Wendie Murfee Cook serves as Executive Director and Curator of Art at The Citadelle Art Museum in Canadian, Texas.

Raised in Lubbock, Texas, Wendie was deeply influenced by her grandmother, a working artist who helped spark her early passion for the arts. That creative foundation led her into a successful career in interior and architectural design in Dallas, where she developed a strong eye for space, form, and detail. In her first career, she often curated client’s art collections as well. 

In 2009, Wendie was selected to lead The Citadelle, an ambitious public art museum project built around a historic mansion generously donated by local patrons Dr. Malouf Abraham, Jr. and his wife Therese. In addition to the mansion’s impressive permanent collection, The Citadelle features an exhibition gallery that brings curated shows from across the globe to the Texas Panhandle.

Under Wendie’s leadership, the museum has grown its regional and statewide impact: expanding educational programming, building lasting partnerships with major urban arts institutions, and increasing access to world-class art for communities across Texas and beyond.

In addition to her work at the museum, Wendie is deeply involved in civic and cultural leadership. She is a Director of The Texas Lyceum, serves as an elected City Councilwoman, and contributes to local economic growth as a board member of the Economic Development Corporation. Her statewide service includes affiliations with the Texas Cultural Trust and Texans for the Arts, where she advocates for policy, access, and support for the arts and heritage sector.

Wendie’s work reflects a rare blend of creative vision, nonprofit leadership, fundraising strategy, and public service, anchoring The Citadelle’s mission to connect people to art, culture, and one another.