Executive Director City by the Sea Museum Palacios
Traveling along I-35S as a young adult was always one of the most boring drives.
There was nothing to do or see.
Or at least that’s how it felt at the time.
I’ve been coming down to Palacios for the last 15 years or so, and am now a permanent resident.
Over the years, I’ve realized how rich this county is.
Not just in its natural beauty, but in its burgeoning arts and culture scene as well.
Originally from Houston, I have been involved in the arts scene since 2007, when I was an art history student at University of Houston.
I landed my first internship at Lawndale Art Center and from there, I got a job working at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) in their gift shop.
From that position as a store associate, I saw the outer workings of a world-class art museum from a variety of different departments.
Upon graduating from UH with honors, I took the advice of my thesis advisor, Dr. Rex Koontz (still a part of my circle to this day), and applied, and got accepted, to the art history program at University of Essex in Colchester, UK.
While across the pond, I not only honed my academic skills, I traveled around seeing every major exhibition and art installation I could.
I graduated from Essex with distinction and found myself in a curatorial position at the MFAH upon my return home.
It was not the most fulfilling job, as it certainly wasn’t what I was expecting (it’s really not as glamorous as it is made out to be).
However, I learned so much about the inner workings of a museum during my time in this position.
How exhibitions were put together, how fundraisers were created, how memberships operated, how boards and committees worked, and how to take something from idea to concrete reality.
In 2018, I moved to Palacios and am now the executive director of City by the Sea Museum.
I have since met several people who infuse this county with artistic energy, witnessed public art taking shape, and I have become a frequent audience member of CAST theater productions all of which continue to display such great talent.
There’s so much potential to be had!
One of my goals for the City by the Sea Museum is to bring more art to our county.
And I have done that by curating exhibitions that focus on county artists and art inspired by our county.
Last year, I curated a photography and art exhibition that highlighted the bond between people and their pets in Dog Days of Matagorda County.
This year, we opened our upstairs gallery with an exhibition of husband and wife duo, Gaddis Geeslin and Gene Smith Geeslin (a Bay City native).
And, perhaps my favorite exhibition so far - Coming Home: Paintings by Forrest Bess.
And there’s more in the pipeline!
Watch this column as I explore the arts and culture of our county.
I will be interviewing artists, movers and shakers, sharing reviews of exhibitions, and taking you behind-the-scenes of building an arts community that puts us on the map as an arts destination on the coast.