Asides

A Day on the SHMM Grounds

Throughout the summer, the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library offers “Spotlight Saturday” programs (10am-2pm), with each one highlighting different aspects of 19th century life.

This past Saturday, LEAP enjoyed one of our many visits to the Museum to learn about spinning, home-made ice cream as made during Sam Houston’s time, and the art of dueling, an interestingly complex artifact of another time.

The ice-cream, always a significant draw, wasn’t quite ready when we arrived, so we walked the Museum’s grounds (approximately 18 acres), enjoying this rustic retreat nestled in the heart of the community. There were waterfowl…

…squirrels, and turtles, including one that had a special need for attention.

When we returned, they were still churning the ice cream.

So, we ventured into the gift shop, which, in many ways, is a typical gift shop for a historical site. There are t-shirts, mugs, magnets, and the like.

But a few things distinguish the Wigwam Neosho. They have a nice book collection, including one written by Mac Woodward, one illustrated by Wade Dillon, and one written by an assemblage of students and staff, as well the excellent Houston biography written by James Haley. Moreover, Neosho has soap and pottery made on the Museum grounds, a nice touch.

We purchased one, this one made by Grady Mangum, who worked at SHSU.

Some of the bowls were a good size for ice-cream, but as it turns out, the ice cream wasn’t yet ready.

Accordingly, we checked out the spinning, which drew a full house.

After roaming the historic buildings on site…

…we managed to catch the leadup to one of the docents’ dueling sessions.

Phillips discussed some of the preparation work…

…including showing off the weapons used (which are also on display in the Museum).

Tim Ross and Matt Phillips discussed the finer points of dueling “etiquette,” which involved the use of seconds/mediaries, how to extricate yourself from an impending duel, and the negotiations over the specifications of the duel (weapon choice, number of paces). Timed for exactly “high noon,” the duel took place in front of us; Ross and Phillips did a realistic enactment of the contest–without, of course, real bullets–taking their paces, aiming, and firing, and without hurting anyone.

With the suspense over and the heat of the day bearing down, we turned back to the porch for ice cream. Unfortunately, it wasn’t ready.

After more than two hours on the grounds and feeling the heat and the pangs of hunger, we prepared to leave, having enjoyed the structures, the nature, and the gift shop, albeit without the ice cream.

Discovering the Dizzying Magic of “Vertigo” at Houston’s River Oaks Theatre

By Brian Aldaco

In classic LEAP fashion current students and LEAP alumni joined forces in Houston for a viewing of one of Hollywood’s most celebrated films, Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. The screening is part of The Summer of Hitchcock, a joint literary venture between Brazos Bookstore and River Oaks Theatre.

As part of this summer project, Houston-area Hitchcock fans are invited to read “The Lady Vanishes,” “Vertigo,” and “Psycho,” and watch the film adaptations directed by the Master of Suspense at the newly re-opened River Oaks Theatre.

With its glistening art deco marquee, this 1939 theatre is nestled on West Grey St. in one of the most emblematic Houston neighborhoods, for which the theatre is named. Following a post-pandemic closure of the theatre, which many Houston area cinephiles feared would be permanent (this writer included), the theater finally re-opened last October. While it retained its screening of classic, contemporary, and independent movies, the interior has been renovated to adapt to the new movie-goer expectations, while also offering seat-side meal service.


For most of the group members that joined us at the showing, it was our first time watching this adaptation of Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac’s French novel “D’entre les morts” (“Among the Dead”). Released in 1958, Vertigo follows a mysterious investigation led by a recently retired San Francisco detective. Tasked by an old college friend to follow his wife who is feared to be obsessively replicating the actions of a mysterious ancestor, the former detective, played by Jimmy Stewart, along with the equally intrigued audience, tour the city of San Francisco while trailing the college friend’s wife, played by Kim Novak.

The film has been widely praised, and in fact, was ranked as the greatest film of all time in a 2012 poll of international film critics (it “slipped” to #2 in 2022). Nonetheless, the craftsmanship managed to impress and surprise. In Hitchcockian fashion, the narrative is told through expertly orchestrated POV and over-the-shoulder shots, evoking a sense of voyeurism of which the movie’s protagonist extensively takes part in throughout his investigation.

The film showcases the costume design of Hollywood legend Edith Head, which complements the equally impressive cinematography of Robert Burkes, whose striking use of color film stock (and color theory), impressive panoramas of San Francisco and San Francisco Bay, and a subjective camera contribute to the film’s beauty and psychological themes.

Such cinematic feats are perhaps most famously illustrated by the “Vertigo Zoom,” engineered by second-unit cameraman Irmin Roberts. Ask by Hitchcock to create a visual metaphor for the protagonist’s vertigo, Roberts used a subjective camera (from Stewart’s perspective) and dollied the camera toward the ground level of a staircase while simultaneously zooming the lens out (or away) from the ground level.

This effect has since been used in countless films, most famously in “Jaws,” “Goodfellas,” and “The Lord of the Rings.”

Vertigo, as with many of Hitchcock’s works, is a testament to the range of emotions that can be transmitted to an audience through stellar acting, a vivid imagination, and plethoric cinematic techniques implemented by an auteur director with a clear vision.

The whole experience reminds the viewer that this piece of cinematic literature deserves contemplation in a proper movie theatre. In the Houston of 2025, Star-Cinema-Grill owned or not, it’s difficult to think of a better site than River Oaks Theatre, and even more difficult to think of a better group of people with whom to see it.

An Opening Reception to Remember: Elkins Artisans at Wynne Home Arts and Visitor Center

by Olivia Discon

On July 8, 2025, the Wynne Home Arts and Visitor Center–a pillar in the Huntsville community for the arts–hosted an opening reception for its newest art exhibit featuring a local art group known as “Elkins Artisans”. The gallery features 13 local artists from the Elkins Lake community–and a variety of mediums at that!

One of the artists, Jeannie Boyle, commanded the room with a brief opening statement about the group and the important work they do to support the arts in the Elkins Lake and Huntsville community. Many of the artists are good friends with one another, some are even related or married! This goes to show that community engagement and the arts go hand in hand.

Each artist in attendance took turns discussing how they entered the art world, the kind of work they do, and most interestingly, why they love what they do! It was really fun to see each of the artists emerge from the audience and light up at the chance to speak about their work. Some do it as a hobby, and others, professionally. Nevertheless, each had a unique story to tell. 

Donna Coulter is a ceramicist who got her start into pottery on a Groupon deal. From that point on, she cites that experience as a turning point in her life. On the piano in the gallery, Coulter had 10 pieces on display–inspired by an Australian ceramics class. 

Mike Gaultz, a wood turner, had a lovely set of bowls on display. So lovely, in fact, some were immediately sold 15 minutes into the event! The patron was visibly proud of his newest piece of art.

An artist that stood out to many was Gale Pruitt and her work called “Life’s Just a Game Anyway”. The bronze sculpture features a mirror image of two women looking into a reflection of how they perceive themselves. While that was thought-provoking in and of itself, she also noted that they were both standing on a checkerboard floor, as life is just a game anyways!

There were several watercolor artists featured in the gallery–Mary Wolfskill, Pat Fekete, Tonia Brown, Jeannie and Bill Boyle. While each artist was definitely distinct from one another, they individually expressed a relative sense of enjoyment with the medium and the ability to experiment with it.

Among the oil paintings, I have to say Barri Green’s Jazz Singer was my favorite piece. The expression on the musician’s face was very realistic and filled with emotion. It’s hard to articulate other than I found it extremely refreshing and visually appealing.

There were also some incredible pieces in oil paint from Trish Roberts and Betty Liles. Macey enjoyed Betty’s painting of the cattle that hung on the mantle.

Randy Carlson, a gemologist and gemstone artist, specializes in the official cut of Texas, known as the Lone Star Cut. He also took the time to educate Macey on the official gemstone of Texas, which is Blue Topaz for any curious readers. After the remarks, Randy did a demo of the Lone Star Cut for those who were curious about the process. While we only saw a piece of the puzzle, I could only imagine how intricate and time consuming this process might be! 

In all, this event was fabulous. It not only served as a gathering place to celebrate the efforts of a local art group, but it also provided a sense of pride to Huntsville by extension of the community they’ve built. It was an opportunity to meet new people, connect with old friends, and feel good about the good things going on in our community.

I would highly recommend you check out this exhibit at the Wynne Home, which will be on display until September.

A Personal Journey Through Austin’s Cultural Gems

by Olivia Discon

Now, with my professional excursions at the Capitol finally coming to a close, I tried to make the most of my time in the state’s capital. It wouldn’t be a good LEAP experience if I hadn’t tried to make the most of my time. 

With it being Juneteenth, it only made sense to begin with the state capitol’s Texas African American History Memorial by Ed Dwight. It is not only a beautiful statue, but a thought provoking one. 

A Tour of University of Texas Campus

There’s no denying that UT’s campus is beautiful. But I don’t think I fully appreciated just how stunning it is until this visit. I knew they had a strong art presence, but I didn’t realize just how much until I found out there are five different suggested paths for an art walk. The variety alone is sort of insane.

I cherry-picked some of the pieces that I wanted to ensure I saw before I left, being that I couldn’t decide on a path. 

Indeed, the theme for this part of the day was indecision.

I started at the Littlefield Fountain, which I learned will be part of a larger beautification effort to emulate the National Mall in D.C. One detail I especially loved: the statue of Athena was commissioned by a former UT Regent and sculpted by Pompeo Coppini—the same artist who designed Sam Houston’s grave in Huntsville. And no, I’m still not done talking about Huntsville.

What I liked most about this was that closer to the Main Building Tower, there is a statue of George Washington staring directly across to the Texas Capitol. Talk about a well-intentioned plan!

As I kept walking, I saw pieces by Mark di Suvero, Charles Umlauf (more on him later), and Willard Boepple, all of which added to the sense that this campus is part gallery, part institution.

I made my way over to the UT Law School. While I couldn’t go inside, I stumbled upon something unexpected: a statue of the school’s longest-serving dean—sculpted by none other than David Adickes! It was a comforting, serendipitous moment.

 The law school path is no joke, and with so much uncertainty, taking the LSAT can feel like this unsurmountable force that tests your capabilities as an intellectual. I am trying to let that feeling pass, and focus on what matters, which is my commitment to serving and learning in everything I do. It might be a grueling path, but I imagine it’s a meaningful one. And while the statue couldn’t talk, I took it as a gentle nudge to keep pushing forward.

Taquero Mucho Austin

I do have a weird affinity for the color pink—but even I wasn’t prepared for Taquero Mucho. This place is very pink. It came highly recommended by a former LEAP ambassador, and after seeing it in Texas Highways, I had to give it a try.

I started with a flight of salsas (all good), paired with a slightly-magenta Jamaica, and went with a taco wrapped in a pink tortilla and a side of elote.

I thought it was pretty good, and definitely really pink. 

Umlauf Sculpture Garden

This was, without question, one of the highlights of the trip. I hadn’t really heard of Charles Umlauf before spotting one of his pieces near UT Law, but after that, I was curious. The garden itself is tucked away in a quiet, green pocket of the city, and it just works so well with his style—there’s something peaceful about seeing his sculptures in a setting that doesn’t compete for your attention.

What I noticed almost immediately was how many of his figures seem to be looking upward—heads tilted, eyes cast toward the sky.

I’d seen that same pose earlier in The Family near the Business School and The Torch Bearers on campus (which also had smaller versions here in the garden). I couldn’t tell exactly what it meant, but there was clearly some intention behind it. It felt reflective, maybe even spiritual, though it wasn’t heavy-handed.

Some of my favorites were The Kiss, Prometheus, and The Poetess—each had its own tone, but they all fit into the broader theme of searching or reaching toward something. I found out later that Umlauf taught at UT for decades and leaned into themes like faith, human connection, and morality, so maybe that upward gaze wasn’t accidental after all.

Toward the end of my visit, I saw one statue that broke the pattern. Instead of looking up, this figure was looking down—almost like she was weighed down by something. She wasn’t in the center of the garden but off to the side near the parking lot, which made the whole thing feel even more intentional. It stood out, so I checked the placard—and of course, it was Eve with Apple.

I couldn’t help but feel giddy about that.. I’m not claiming to have “decoded” anything profound, but it was one of those moments that made the visit so pleasant to me.

There’s something satisfying about taking things in slowly and letting your mind wander a bit. I didn’t expect to enjoy the Umlauf Garden as much as I did, but it turned out to be exactly the kind of quiet, thoughtful stop I didn’t know I needed.