Stomping Grounds

We all have our stomping grounds. Those places that are near and dear to our hearts, that we know like the back of our hand.  The Art Museum of South Texas is that for me.  I have worked there on and off for….gosh, a very long time.  I started there as a drama teacher and gradually developed as an artist enough to offer art classes as well.

Now days, I am their go-to girl when the regular art teacher for the kids program (who used to be a student of mine, can you believe it?!) has something come up.  I love keeping a foot in the door there.

Recently I spent the day there with my friend (and blogging buddy)  Rosemary.  Rosemary and I love to meet for lunch and as luck would have it, we had an extra bit of time to visit so we had a bite to eat, caught up, and admired the view.

These pictures were taken from the observation deck that looks out over Corpus Christi Bay.

It isn’t uncommon for dolphins to feed and play in the bay when the water is warm enough.  And although it is nearly winter here, the weather is still mild enough to wear shorts and sandals most any day.

See the dolphin to the right of the shrimp boat above?  Awesome, huh?

The picture below is taken from inside the museum’s art studio where I usually teach. It was taken in October during a class with a bunch of first graders.  The class came to a halt when the tanker passed by.  It was almost like a giant suddenly walked by the window.  I was happy to stop the class. The large studio window suddenly felt like animated abstract paintings.

The art museum itself is a master piece. Designed by two architects (Phillip Johnson in the 70’s and Legorreta and Legorreta ’06) decades apart. It is a feast for the eyes.  The slide show below is virtual tour presented as a proposal for the building addition. It is kind of fun to check out and includes some of the museum’s permanent collection.