Rodeo Houston’s School Art Committee Promotes Creativity

When my daughter was in kindergarten, I received a letter from her art teacher that informed me that her artwork had been chosen to be a part of her elementary school’s Rodeo Houston School Art contest. As you can imagine, she was elated (and so was I). Her adorable chalk piece, titled “Rodeo Clowns,” wasn’t chosen to be a finalist, but she did proudly walk away with a blue ribbon and a huge smile. This program has been around since the mid-‘60s when it started as a Go Texan poster contest, and in 1969, the School Art Committee was officially formed to provide more opportunities for achievement. The program now boasts over 300,000 pieces of artwork that represent 130 different independent school districts as well as private and parochial schools. In 1996, the Rodeo expanded the art contest and program to include the School Art Committee’s first artwork auction, which ended up exceeding expectations to such a degree that by 2001,

By Liz Clearman

Rodeo higher-ups decided that the auction needed its own committee — and the School Art Auction Committee was born in 2003.

Sales have consistently exceeded $1 million every year since the art auction’s inception. The program gives students in grades pre-K through 12th the opportunity to display their love of and skill in art, earn scholarships, travel to summer workshops, and possibly have their creations displayed during the Rodeo for thousands of patrons to see. Each year, the Art Committee chooses 72 creations from Houston-area schools that are then auctioned off at the Rodeo. Last year, SBISD had three students who were chosen as winners for the art auction: Alina Du with her painting “Small Talk,” Renae Wang with her painting “Untamed,” and Sophia Cornell with her colored drawing “Sixteen Seconds.” Not surprising given the immense amount of talent we have in the district, and hopefully our students will make just as impressive of a showing in this year’s auction, which will be held on March 12th

For more information, please visit rodeohouston.com/Educational-Support/School-Art-Program.

Boot Scootin’ with

By Liz Clearman

If your boots are looking a little rough, it might be time for some TLC before you head to the rodeo to show off your western duds. Since 1990, Rodeo Boot and Shoe Repair has been a staple in the Spring Branch community for reliable, quality shoe repair. Owned by native Salvadorans Yunuen Rivera and her father, Manuel Rivera, they started out at 8315 Long Point after Manuel learned the ins and outs of the shoe repair business from a dear friend of his and decided to open his own cobbler business. In 2014, they moved inside the Fiesta grocery store on Wirt and Kempwood, where they established a long-standing customer base over eight years before realizing they needed to move back to a more accessible location. In August 2022, they settled on a location back over on Long Point. “It took many months to find the spot, but we’re glad we did. Not only do we have our old customers coming back slowly, but we’re also getting to meet a lot of new customers as well,” said Yunuen.

Rodeo Boot and Shoe Repair lives up to its name — they work on all types of shoes such as boots, dress shoes, athletic shoes, and orthopedic shoes for men and women. They’re skilled at changing out shoe color, heels, soles, and tips on high heels, and they also will shine, deep condition, and stretch your shoes and boots for the perfect look and fit. However, their repertoire goes beyond footwear. Yunuen said that they’ll fix zippers, purses, duffel bags, and other leather goods, and that they also sell brand new boots, hats, and other western wear accessories and gear while continuing to work on expanding their retail selection. Whether you’re looking for a shiny new pair of rodeo boots or want your own well-loved pair given a little spit-and-shine, Yunuen and Manuel would love to welcome you into their world.

The shop is located at 8700 Long Point, Suite 102 and can be reached at 713.253.1170. Follow them on Instagram at @rodeobootandshoerepair and on Facebook at Rodeo Boot and Shoe Repair.