Art – Page 14 – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

LEAP Takes on Fleet Street! Sweeney Todd

By Olivia Discon

Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd!

LEAP students experienced plethoric frightful festivities this ‘Halloweekend’, with some students left more spooked than others. To continue the fun, we enjoyed Theatre Under The Stars’ (TUTS) rendition of Sweeney Todd!

We ventured to our favorite food hall, POST Market, to taste an array of different dishes and cuisines. Similar to our fear factor, some students are more adventurous diners than others. The dishes ranged anywhere from coconut curry, tacos, shrimp alfredo, to a cubed biscoff croissant! This experience-for both newcomers and returning customers- was as refreshing as it was satiating.

Of course, while at Post Houston, we took advantage of some roof-top views for photos.

Our viewing of Sweeney Todd was highly anticipated, as Michelle and I had the chance to watch the Sam Houston’s rendition of the musical back in April. TUTS had a lot to live up to, considering the high standard set by SHSU’s performance.

The story, set in 19th-century London, revolves around the vengeful Sweeney Todd, a barber seeking retribution against those who have wronged him. The eerie plot, coupled with a hauntingly beautiful live orchestra, instilled a palpable sense of unease right from the moment the blade emitted its initial, spine-tingling screech.

There were touches of levity throughout the musical, creating a juxtaposition of humor and horror. The group particularly enjoyed “A Little Priest” and ‘By the Sea” for their wordplay and irony woven into the storytelling. A select few of us in the group found the wordplay extremely humorous, making it known to the rest of the theatre through our persistent giggling.

As we headed back to Huntsville, the group recounted their thoughts, including our favorite moments, plot twists that shocked us, and the characters that resonated with us the most. Personally, the conversation following a visit to a performance or art exhibition is my favorite aspect of the endeavor. While it is intellectually stimulating, it also allows for closer connections and camaraderie!

We had the opportunity to use the holiday as a learning opportunity; looking at Halloween under the scope of both civic engagement and the arts. Activities such as these, while already incredibly enjoyable, become triply important, serving to educate, offering a cultural experience, and providing a team-building exercise.

Celebrating Sam Houston

On this week 187 years ago, Sam Houston was inaugurated as the first-ever President of the Republic of Texas. Almost two centuries later, his legacy continues, in large part because of the great work done by Sam Houston State University and the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library.

Tuesday night, the Museum celebrated not only the anniversary of Houston’s inauguration, but also the addition of numerous new and impressive artifacts to its large collection. And speaking of impressive, the celebration was just that!

Derrick Birdsall, Director of the Museum, opened the program with remarks at 6:30, introducing President White and the many other notable guests in attendance.

President White also spoke, highlighting Houston’s legacy, discussing his impact and relevance, not only to Texas history, but also to our own time, and also noting the role that the Museum plays in attracting students to SHSU.

Mikey Sproat, Curator of Collections, also took to the podium, discussing the addition of artifacts to the Museum and pointing to their centrality to understanding Texas history and Houston’s life.

The most prominently displayed artifact in the rotunda was Sam Houston’s commission as Commander in Chief of the Texas Army.

Included on the display is a QR code that allows visitors to scan and learn more about the document–one of many efforts the Museum has made to scale up the accessibility of their online artifact collection, which supplements the physical presentation of their artifacts.

But the allure of the Museum goes beyond the presentation and artifacts; it is also tied to the people who work and visit the Museum. Accordingly, the LEAP Ambassadors were thrilled to help for the event when asked by Director Birdsall. Our part was small, but it allowed us not only to assist Birdsall, but also to work with the great staff at the Museum…

…which included: Megan Buro, Jude Routh, Mikey Sproat, Joann Purvis, Yesenia Marroquin, Tim Scott, and Gregoria McGuire.

When the formal part of the program ended around 7, we had a chance to relax a bit and enjoy the Museum and the many wonderful people there: President James Gaertner and Nancy Gaertner, Mac and Leanne Woodward, Jane and Dr. Charles Monday, Vice-Provost Anne Gaillard, Aron Kulhavy, Tammy Gann, Regent Sheila Faske, former Regent Trisha Pollard, and Charlie Vienne.

We had a chance to say hi to Russell Martinez, which was nice because a few of the LEAP Ambassadors have been awarded the Martinez Scholarship. We met Bill Dabaghi, a genuinely nice guy who shared with us some of his family’s history in the area.

And we also had the opportunity to visit with individuals from the President’s office, including General Glaser, Jennifer Alexander, and Tabitha Shanley. And, of course, we took the opportunity to take a photograph with President White.

We even had a chance to visit with one of our favorite alumni, Blake Roach!

There was also great music…

…as well as a rare opportunity to physically enter the Museum’s displays. In one area, SHMM depicts Santa Ana’s “surrender” to an injured Sam Houston, and the Museum will soon be removing this exhibit. Therefore, it allowed visitors (and staff!) to enter the area and have fund with photographs!

We attend or assist with approximately 50 events per semester, but the general consensus is that this was our favorite this semester. We had the chance to spend time in one of our favorite places, with some of our favorite people while being part of the Sam Houston community.

A Weekend of Photography

Morgan Robertson

Photographers across the country rose early Saturday morning with extra batteries, tripods and solar filters to witness the Solar Eclipse–and I joined their ranks! But to see it in its full glory, I had to travel to Corpus Christi, which, even without an eclipse, is a great way to spend a weekend.

One of my favorite aspects of LEAP has been my introduction to photography, and this weekend I brought my love of photography to the next level. My familial connections to photography and astronomy gave me the perfect opportunity to join my aunt and uncle, Suzanne and Chris Bowers, and grandparents, Darlene and Robert Robertson, in Corpus Christi, in the direct path of the Solar Eclipse.

After Professor Yawn outfitted me with the correct equipment and some tips for shooting, I made my way southwest bright and early Friday morning. We hit the ground running with a day full of adventures! We began by conducting tests of my new homemade filters and with the guidance from Aunt “Zan,” we decided we were ready for hours of shooting the following day.

Eclipse

Aunt Zan and I rose early to enjoy sunrise on the beach and to stake our claim to prime eclipse-territory. Originally we were located on the beach and were met with 25 mph winds that would have made for an uncomfortable 3 hours of shooting. After scouting with her trusty sidekick, Willie, Aunt Zan came upon our new favorite feature in Corpus: a shipping container!

We set up shop away from the winds and sand, and eventually a few other photographers caught on to our stroke of genius.

After some slight adjustments, we settled in to watch this amazing experience. I did run into some complications due to the cloud coverage and the darkness of my filter… but we adopted and waited for clearer skies.

Luck was on our side and the clouds provided some drama to our photos. Rather than attempt to describe the wonders of the Eclipse, here are just a few photos of what I captured.

Other experiences

In a typical LEAP fashion, I would be remiss if I didn’t stop by the local art museum to get a taste for the creative tones of the city. The Art Museum of South Texas, located right on the beach, was a perfect stop for Aunt Zan and myself. My favorites from the collection were a Dale Chihuly and Jesús Moroles. Another great feature of the Museum was a strategic window placement that provided an amazing view of the USS Lexington.

We also made sure to take advantage of our proximity to the beach to practice some long exposure shots during sunset, and sunrise.

We all learned this weekend that Corpus Christi is known as the Birdiest City in America and we made sure to take advantage of this fact! Here are a few photos from Hans and Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge and Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center.

A pelican landing series…

And a pelican taking flight…

The last shots of the evening from Roberts Point Park.

I would like to express my sincerest gratitude toward my grandparents for being the perfect representation southern hospitality and towards my Aunt Zan and Uncle Chris for fostering my love for this creative art and their constant encouragement.

The Formative Years of Charles Jones: The Wynne Home Speaker Series

By Olivia Discon

The Wynne Home Arts Center is a pillar in the Huntsville community in promoting the arts and civic engagement. It is always a pleasure to attend the many events the Wynne Home has throughout the year, and we have especially enjoyed their Speaker Series. Starting off the fall with its first presenter, Charles Jones, a jack of all trades of the arts, gave a glimpse into his impressive work.

Following an introduction by Joe Kirkland, Jones shared how the nature of Huntsville–where he was raised–fostered his perception of community and artistic inspiration.

We had the opportunity to view a comprehensive showcase of Jones’ work through a presentation, which consisted of prints, sketches, and woodcuts. These pieces captured the essence of his passion for philosophy and the human condition.

He attributed his love of the arts to his family, as his parents encouraged him to refine the skills of what he excelled and enjoyed in his childhood. Whether it was music, literature, or art, Jones followed what he was interested in.

Charles Jones put it simply: “Art is powerful; it allows you to participate in things”. It’s a reminder that art is an active experience, inviting us to join in the rich tapestry of human expression.

Angela Robinson and Nancy Gaertner helped close the program, but many people stayed around to learn more…

…including us.

This experience allowed the audience to both appreciate Huntsville’s roots and how far it has come.

While many things have changed over the course of time, the dedicated community that champions the arts has remained unwavering. We greatly appreciate the Wynne Home’s strides in providing enriching events to our community, and look forward to the speakers to come!

Seeing Huntsville with New Eyes

This is one of nine articles written about “things to do in Huntsville” from the perspective of students at Sam Houston State University. In addition to this article, you can see others in this series, which cover restaurants in Huntsville here and here, Bearkat Football, the Wynne Home, the Texas Prison Museum, Eastham-Thomason Park, the City’s Christmas Fair, and the Sam Houston Memorial Museum.

Many SHSU students spend four years in Huntsville without actually exploring Huntsville. As it turns out, though, Huntsville has a lot to do and see, whether you are a weekend visitor or an SHSU student who calls Huntsville home. As LEAP Ambassadors, we are pretty familiar with the community, but we wanted to be more systematic in our exploration. So we set out to do monthly explorations of Huntsville.

Where would we begin? The Statue and Visitor Center, of course!

Many people may know there is a large statue on I=45, but some do not know the City’s visitor center is almost literally at the foot of that statue. With a quick exit from the highway, passersby can learn a bit about the community and its notable sites. On hand is a group of dedicated City staff, who will point visitors to Huntsville attractions, highlight aspects of the community’s rich culture and history, direct tourists to myriad outdoor activities, or recommend some of the city’s culinary options.

There are also a variety of local goods and products, perfect for shopping for a visitor to town or a long-time resident.

But while you are there, David Adickes’ “A Tribute to Courage,” a 67-foot sculpture of Sam Houston, is a must-see! Not only is the statue a marvel to see at the ground level…

…but it’s also interesting to see some familiar names among the bricks that were purchased to support the project. We were able to see local names familiar to us–including a LEAP Ambassadors’ brick!

More importantly, we were able to see bricks purchased by Governor George W. Bush, President George H.W. Bush, President Lech Walesa, of Poland, and a relative of Sam Houston!

According to the good folks at the Visitor Center, there’s even a marriage proposal among the bricks.

And while there, we were literally able to get in to Sam Houston’s head…

…and see Huntsville in a whole new light. Tune in next month, to see where we go in our year-long exploration of Huntsville.

Wynne Home Chronicles: The Art of Molly Campbell

Every three months, the Wynne Home Arts and Visitor Center opens a new exhibit, and last week’s opening of Molly Campbell’s “Phoenix Rising: A Retrospective” proved to be very impressive. It was also one of the best attended openings, with approximately 100 or more individuals on hand see Campbell’s art and hear from the artist.

Dr. Ralph and Linda Pease were there; as were Derrick Birdsall, Paul Olle, Betty Nelson, Susan Madely Stevenson, Kristie Stevens, Ann Staples, Jaspyr Sanford, Nancy Gaertner, and many of Ms. Campbell’s children and grandchildren.

Wynne Home staff members Angela Robinson and Peyton Conley coordinated the program, with Robinson doing the introduction.

Promising to speak for a shorter time than “my husband thinks I will,” Ms. Campbell provided an overview of her work, totaling more than 50 pieces.

Moreover, the work included ceramic sculptures, metal sculptures, oils, ink, and multi-media. It was not only a “retrospective,” but also comprehensive.

The title of the exhibit stems, in part, from the fact that Ms. Campbell’s home caught fire during COVID. Only three pieces were lost; all of her other pieces emerged intact and, from the looks of the pieces in the gallery, unharmed. With art also symbolizing a type of rebirth, the exhibit was well titled. Her works reflect her interests, which include her family, dance, and outdoor scenes.

The LEAP Ambassadors, as always, enjoyed seeing familiar and friendly faces, meeting new people, interacting with the Wynne Home staff, seeing Ms. Campbell’s beautiful art works, and meeting the artist!

In other words, it was a typical Wynne Home opening!

A Day of Service in Memory of 9-11

With this the weekend prior to 9-11, Judy Webb with justserve.org called on LEAP Ambassadors and other reliable service organizations to assist with an ongoing “billion graves” project. This project involves documenting all the graves in Oakwood Cemetery, one of the most historic cemeteries in Texas.

It’s a project we began last year, but with almost 5,000 headstones in Oakwood, this is a multi-year project. It also meant an early start to today’s work…

After scouting out locations and developing a plan of attack, we met with the other volunteers Ms. Webb had recruited…

….and we got to work.

We had our advisors, Professor Yawn and Ms. Stephanie; Mac Woodward; and we had a grave veteran (Yvette) and grave newbies (Olivia, Michelle, and Ariza), so it was a good opportunity to do a mix of learning and teaching. The work consists primarily of two duties: (1) checking to see whether a grave has been entered, and if not, (2) photographing it, and transcribing its information into the billion graves website.

Professor Yawn has done more than 100 graves, and Morgan and Yvette have done almost 100. Today, we each did about 15, but we also confirmed approximately an equal amount. One of the challenges of this process is that a lot of people go through the cemetery more or less randomly, which means many graves may have been entered, but not in any systematic way. Our goal was to go through these systematically and, eventually, finish the Cemetery.

And, of course, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to pose with Sam Houston’s Grave!

The project is also an opportunity to learn about local history beyond Sam Houston. We were able to see headstones with names that are still seen around town, including: Thomason, Wynne, Powell, Rather, Robinson, Gibbs, Smither, and Yoakum.

We also had the chance to see the graves of (presumably) Yellow Fever victims (those who died in 1867) and the Powell family’s sculpture of Thorwaldsen’s Christ.

It was a great learning experience, a bit of fun, a contribution to the community, and a good way to honor those who were victims on 9-11.

Sleuthing from the Cheap Seats: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

It was a sunny and bright day, but murder was in the air. We were at the Alley Theatre, and its cast was performing Agatha Christie’s “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.”

It was a nice mix of people, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP alumni, and “friends of LEAP” together for an enjoyable afternoon. With lunch at Post Houston, a new favorite recommended by LEAP alum Will Phillips, we caught up, talked about classes, and explored food from multiple continents.

But we had come to Houston for the play, and it was something of a process to actually see the play. Many of us had read the book, with at least half of us stopping before the end so as to not spoil the “whodunit” aspect of the performance. In July, we attended a Murder by the Book presentation by Mark Shanahan, the play’s director, a presentation that left us even more excited.

Unfortunately, when we drove to our scheduled performance, the Alley had to cancel the showing because a cast member wasn’t available!

So, with more than a month of anticipation and at least one false start, we were more than usually ready for the play to begin.

And it did not disappoint. It was expertly adapted to the stage by Shanahan, with clever techniques of compressing time and space.

It was humorous, with a wonderful cast that included two SHSU alums (Dylan Godwin and Melissa Pritchett)!

During intermission, we speculated as to who the culprit might be. Victoria couldn’t identify a key suspect; Nick, with all the creativity he could muster, thought “the butler did it;” and Katherine thought that the house staff conspired together to kill their employer, Roger Ackroyd. (If I were Katherine’s employer, I’d lock the doors at night.) Morgan, whose literary tastes lean toward bodice-ripping romance, had trouble keeping up with the characters and the narrative. She nodded a lot as we discussed things.

The second act was delightful, with more humor and variation in pacing. The plot, as they say, thickened, ending with all the cast gathered together to identify the murderer. We will, of course, stop there, and engage in no spoilers. But it surprised all of us–with the exception of Olivia, who, when it was over said, “I knew it all along” to an incredulous group and an ever-nodding Morgan.

Kudos to the cast of the Alley, the timeless appeal of Hercule Poirot, and the camaraderie of LEAP students, present and past.

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