The Leader • Saturday, December 21, 2019 • Page 1B
Art Valet: Creatives carving path into history of Heights Mitch Cohen Art Columnist
Art in the Heights is a hot topic in many conversations over the years about gentrification in Houston’s first planned community. What is the art history of the Heights? That’s a great question as The Leader celebrates 65 years bringing news to the Heights and surrounding communities. When I started searching for the impact art had on the neighborhoods here, I found artists and not much else prior to the 1990s. I moved to the Heights in 1994, and my impression then was that it was where artists lived, so I needed to be with my people. A common sentiment still tossed around: “More professional artists live and work in the Heights than in any other area of Texas.” Anne Sloan, a popular local author and historian, told me she heard that same statement while doing research around 1990. Gus Kopriva, longtime Heights resident and cofounder of Redbud Fine Arts Gallery, recalled putting together a photography event in the early ‘90s at Lambert Hall,
now home to Opera in the Heights. The exhibit, Kopriva said, featured contemporary photography by Houston photographers alongside historic Heights photos from Parsley Studios. Kopriva opened his gallery in 1999, which may have been the first traditional fine art gallery to open in the area. My search got the attention of Pete Gershon, author of “Painting the Town Orange: The Stories Behind Houston’s Visionary Art Environments” and “Collision: The Contemporary Art Scene in Houston 1972-1985.” Gershon orchestrated and interviewed 35 Houston artists this year, with a focus on artists who have been active in the Houston art scene since the 1950s. Beyond that common statement again, even Gershon’s extensive list of contacts didn’t lead to more than artists living and working in the Heights. Gershon suggested I touch base with artist Richard Stout. I was nervous about this call. Stout is a well-known and celebrated artist. I’d mentioned him in an interview here once as an interviewee’s mentor of very high esteem and now I was about to cold call him. Stout was cordial and, after some convincing, opened up about what he knew … he knew the Montrose area, where he’s lived and worked
Photo by Ana Guzman ‘ART’ a 35-foot tall concrete sculpture by Houston artist David Adickes, at the entrance to Sawyer Yards just south of the Heights.
since buying his home in the late ‘50s shortly after his arrival to Houston. The Montrose area was the art hub of Houston, Stout told me. All the artists lived and/ or had studios there. Geography and affordability put Montrose close to the galleries and downtown. Stout said that as prices increased in the early ‘70s, artists started to flock to the Heights, where prices were considerably less. Was this how the Heights got the reputation for having the highest concentration of professional artists living here? My bet is on yes. The Heights was founded and planned as a mixed-use, working-class neighborhood, Houston’s first suburb where
that lived and/or worked in the Heights for a time: Robert Omerod Preusser (1919-92), Dorothy Hood (1919-2000), Edward Kienholz (1927-94), Luis Jiménez (1940–2006), Dick Wray (1933-2011) and Lucas Johnson (1940-2002). All are easily searchable on the Internet. Visit Pete Gershon’s website, HoustonArtHistory.com, and have a look at his Interview Project. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the lives of artists. I clipped the following from the website: “The Houston Art History Interview Project collects and makes accessible oral histories
from significant members of the city’s art community, with an emphasis on those who’ve rarely had the opportunity to share their stories.” Finally, Sloan brought up another amazing fact about the under-documented history of music recording studios in the Heights. She had me at the formation of George Strait’s Ace in the Hole Band on 11th Street. Wow, but that’s another story. Cohen is an artist and founder of First Saturday Arts Market and the Market at Sawyer Yards. Find him at ArtValet.com.
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families could be raised, attend school and work close to home. Just like today’s neighborhoods that continue to expand mile upon mile, art was not at the top of the list the past 65 years. Unless, of course, you happened to be an artist. My conclusion? Artists are a migratory group, and the Heights has had a notably long run of well-known, influential artists living here -- first as a neighborhood and more recently (the past 40 years) because of price and location. Following are a few of the notable artists mentioned in my search that I want to share with you. These amazing, world-renowned artists are but a handful of the artists
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Barbecue Inn has been around awhile -- since 1946 to be exact. And with one bite of its food, it’s easy to see why it’s still in business. More intriguing is that it’s a barbecue joint known for its fried chicken. So much so that when Barbecue Inn is brought up, the first thing I hear is, “The fried chicken is so good, the best in Houston. You have to try it.” So I did. And in case you haven’t tried it, let me say this: You should, too. Barbecue Inn is quaintly situated on the corner of West Crosstimbers Road and Yale Street as one the perfect examples of a neighborhood restaurant. It’s comfortable, the staff is genuinely friendly and helpful and the vibe is so small town that I could have believed I wasn’t in Houston anymore while dining. While visiting the restaurant recently, I ordered the fried chicken. My preference is white meat, but the option for dark meat is available. I also got a side of French fries.
Photo by Zarah Parker Barbecue Inn is known for its fried chicken (foreground). It also serves St. Louis-style ribs along with sides and fresh bread.
Below the fried chicken options on the menu is a little note that says, “Allow minimum of 25-30 minutes.” This is because it’s cooked fresh when ordered. I also got the St. Louis Style Ribs, which came with baked beans and potato salad. My dad and I shared the two plates. While the wait for the food was a little less than half an hour, it didn’t feel that long. Plus, I knew beforehand that I’d be waiting. And the wait was worth it. Two breasts and a wing were piled on top of each oth-
er next to the fries. The freshness of the fried chicken was evident in the heat rising from its crispy breading. Digging into a piece of chicken, I found it to be juicy. Combined with its crispy outer layer, I was hooked. My dad said it reminded him of his grandma’s fried chicken, giving him a little slice of the past. The fries were soft with just a slight crunch to them. In general, fries are always my go-to side because it’s hard to be disappointed by them. These fit right in with the chicken. The ribs also were a treat.
The meat pulled easily and cleanly off the bone and the smoked meat was tender. The barbecue sauce came on the side, and after testing it out I spread the tangy sauce over the ribs. Sometimes I find barbecue sauce to be overwhelming, but this sauce had just enough flavor and subtlety. The other side I tried was the baked beans. It was served at room temperature, which I didn’t mind. They had a kick of sweetness that I enjoyed. The dishes also came with two slices of white bread, which usually wouldn’t be much to comment about. However, I’m pretty sure this was the softest, freshest sliced bread I’ve ever had served with my meal. And that I appreciated. Going to Barbecue Inn is a little like going home, just with even better cooking.
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Crockett orchestra plays for downtown crowd By Zarah Parker
Lucas said. “They played a little under an hour, about 45 minutes, which is longer than they’re used to.” On top of the experience of performing, the event also gave way to an education experience. The team at Skanska also shared with the students about the sustainability in buildings. “They were really interested and asked a lot of questions,” Yung said.
zarah@theleadernews.com
Last Friday, an orchestra consisting of stringed instruments played holiday tunes on the steps of Understory in Downtown Houston. The players were third- through fifth-graders from Crockett Elementary School. Skanska USA Building, a project development and construction group that focuses on sustainably, hosted the event featuring the budding musicians as part of a fundraiser for continued support of Crockett’s music program. “Any student at Crockett can choose to be part of the program,” Crockett orchestra teacher Laura Lucas said. “The instruments belong to the school, but the students use them free of charge.” That gives kids from any socioeconomic background the chance to join the music program. When the team at Skanska heard about Crockett’s program, they knew they wanted to be involved with helping maintain it, which is why the event fundraiser was held. The funds go toward main-
Photo by Andrew Hemingway Crockett’s budding artists performed a medley of holiday classics.
taining the instruments used by the students, such as new strings, and obtaining new ones. “All kids begin learning the violin, but as they get into older grades they can choose another stringed instrument,” Lucas said. “If the student comes into the program in a later grade, then they can choose what they want to play.” Aside from contributing funding to the program, the goal of the event was to also
give a new opportunity to the kids. “We wanted to expose the kids to playing in that environment,” said Dennis Yung, executive vice president and general manager of Skanska. Yung said it wasn’t just playing in front of an audience, much of which was a lunch crowd since the concert happened the same hour, but it gave the students an opportunity to play near some of the music halls downtown. “The kids were excited,”
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