Twenty years ago, Grant Halliburton’s paintings, music and writing became part of his family’s effort to turn his death into a mission supporting youth mental health. One of the first places that story was publicly told was Plano.
Now, the Grant Halliburton Foundation is returning to those artistic roots for its 20th anniversary with Journey: The Art and Legacy of Grant Halliburton, an exhibition featuring more than 50 of his original paintings, charcoal works, drawings and sketches, along with personal writings, poetry and music.
The exhibition runs Sept. 8–25 at Center for BrainHealth in Dallas, coinciding with National Suicide Prevention Month.
Where The Journey Began
Grant Halliburton was a Plano West Senior High School graduate, artist and musician who tragically died in 2005 at age 19. His family established the Grant Halliburton Foundation the following year in his memory, beginning a mission focused on youth mental health and suicide prevention.
In May 2006, his work was presented at the ArtCentre of Plano in Journey: The Art, Music, and Words of Grant Halliburton. That same year, the newly formed foundation awarded its first art scholarship to a graduating Plano West student.
What started with art eventually grew into a much broader mental health mission. When Local Profile covered the Grant Halliburton Foundation’s 15th anniversary, the organization had already expanded its work through mental health education, suicide prevention programs and community resources.
Five years later, the foundation says it has reached more than 375,000 students, educators, parents and professionals since 2006.
“Twenty years ago, our family was searching for a way to help other families avoid the loss we experienced,” Amy McCloskey, Grant’s sister and a foundation co-founder, said in an official statement. “Grant’s artwork offers a glimpse of the creativity, humor and depth he brought to the world. Presenting Journey again during our 20th anniversary year brings us back to where the Foundation began and reminds us why this work remains so important.”
Art, Mental Health And A 20-Year Legacy
Presented with the Center for BrainHealth and curated in collaboration with the Business Council for the Arts, Journey will span three floors of the Brain Performance Institute. Beyond Grant’s visual art, visitors will encounter selections from his writings and poetry, along with a Listening Lounge featuring music he wrote and recorded with his high school bandmates.
The anniversary programming will also extend beyond the gallery. On Sept. 10, the foundation will host its annual When Life Hands You Teenagers conference at Plano Event Center, providing parents, educators and mental health professionals with tools for supporting youth mental health.
“Twenty years of impact began with the Halliburton family’s decision to turn unimaginable loss into action,” Grant Halliburton Foundation President Kevin Hall said. “This exhibition gives our community the opportunity to know Grant not only as the name of our Foundation, but as a gifted artist whose life continues to inspire this mission and save lives.”
What To Know
Journey: The Art and Legacy of Grant Halliburton will be open Sept. 8–25 at Center for BrainHealth, 2200 W. Mockingbird Lane in Dallas. Public viewing hours are Wednesdays and Fridays from noon to 4 p.m., with appointments available on other weekdays.
Additional events include The Resilience Gap: How to Strengthen the Teen Brain in a Tech-Obsessed World on Sept. 17 and The Art of Connection: Creativity, Mental Wellness and Brain Health on Sept. 24.
More information about the exhibition and September programming is available through the Grant Halliburton Foundation’s Journey page.
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