08/28/2026
ON VIEW NOW | The Forgotten Nine
The TWU Division of Visual Arts & TWU Special Collections present an exhibition of the “Forgotten Nine,” a term coined by Dr. Jack Davis, referring to a group of women & Visual Arts faculty members who made significant contributions to TWU and the Texas art scene. This group of women, including Marjorie Baltzell, Edith Brisac, Carlotta Corpron, Marie Delleney, Mattie Lee Lacy, Dorothy Antoinette “Toni” LaSelle, Thetis Lemmon, Mary Marshall, & Coreen Mary Spellman, had long careers at TWU. Mabel Maxcy, though not included in Davis’s “Forgotten Nine,” was also a significant TWU arts faculty member.
During their time at TWU these women not only fostered the artistic talents of thousands of students, but also made lasting physical marks on campus. Directed by Toni LaSelle, the Chapel Arts Project brought together the Visual Arts faculty members and over 300 students to create the stained glass, metal fixtures, carved wood details, and mosaics for the Little Chapel in the Woods. While the building no longer exists, the Forgotten Nine also had a hand in the interior design of the Classroom Building, later called the Patio Building. Edith Brisac, Carlotta Corpron, Toni LaSelle, and Mabel Maxcy designed decorative tiles that were fitted in the wrought iron balcony framework and Coreen Mary Spellman designed a star-themed brick mural on the exterior wall facing Oakland Street.
In addition to their contribution to teaching, they pushed the boundaries of the Texas art scene, introducing modernist imagery into their work, while many of their Texas male contemporaries remained situated in the regionalist style of the time. Some of the Forgotten Nine’s work can be found in major collections such as the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Dallas Museum of Art, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, National Gallery of Art, & Whitney Museum of American Art.
The exhibition runs August 24 – September 11, 2026 in the TWU West Gallery. Join us for a closing reception Thursday, September 10, 2026 from 5:00–7:00 p.m.
THE FORGOTTEN NINE
📍 TWU West Gallery, TWU Fine Arts Building
🗓 08.24–09.11.26
⏰ Reception: TH September 10, 2026 | 5:00–7:00 p.m.
