Much more to Marfa than the lights, or the art

A faithful reader just sent me this article that was posted in the Austin-Amercian Stateman. (thanks DD). One of the first articles that gives a little to credit to those who helped the town grow.



Much more to Marfa than the lights, or the art
A Mecca in the West Texas desert?
by Michael Barnes
Tuesday, March 25, 2008

"Marfa, visited just before the South by Southwest madness, is to Austin what Austin is to Texas.



The beauty, pleasure and companionship of the larger city is refined and concentrated in this arid Davis Mountains town, compounding Central Texas informality with West Texas "live and let live" philosophy.



Still a ranching center, Marfa's two biggest claims to fame, after the mystery lights, are the arts (Chinati, Judd, galleries, etc.) and movies ("Giant," "No Country for Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood").



Beyond that, its finest restaurants, theaters, book stores, shops and hotels rival the best in Austin, enjoyed by an isolated population of just more than 2,000.



The genius of the Marfa renaissance, partly engineered by Houston lawyer Tim Crowley — by coincidence a high school friend of mine — is the careful preservation of the past while insisting on the highest standards for the future. As opposed to the kitsch art and faux historical atmosphere of Santa Fe, Marfa's appeal comes from the big sky, resplendent light, muted colors, open spaces and some of the most sensitive renovation projects anywhere on the globe.



According to locals, a good third of Marfa's migratory flocks make the six-hour drive from Austin. Our gang of five stayed at the Paisano Hotel, and our room opened onto a sun-blanched terrace over the courtyard's traditional fountain, perfect for long reads. Steven Tomlinson and Eugene Sepulveda occupied the hotel's Rock Hudson suite — a nod to "Giant" — which expands to the size of my Austin house with an attached terrace big enough for a wedding reception, or a New Year's Eve party, which the Austin pair threw here three months ago.



Walking the wide Western streets of Marfa or dining..."
read full article

John Dwyer at Yard Dog

Yard Dog presents JOHN DWYER. John Dwyer and his band Thee Oh Sees hail from San Francisco, are on a cross-country tour that will take them through Juarez, Austin, Denver, Vancouver and points between. John's drawings are humorous explorations of his rock 'n roll fantasy. The artwork will be on display from March 7 - 14th. Thee Oh Sees played a gig at the gallery last night.

Get Your Gliding On!

March 29 - April 5, 2008 Marfa Airport
Texas Glider Rally
Glider pilots gather from across the USA to practice the "art of soaring" in their sailplanes at the Marfa Airport on highway 17. Pilots will be seeking thermal and wave lift to set international records and fly their "personal best" flights. The annual event will feature 30 sailplanes launching every day from Noon to 3:00 PM. The public is invited.

Sponsored by Marfa Gliders Soaring Center. website: www.flygliders.com
Contact host Burt Compton by email at texasgliders@aol.com


April 5, 2008 Marfa Airport
National Landmark of Soaring Dedication
Historic Marfa Airport in west Texas has been selected as the 15th "Landmark of Soaring" by the National Soaring Museum. The public is welcome to attend the dedication of the plaque at 11:30 AM with "Glider Mail" flights at the Marfa Gliders Soaring Center. Classic and modern sailplanes will be on display.

George Moffat, who brought his glider to Marfa to set world gliding records in 1962, will join a reunion of the pilots who flew at the legendary soaring contests at Marfa in the 1960's. Marfa was the site of many US National Contests and the 1970 World Soaring Championships, first ever held in the USA. Longtime residents of Marfa fondly remember the two week event and the nightly parties for the 100 visiting pilots from around the world.

Information at www.flygliders.com Click on "Landmark" button.
Contact host Burt Compton by email at texasgliders@aol.com

West Texas Roadtrip Exhibit

COLORES GALLERY OPENS NEW EXHIBIT "WEST TEXAS ROADTRIP" MARCH 14TH

West Texas Roadtrip, an exhibition of paintings by Avram Dumitrescu and Gary Wimmer, opens on Friday, March 14th, with a reception to follow on Thursday, March 20th, from 7-9PM.

A native of Ireland, Avram Dumitrescu earned his Masters in Applied Arts from the University of Ulster, Belfast. He has exhibited in group and solo shows throughout Ireland, Texas and Massachusetts. His work can be found in many private residences and corporate holdings. He has been an illustrator for The Desert Candle magazine, an upcoming biography of revered food writer MFK Fisher, and many other publications. Dumitrescu is inspired by the wildlife, landscapes and architecture encountered in his travels throughout West Texas. His large paintings of longhorns, the largest canvases he's worked to date, convey the nobility of these creatures. Smaller paintings of horses and farm fowl hang amidst canvases of hard worn trucks and a long, rushing freight train.

Gary Wimmer spent a year of self-study painting in Barcelona, Spain after completing his degree at Maryland Institute College of Art. He has exhibited in group and solo shows in Maryland, New York City and Spain and executed a ceiling mural commissioned by the American Museum of Natural History. As a scenic set designer for over a decade in stage and film, Wimmer discovered West Texas while working on a film in this area. His current cycle of paintings represents aspects of the West Texas environs that awe him with their hardscrabble beauty. His nighttime settings capture an intimate beauty, while his mountain landscapes, reflect ever-changing light and shadows of mythic clouds passing in a saturated blue West Texas sky.

The Colores Gallery is located at 904 W. San Antonio (Highway 90).
Gallery and shop are open Thursdays through Sundays, 11am–5pm.

Blumenfeld's Polar Project

inde/jacobs gallery is proud to support gallery artist Erika Blumenfeld and her new work known as The Polar Project. Since 1998 Blumenfeld has been documenting the cycles of solar and lunar light as it bends and scatters through the atmosphere. Her photo-based work has exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the United States as well as Austria, Belgium, England, Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands. Next month her work will premiere in a new museum in Sweden. Blumenfeld has worked on the preparatory stages of The Polar Project for several years. The project is an exciting environmental artwork which will bring the phenomena of light, sky, and sound in real-time video and audio - even sub zero temperatures - to select museums and non-traditional art venues around the world. The viewer will experience the Arctic and Antarctic environment in a sensory multi-media artwork. The goal of this visceral installation is to serve as an impetus for a broad global conversation regarding climate concerns. The Polar Project itself is a conversation across art, science, technology, and environmental research. Blumenfeld has already gathered a team of experts in these fields to assist in the creation of the project. You can join this effort today by participating in a special invitational fundraiser which will help launch the pre-production phase of The Polar Project! Procuring the last remaining boxes of a recently discontinued Polaroid film, Blumenfeld has created a signed limited edition of Polaroid works, Dawn, Midday, and Dusk (Dawn shown above).

These pieces are available for purchase individually for $100 each on a first come, first served basis directly through The Polar Project's website.

Vilis Inde, Director of inde/jacobs is thrilled to be supporting this fundraiser because of his belief in Blumenfeld's exceptional talent, her dedication and enthusiasm, and the goals of this timely project. Blumenfeld is an artist who can bring this ambitious large-scale project to fruition. Visit http://www.thepolarproject.com/ to learn more about the project's mission and to participate in this exciting opportunity to support The Polar Project. 100% of the proceeds from this fundraiser will go towards the project.