catherine Blashack and Haelie Heard

Elvis Presley – Pamula Rowland

Allin House – Emily Scott-Graham

Pride of Cove Band – Traci Winter

The Daisy Shop – Catherine Blashack

Copperas Cove Heritage Festival – Josh Williams

Topsy Exotic Ranch – Amy Casto

Mickan’s Men’s and Boy’s Shop – Haelie Heard

Double C’s Square Dance Club – Catherine Blashack

Dinosaurs of Central Texas – Alexander Heard

Clear Creek Baptist Church – Teri Spears and Debbie Bush