Ellis County Art
The Ellis Count Art Association was organized in January, 1958. From the time of its first president, Elizabeth O’Donnell, the organization has grown from 22 to approximately 100 members today.
After meeting in member’s homes for many years, the Association was able to purchase a more permanent building at 501 W. Main St., in Waxahachie, Texas. This was made possible through the wonderful Association leadership and the generous donations from art patrons. The building mortgage was finally paid off through a generous art benefactor, who was a Dallas resident named Howell Hight and his daughter.
After nearly 4 decades of operating in this historic building, the Board chose to sell the building in 2014 and relocate to the South side of the Ellis County Courthouse square at 113 W. Franklin St., in Waxahachie, Texas. This move allowed the Association to have both a classroom and meeting rooms space for business meetings and demonstrations for the public by guest artists. The Association was also able to use a portion of this new space to create a subsidiary company called Art on the Square, LLC, for a retail gallery. This Gallery now benefits the public and our Gallery Members by providing outstanding gallery displays of 2-d and 3-D art, photography and other art media in professional, near museum quality displays by our local artist members.
The Ellis County Art Association, Inc., (ECAA) is an independent, nonprofit tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code, Section 501(c)3. ECAA is also a Texas nonprofit corporation as granted by the State of Texas on July 26, 1979. The Association is supported by funds received from annual membership dues, individual and corporate gifts, grants as a member of the Waxahachie Arts Council and proceeds from fund raisers.