Dan Phillips – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Houston Arts & Parks: Smither Park

By Makayla Mason

With the day winding down, we decided that the sunset and cooler weather would be a perfect setting for us to visit Smither Park. Designed by Huntsville-based builder Dan Phillips, the park consists of a concrete enclosure decorated with the quirky creativity of multiple local artists. Upon arrival, we instantly noticed how extraordinary this park was, but it was not until we got closer did we realize all the treasures within the wall’s artwork.

Smither Park, LEAP Center, Center for Law Engagement And Politics, SHSU

The first thing we noticed was a large amphitheater in the shape of a fish with its open mouth as the performance area. The inside of the fish was made mostly out of traffic signs and automobile parts.

Smither Park, Dan Phillips, LEAP Ambassadors, SHSU, Center for Law Engagement And Politics

From there, we followed a dolphin-decorated pathway to the sections of the enclosure. Each section had a different theme with its own unique treasures to be appreciated. The various panels were made with an abundance of media, kitchen appliances, glass, keys, rocks, toys, and nail polish bottles and everything in between. We were amazed to see how certain animals or designs were created by using everyday materials.

The overwhelming theme of the park was the ocean. From the walkway depicting dolphins, birds, crabs, sharks, and boats, to the panels arranged to resemble an octopus or fish, and a bench with a mermaid colorfully pieced together. We took pleasure in finding the hidden artwork and sharing with each other these discoveries.

Of course, among the beautifully constructed park, we were able to find a piece of Sam Houston State University. A few Class of 2013 graduation pins were among the miscellaneous objects added to the park.

Smither Park, Dan Phillips, LEAP Ambassadors, SHSU, Center for Law Engagement And Politics

While most of the artwork was very colorful and vibrant, there was a particular section that was just one color, white. Because of the contrast, it made this panel stand out from the rest. Professor Mike Yawn expressed this panel as being his favorite because it had the most whole, unbroken pieces of ceramic within it.

As we walked through the park we saw many sections of the wall incomplete. We were excited about how beautiful the sections will become once completed and are considering clues to develop a scavenger hunt much like the one we completed earlier in the day.

A few of us had the honor of being crowned the queen of the tigers.

Others took a break to go kayaking.

Smither Park, Dan Phillips, LEAP Ambassadors, SHSU, Center for Law Engagement And Politics

And Karla, who was recently told to “Dream Big” on her excellent evaluations from the Texas Legislature, found the message reinforced at Smither Park:

Smither Park, Dan Phillips, LEAP Ambassadors, SHSU, Center for Law Engagement And Politics

We concluded our visit to Smither Park by relaxing on the bench swings before it was time to head to dinner.

Smither Park, LEAP Center, Center for Law Engagement And Politics, SHSU

Smither Park was commissioned by Stephanie Smither in honor of her late husband, John H. Smither. The project was part of the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art.

Our City’s Beautiful Homes: heART of Huntsville Week 4

Huntsville is home to many hidden architectural treasures that make this town a special place. On the last heART of Huntsville, we decided to pay a visit to three of these many gems. We started off the night at one of the local homes built by Dan Phillips: The Boot Home.

The Boot Home has been the subject of much conversation, due to its location on busy 11th street (aka, HWY 30) and its obvious resemblance to the Texas boot.

To introduce Mr. Phillips told us about his construction company, Phoenix Commotion. As founder of the company, Mr. Phillips focuses on eliminating construct waste and building environmentally-friendly homes for low-income individuals. Apart from doing his best to help those in need, he also explores his own artistic abilities.

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He told us how there are two kinds of people, those of Apollonian and Dionysian thought. Whereas the Apollonians want everything to be perfect where perfection may not be possible, the Dionysians don’t care for perfection and are more organic. Mr. Phillips told us how he sees the world in this non-perfectionist view, where you can make things in different shapes, sizes, and forms using unconventional methods to create a one-of-a-kind Dionysian home. Every one of his homes has his own signature quirk; a tree house with a glass floor, a home made out of bones, a story-book home, a beer home, the list goes on with unimaginable creativity.

After we heard about the inspiration behind the homes, we were ready to go inside this wonderful piece of art. The Boot was not big enough for our whole group to go into at once; therefore, we had to take turns. Inside the Boot there are two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, a study (or small bedroom), and a living room (just enough for a small family). As you travel up the stairs (located within the boot)…

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…you are brought to a beautiful deck overlooking the neighborhood. It is a very creative use of the extra space. Everyone enjoyed taking photos of the Boot,

The Boot Home, Dan Phillips, Phoenix Commotion, LEAP, SHSU

…and, of course, conversing with its creator, Dan Phillips, , as we began to venture onto our next stop: The Kellogg-Pritchett Home.

Mary Laura Gibbs bought the home in 2006 and renovated it while maintaining its original Folk Victorian architecture. The home has beautiful architecture on the inside and outside, reminiscent of Huntsville’s early days. One of these features were the rolling doors between the two main parlors whose great, wooden grain was used to divide the rooms during special events. She also set out a painting that dated back to the 50’s, which showed us how the home and property originally looked like in the early 19th century.

As we walked through the home, Ms. Gibbs told us how the kitchen was originally detached from the home, how there was a farm area for the family, and how the home housed the first tennis court in the city of Huntsville. We then moved on to the beautiful dinning room, made even greater with a mural painted by Lee Jamison.

Lee Jamison, Gazebo Room, Kellogg-Pritchett House, Mary Laura Gibbs, LEAP Ambassadors, SHSU

It was painted to look like a gazebo and it included lots of little creatures that are home to Texas and even a few that were created by the artist. He had us try to find the U.S.A snake and Texas painted butterfly.

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It was a beautiful room with lots of detail. Everyone was in awe of his work and the beauty he was able to create. We then moved on to the kitchen that was painted red and yellow (popular kitchen colors in Europe). She also showed us her beloved water pump. Everyone was impressed by how it is still fully functioning today!

With the night coming to an end, we concluded our tour of the lovely Kellogg-Pritchett Home by sharing our appreciation and love for the home.

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And, while most of us moved on eagerly to the Wynne Home, the Peases enjoyed a peaceful moment on the porch swing…

Kellogg Pritchett Home, Linda Pease, Ralph Pease, heART of Huntsville, LEAP Center

We then moved on to our last location of the night (and heART of Huntsville) the always beautiful Wynne Home.

At the Wynne Home, we were welcomed with the smell of wonderful food and great company provided by the Friends of the Wynne. We were welcomed to tour the home as Ms. Gaertner and Ms. Maloney finished preparing our Thanksgiving-like feast. Former interns, Beatriz Martinez and Jessica Northam, along with current intern Karen Tinajero, helped give tours to the group and tell the rich history of the home. The guests were delighted to hear of the home’s 1883 inception, the family history, and how it was donated to the city and is now Huntsville’s own Cultural Center. After roaming around the Wynne Home, everyone settled down to enjoy their delicious meal and take their final quiz, which would demonstrate what they had learned the past four weeks.

Wynne Home, SHSU, LEAP, heART of Huntsville, SHSU

After the food, those interested purchased a Jamison Austin College print autographed by the artist.

As the ambassadors stayed to help finish cleaning up after the meal…

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…the rest of our guests expressed how impressed they had been with the program and promised to come back next year for more art-filled adventures! We are immensity grateful to the Friends of Wynne’s exceptional dinner and to our amazing program participants who made the experience so amazing.

Lee Jamison, LEAP, SHSU, heART of Huntsville, SHSU — A Man, his Hat, and his Art

Art + Community = A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening

The Art Department sponsored a nice evening for friends and supporters of the arts, honoring alumni, former faculty, and local artist/builder Dan Phillips. With all the LEAP Center Ambassadors on hand, plus some of the “friends of the LEAP Center,” it was a great way to kick off the end of the week.

This was the Art Department’s second such gala and, again, chair Michael Henderson emceed the proceedings. He was gracious and thankful, and repeatedly thanked the sponsors and the many people who support the arts in the community.

Community, in fact, was the explicit theme of the evening. We were happy to note that of the 29 registrants for heART of Huntsville, 19 were attendees at the Gala!

The stars of the evening, however, were those being honored. Henderson invited Linda Pease to memorialize local artists who passed away in the last year…

…and the Department honored alums Kim Cook and Dan Pratt; Art Department Scholarship winners; local art supporter and POLS faculty Jim Carter, who passed away in 2013; and former faculty Emmette Jackson, Charles Pebworth, Gene Eastman, Jimmy Barker, and Stanley Lea. While the former faculty were not able to attend, Lea’s wife, Ruth, did attend.

Mayor Mac Woodward introduced the the major award of the evening…

…which went to Dan Phillips for his support of the arts in the local community. Phillips, of course, is a local builder, whose previous careers include work in Military Intelligence, the Dance Faculty at SHSU, and newspaper writer.

Phillips said very nice things about his wife, Marsha, who is a partner in the Phoenix Commotion enterprise and works as a part-time mentor at SHSU after a long career teaching at HISD. Fifteen years ago, the two embarked on a new career building homes “made from unwanted materials for low-income people.” They’ve now completed 24 projects, and their structures dot and enrich the community, adding character to a small, historic town, work that earned Phillips this well-deserved honor from the SHSU Art Department.

Postscript: Following the gala, seven of the LEAP attendees headed to Dallas for their first-ever Moot Court scrimmage, which will be described in future posts!

Art and Architecture in Huntsville

With the fourth week of heART of Huntsville came a focus on architecture with, of course, a healthy dose of art. After weeks focusing on campus art, outdoor sculptures, David Adickes, performing arts, and Richard Haas, the final week of the program focused on three homes in the Huntsville Cultural District: The “Bone Home,” the Kellogg-Pritchett House, and the Wynne Home.

Part of what made the final week special was that Anina Moore, the Director of Communications for the Texas Commission on the Arts, traveled to Huntsville to observe the program. This was her first real visit to Huntsville, and we hope she enjoyed it!

Her visit, and our final week, kicked off with a tour of Dan Phillips’ Bone Home. For many of the Ambassadors, it was our second visit to the home, but for Ambassador Kaitlyn Tyra, it was a first-time visit. Phillips began with an overview of his philosophy, his company (Phoenix Commotion), and his work.

His talk is always engaging, mixing construction realities, with political preferences (e.g., recycling, sustainability), and philosophy (aesthetics).

From there, the tour began. The students posed with Phillips in the kitchen…

…where observers can note the intriguing floor patterns, and the bone-top counters. They also got a good look at the bone-bedecked stairway…

…and the bottle-cap bedroom floors.

The back-door patio, which connects the home to the studio, is also worth noting. The wall is adorned with decorative bones…

…and guests can rest in the bone chairs and bone table-top…

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…and enter the studio through a door equipped with bone handles.

The studio was determined by Constance to be the perfect place for a selfie or a groupie:

…and she may have gotten every person in the photo! Mr. Phillips is in the front center, alongside Huntsville artist Lee Jamison, the owner of the Bone Home, George Boone, and the aforementioned Anina Moore.

Following the Bone Home tour, we made our way to the Kellogg-Pritchett House, where Mary Laura Gibbs offered a wonderful tour.

The foyer, Victorian parlor, and Gazebo room were the highlights, although the top-secret attic is always a treat. Adding to the pleasantness and education of the evening was the presence of Lee Jamison, who did much of the artwork in the “KP” house. In particular, he did Gazebo room, which is painted in mural fashion as though it were an actual gazebo, replete with sky-views, vine-covered lattice, and the obligatory animals (e.g., hummingbird) attracted to foliage. The artwork also gave participants a chance to search for these animals, including the Texas-themed butterfly, seven-legged spider (said, Lee Jamison: “I’m an artist not a mathematician!”), and red, white, and blue snake.

And Constance enjoyed the photographic possibilities of the parlor.

As SHSU students, it was also helpful to learn about “Professor Joe Pritchett,” who owned the home, and who was the Dean of Students for more than three decades. Interestingly, he rode his horse to school until the 1930s.

With a fond farewell, to the KP house and its four porches…

…we headed to the Wynne Home, where we enjoyed their community art exhibit and heard from Ms. Moore about the work of the Texas Commission on the Arts.

The food, prepared by Sharon Rose, and sponsored by the Friends of the Wynne, was wonderful! It contributed greatly to everyone’s cheerful time:

The heART of Huntsville program brought many wonderful people together, and it was an amazing opportunity to learn more about art, artistic venues, local artists, and the community in general.

The heART of Huntsville will be offered again next year in September and October.

Livability, Sustainability, and Architectural Ability: LEAP Center sees Dan Phillips’ Work

The LEAP Center Ambassadors finished their summer they way we began it: by making learning fun. In May we headed to Austin for a fun-packed week learning about campaigning. Today, we went on a Phoenix Commotion Tour, seeing about 15 great homes built by Dan Phillips.

Dan Phillips runs Phoenix Commotion, a building company that emphasizes sustainability, recycling, and thinking differently. The result is approximately 20 homes in the Huntsville area that have the Dan Phillips’ look: small in size, unusual building materials, and character.

Taking a step further, the result is also, at least in some areas, transformative.

But that’s only part of the treat. Phillips is also fun to listen to.

He is a former Dance professor, a designer, and a builder. He brings a different eye to the world of home-construction, and his different outlook is apparent from his building philosophy. How many builders do you know, for example, who quote Plato? According to Phillips, you transform things by using the “space between your ears.”

Phillips doesn’t necessarily begin with a grand and detailed design in mind. He begins with a general concept, and then sees where materials and tinkering take him. He uses about 80% recycled materials for his homes, and he finds objects that can be employed to form organic patterns of the most interesting sort. Want an interesting ceiling? Use photo frames back-to-back-to-back to cover the ceiling.

Want interesting siding? Use corks. Want interesting windows? Use relish plates of various colors.

Unlike “starchitects” who come up with a grand design and minute detail ahead of time, Phillips prefers to let the process guide him somewhat. This process also contradicts, as previously mentioned, the ideas of Plato, who argued that reality suffers next to the abstract. Only in the abstract, argued Plato, can perfection be achieved. Once an idea is executed, imperfections occur. For Plato, art was even worse being two degrees removed from the abstract. Not so for Phillips, who allows patterns and experience help guide ideas, achieving a reality that might not have been thought of out of thin air.

Our tour of Phillips’ homes brought some of those concepts to life. We began at the “Bone Home,” so named for the many bones that constitute the home. If there’s a handle, it’s probably a bone. There’s also the bone furniture , which probably won’t be found in the Sears Home section.

The Bone Home demonstrates Phillips’ talent for making everyday objects into a pattern that is pleasing to the eye and, as Phillips notes, “the human spirit.” He can use corks, bottle caps, glass, stone shards, or just about anything to create an interesting look.

We also visited the art studio, which contained a bone chandelier…

…and learned about the animating spirit of Phillips’ work.

From there, we visited the tree house. This 320 square foot home, built 35 feet above Town Creek, was probably the consensus favorite. This property actually consists of the tree house, a studio, and a “cottage.” Compared to the cottage (280 square feet), the tree house looks giant.

The whole complex has the look of a compound, and the front of the area and the trees surrounding the property pretty well obscure the tree house, the most photogenic of the buildings. But once you enter the gate to the property, you are led on a walkway that takes you to the tree-house which, despite its small size, is actually a two-story structure.

In the middle of the bottom floor, you’ll find a window that will purportedly hold 350 pounds, a claim no one was eager to test.

Phillips explained more of his philosophy from the tree-house’s art studio, which is about 1,000 square feet.

Following the tree house, we did a driving tour of Phillips’ homes in Huntsville: the beer can house, the storybook house, the courtyard house, and others, before touring one more home interior. Although this home has no catchy name as far as we know, it had a really cool door so, clever group that we are, will call it the “cool-door home.” The door is actually made from printing equipment that Phillips obtained from SHSU.

Cool Door of the "Cool-Door Home" — Cool Door of the “Cool-Door Home”

The tour was a great way to learn more about the community, and meet community leaders. In addition to us students, Dr. Keri Rogers and her husband, Chuck Mize; Dr. Bill Hyman and Carol Hyman; Brenda McNeely, Toni Abshire, Jean Loveall, Stephanie Fors were all on hand.

It was a great way to close out the summer and transition to the fall, gearing us up for using that “space between our ears.”

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