An Unconventional Woman

This was my second visit to Formosa, the late 19th Century art studio of sculptor Elisabet Ney, located in Austin's Hyde Park neighborhood.

Free, completely fascinating look back at European and Texan history.

And a chance to learn about a woman who defied the mores of her time and eventually influenced the course of Texan history.

Formosa is fun, too.  One can (and I did) climb to the small tower room on the narrowest spiral staircase.

Texas Women, The Walking Stick: From The Round Top Excursion

The gentleman in the top photo is Harrell Hough.


I photographed him in the Big Red Barn, at his stall, part of the Round Top antiques fair.

I went to the fair for the photo references, the food and the company.  Didn't think I'd be buying anything.

But I fell for a contemporary piece of folk art, a walking stick crafted from a found branch and inscribed with the names and deeds of heroic/notable/infamous/outrageous Texas women.

The stick reminds me of this Ry Cooder song.

(Couldn't find a really good performance of it available on the web, but if you click on the lyrics, you can read the song.

I did find this song.  Second half here.  One of my favorites.  Reminds me of home.)

According to Harrell, a man named Rob makes them--and other Texas topic sticks--for spending money.

The sticks have different themes, like music, women, particular Texas cities.  Rob signs and dates the sticks; mine is Rob '10.

Harrell sells them out of San Antonio and they are also available in Austin, at a store on South Congress (sorry, I've misplaced the card). 

The photo below is my new stick, hanging out with two Warhol umbrellas (freebies from a fun Warhol showing a few years ago).  The names and deeds on the stick comprise a history of/ education in Texas, up to present day.  Just a few:  "Flag Maker - Sarah Bradley Dobson; Henrietta King - South Texas Rancher; Cynthia Ann Parker - captured by Comanches . . . Emily Morgan - free black 'Yellow Rose of Texas' - Santa Anna's mistress was Houston's spy . . . ."