Douglas Darracott stands with Vanita Halliburton in the Grant Halliburton Foundation office beside one of the pieces of Grant’s artwork he recently returned to the family.
Douglas taught and encouraged Grant during his high school years at Plano West Senior High School, and the returned artwork carries memories of Grant’s creativity, curiosity, and growth as a young artist.
Every now and then, a piece of the past finds its way back at exactly the right moment.
Recently, Douglas Darracott, Grant Halliburton’s former art teacher at Plano West Senior High School, reached out to Grant Halliburton Foundation about several pieces of Grant’s artwork that had remained connected to the school over the years. One had been given to Douglas personally by Grant, and another had been part of the school’s library collection.
As Douglas prepares for a new teaching opportunity after more than 25 years at Plano West, he wanted to make sure the artwork was returned to Grant’s family.
Last week, Douglas brought the pieces to the Foundation, where Grant’s mom, Vanita, and his sister, Amy, had the chance to welcome him to our Pegasus Park office for the first time. Together, they walked him through the space and showed him other works by Grant that now hang on the walls of the Foundation that carries his name and honors his memory.
The visit became its own kind of gallery walk. They moved from office to office, stopping at different pieces to talk about what Grant may have been thinking, what inspired the work, and what lesson or idea might have shaped it. Some pieces brought back memories. Others sparked conversation about Grant’s creativity, his curiosity, and the way art gave him another way to express how he saw the world.
After Grant died by suicide in 2005, his family created the Foundation in his memory. Twenty years later, his artwork remains a powerful part of the Foundation’s story and a reminder of the young person behind the mission.
Today, 50 pieces of Grant’s artwork hang throughout the Foundation’s office. They are part of the space, part of the story, and part of the daily reminder of why this work exists.
One of the paintings Douglas returned is part of a series of five Grant created during his time as a student. The piece is a departure from the kind of work Grant was used to doing, the result of encouragement to step outside his comfort zone and try something different. That detail made the moment even more meaningful. It was not just a piece of artwork coming back. It was a piece of Grant’s growth, his courage, and his creative spirit.
The timing of the visit felt especially meaningful in the Foundation’s 20th year. What started as a simple act of returning artwork became something much more: a chance to remember Grant’s creativity, thank the teacher who encouraged it, and reflect on the mission his life continues to inspire.
This September, as part of the Foundation’s 20th anniversary year, Grant’s artwork will be shared with the community through a special exhibition. More details will be announced soon.
Thank you, Douglas, for encouraging Grant’s gift then and for helping return not just his artwork, but memories that mean so much to his family now.
By T.J. Griffin
Vice President of Communications