The Terry Redlin Art Center was designed as a gift to the state of South Dakota, and the town of Watertown. Redlin was given a scholarship from the state of South Dakota which sent him through art school, and he decided he wanted to honor the state and the people of Watertown by giving them the Terry Redlin Art Center.
Art
Over 150 of Terry Redlin’s original oil paintings hang in the art center designed by Terry’s son, Charles. Charles designed and built the center because he wanted a way to display and preserve his father’s art, and the Terry Redlin Art Center definitely accomplishes that goal. Every painting Terry Redlin has created since 1985 is on permanent display within the gallery.
Architecture
The Terry Redlin Art Center buildling itself is also a work of art. The Egyptian Revival period inspired the exterior of the building, with 38 foot high granite columns against a 52,000 square foot brick building. The entrance is graced with Black Galaxy granite from India, and the gallery walls are lined with 5900 feet of African Impala granite wainscoting. So magnificent is the building that it was named a Merit Award winner in the 1996 Build America Awards by the Associated General Contractors of America.
Visiting
As a gift from Terry Redlin to the people of South Dakota, admission to the Terry Redlin art center is free! It is open year round, and is located in Watertown, just off of Interstate 29.