.................. Houston in Pics

Thursday, December 10, 2015

The Portable Trojan Bear (not Horse) - A whimsical piece of wooden Art in the urban woods at Hermann Park

Animal Art in the Park

Portable Trojan Bear Artist: Jim Love (1984)

Jim Love - Portable Trojan Bear (plaque at base of artwork)

Title: Portable Trojan Bear Artist: Jim Love

The portable bear was in fact "ported" a few times. First to its original placement at the intersection of Montrose and Bissonnet across from the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH), then in 1984 to Herman Park, then to a restoration shop in 2008, where the decaying wood parts were replaced with more durable kind that could better stand up to the humid Houston climate.

The charming clunky animal with teddy-bear face returned to the Park in 2009.

Artist Jim Love was born in Amarillo, Texas, in 1927 and died in Houston in 2005. Other creations of his are on display at various museums in Houston and elsewhere in Texas.

Face to face with the Bear

Off the track: The Trojan Bear on wheels
hat don't quite fit the Hermann Railroad's narrow gauge

Atropos Key - Iconic hilltop sculpture at Miller Outdoor Theater

Hannah Stewart's Hilltop Legacy

Given the popularity of Miller Outdoor Theater and

Hermann Park generally, and its prominent position on top of the hill,

this piece of local art of the abstract kind is well recognized and

has landmark status, but few know its title, not to mention the artist.

Atropos Key

Abstract bronze sculpture

by Hannah Holliday Stewart (1972)

The name of the piece refers to Atropos, one of the three Moirai, goddesses of fate and destiny in Greek mythology. Along with her sisters, Atropos was responsible for the destiny of humans. According to ancient myth, she worked the shears that cut the thread of life. Her sisters spun it and measured its length. A poisonous plant is also named for this mythological female figure (Deadly Nightshade).

Sculptor Stewart lived in Montrose. She worked and taught in Houston (UH and Univ. of St. Thomas) and later in life moved to New Mexico where she died in 2010. She had an enduring interest in astrology and cosmology and was known for the mystic out-of-this-world nature of her abstract creations. The Houston Chronicle published an insightful article by Molly Glentzer about Stewart's life and art in 2014.

Back seats in the seating area of Miller Theater with the art piece
silhouetted against the sky

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

The Warwick Towers

The Warwick Twin Towers seen from Hermann Park Drive
Cockrell Butterfly Center (Houston Museum of Natural Science) in front
behind trees

Sam Houston Statute at Hermann Park
View from Reflection Pool

Why just a logo: The Warwick Towers Coat of Arms
above the entrance

1111 Hermann Dr, Houston, TX 77004

Warwick Towers seen from footpath up the hill at Miller Outdoor Theatre

View from circle drive at Sam Houston Equestrian Statute
Hotel Zaza, Warwick Towers, Butterfly Center at Houston Museum of Natural Science

Friday, November 13, 2015

Cancer Survivors Plaza Houston

The Richard and Annette Block Cancer Survivors Plaza

1098 Hermann Dr, Houston, TX 77030

Cancer Survivors Sculpture

"Hope of Humanity" sculpture by Charles Umlauf in Hermann Park

Umlauf sculpture in Hermann Park at Houston Museum of Natural Science

Charles Umlauf (1911 – 1994) was an American sculptor and taught for several decades at the University of Texas School of Art in Austin, Texas, where he also died. In 1985 he donated his home, studio and many works of art to the City of Austin, and the location later became the Umlauf Sculpture Garden.and Museum

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Where to see wild urban butterflies in Houston: At the Centennial Gardens in Hermann Park

Enjoy the beautiful weather and save the visit to the Butterfly Center for a dreary day. The natural beauty of the butterflies is there for all to see right now in the curated outdoors at the McGovern Centennial Gardens in Hermann Park.