It's Nice to be Noticed ...
Matt Henson, an ornamental plasterer specializing in historical restorations, was invited to Hamilton to assess the Lady Justice sculpture for the Hamilton County Courthouse restoration project. After decades of storage in some old barn, Lady Justice was taken to Ray and Frances Ramsey, owners of the Ramsey Collection, to be preserved with more care. Henson wrote about his visit to Hamilton and the Ramsey Collection in his blog, which we invite you to read in full. A portion of that article is reprinted, with his permission, below:
Matt Henson said,
"... the room literally is filled to the brim with art work. But not just standard western art that you always seem to find in small western ranch towns but from all the old art masters. Renoir, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Monet, artist from French impressionist, to Constructivism, from the Byzantine area, to Art Nouveau, to Andy Warhol. Some of whom I have never heard of but now know how valuable they are. So after and brief tour I say 'I heard a rumor that you have a Picasso.'"
“'A Picasso?' She turns and opens a door turns on a light 'We have almost a whole room filled with Picasso’s.'"
"Speechless I step into the room and look at all different eras of Picasso’s life from simple sketches to sculptures. There might not have been hundreds but there was certainly more than thirty."
"So for the next few wonderful hours I get to experience all this incredible art, and get a personal tour from two very passionate and well versed art lovers. A collection that rivals any personal collection I have ever seen even rivals most museums and located in a most unlikely place in the heart of Texas."
"If you are looking for a great place to see art and want to see it up close and personal. Head to a true art capital - Hamilton Texas. The number is on the door. Ray and Francis Ramsey love to show off their art and it will be a day you will never forget."