Interview by Ty Hall

Have you ever been Gobsmacked? Utterly astonished and astounded?  On April 6 you have an opportunity to explore what it means to be “Gobsmacked” through an evening of modern dance, music, food and wine presented by Brooke Schlecte and Waco’s Out on a Limb Dance Company.   

Out on a Limb

L. Brooke Schlecte, founder and artistic director of Out on a Limb Dance Company, was born and raised in Waco, Texas. After graduating from Reicher Catholic High School in 1999, she attended Kilgore Junior College, where she performed with the world-famous Kilgore College Rangerettes.  After graduating from Kilgore in 2001, she continued her dance education at the University of Texas in Austin where she graduated with honors in 2003 with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance.  “I have always danced. It has always been a part of me.” Says Brooke, “It has continued to guide me, teach me, excite me, challenge me, and keep me curious. I just keep searching and digging for the areas I love most and the ideas I want to explore with choreography.”

Schlecte graduated with a Master’s of Fine Arts in Dance from TWU in 2007.  That same year she moved back home to Waco and founded Out On A Limb Dance Company.  Since its formation, Out On a Limb Dance Company (OOLD) has choreographed and performed across the nation, including Texas, Oklahoma, California, and New York.

Schlecte and Out on a Limb bring the dynamic element of modern dance to Waco’s coalescing arts scene. According to their website, “OOLD is passionate about investigating new ways of thinking about movement and dance-making, without abandoning the rich traditions of formal dance. We believe that the creative mind and body at every age is intuitive and worth sharing with others, therefore, we aspire to redefine the body in motion and propose a new model for dance in the community of Waco and beyond.”  

But how does all that lead to being gobsmacked?

In the winter of 2018 Schlecte discovered and quickly immersed herself in an ancient tool for self-exploration that is enjoying a renaissance in recent years — the Enneagram.  The Enneagram — from the Greek words “ennéa,” meaning “nine” and “grámma,” meaning something “written” – helps us understand the human psyche by mapping and explaining nine interconnected personality types.

Through the healing and journey brought about by studying the Enneagram, Schlecte realized she uses the art of dance to develop understanding, clarity, healing, and as an agent for change. She found she feels strength in this space because it is the thing in her life that is risky and “out on a limb” and somehow that risk balances her other, more safe, way of living. 

In the process of developing Gobsmacked, she began collaborating with dancers, musicians, costume designers, photographers and videographers and very quickly a small dream percolated into the giant vision that you will have the chance to experience on April 6.  

Gobsmacked is about the beauty that lies in the deep, unearthed cervices of our being. It is about finding the people around you who are willing to show you who you are and see who you really are. Finding the unmasked self is scary and sometimes ugly. When we pull off the veil it is easy to feel gobsmacked. 

Brooke and her company have been developing Gobsmacked for the last two years.

What’s the creative process that leads to a “Gobsmacked?”

“My creative process as a choreographer changes with each new project,” says Schlecte. “So many variables influence me: life situation, time, money, how many dancers I have, how the dancers engage in the process, music, or music collaboration, concept, vision, venue, and audience (probably more things). 

“So, I gather what I know about what I have and what my vision is and start there. Improvisation and collaboration with dancers and musicians really help create the pallet of the movement language and from there usually a story unfolds (abstract or not). I try hard to follow the piece without imposing insecurities or judgements and really let the dance live for a while.  We take lots of videos and have many discussions about the piece that is unfolding.”

“From there, it really is all about editing, feedback, refining, and clarifying dynamics that really bring the piece to life.  During the process a lot of context questions get answered: where are we, who are we, what do we see, what are we wearing, what world do we live in, what is our relationship to each other, what are the sounds, and finally how would we name this world (i.e. dance title).”

“In my opinion, modern dance is the dance form that keeps asking questions, keeps evolving, and allows the choreographer and performers to grow and flourish with each new dance process. It is a dance form that has the human experience in mind. We are not just dancers pretending to be dancers. We are people, moving, exploring and understanding a movement language and creating new ideas with it.”

“Modern Dance is a form that has infinite ways of developing when each person interacts in the process. I love how modern dance is never the same, there is never a code to follow, there is less good vs. bad in measuring dance, and more of a life-long process. I believe that no dance is every really finished. There are times that products are presented to the audience, but there are always more places to explore and dig in each piece.”

How to see Gobsmacked…

You can get tickets to Gobsmacked here: Tickets.  You can learn more about Out On A Limb Dance from their website: www.outonalimbdance.com or Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/outonalimbdancecompany/.  “The show has something for everyone,” says Schlecte, “with food, drinks, dance, theatrical elements and music.  I really try to create an experience that is new and engaging with one that is comfortable in familiar.”

What’s next for Schlecte and Out On a Limb?

“I am completely consumed in Gobsmacked and cannot think about anything else at the moment,” says Schlecte. “And after this show, it will be a process of recovery and reflection. My plans are to not force my next idea or what that concept will be. But, I do know that I want to do something like Gobsmacked again in the future.  Gobsmacked has probably been the most fun creative experience so far and I very much intend doing it again.

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This post based on an interview conducted by Ty Hall. Ty Hall lives in Texas, makes up stories, and tries to be good.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

By Bradi Zapata

The holiday season is quickly approaching, which means it’s time to start stuffing stockings and wrapping presents. This year, get creative by giving a gift that helps Waco’s artistic and cultural community flourish. A number of local arts organizations offer memberships, local art and fundraising projects that make great presents for the art fanatic on any shopping list. Here are a few Waco treasures that’ll look great wrapped in a glimmering bow and placed under the tree.

1. Local Art

Local art may be slightly challenging to wrap in decorative paper, but with ample sizes, colors, textures and techniques, there’s a piece for any wall needing a revamp. Purchase local art at a variety of places including Anthem Studios on Franklin Avenue, Christi’s Interiors on Austin Avenue, Cultivate 7Twelve on Austin Avenue, Dichotomy Coffee & Spirits on Austin Avenue, Interior Glow on Franklin Avenue, Klassy Glass on Austin Avenue, Stanton Studios on Rogers Hill Road, Studio Gallery on West Waco Drive, The Art Center of Waco’s traveling exhibition and The Findery on South Eighth Street.

2. Cultivate 7Twelve Membership

Since its opening in 2017, Cultivate 7Twelve gallery and event venue has helped further curate a fine arts audience in Waco. Cultivate offers two membership programs: Sower and Culturist. Sower memberships begin at $12 a month and provide one, three and six month payment options. The membership benefits include 15 percent off prints and notecards, two reserved seats at “Cocktails with the Curator,” a newsletter with special event information and access to exclusive events. Culturist memberships begin at $35 a month and also provide one, three and six month payment options. Culturist members receive all the benefits from the Sower membership, an exclusive back patio party every First Friday, 20 percent off all classes and workshops, reserved seating at “Sound Sessions,” 20 percent off “Palette” Art-to-Table dinners and discounted pricing when renting spaces. More information is available at waco7twelve.com.

3. Waco 52 Playing Cards

Waco 52 began in 2017 as an art exhibition in Austin, Texas, which showcased the talents of 52 artists from Waco and McLennan County. After the exhibition, the pieces were printed on decks of playing cards, many showcasing signature people and locations in Waco like Doris Miller and the Alico Building. Waco 52 allows residents to hold a piece of home in the palm of their hands and take it with them wherever they go. Retailing for $19.99, Waco 52 playing cards can be purchased at locations including Common Grounds, Dr Pepper Museum, Cultivate 7Twleve and Interior Glow. All proceeds go toward the growth and development of the creative sector in Waco. Purchase them online and see the full list of retailers at Creativewaco.org/Waco 52.

4. Waco Symphony Orchestra Tickets

One of the oldest arts organizations in Waco, the Waco Symphony Orchestra enriches the local creative community by bringing live classical music to Central Texas. Conductor Stephen Heyde leads performances, working with musicians from Waco and surrounding cities. Performances following the holidays include Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Martinez, the Waco Symphony Orchestra, Henry Winkler, and Haeun and Hayoung Moon, a talented brother-sister duo from a Waco-area high school. Tickets to all season concerts and special events are available at wacosymphony.org.

5. Waco Civic Theatre Membership

Waco Civic Theatre provides the heart of Texas with a wide range of theatrical productions and a platform for education. The theater produces six main stage productions each season, including classic dramas, Broadway musicals and comedies. 2018-2019 season memberships begin at $85 and are valid until May 20, 2019. If purchased before Nov. 8, the membership includes admission to “Once,” “Steel Magnolias,” “Shakespeare in Love,” and “Mamma Mia.” Individual performance tickets start at $16. Waco Civic Theatre also produces Season Extras and Children’s Theatre performances. More information is available at Wacocivictheatre.org.

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Bradi Zapata has been working with Creative Waco as the Marketing and PR intern since May. She is a senior at Baylor University majoring in Public Relations and minoring in Business Administration. She has a passion for writing, marketing, designing and photographing, because these platforms share the unique stories of inspirational individuals. Bradi has enjoyed being a part of Waco’s flourishing creative community, as it is continually growing, adapting and thriving.

(The current exhibit at local art and culture hot spot Cultivate 712 is called “Writing on the Wall.”  It features the street art of world-renowned, anonymous street artist “Banksy,” specifically his/her installation “Haight Street Rat: This is where I draw the line” in addition to artwork by Waco and Central Texas artists.  Bringing the work of this famous/infamous street artist to town made us wonder about the state of street art in Waco.  Steve Veracruz of the Central Texas Artist Collective (CTAC) agreed to dig into it a little for us.  Thanks for writing, Steve! The “Writing on the Wall” exhibit is free and open to the public during Cultivate 7Twelve’s open hours until Saturday Nov. 17.) – ALW)

By Steve Veracruz

Street art is not new to Waco.  Sometimes it seems like street art and graffiti styles fill up any place resembling wall space. There is a fine line between calling graffiti “street art” and actual works of art. It all depends where you draw the line I suppose.

There really are no boundaries when it comes to street art because the actual environment becomes the canvas. Street art can be about the statement…a street artist has something to say and it will be revealed on a grand scale, with a touch of controversy perhaps.  But, that is not always the case. It may also be about reflecting a particular area with some visual form of identity.

One particularly talented individual in Waco with experience in street art goes by the name Skcoobaveli. He has created outstanding works of art everywhere, from bridges to buildings. He is also one of Waco’s famed tattooists, as well as the winner to one of CTAC’s special art exhibitions!

Skcoobaveli acknowledges the many street and graffiti artists before him.  Building on that, he hopes to create a brand known for its tasteful qualities. Businesses have reached out to him to help encourage traffic through the attraction of his art.

Skcoobaveli explains that areas with the less attractive graffiti and even vulgarity are mere places for practice. They are places where adolescent behavior grows into work to be shared, for the people.  He also noted that sometimes a wall becomes a space for something amazing to be created…a legacy gets left behind.

“It feeds the soul to be remembered,” says Skcoobaveli. “Keeps the Ghost alive. And without ghost to chase, Scooby Doo wouldn’t have a job.  Feed the memory. Be a ghost chaser. Spread the stories. RIP Benjamin Franklin, may I always have you in my pockets, close by.”

Sal Valesco is another former street artist in Waco. He has seen and worked with some Waco’s street art pioneers. His take on the movement is to recognize its value. It truly exercises the right of free speech, given it is done properly.

“To me the street art in a city always gives me a reading,” explains Sal, “like a pulse of what’s happening in that city.” Sal understands the necessary information that street art can reveal. It can promote style, politics, and more importantly, culture.

Since his street art days, Sal has taken his skills to the next level and created his own company, Epitome.  Through Epitome he provides advertising and marketing for many of the sprouting local businesses waking up in Waco. His once hidden designs developed while decorating the street under the cover of night, now help businesses explain and promote their identity.

Sal likes a quote from soccer star, Pele, “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” “Those words couldn’t be more true,” says Sal. I’m looking forward to embarking on this new venture and to putting our best foot forward. Follow @epitome_tx to keep up with our new projects and to get more info.” (#epitome)

Any form of art continues to generate, encourage, influence, and plant the seeds for so much more we have not yet seen. I feel absolutely honored to be able to work with so much of Waco’s talent so far. The best quote to take us out with is, “We have not seen anything yet!”

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Steve Veracruz is Co-founder and communicator for Central Texas Artist Collective. He is a multimedia artist and strong advocate for collaborative success. He likes to say, “No big accomplishments are created alone, and our city is on the way.”  For more information about the Central Texas Artist Collective (CTAC) email [email protected] .

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

As the hot summer of 2018 comes to an end, we reflect on our adventures in the growing arts community and look at what’s coming for the fall months.

In June, Central Texas Artist Collective (CTAC) kicked off the summer by creating the BLACK BOLD exhibition. It was featured at the Juneteenth Family Fun Day event. We asked the artists to create artwork that reflected on African American’s forgotten history through today’s Black Culture. The artistic visions from everyone’s point of view with historical accuracy through research and modern-day reflections were encouraged. The turn out was small, but the artwork was stunning.  Several pieces honored musicians like Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix, and local favorite, Byron Swan. There was pop style piece of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr that was created in bold hues of blue. One unique mixed media piece was created out of rice, beans, and lentils that depicted the portrait of the first female Buffalo Soldier, Cathey Williams. Another woman’s first piece was a tribute to the first female African American to receive a pilot’s license and was affectionately called Queen Bess. My favorite piece was a thoughtfully crafted Underground Railroad Code Quilt. Each square would safely guide the traveler to their destination and on to freedom. This exhibit created an educational experience that enhanced the Juneteenth celebration weekend and continued to be shown downtown at Klassy Glass, on Austin Ave. Our hope is that it would inspire or encourage viewers to continue discovering and to create their own artwork.

The comic and pop culture community continue to thrive and gain momentum in Texas. CTAC members travelled south to Austin, TX for the Greater Austin Comic-Con. If you have never been to this type of convention, you can expect to see attendees in the thousands fully embracing the vibe of the comic and pop culture environment. You will find a variety of original artwork by the creators themselves, fan art, crafts, costume designers, actors, cosplayers, and so much more. The best part for CTAC was holding space for a talented team of artists, known as Fan Addicts Waco. They have banded together to put their style of comic and pop art in front of viewers at GeekFest in Killeen, TX and at the Bell County Comic-Con in Belton, TX. Locally, the Fan Addicts Waco bunch holds art exhibits at Bare Arms Brewing, on LaSalle Ave. The current exhibit, which started September 15, features Anime fan art.

It was nice to give back to our community in July. Several CTAC members helped Doreen Ravenscroft of Waco Cultural Arts Festival, by providing face painting at McLane Stadium for the 4^th of July festivities. It was a lot of work and fun!

Then, First Friday in July, the Pop and Comic Art Exhibit opened at Cultivate7Twelve. This was the first time CTAC collaborated with Cultivate7Twelve to co-curate an art exhibit that took over the two downstairs gallery spaces. We had been talking about it since December; even though the curators changed several times. In the end, together we produced an exhibit to remember. While CTAC focused on new and emerging artists who have spent most of their lives creating comic art; Cultivate was able to reach more established artists to fill in the traditional pop style of art. Both coming together to create a vibrant experience for the senses.

Also, during the exhibiting month, CTAC featured Rachael Bryant, a multi-talented artist. She led a visual discussion on how to create POP and Comic Art Make-up for Cosplayers and everyday use. Rachel is a rare talent. Anything she can think of, she will find a way to create it. Over the past 3 years, we have seen Rachel use her Special FX artistry to create Superheroes and Villains, the Suicide Squad, and an estranged family trio of Gamora, Nebula, and Thanos.

We wrapped up this one-of-a-kind summer with another trip to Austin for the inaugural MexAmeriCon at the beautiful Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center. As the name entails, this event was specifically created to build up the LatinX comic and art community. Mexican Americans from all over Texas gathered at this convention to share, sell and promote their artwork or their upcoming adventures. Angie Veracruz spoke about what CTAC does for the new and emerging Artist and how the arts community in Waco has seen a renaissance of creativity throughout the City of Waco. She introduced the attending Artists for a panel discussion about their art, their passion to create, and where do they go from here. Concluded by a Q&A session lead by Steve Veracruz. Our day wrapped up with a live performance by Isis Lee.

Upcoming Events and Art Happenings you don’t want to miss!

• Sept & Oct – Independent art exhibits at Klassy Glass, curated by Deborah Reed-Propst
• Sept 15 through Sept 29 – 2^nd Annual Climate Change Art Exhibit Reception at the Waco Winery
• Sept 15 – Anime Exhibit at Bare Arms Brewery
• Oct 5, 6 , 7 – Waco Cultural Arts Fest at Indian Springs Park
• Oct 27 – Witchy Woman’s Whistle Fair 2018 at Whistle Stop in Crawford, TX

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Angie Veracruz is an intuitive artist who is influenced by the world around us and reflective insights. She is the mother of three beautiful girls and their biggest education advocate. She is also the Executive Director of Central Texas Artist Collective. She is a member of Texans for the Arts and an arts advocate in the making.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

By Luann Jennings

This fall Creative Waco, our local arts agency, will debut an eight-week course in business skills for visual, performing, and literary artists and arts students, along with three special professional development workshops.

The course is based on Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists, developed by Springboard for the Arts in St. Paul, Minnesota. I had the privilege of visiting St. Paul in July (where the high temperature was 83…) to be trained in the curriculum, and I’m excited to share it with Waco’s artists and creatives. I’ve been teaching arts business development and entrepreneurship for a number of years, and the Work of Art program is a terrific framework for starting your creative career or moving it forward. Springboard’s instructors have taught the Work of Art content “at arts organizations, libraries and colleges in over 80 communities in the Upper Midwest, and [it has been] replicated across the country by artists, arts organizations, and colleges and universities.”

The eight sessions will cover career and business planning, goal-setting and productivity, communicating about your work, pricing, record-keeping, legal issues, and more.

We’ll also hold three additional workshops using the Work of Art material. The first will be a free introductory session on Why Artists Need Business Skills, to help potential participants decide whether Work of Art is for them (date and location TBA).

Then, in November, we’ll hold two special workshops. On Saturday, November 3, we’ll cover Marketing, Branding, and Promotion; and on Friday evening, November 16, we’ll talk about Fundraising and Grantwriting, with a special emphasis on the Creative Waco AMP Grant and Texas Commission on the Arts grants. Those registered for the eight-week course may attend the Marketing and Fundraising workshops for free, but registration will also be open to those not enrolled in the course.

Work of Art will meet weekly beginning the week of September 23 and will conclude the week before Thanksgiving. Participants may attend either a morning or weeknight session. The days and location are still being decided, but if you want to learn more when we have the info, sign up for Creative Waco’s enewsletter, follow us on social media, or write to me at [email protected] and I’ll send you the info as soon as I have it.

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Luann Jennings is the Project Manager for Artist Professional Development at Creative Waco. She is a theatre director and has been working in arts leadership, entrepreneurship, and education for a long time. Luann and her husband Chuck, a jazz guitarist you can find playing locally, moved to Waco from New York City two years ago to invest in the arts community and cultural life here.

By Magen Davis

By the end of this summer, downtown Waco will be home to a new mural.  But unlike existing pieces in the area, this work of art will be crafted by an unlikely group of creatives: 10 Waco ISD high school students working alongside a team of professional artist mentors.

Here’s what you need to know:

• ArtPrenticeship is an internship program organized by Creative Waco, Prosper Waco and Waco ISD that will teach a group of 10 Waco ISD high school students, or apprentices, the ins and outs of managing a creative project.
• Four artist mentors will guide the apprentices from concept to completion, designing and painting a mural on the side of a newly completed building in downtown Waco.
• We’re in search of wage sponsors to serve as an accountability partner for performance throughout the summer and help provide compensation for each apprentice at the end of the program.

ArtPrenticeship has roots in the Cincinnati ArtWorks program that Waco leaders learned about on a Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce intercity visit in September 2017. ArtWorks employs professional artists and apprentices ranging from ages 14 to 21 to complete public art projects across Cincinnati, including hundreds of murals on the sides of buildings that are several stories tall.

Creative Waco has borrowed this model and shaped it to fit our own community. ArtPrenticeship is a unique opportunity for creative students to hone their artistic abilities while also learning professional skills necessary to thrive as an independent artist. Emphasis will be placed on safety while working on a mural jobsite, calculating costs, ordering materials, and the importance of collaboration and communication between artist, client and community.

The students will work between several sites across downtown Waco, with most time spent at the mural site at 315 University Parks Drive, the shopping strip next to Bicycle World.

For our program’s pilot year, the students were selected from a diverse pool of applicants through Prosper Waco and Waco ISD’s summer internship program. Two teaching artists and two assistant artists will guide the apprentices through the mural process. Between them are several years of teaching experience, as well as expertise in a wide range of artistic media, including mural installation and painting.

One goal of ArtPrenticeship is to pay all participating students a meaningful wage. Creative Waco has successfully secured wage sponsors for each apprentice at $600 per student. Sponsorships not only provide a financial reward for program completion, but also ensure accountability for their productivity throughout the program.

Creative Waco would like to extend a special thanks to our sponsors: Baylor Philanthropy, Cooper Foundation, Magnolia Foundation, Waco Public Improvement District (beautification grant), Mitchell Construction, Turner Behringer Development, Terry and Elaine Stevens, 1519LLC, and Langerman Foster Engineering. ArtPrenticeship would not be possible without the enthusiastic support and resources we’ve received from these businesses and community leaders.

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Magen Davis is a Texas-born, graphic designer and “multimedia person.” Magen graduated from Baylor Journalism in Fall of 2015 from the New Media concentration and with a minor in History. Magen is in her first year as a student of Baylor University’s journalism graduate program. Her research interests include new media implementation for organizations, apologies in image repair, and user-generated content. Currently, she also works with Midway Independent School District as a Multimedia Specialist creating videos, taking pictures, and designing district communications.

The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.

 

 

by Steve Veracruz

Let’s go back to the year 1997 for a moment. I had just graduated University High School and, without even taking a summer off to gaze into a field of dreams, I immediately enrolled at TSTC in commercial art.  I felt like this would give me a snapshot of this particular artist community. I was intrigued to finally grow beyond my familiar borders and meet other like-minded creatives.

Unfortunately, the artist environment I expected of meetups or regular special exhibitions for our young demographic did not exist at the time.

Just as early settlers did what was necessary for their survival, the artists in the early days of my creative lifetime in this city did what was necessary to demonstrate and share their talent. There were different attempts to add pockets of opportunity, to share artwork in diverse locations across the city on an organic level. Outspoken and talented artists helped pave the way to the point of excellence we find ourselves in now.  I couldn’t be more grateful for those displays of bravery and showing what true creative freedom looked like.  This is what was needed to carry on the message of freedom, those early artists and appreciators testing their own strength to sustain imaginative work in a time when the city and its society were content with a stale status quo.

However, these patches of creative energy were still few and far between. We needed to pull them together. How do we make space for this idea or what do we want to do about this idea? More importantly, who do we talk to about this idea? These were questions that provided the incentive to move. This is why we founded the Central Texas Artist Collective (CTAC).

Back to the future…The city of Waco has grown in more ways than I could have imagined.  There are so many reasons to be happy about being a creative in this city, with so many places that have opened their doors to this expanding community.  There are now big shows in multiple annual events, big ideas in special exhibitions with a message, big dreams beginning in discussions during artist meetups, and big aspirations coming from each other from our own experiences. This is what a creative environment can produce! This is why it was necessary to build pillars for a strong artist community!

As a co-founder of CTAC, I had to identify the importance of what this role would mean, not just for myself, but for others as well. The three questions previously mentioned were at the base of a movement that was to develop. Another noteworthy point to make…one cannot go at it alone. I am a “co-founder.” The ideas to come required more effort than one person could provide and needed alternative perspectives. The other co-founders had to believe with the same amount of passion about what the goal was for artists in general. It is this positive reinforcement that created that right amount of energy to build something special.

One project often leads to another. Then that can also lead into something else. These multiplicities of creativity suddenly become a foundation with which to continue to build. Other artists’ groups began to appear. One group alone cannot bear the responsibility of being the sole provider. Sometimes the language from one group to another is different, or maybe a particular taste does not quite hit with one group, but catches on with another. Maybe it’s just about the journey until each group finds its niche. These are decisions to be respected and recognized with that appreciation of having yet more options that were built in light of a creative community’s skills.

The point is to build the creative community. If you build it, you can share the imagination and artistic energy that some perceive as fundamental and some simply admire. If you build it, you hold a place for assisting in someone’s growth. If you build it, you provide another stake for significant influence on a prosperous community. My question to you now is, if you build, will they come? And, how do we keep building and strengthening our creative environment? What next?

One of my next projects is to begin a small video series for Central Texas Artist Collective going into this subject further. I will begin by interviewing those movers and shakers around town that have stood and delivered. Definitely check out our Facebook page, as well as our YouTube channel for this material and more coming soon! We are creating.  Let’s keep creating. What do you want to create?

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The Central Texas Artist Collective exists to foster creative expression throughout the Heart of Texas by:

• Unifying and growing arts and cultural programming;
• Enhancing arts education and access for all;
• Cultivating an organic, sustainable identity; and
• Celebrating the rich community of artists living, creating and investing in Waco and beyond.

 CTAC is comprised of: writers, musicians, visual artists, textile artists, theater artists, dancers sculptors, muralists, photographers, potters, singer/songwriters, poets/spoken-word, carpentry/woodworking, tattoo artists, graphic designers, jewelers, culinary artists, and more!

Centexartistcollective.org | facebook.com/CenTexArtist

Twitter: @ CenTexArtist | email:[email protected]

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Steve Veracruz is CTAC Co-founder, executive co-director and communications created in 2015 with wife Angie Veracruz. He is a USMC vet and father of three. He sat on the Board of Directors in Waco Cultural Arts, serving now as an advisor. He is also curator to Ekphrasis Art and Words, a special exhibition which combines the visual artists with the writing community to express a message with meaning. He is passionate about collaboration in community.

By Gracie Arias

“This isn’t for the faint of heart” have you ever heard that before?

That’s what I feel like sometimes in this journey of supporting an artist. I have seen Carlos, my husband, also known professionally as “The Masterpiece,” grow in his artistic abilities in the 10 years I have known him. I feel blessed by that and I wouldn’t give it up for anything.

When I first met him, I saw a pair of shoes he was wearing that he had painted…the first pair, and now he’s done over 100! So then, The Masterpiece was created! That hasn’t always come easy. Sometimes it means staying up until the early morning hours completing an order, and waking up early for a full- time job. But, as they also say, “hard work pays off”! Since April 2017, The Masterpiece hasn’t had a break once, and that’s something we are more than ok with! That means people are seeing his talents and wanting a part of it. And not just shoes either, so many different things. Such as, murals and windows at Enve beauty bar on Austin Avenue, or a more recent one at The Chatterbox in downtown. Also, weddings and parties, baby showers, and signs. So much going on! It’s a very exciting time to be an artist in Waco, so much brewing and changing, art is in the air here.

One thing that Carlos has definitely shown me, is that when you have a dream, do your best and make it reality. Because of his encouragement, I participated in the first ever Central Texas Artist Collective (CTAC) exhibit “Ekphrasis: Art & Words,” and it reminded me why I love writing. So, that’s when Gracefulmess blog was born.

I wanted a safe place to put my thoughts, goals, and hurts down on. It’s opened a new door to healing for me, and others! I’ve received so many messages and comments explaining how it has helped them. Now I have so many goals to the direction that it’s heading and I’m so excited.

I say all this in hope that it will encourage someone. We are parents, we are young, and we are introverts. The opportunities that we have now did not come easy. We had to leave our little bubble of familiarity and comfort, and reach for it. Really jump into it, ok more like dive. There are so many opportunities here in Waco that will give you a chance for growth.  If you have a talent, no matter what it is, don’t let it go to waste. Plug in somewhere and flourish! Don’t wait for someone to give you that push but instead push yourself! Go and create!

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Gracie Arias, wife and mom. Blogger. Future massage therapist. The feeling of accomplishment is one of the best feelings to feel. I’m working hard to reach my goals and to support those I love to reach theirs too. Life should be watched on the sidelines, but lived with all your heart and strength. Www.Gracefulmess.wordpress.com