Marfa, Texas

I recently returned from a wonderful trip that I shared with a group of Houston area artists (Art Chatter) to Marfa, Texas. We had a group show, 596 Miles, at Buidling 98. 

This was a journey - a life-changing experience, to say the least.  I was going to write about our adventures, but decided there is no way to really capture how profound even the smallest bug crossing our path was, so I just wrote a poem instead... oh, and for more coverage, an extensive slide show and video below.


Marfa

I fell in love
with your sleepy streets
your one stoplight intersection
no rush hour
no schedule
just a note on the door
"decided to close for a few days"

at the Paesano Hotel
wine glasses clink
laughter lifts
from the patio
people drifting
in and out

abandoned adobe homes
sit and wait for a dreamer
an artist
a partially crazy one
with deep pockets
and dusty, rolled-up sleeves

sweet air
brushes the lush desert
flower bouquets dance
with grasses in the wind
tall stalks stand erect
from spiky succulents
promising to bloom
their white-honeyed aromas

framed by intense, blue skies
mountains sun
in panoramic views
while floating clouds drape
huge shadows upon their faces
and birds fly
as they sing to them

crisp buildings
house Chinati art
monuments to creativity
cavernous rooms
reveal copper, steal
and fluorescent bulbs
concrete boxes
sit heavy
on the outside grounds

unnatural lights move strangely
in the night sky
a billion heavenly bodies
shine above them
reminding star gazers
of their smallness
of the greatness
their connection to
magic, mystery
and love

This video is one of our gatherings at the gracious Barbara Tennant's home - Marfaview.  Thank you Barbara, for your warm welcome to us all, and especially for those of us we were most fortunate to stay in your lovely home.