Culture Clash Jan/Feb 2022

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Curious Galveston Galveston is like no other part of Texas. While the mainland has very distinct personalities of what it means to be “Texan,” Galveston doesn’t consider engaging in the culture wars of Houston vs. Dallas or Austin vs. the world. Galveston is rooted in history. Some restaurants have been on the island for over a century. There are houses on the west end that are older than many towns in the Texas interior.

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The island is old. Like, pirates were the ones to get it up and running old, which says a lot about the character and the attitude of the locals, championing the idealist manifesto of “the Free State of Galveston,” which means the screws aren’t as tight.

Most people don’t care about arguing whether chili needs beans or not, and they certainly don’t concern themselves with the corrosive politics of the rest of the state. Galveston’s history is full of people that will live forever in not only the history books but infamy too.

We’re going to do our best to highlight the many questions that arise from the island’s culture. There are too many nooks and crannies to uncover them all, but we hope this issue touches on some of what YOU find curious about Galveston.

Strap in, grab a can of GIB and your explorer’s hat.

Drop us a line and tell us your Galveston curiosity.

More importantly we hope you read, enjoy, and share.

Write us an email or shoot us a comment any time online: CultureClashGalveston.com CultureClashGalveston@gmail.com Robert Dean Guest Columnist

ON THE COVER: “Untitled,” by John Embesi. John is a long-time Galveston island local. He is an avid photographer and outdoorsman.

He credits the cover image as being his, “favorite Galveston photo”. We feel the same and think this image pretty much sums up what we love about our little sand bar.

*This magazine is NOT printed on recycled paper or with soy-based inks YET! But we are working on it. Help us get there, advertise or sponsor us!

E-mail for more details CultureClashGalveston@gmail.com.

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table of contents Vol. 5 Issue 2 (Jan/Feb 2022)

DEPARTMENTS Curious Galveston

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CULTURE

CL AS H magazine

PUBLISHER Janese Maricelli-Thomasson

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LAYOUT & DESIGN Corinne Tamayo JanMar Agency

6 Gritty Galveston

EDITOR

8 Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’

Leslie Whaylen

9 Does Galveston Value Its African American History?

12 A Galveston Gem 14 Plant In Protest

INTERN

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15 Got to Be Galveston

Savannah Walser

CONTRIBUTORS

Russ Burden • Robert Dean John Embesi • Robert Kuhn Janese Maricelli • PIP Savannah Walser • Leslie Whaylen Roxy D Hall Williamson

18 What Lies Beyond MAKE A CONNECTION

Coolture

For ad rates or personalized marketing strategies, call us at 409.502.8221

23 The Art of Victoria Kowalenko

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24 Curious Galveston Photography 26 PULSE Calendar

CHECK US OUT CultureClashGalveston.com instagram.com/CultureClashMagazine facebook.com/CultureClashMag cultureclashgalveston@gmail.com

28 People of Galveston

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UES

GET READY FOR THE NEXT ISSUE!

M E N’ S IS S

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ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS Please mail check payable to Culture Clash 1625 23rd St., • Galveston TX 77550 In the amount of $24 Note “subscription” in memo line

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MY GRITTY GALVESTON

BY JANESE MARICELLI Photo by Chris Ainsworth

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THE DRAW TO GALVESTON IS ONE OF UNCERTAINTY AND POTENTIAL SCRUTINY. Since the Great Storm of 1900, Texans off the island have long warned against and turned their noses to the idea of living on a sand bar. But guess what? That is exactly what we want them to do. Stay away, this island is ours!

They may think this part of the Gulf of Mexico is dirty, and by association, so is our community.

But we all know what the ocean can look like here on calm and dry October days.

Every time a storm looms, the reality of losing everything is daunting. We residents stay because of this ethereal feeling island life brings. Try to sum that up to anyone who has never experienced a Tuesday, aquamarine, glassy day on the Gulf and they look at you weird.

Up until about three years ago, the cost of living in Galveston was so affordable that young people, newlyweds, and firsttime home buyers actually had a chance. My rent on a fourbedroom home in 2010 was $800 a month. Now you are lucky to rent a one-bedroom apartment for $1,200, or buy anything move-in ready for under $250,000. Of course, the old timers will tell you that they have seen a dozen resurgences over their lives. However, this is something different. Property values have increased so fast that no one can believe it.

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Several contributors througout this issue mention Airbnb. The positive I see in the increase of Airbnb activity on our island is that Galveston aesthetically looks better. The potential negative is that Airbnb is pricing us off of our island. What then shall our community members consist of?

Why now are we seeing skyrocketing property values, in the middle of a pandemic, with sea level rising and natural disasters increasing in consistency and intensity? If you look at the county wide numbers, we are growing in population. People are moving to this part of Texas by the thousands and Galveston is more popular than ever. Tourists and transplants are on to us. They are coming and they want a place to call their own.

I love this gritty island we call Galveston. I love waking up to sea breeze and fog knowing it will burn off by 10am. I love that I can hear a train whistle, cruise ship horn, and waves crashing all at the same time from my midtown home. I am beyond curious about the change that is surely coming. However, I am happy to wait it out, hoping that our island quirks may detour the masses a little longer.

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Cruisin’ For A Bruisin’

By Leslie Whaylen

I’M CURIOUS GALVESTON, WHY THE CRUISE SHIP INDUSTRY IS POTENTIALLY, AND EXPONENTIALLY, EXPANDING ON OUR ISLAND, BUT WILL CREATE A BURDEN ON US WHO LIVE HERE BY DECREASING OUR SMALL ISLAND QUALITY OF LIFE? Continuing to build cruise ship terminals and encouraging vessel capacities of nearly 10,000 people (crew included) will exceed tourism burden thresholds.

This sand barrier island, the people who live here, and its ecosystem are way too valuable to give way, fellow islanders. Once way is given, I harbor no expectation of return to what once existed.

Consider our island’s current (and past, future) population and demographics.

I often do.

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How will it feel, and what will it look like when multiple, high-capacity cruise ships are dramatically and, perhaps more importantly, consistently changing our island’s population and capacity resources?

One in approximately five people will be a cruise tourist, with just one of the jumbo cruise ships planned for Harborside. Build that third terminal, and one in two people (half(ish)) walking around on our island for most days will be a cruise ship passenger.

Yet, these tens of thousands of people are of little benefit to our downtown, small, local businesses. Much is to be learned from our potential sister city of Key West, Florida, about the cruise ship industry’s impacts to a small island and its residents.

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Does Galveston Value Its African American History?

By Roxy D Hall Williamson Disclaimer: the opinions stated in this commentary are my own and do not represent any organizational affiliation or business interest.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash.com

MY MEMORIES OF GALVESTON ARE INTERESTING TO SAY THE LEAST AND EVERY SWEET REMEMBRANCE, INDELIBLY MARKED ON MY HEART. As a B.O.I. (born on island), my roots on the island are deep, broad, and proud! Growing up, my wonder years happened in Galveston every summer, every holiday, and all family occasions in between. My whole world revolved around Stiglich corner store at 27th & Q, (where my sister and I bought penny candies, moon pies, and all the things 50 cents - $1 could buy) and the park across the street. My world view extended as far as I could see from the block of 28th & P½ to the Seawall.

Pan over just to the left a block or two, picture me popping gum from the swing set at what is now McGuire-Dent Recreational Center, my uncle’s 10-speed Schwinn on the kickstand nearby, looking at the Flagship Hotel (now Pleasure Pier), plotting my next snack. My fun was completely funded by adoring grandparents, attentive aunts and uncles (generations C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N / F E B 2 0 2 2

of veterans), and myriad cousins.

I pause to contemplate, what is the cultural value of my personal experience and rooted legacy - what is it worth to me? As I honor my family of patriots who have served in the armed services and explore the complete legacy of the United States Colored Troops (USCT), I am reminded of a debt this country still has yet to pay, most especially in Galveston. The history and the pride in the significance of African Americans on this third American coast dates irrefutably back to 1528, at the very least. The actual BIRTHPLACE of JUNETEENTH, Galveston will be spotlighted and celebrated worldwide. What is the value of our historical marker on the world?

Though I am incredibly enamored with the island, I can honestly address the glaring disparities. The influence of the United Daughters of the Confederacy continues to perpetuate a harsh legacy in educational disparities illustrated by the treatment of Galveston’s Black students.

Moreover, the most egregious inequity is in the wealth disparities highlighted by the lack of value placed on African American land acquisition and Black Historical Art & Culture.

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tatue hnson S Jack Jo

The minimization of the significance concerning Jack Johnson’s Legacy, and the historically black institutions connected to these legacies, illustrates this poignantly. Jack Johnson is an international treasure. This is not debatable.

The roles of independent, enslaved, and However, though there are two existing entities honoring him (a liberated Africans in America are evident bronze and memorial marker located in the courtyard area of Old on every level of the development of this Central at the corner of 26th & Avenue M and ‘Jack Johnson the Democratic Republic, going back to the Galveston Giant’ by sculptor Earl Jones at 4321 Sealy Ave), there Haitians who aided in a war with our is no federal push for funding and protections, commensurate to then fledgling collective of colonies our voting rights today, and therefore the true VALUE of the cultural to overcome Britain, garnering the worth has been left to be annexed or ignored. Seems Galveston beginning of the Independence we has chosen the latter. In light of this disparity alone, funds should be have come to enjoy today. Africans allocated on every level - local, state, and federal - to invest in the of the Diaspora did that! Where is value the local legacy of African Americans bring, not only to the the value being added today in immediate bottom-line of tourism dollars, but also a cultural wealth honor of these legacies in the that has proven and will continue to prove rich, hearty, and evolving. communities we have managed Shoring up and establishing the community institutions that have not ever to preserve throughout the stopped doing invaluable work through civic engagement and continued history of the world, but most grassroots programs serving and advocating in those spaces is paramount. especially in Galveston?

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Mrs. Opal Lee (Fort Worth) is a shining example of how the inspiration of Juneteenth propelled her into her journey to influence legislation to make Juneteenth a PAID federal observance/holiday. Proof positive that every place that wants to commemorate Juneteenth should be provided the funding to do that, post haste, June 2022 is right around the corner. Because of the hard work that began in Galveston with the efforts of Al Edwards and the continued efforts of Sam Collins and the community, collaboratively and tirelessly working to preserve and expand this historical legacy, every citizen across the globe is encouraged to share in the celebration. Closing the financial gap in funding a more expansive Jack Johnson memorial should naturally provide a perfect segue into funding the upcoming Juneteenth celebration 2022, the first time the Commemoration will be federally (and globally) recognized ever, in Galveston! What is it worth to command the lens, correct the narrative, and facilitate commerce? There is a litany of missed opportunities in the last few years that are embarrassing for our city, however, allocating C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N / F E B 2 0 2 2

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immediate funding to the current planning budgets, Galveston could show the world why the National Juneteenth Memorial and Museum could not ever be any place but where Juneteenth was born - Galveston Island, Texas! Think of the financial implications with the current countywide development. Include an opportunity to incorporate the added value of the Emancipation Trail, featuring the art of our local sculptors, painters, and the whole of support from the Black Arts Collectives everywhere, what would that be worth? Elevating the value of our community worth is the only genuinely equitable way to move forward in Galveston County or anywhere. We must promptly arrive at a place where we value one another as family and add value to our whole community by seeing the worth in one another, as neighbors.

Support the funding of African American Monuments here and everywhere. Our legacy is the receipt. I love this little hunk of dirt and I add value by being here.

For more information on the importance of Juneteenth to Galveston and the liberation of Africans in Texas visit: www.JuneteenthLegacyProject.com 11

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HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO THE BANDSHELL AT MENARD PARK? It’s in front of the McGuire Dent Recreation Center (“rec center”) on 27th and Seawall. Right behind the painted big turtle is a stage with an acoustic shell-shaped wall wrapping around it. It was made for hosting concerts.

I’d been seeing it for years, asking what the story was on that place, but no one had anything to say except I heard, “We need some music here.” Or, “They should host a concert series in the park.” They should do this and that.

There is no “they.” We are they.

About a year into this pandemic, I was tired of seeing the bandshell sitting there all sad and empty. Bums used it for shelter and a toilet. Kids vandalized it and broke whatever was breakable. The lack of live music or anything fun going on around town, or anywhere else in the world, was making me miss my friends and my community. I missed jamming out loud with our band, so one day I walked in the rec center and started asking 12

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around how to host a summer concert series in the bandshell. The first answer was all no. I was persistent however and eventually organized a zoom call with a panel from the city who agreed to let me to start small and host a concert if I paid for the permits and facility rental. If it went well, they’d let me host more. I spoke with a few musician friends who were in bands that were down to play, and started fundraising. Within a short time, enough donations came in to cover the city fees and I felt confident if I kept at it, I could find more money to pay the bands.

The first show was canceled due to rain, but that gave us a little more time to line

up the band schedule and hang some flyers around town. Donations kept coming in and it looked like I was going to actually be able to pay the bands what I promised.

Come show time, the city came through by fixing the broken doors and giving the bandshell a much-needed paint job. They ran water lines to get the plumbing working in the dressing rooms and turned the lights on for us. Looking good.

The headlining and opening bands came out for soundcheck and with a few tweaks the park was sounding pretty good. Now, the big question…is anyone gonna show? Six o’clock and I was nervous, but

sure enough, a little crowd started filling in with their blankets and lawn chairs.

It’s working!

The bands crushed it and the audience loved it.

Each week the crowd grew as word of mouth spread throughout town. Every Thursday we had different styles of music from country to reggae, punk, rock, folk, ska, cumbia, zydeco, and everything in between, and it was all good. Galveston Island Brewing brought pizzas and Topo Chico gave us all we could drink.

You should’ve seen the kids running around, playing and dancing. The Gulf of Mexico never looked so pretty as it did behind the stage with the bands playing.

The bandshell was there long before the rec center was and as the season progressed, I heard stories of the great bands who played there in the past. Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Clifton Chenier, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, and many more graced that stage from the fifties through the eighties.

In the early nineties, there were some Battles of the Bands, but since then the shell had been abandoned.

It needed some music. We all needed some music. It was too long locked down and afraid. We need fresh air. We need community.

We need to smile and dance with our neighbors while we can; before we’re run out of town by the Air BnB’s. SAVE THE LOCALS.

Photo courtesy of Samantha Wiley

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Photo courtesy of SKsiddhartthan

Plant in Protest

By PIP

THIS GREAT SAND BAR HAS SO MUCH GOING FOR IT, LIKE THE ABUNDANCE OF PRIDE OF BARBADOS (CAESALPINIA PULCHERRIMA). For the women of Galveston, this is more than an ornamental shrub keeping up the curb appeal. This is freedom, this is opportunity, and this is potentially free.

If you haven’t already, plant Pride of Barbados in protest over recent restrictions in women’s reproductive choices. This flowering abortifacient (any substance that is used to terminate a pregnancy) is a member of the pea family Fabaceae, native to the tropics and subtropics of the Americas. All seeds of Caesalpinia are poisonous. However, the seeds of some species are edible before they reach maturity.

Maria Sibylla Merian, a 17th-century artist, encountered this plant in the Dutch colony of Surinam. In her work, Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium, Merian recorded that African slaves and native Indian populations used the flos pavonis or peacock flower as an abortifacient in their practice of traditional medicine.* She wrote: “The Indians, who are not treated well by their Dutch masters, use the seeds [of this plant] to abort their children, so that their children will not become slaves like they are.

The black slaves from Guinea and Angola have demanded to be well treated, threatening to refuse to have children. They told me this themselves.”

This information is so important to maintain and pass to younger generations, and also to serve as seed sources for important plant medicines.

Thank you Galvestonians for doing your part.

Curious how we were already ahead of the game!

Source: Wikipedia * Edwards, Stassa. “The History of Abortifacients”

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n o t s e v l a G e B Got to

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IF YOU CAME TO THE THIRD COAST LOOKING FOR ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND VIBRANCY, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Our eclectic little island is home to several artist-inhabited enclaves. In fact, we have some of the best artists in the county cropping up at unique venues centralized in the downtown Galveston area. If unique spaces and obscure art are what you want, it has got to be Galveston!

THE NATIONAL HOTEL ARTISTS LOFTS

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ce P l ace facebook.com/ TheNationalHotelArtistLofts/ 2221 Market St, Galveston, TX 77550

The National Hotel Artist Lofts (NHAL) were built in 1870 as an opera house and the building enjoyed a glamorous but brief reign as Galveston’s cultural centerpiece.

In 1895, a new owner substantially rebuilt it as an office building. Five years later, it survived the great hurricane of 1900, which leveled much of Galveston. It subsequently housed a bank, various stores and offices, and the National Hotel.

Developed at a cost of $3.6 million, this important Galveston landmark has now been reborn as the National NHAL Hotel Artist Lofts, a 27-unit live/work building that includes both affordable and market-rate housing as well as ground-floor commercial space via the Proletariat where artists can display their works.

We love the NHAL for its unique shows and quirky cubbies such as their Space Place where residents can zone out, or the Costume Closet where you can become anyone you want to be.

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DONOVAN AND REBECCA’S 1805 MARKET Second on the list is Donovan and Rebecca’s 1805 Market. This space is Galveston’s own unofficial circus, speakeasy, burlesque cabaret, and acrobatic studio offering one of a kind shows, events, and aerial arts classes. 1805 Market Street is a unique oasis near the heart of historic downtown Galveston, created with love by seven-time Guinness World Record holding vocal and acrobatic act, Donovan and Rebecca.

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These world class performers have chosen Galveston to lay down roots after traveling and touring throughout the globe. Together they have created an oasis where artistry meets talent and skill, in a restored 1889 building transformed into a unique arts center. After falling in love with the architecture, they decided to create a venue that would accommodate both their love for performance, and their rigorous training regiment.

In doing so, they found a marvelous, supportive, and welcoming community with a seemingly unquenchable thirst for art, live performance, and the unusual.

DonovanAndRebecca1805Market.com 1805 Market St. Galveston Tx 77551

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GALVESTON ARTIST RESIDENCY

GAR

Third and finally we have been Galveston Artist Residency(GAR). This once cotton-bailing factory and later tavern, is the island’s refuge to visiting artists who are encouraged to create freely.

GAR awards three artist-in-residence fellowships a year. For ten months, from October through July, each artist receives 24/7 access to a 500 sq./ ft. studio space, an apartment a couple blocks away, and a monthly stipend. This ten month period is viewed as a gift of time for artists to make their work.

The GAR Gallery and courtyard is open to the public Tuesday - Saturday from 11am - 4pm.

, Former GAR Resident itson h W ck i r De

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GalvestonArtistResidency.org 2521 Mechanic St. Galveston, TX 77550

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By Leslie Whaylen

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These days, so many coral reefs seem to be in peril. Several times during my career, I experienced the feeling of traumatic loss while working in the underwater environment.

The threats are real and imminent. Yet, about 100 miles offshore is the healthiest coral reef I have seen anywhere on this side of the globe, and it’s the Gulf of Mexico’s only national marine sanctuary. It’s a magical place, where underwater you can swim with manta rays, whale sharks, sea turtles, and colorful fish.

The water is often a deep blue color, and sometimes the visibility is so good that you can look up from a dive at 100 feet beneath the ocean, and see the boat. Coral cover (i.e., the amount of coral alive down there) is a measurement that scientists use to assess the health of coral reefs. While most coral reefs worldwide are declining in coral cover, there are signs that coral cover may be increasing in some portions of the Flower Garden Banks, which is almost unheard of!

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Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary has both shallow coral reefs and mesophotic (i.e., deeper water) reefs, with new species being discovered with underwater explorations via remotely operated vehicles. Some dive sites out there, while deeper than many diving sites in the Caribbean, are still shallow enough for experienced, recreational scuba divers to enjoy. Our island’s only dive shop, Texas Scuba Adventures in downtown Galveston, can hook you up with certification classes and dive trips. If you’re not inclined to put your head below the ocean’s surface, feed your curiosity via videos and pictures (https://flowergarden.noaa. gov/). Or check out some of the outdoor educational amenities along the seawall focused on Flower Garden Banks such as Project Sit benches (https://www.artistboat.org/projectsit/), panels located at Fort Crockett Park, or the giant sea turtle mural (https://seaturtles.org/ campaigns/turtles-abouttown/). Go explore, get curious.

Photos courtesy of NOAA

I AM OFTEN CURIOUS, AND SO THIS CITY AND ALL ITS CURIOSITIES FASCINATE ME, WHICH IS WHY I KEEP RETURNING TO THIS ISLAND TO BE ONE OF ITS YEAR-ROUND RESIDENTS. Texas A&M University at Galveston initially drew me here, to study the ocean, and now I live and work here, to protect the ocean. What I help protect is prettier than any other underwater place in the wider Atlantic Basin, which is really big and includes our Gulf of Mexico. I know this because of data and personal experience.

With a few thousand scuba dives logged and a couple of full passports, I confidently report that no place is better than Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, if you’re the curious type of person who digs corals and thriving coral reefs. (Caveat for fellow fish nerds – fish biodiversity is low and so I have additional locations for you elsewhere.)

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acutx.org/abidingproviders

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Spring Semester

Classes & Workshops for Kids, Teens, & Adults  ART

CLUB for Kids!

 DRAWING FOR TEENS  CREATIVE CODING  CERAMICS*  PHOTOGRAPHY*  PRINTMAKING* *for teens & adults

2127 Strand | (409) 763-2403 |

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galvestonartscenter.org

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“Moody” By Emeline Howery Galveston’s unique landmarks and classic Victorian architecture have inspired generations. Still COOL after all these years.

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The The Art Art of of

Victoria Kowalenko VICTORIA KOWALENKO HAS BEEN CREATING ART SINCE CHILDHOOD AND IS CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR NEW MEDIUMS TO INCORPORATE INTO HER ART. She was in the UTMB Physician Assistant class of 2020. She currently works in Orthopedic Spine Surgery at Houston Methodist and is inspired by her work each day.

Victoria’s work was recently featured at the Proletariat here in Galveston. Victoria wanted to combine themes of nature and anatomy to show the beauty of life, death, and the human form. She says,

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The style and subject matter for the art in my show came to me during the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown in April/May2020. That period was interesting in the sense that I was a physician assistant student anxiously gearing up to be thrown into my career, in the midst of a pandemic, but also trying to remain grateful and optimistic about what life has to offer. I wanted my art to not only be inspired by my love for medicine and anatomy but to capture the ups and downs of being human, and how beautiful that all can be.

“

Learn more about Victoria or purchase her art by emailing: vmkowal20@gmail.com

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Curious Galveston Photography

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By Russ Burden Images by John Embesi

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CULTURE CLASH (Coolture) A FAVORITE TIME TO WORK FOR MOST GALVESTON PHOTOGRAPHERS IS SUNRISE AND SUNSET. The light is warm, the angle is low, it bathes the subject in golden tones and it triggers the beginning of a new day or brings a spectacular close to an already good one. The multi-sensory experience of sight and sound during these two times is glorious. Morning imparts a pre-dawn glow that awakens each new day and bathes it in hues of red and orange. The same happens at sunset with the exception that dusk supplies a slightly different color and sharpness. With the sun, just above an eastern or western horizon, it hugs all it touches in fiery hues. The visible world is caressed by long shadows, shapes and textures. Both are magical times of the day, especially in Galveston.

Galveston architecture allows for dark and classically spooky photographic subjects.

While the island itself is rich with history, the homes and buildings silently scream out their stories with hard angles and warn details.

Many have marveled at the beauty and complexity of our urban landscape and speculated over the curious happenings that once may have taken place there.

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CULTURE CLASH (Coolture)

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Social MEdia!

SCAN OUR INSTAGRAM NAME TAG

pulse Jan. - Feb. 2022 Calendar of Events

January FRIENDS OF ROSENBERG LIBRARY ANNUAL BOOK SALE Fri, Jan 14th & 15th, 12pm - 5:45pm Admission is free & all purchases are donated to the mission. friendsoftherosenberglibrary.org/ annual-book-sale

G.I.V.E.R.S (GALVESTON ISLAND VOTER EDUCATION RESOURCE & SERVICES) PRESENTS: MLK DAY Mon, Jan 17th Location TBA

YAGA’S CHILI QUEST & BEER FEST Sat, Jan 15th, 10am - 6pm Historic Strand District 23rd & Strand St. 2302 Strand From $12 - $46 yagaschiliquest.com GALVESTON ARTS CENTER SPRING WORKSHOPS & CLASSES Starting Mon , Jan 17th Prices Vary 2127 Strand galvestonartscenter.org/classes

AND FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK @CULTURECLASHMAG

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ISLAND BICYCLE GLOW RIDE Thurs, Jan 20th, 6pm 1808 Seawall Blvd.

Free Admission facebook.com/islandbicyclecompany/ events/

MOODY GARDENS BEACH CLEAN UP Mon, Jan 17th, 9am - 11am Bermuda Beach Rd. 12837 Bermuda Beach Road Free Admission allevents.in/galveston/ beach-clean-up ALBERT HANDELL PAINTING WORKSHOP Tue - Fri, Jan 18th - 21st, 9:30am - 5pm Galveston Art League 2117A Postoffice St. $750 for Art League Members $850 for Non-Members galvestonartleague.com C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N / F E B 2 0 2 2

CULTURE CLASH (Coolture)

February

SEE ART

GALVESTON MARATHON & HALF MARATHON Sun, Feb 13th, 7am - 3pm 7:15am Wheelchairs & Handcycles 7:30am Marathon & 1/2 Marathon 8:00am 5K Galveston East Beach Park 1923 Boddeker Rd. From $25 - $115 galvestonmarathon.com

“STATUE”

BY EMELINE HOWERY See page 22 & 27 Contact the Artist at emmahowrey@gmail.com

Drink up GOOD BERRY SMOOTHIE Passion Fruit Juice, Strawberries, Blueberries, and Raspberries

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

Lolo Kai

528 23rd St.

JOLLY JESTER JAUNT 5K Sat, Feb19th, 9:30am - 11am Mardi Gras Arch 24th & Mechanic St. Register from $41 - $86 mardigrasgalveston.com/jollyjester-jaunt/ UMBRELLA BRIGADE PARADE Fri, Feb 18th, 8:30pm Downtown Galveston 23rd & Strand St. Free Admission mardigrasgalveston.com/ umbrella-brigade-registration/ C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N / F E B 2 0 2 2

MARDI GRAS ON GALVESTON Feb 18th - Mar 1st Parades, Concerts, Marathons, and more.

Seawall and Downtown Galveston mardigrasgalveston.com

WANT YOUR EVENT LISTED? Email Us: CultureClashGalveston@gmail.com 27

e l p peo ESTON

CULTURE CLASH (FEATURE)

V L A G of

What is the most curious thing about Galveston?

Interviews By Savannah Walser & Janese Maricelli

[I’m Interested in] how haunted the island is, like how many places per square mile are known to be haunted.

I really like the story about the bride waiting on her husband to return from war at the Galvez.

BR A

N

DO

N Q UIR O G A I love Galveston. I find its uniqueness fascinating. One of the most alluring aspects of living in Galveston is the diversity it offers - there’s a charm and richness to this island that you can’t quite find anywhere else.

ZI

N

L LANA PO 28

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THRO WE N R A

LO

G

CULTURE CLASH (FEATURE)

The ever-expansive haunted stories in Galveston.

CHMAN

DA N

I

E

O LH

I think the art scene in Galveston is sick. Gritty and still underground. I find it curious that there is something for the fancy folks but there is still so much access to the rest of us.

Will Galveston be able to maintain affordable places for artists to live and work with all the AirBnB’s going in? And if not, will the access to art disappear?

D

EA

ND

RE JON

ES

I think the history of the brothels in Galveston is really fascinating. They were a really big part of Galveston’s business in the Victorian times, and it extended out and became more secretive over the years. [Prostitution] prevailed in Galveston for many many years. And it was a place for sailors to come and rest and have some fun. It gave Galveston a sort of party feel. I find it fascinating that some brothels were completely under the radar while others operated as any other business did.

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W O L G E D I R hur

3rd T

ery of Ev

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Mont

City Lights & Glowing Bikes Meet up at 6pm in front of our shop!

1808 Seawall Blvd (409) 762-2453 30

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BRINGING TOGETHER ART, AWARENESS, AND ADVOCACY! Turtles About Town is a community art project that highlights the City of Galveston and the conservation efforts of Turtle Island Restoration Network to protect endangered sea turtles on the upper Texas coast.

Turtle lovers of all ages have the opportunity to see 50 colorful Kemp’s ridley sea turtle statues that have been installed around the island since 2018. Businesses, individuals and organizations graciously sponsor the turtle statues while local artists are commissioned to give each one its own personality and meaning.

HOLD ON TO YOUR BUTT! No, really.

Hold onto it.

Cigarette butts can take 25 years to decompose, are 98% plastic, and are toxic to marine life!

Please help Galveston Surfrider reduce butt litter on the island, and in the ocean, by disposing of your butts in one of these cans provided by local businesses and individuals. #hotyb For more info, go to www.Galveston.

Surfrider.org

Download a FREE map and go on a tour at seaturtles.org/turtles. Be sure to tag Turtle Island Restoration Network in your images (@TIRN-Gulf on Facebook and @TIRN.Gulf on Instagram) and tag #TurtlesAboutTown!

seaturtles.org C U LTU R EC L A S H G A LV E STO N . C O M • J A N / F E B 2 0 2 2

To volunteer or sponsor a can, email hotyb@galveston. surfrider.org

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