FitzGibbons was chosen Texas State Artist for 2012 by the Texas State Legislature, and has served six years on the board of directors of the International Sculpture Center. According to Ed Valdespino, Blue Star's board chair, "Bill is a victim of his own success. Recent commissions he has been awarded won't allow him to devote adequate time to to Blue Star."
Both Valdespino and FitzGibbons stated to the Current that the decision for his stepping down was mutual.
FitzGibbons schedule has indeed been getting busy recently. He will be in museum art shows in Cairo, Egypt; McAllen, Tex., and New Delhi, India. A trip he made recently to Shanghai on museum business paid off well, too, landing him a residency.
FitzGibbons has also been awarded a commission by the City of Birmingham, Alabama, to make a LED light sculpture similar to Light Channels, sited in San Antonio at the Commerce and Houston Street underpasses for Highway 281.
Valdespino stated that "we looked at the Birmingham plans together, and calculated it would take at least 18 months. That's when we started working on the transition plan."
FitzGibbons stated that "My full-time job will be my studio practice now."
FitzGibbons' studio is located on 107 Lone Star in the cluster of studios that are the hub of Second Saturday, known variously as the South Flores Arts District or Lone Star Art District. FitzGibbons has been the main proponent of the Lone Star brand, and has reached out to the famed Texas beer company, which has allowed FitzGibbons use of their logo for sponsorship (see below).
The Current has placed several calls to Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum board members for their take on the recent developments. There is already a committee looking for a new executive director. FitzGibbons plans to continue as director of special projects on a reduced-hours basis, according to a press release sent out this morning.
