Category: Art News

Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival at the Briscoe this Saturday

The annual Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival is this Saturday November 19 at the Briscoe Western Art Museum. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

Showcasing Native American heritage and its influence on the American West, the Briscoe Western Art Museum invites everyone to enjoy its free annual Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival, Saturday, November 19, 10a.m – 5p.m. Highlighting the continued vibrancy and artistic traditions of Native American communities, the event is free and includes admission to the Briscoe. The festival is a perfect way to mark Native American Heritage Month and celebrates the important role Native Americans played in shaping the West. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2022)

The free community festival features storytelling, artist demonstrations, pottery and carving, as well as Native American-inspired food, including REZR’vation Only, a food truck featuring Native American-inspired cuisine that is owned and operated by a registered member of the Navajo Nation. Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival also features workshops and lectures celebrating traditional and contemporary Native American culture. The event starts with a special blessing, followed by a ceremonial drum circle that invites everyone to join.

The annual event is named in honor of the Payaya people who were indigenous to the San Antonio area. “Yanaguana” was the word they used to describe what is now known as the San Antonio River. The festival has been held annually since the museum opened.

Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival highlights include:

  • An opening spiritual blessing United San Antonio Pow Wow, Inc.
  • A Pow Wow-style drum circle kicks off the day, with United San Antonio Pow Wow, Inc. and Enemy Horse Drumming demonstrating and explaining common pow wow dance styles. Another Pow Wow-style drum circle features the Great Promise Dancers in the afternoon, also demonstrating and explaining common pow wow dance styles.
  • Live music by Native American artists including flute player Tim Blueflint Ramel. An enrolled member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa, a federally recognized American Indian Tribe, Blueflint has opened for and shared the stage with Grammy Award Winner Mary Youngblood and a wide variety of artists.
  • Stories from Amy Bluemel, a Chickasaw storyteller and the great-granddaughter of Eastman Kaney, an original Dawes Commission enrollee. Bluemel shares Chickasaw customs, and those of other southeastern tribes, through elaborate storytelling.
  • Ledger art with artist George Curtis Levi, showcasing how ledger art captures a moment in time. A type of art that originated amongst the Cheyenne in the late 1840s, ledger art utilized pages of repurposed record books to depict everyday life. A member of the Southern Cheyenne tribe in Oklahoma, Levi also has ties to the Arapaho and Oglala Lakota communities.
  • Pottery making with artist Jereldine Redcorn showcasing Caddo pottery, an art form she single-handedly revived. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Redcorn’s father was Caddo and her mother was Potawatomi. In 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama selected one of her pieces to decorate the Oval Office.
  • Kachina carving with Kevin Horace Quannie, a Hopi/Navajo contemporary artist. Living on the Hopi reservation, Quannie specializes in carving contemporary kachina dolls using cottonwood roots.
  • Crafts and demonstrations include making your own drum, creating a community weaving basket, paper bead necklaces, pottery making, loom weaving, wood carving and leather stamping.

Festival visitors also enjoy free admission to the Briscoe, including exhibitions highlighting the stories of the American Indian, cowboys, pioneering women and others that define the West. The museum’s fall exhibition highlights the wildlife and landscape of the West, featuring 40 of the renowned nature photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen’s most resonant photographs. Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In The Wild takes viewers on a journey across the West and around the globe. One of the most prolific nature photographers of our time, Mangelsen is an award-winning photographer whose images have been exhibited internationally and published in iconic mediums such as “National Geographic,” “Good Morning America,” and “60 Minutes.” The exhibition is open to the public through January 29, 2023.

Screening of ‘Deep in the Heart’ film at Briscoe Western Art Museum

The Briscoe Western Art Museum is hosting a screening of the film “Deep in the Heart” featuring a post-film discussion and Q&A with producer Katy Bladock. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

The Briscoe Western Art Museum is hosting a screening of the film “Deep in the Heart” featuring a post-film discussion and Q&A with producer Katy Bladock on Thursday, November 10 at 6p.m. The screening is the only one in San Antonio to include a member of the film’s production team. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2022)

A visually stunning celebration of Texas’ diverse landscapes and remarkable wildlife found nowhere else, “Deep in the Heart” is told through the eyes of wildlife species ranging from the mysterious blind catfish to the elusive mountain lion – and even the 20 million Mexican freetail bats that spend their summers just north of San Antonio in Bracken Cave. Narrated by Matthew McConaughey and featuring state-of-the-art cinematography, this family-friendly film journeys from the highest peaks in West Texas, through our aquifers, rivers, and bays, and deep into the Gulf of Mexico. “Deep in the Heart” aims to conserve our remaining wild places, to show the connectivity of water and wildlife, and to recognize Texas’ conservation importance on a continental scale.

Deep in the Briscoe’s heart, the film also shares the bison of Caprock Canyons State Park. The official bison herd of the State of Texas is all that remains of the vast Southern Plains herd that once numbered between 30 million and 60 million head. The Briscoe’s logo is a bison and the museum works to support the herd through its annual “Adopt a Bison” campaign.

The Briscoe’s “Deep in the Heart” film screening is $14 and online pre-registration is recommended. Popcorn, candy and drinks will be available for purchase. Members of the Briscoe receive free admission and movie snacks.

Producer Katy Bladock will be present for a post-film discussion and Q&A session. Bladock is a film producer, writer, and graphic designer based in Austin, TX. She has a passion for conservation and visual storytelling, aiming to use creative outlets as a tool to advocate for the protection of natural environments and wildlife. She is a proud East Texas native and studied communications, journalism, and art at Texas A&M University. Katy is a Producer for the Texas natural history film “Deep in the Heart,” was Associate Producer for the Emmy-nominated feature documentary “The River and the Wall,” produced “American Ocelot,” and assists with various production needs for Fin and Fur Films Productions.

Film guests will be able to view the Briscoe’s fall exhibition, Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In the Wild, featuring 40 of the renowned nature photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen’s most resonant photographs. Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In The Wild takes viewers on a journey across the West and around the globe. One of the most prolific nature photographers of our time, Mangelsen is an award-winning photographer whose images have been exhibited internationally and published in iconic mediums such as “National Geographic,” “Good Morning America,” and “60 Minutes.” The exhibition is open to the public through January 29, 2023.

Pop-up art show: A. Mishea – Artist and Visionary

Do not miss this one day showing of A. Mishea’s artwork at The Cellar Door in Katy, TX. Photo: A. Mishea, used with permission.

Come and see the exclusive work of one of the most original and enigmatic visionary artists of today at this new, one day pop-up exhibit in Katy. It will take place on Saturday November 12 from 1p.m. to 3p.m. at The Cellar Door. Visitors will be able to explore original works, obtain poster prints, and meet the artist. This limited-time exhibition not only allows visitors to admire her works like “The Daughter” and her “Vibrations” collection, they will also get to learn more about A. Mishea as a person and artist. (A. Mishea, 2022)

A. Mishea has been recently exhibited at the Museum of Emotions in Austin, TX with her piece entitled “Passion.” She has also illustrated for the Rideshare Chronicles as well as created album covers for local Houston musicians, such as KC2000. She has also completed countless works for companies in the Houston, San Francisco, and Las Vegas Area on behalf of INKomplete Art. Many have described her art as “visually stimulating.”

This pop-up exhibit is free and will be hosted at The Cellar Door located at 829 S Mason Rd, Unit 280, Katy, TX 77450. The event is 21 and up. All food and drink purchases made by the attendee are the responsibility of the attendee. Tickets are available through Eventbrite. 

Art is a worthwhile investment, come start your collection with this emerging artist!

INKomplete Art is a graphic illustration and design company located in Houston, Texas. Founded in 2017, INKomplete Art has worked with countless publishers, musicians, sports team, and businesses throughout the U.S by generating original custom designs. 

Sponsored Post

1668277930

  days

  hours  minutes  seconds

until

A. Mishea pop-up art show

Contemporary at Blue Star’s Red Dot Art Sale and Show

The contemporary art organization’s largest annual fundraiser celebrates the work of over 100 artists with works on sale to benefit artists and San Antonio’s home for contemporary art. Photo: Google

Contemporary at Blue Star, San Antonio’s first and longest running contemporary art nonprofit, proudly announces its 32nd Annual Red Dot Art Sale and Show. The special benefit opening will take place on November 9 from 7p.m. to 10 p.m. The Red Dot Show will then be on view in the Contemporary’s galleries November 11, 2022 through January 8, 2023. (Contemporary at Blue Star, 2022)

The opening night celebration is one of San Antonio’s most beloved contemporary art events, with a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. This gathering of old and new friends has become a mainstay event on the calendar of the city’s creative community. Individual tickets to the Red Dot Art Sale fundraiser are $50. As of today, November 5, tickets are sold out but there are still sponsorship options still available. 

Red Dot presents and celebrates the work of over 100 San Antonio-based artists, offering the public an opportunity to start or expand their own art collections with works on sale for a wide variety of tastes and budgets. Proceeds from art sales equally benefit artists and the Contemporary at Blue Star’s year-round exhibitions and expansive, no-cost art education programs, which inspire, nurture, and innovate through contemporary art.

Sponsorships and artwork sales at Red Dot help raise vital funds for the Contemporary’s exhibitions, art education programs, and outreach initiatives. Sales proceeds from Red Dot artworks are equally shared between the Contemporary and the artists, positively impacting the livelihood of more than 100 San Antonio artists. Beginning on November 9, artworks that are available for purchase can be viewed on the event page or in person during the Red Dot Art Sale fundraiser, a festive gathering for San Antonio’s contemporary art community. 
 
Each year, the Contemporary recognizes honorees whose creative contributions have made a lasting impact on San Antonio’s vibrant art community. In 2022, the Red Dot committee, with its event chairs Cheryl Morrell Armendaríz and Richard “Ricky” Armendariz, and Martha Martinez-Flores and Dr. Mike Flores, have chosen to honor artist Andy Benavides, arts patron and chef Johnny Hernandez, and arts education champion S.M.A.R.T., a nonprofit nurturing creative minds and building community through experiential art education. 

The Contemporary at Blue Star presents exhibitions with artists from San Antonio and around the world sharing their global perspectives that encourage understanding, empathy, change, and action, fulfilling our mission to inspire, nurture, and innovate. Like most non-collecting contemporary art spaces, the Contemporary contributes fresh insights and perspectives on larger issues affecting society and culture by highlighting trends, movements, and conversations happening in art. Admission to the Contemporary is always free.

Sips and Sounds series returns with Norteño Night at the Briscoe

Briscoe Western Art Museum’s Sips & Sounds of the West series celebrates Hispanic influence on the West with a night of Norteño music featuring Los Callejeros de San Anto. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Let music take you to Northern Mexico as you enjoy a night of music under the stars on the River Walk at the Briscoe’s “Sips and Sounds of the West” Norteño Night on Friday October 28, 2022. With band Los Callejeros De San Anto in the museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden, the museum will celebrate the Hispanic influence on the America West with a night of tunes perfect for a date night or a night out with friends in the heart of San Antonio. The ticketed event begins at 6:30p.m. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2022)

Launched by Pinata Protest front man Alvaro Del Norte with bandmates Jose Morales on bajo sexto, bassist Richie Brown, and Chris Ramirez on drums, Los Callejeros De San Anto blends well known influences of Conjunto and Norteño into the perfect Tex-Mex street band and is “abuela approved.” Sips and Sounds of the West tickets are $10 for museum members and $20 for non-members. The event is for ages 18+ and includes student tickets at $10 each. Food truck fare is available for purchase from Dona Kika’s Tacos & Gorditas and a cash bar will be available.

The Briscoe’s Sips and Sounds of the West series highlights the soundtrack of the West through live music while surrounded by the beauty of the garden’s fantastic bronze sculptures and lush greenery. The museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden is an oasis featuring a beautiful courtyard surrounded by bronze sculptures depicting iconic figures of the American West. With the lights of downtown in the background and stars overhead, the garden becomes magical at night, making it the perfect spot for a date night or a night out with friends.

From its McNutt Sculpture Garden to the museum’s beautifully restored historic home inside the former San Antonio Public Library building, the Briscoe’s collection spans 14 galleries, with special exhibitions, events and a fantastic Museum Store, providing art, culture, history and entertainment. Museum hours, parking and admission details are available online.

Preserving and presenting the art, history and culture of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is located on the San Antonio River Walk at 210 W. Market Street in the beautifully restored 1930s former San Antonio Public Library building. Named in honor of the late Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and his wife, Janey Slaughter Briscoe, the museum includes the three-story Jack Guenther Pavilion, used for event rentals and programs, and the outdoor McNutt Sculpture Garden.

Courtesy photo, used with permission.

PechaKucha San Antonio presents Vol. 41 at the Tobin Center

PechaKucha San Antonio Vol. 41 will take place at the Tobin Center on October 26, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

PechaKucha San Antonio – the global arts and culture series that hosts speakers who share their passions in a unique format – is excited to announce its Volume 41 to wrap up the series for 2022, coming back with two other events in 2023. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, October 26, 2022, at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts (100 Auditorium Cir, San Antonio, TX 78205). The night begins with a welcome reception at 6:30 .m., followed by presentations starting at 7:30p.m. (PechaKucha San Antonio, 2022)

Vol. 41 will feature a talented group of locals.

  • Alejandro DeHoyos, Filmmaker
  • Payton G. Kane, Extrovert (also the Emcee for the evening)
  • Mike Long, Builder 
  • Madalyn Mendoza, Reporter
  • Carlos Perez, Small Business Corridor Meme Activator
  • Laura Terrill, President & CEO
  • Bria Woods, Photojournalist

The welcome reception will feature music by local artist Juliet McConkey and complimentary bites curated by local chefs and restaurants including Naco 210 Mexican Eatery & Patio, Howdy Kuya!, Cajun con Arroz, and Sierra Diablo. The event will also feature alcoholic beverages available for purchase. Tickets are $7 in advance or $10 at the door. Advance tickets are available here. 

PechaKucha San Antonio would not be possible without the support of annual sponsors, including Centro Properties, San Antonio Food Bank, Schroeder Art, Lake Flato Architects, San Antonio River Foundation, Zurich International Properties, Southwest School of Art, RYNO General Contractors, and 500 Sixth.

In-Kind sponsors for the event include Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, Naco 210 Mexican Eatery & Patio, Howdy Kuya!, Cajun con Arroz, Sierra Diablo, Josh Huskin Photography, Libby Morris, Giant Noise, Sprocket Productions, Gary Sweeney, and Alejandro Dehoyos.

PechaKucha San Antonio is presented in partnership with the Las Casas Foundation. More information about PechaKucha is available here. 

Pronounced “PEH-chuh KOO-chuh,” PechaKucha is a 20 image x 20 second arts and cultures series. We host speakers who share their passions in a unique format: Each presenter gets exactly 20 images, and each slide advances automatically every 20 seconds (for a total time of 6:40). San Antonio’s first quarterly PechaKucha Night was held in February 2011 and now attracts hundreds of attendees to venues throughout San Antonio. It showcases a broad range of individuals, including architects, artists, makers, academics, community leaders and more. PechaKucha (Japanese for “chit chat”) is an event format developed by Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture to encourage creative professionals to share projects and ideas that they are passionate about. Since it began in 2003, PechaKucha has expanded to more than 1200 cities around the world. 

Fall events at the Briscoe Western Art Museum

From exhibitions to events, everything is wild at the Briscoe Western Art Museum this fall. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.

This fall the Briscoe Western Art Museum welcomes Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In The Wild, an exhibition containing 40 of the renowned nature photographer’s most significant photographs—images that take viewers on a journey across the West and around the globe. To add another dimension to these fantastic images, the Briscoe is hosting a range of programs for guests of all ages. Whether it is an urban nature walk, a birthday celebration with bison or animal sculpting, there is something for everyone to get wild this fall. Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In The Wild will be on view at the Briscoe through January 29, 2023, and is included with museum general admission. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2022)

A Life In The Wild programming and events include:

  • STEAMing into the WILD West

November 19, December 17, 11a.m. – 1p.m. each day

Families and visitors of all ages are invited to learn about the American West during the museum’s “Full STEAM Ahead” series on the third Saturday of each month. From transportation and weather to animals, astronomy and engineering, each program explores an aspect of life in the West to engage and inspire learning. Full STEAM Ahead is included with museum general admission. Children 12 and under receive free admission to the Briscoe.

  • Briscoe Birthday: Day of the Bison

October 22, 10a.m. – 4p.m.

Celebrate the Briscoe’s ninth birthday with a special day of bison fun. An iconic symbol of the American West and part of the Briscoe’s logo, the bison is an indelible part of the wildlife and story of the American West. Enjoy hands-on bison crafts all day and hear Caprock Canyons State Park Superintendent Donald Beard discussing the “Official Bison Herd of the State of Texas.” Roaming more than 10,000 acres in the park, the bison are being restored to their native habitat. Learn about the park’s work as one of the five foundational herds that saved the bison from extinction.

The herd exists thanks to legendary rancher Charles Goodnight, who started the herd on his JA Ranch in the Texas Panhandle in 1878 in an attempt to save the animals that had meant so much to him. When the bison were initially donated to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and moved to Caprock Canyons State Park in 1997, it was discovered that their DNA was different, and feature genetics that are not shared by any other bison in North America. In fact, the Official Texas State Bison Herd at Caprock represents the last remaining examples of the Southern Plains variety. The Briscoe Birthday celebration is included with museum admission.

  • Make Prints with the Sun: Cyanotype with Mary Margaret Johnson

October 30, Noon-2p.m.

Cyanotype was one of the first ways of producing photographs and dates back to 1842. This alternative printing process uses UV rays to make prints. Each piece is made by applying the cyanotype solution to the material, arranging items such as flowers, foliage, or objects on the material and exposing it to the sun. After the material is washed with water, the piece turns to a Persian blue. Learn how to make cyanotypes and go home with your own cyanotype bandana. Local artist Mary Margaret Johnson will teach the class. The program is $35 and pre-registration is required via briscoemuseum.org.

  • WILD in Texas: “Deep in the Heart” Film Screening with Producer Katy Bladock

November 10, 6p.m. – 9p.m.

A visually stunning celebration of Texas’ diverse landscapes and remarkable wildlife found nowhere else, “Deep in the Heart” aims to conserve our remaining wild places, to show the connectivity of water and wildlife, and to recognize Texas’ conservation importance on a continental scale. Narrated by Matthew McConaughey and featuring state-of-the-art cinematography, this family-friendly film journeys from the highest peaks in West Texas, through our aquifers, rivers, and bays, and deep into the Gulf of Mexico. Producer Katy Bladock will be present for a post-film discussion and Q&A and guests will be able to view Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In the Wild before the film screening. $12 and pre-registration is recommended via briscoemuseum.org.

  • Celebrating Native American Heritage: Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival

November 19, 10a.m. – 5p.m.

Highlighting the continued vibrancy and artistic traditions of Native American communities, Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival offers a glimpse into traditional and contemporary Native American culture. Featuring Native American artists, musical performances and dancing, this free community event features storytelling, artist demonstrations of painting, printmaking, pottery, weaving and carving, as well as Native American-inspired food. Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival also features workshops and lectures celebrating Native American culture. Admission to the festival and the museum is free throughout the day.

  • Sculpting Animals: Artist Talk with Mick Doellinger

December 3, 11a.m. – Noon

Known best for his animal sculptures, artist Mick Doellinger will share his inspiration and creative process. Doellinger will bring sculptures for guests to explore and discuss how he creates realistic sculptures of Western wildlife. The program is free with museum admission.

The Briscoe is open Thursday through Monday, 10a.m. – 5p.m. and closed to the public on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Admission is free for children 12 and under and for active duty military members. The museum is proud to participate in Museums For All, Blue Star Museums and Bank of America Museums on Us. The Briscoe is located on the south end of the River Walk, near the Arneson River Theatre and La Villita, with convenient parking at the Riverbend Garage directly adjacent to the museum or one of many downtown surface lots.

Texas Women for the Arts opens 2023 grant applications

Texas Women for the Arts opens 2023 grant applications in support of statewide arts organizations. Photo: Google

The Texas Cultural Trust is pleased to announce that Texas Women for the Arts (TWA) 2023 grant applications is currently open through December 1, 2022. TWA, a program of the Texas Cultural Trust, is a statewide membership giving circle that unites the financial forces of more than 200 Texas women and whose mission is to “awaken and nurture the artist in every Texas child.” The TWA grants fund arts education programs throughout the state, and have to date increased arts access for nearly 3.5 million Texas children. (Texas Cultural Trust, 2022)

Grants are awarded on an annual basis, in the spring, and are selected following a rigorous review process. Applications, information and guidelines are available online through the Texas Cultural Trust website. In order to be considered for the grant, applicants must have a 501(c)(3) designation, be nominated by a current TWA member, and the program for which applicants are seeking funding must reflect the mission of TWA.

The TWA recipients will be selected based on the following principles: arts access, artistic quality, capability, and impact. The 2023 TWA grant recipients may be invited to attend and accept their awards during the TWA 2023 Annual Meeting. TWA members have funded 318 grants totaling more than $3.7 million since inception in 2005. 

For more information on the Texas Cultural Trust, visit them online or call 512-478-5289. To join Texas Women for the Arts, or to learn more about the program, visit them online or email.

Texas Cultural Trust is 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and increasing access and awareness for the arts across the state. Programs of the Texas Cultural Trust include the Texas Medal of Arts Awards, Art Can, Texas Young Masters, Texas Women for the Arts, Partners in the Arts, and Arts Access. Texas Cultural Trust efforts are amplified by its partners, who are instrumental in the success of leading a cohesive voice for the arts in education, advocacy and economic impact in Texas, spotlighting the artistic excellence of our state.

Briscoe’s new fall exhibition: Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In The Wild

The Briscoe Western Art Museum’s new fall exhibition features renowned nature photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen. Thomas D. Mangelsen: A Life In The Wild will be on exhibit starting September 30, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Western Art celebrates the American West, including the wild places and wildlife that grace the land. The Briscoe Western Art Museum is transforming into a photographic zoo this fall, showcasing the beauty of the West and the animals that call it home in Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In The Wild, an exhibition containing forty of the renowned nature photographer’s most resonant photographs—images that take viewers on a journey across the West and around the globe. The exhibition will be on view at the Briscoe September 30, 2022 – January 29, 2023, and is included with museum general admission. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2022)

The photographer personally selected forty classic photographs, which he refers to as his legacy photographs, for this retrospective exhibition making its Texas debut in San Antonio. Among photographs which members of the public will certainly be familiar with are “Polar Dance,” of polar bears appearing to dance, “Mountain Outlaw,” a grizzly bear charging through the snow, and “Catch of the Day,” which captures the exact moment that a spawning salmon, trying to leap over a waterfall along Alaska’s Brooks River, soars right into the waiting jaws of a massive brown bear. The image is not only one of the most widely circulated wildlife photographs in history, but also a monumental achievement in photography because it occurred before the advent of digital cameras and involves no digital manipulation.

Not all photographs in the exhibit, some of which measure 10 feet across, are of bears. The exhibition is truly a photographic zoo, with subjects captured in their native Western habitats include American bison, Arctic fox, bald eagle, black bear, bobcat, bohemian and cedar waxwings, brown bear, coyote, great gray owl, grizzly bear, ground squirrel, kestrel, moose, mountain lion, and Sandhill crane. Fantastic landscapes include Alaska’s Denali range and the Great Smoky Mountains, as well as fields of poppies and lupine and forests of redwood and aspen.

One of the most prolific nature photographers of our time, Mangelsen has been described as a spiritual descendant of pioneering American nature photographers Ansel Adams, Eliot Porter, and Edward Weston. Bill Allen, the now retired Editor-in-Chief of “National Geographic,” considers Mangelsen to be one of the most important nature photographers of his generation.

The photographer is as much a conservationist as he is an artist. He was named the 2011 Conservation Photographer of the Year by “Nature’s Best Photography,” placing his work in the permanent collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. He was named one of the 40 Most Influential Nature Photographers by “Outdoor Photography,” and one of the 100 Most Important People in Photography by “American Photo” magazine. The North American Nature Photography Association has named him Outstanding Nature Photographer of the Year, while the British Broadcasting Corporation gave him its coveted, prestigious award, Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

Mangelsen has traveled to the wildest corners of North America, Africa, and beyond, for more than 40 years and produced a body of work second to none. At a time when digital technology is, notoriously, conditioning users to have shorter attention spans, A Life In The Wild stands as a testament to the rewards that can come to those, like him, who get close to nature.

To mark the exhibition’s opening, the Briscoe is hosting a preview party on September 29, followed by an opening weekend event that features an urban nature walk.

Opening weekend events include:

  • Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In The Wild Exhibition Preview Party – Thursday, September 29, 6p.m. – 8p.m.

Help the Briscoe kick off a fall steeped in the natural beauty of the American West with Michael Duchemin, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Briscoe. The event includes complimentary beer, wine, specialty cocktails and light bites. The event is $20 for museum members and free for Contributing and President’s Society membership tiers. Museum members may upgrade their membership by calling 210.299.4499. Nonmembers may purchase tickets for $30. Tickets are available online. 

  • A Life In The Wild Urban Nature Walk, Animal Tracks and Pollinator Plants

Saturday, October 1, 10:30a.m. – 11:15a.m. Nature Walk; 11:30a.m. – 12:30p.m., Activity

Discover nature in the heart of San Antonio. Join Mitchell Lake Audubon Center educators as they lead you on a nature walk through the Briscoe Museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden. After the walk, learn about animals you might have seen in your own backyard, how to match them to their tracks, and create your own track to take home. Then learn how pollinator plants help out these animals and other wildlife while making your own paper pot to fill with a nectar plant to benefit the visitors to your space. The nature walk and activities are included with museum general admission.

David J. Wagner, L.L.C, in partnership with Thomas D. Mangelsen, Inc., is producing The Thomas D. Mangelsen – A Life In The Wild tour. This exhibition is supported in part by Jan McCaleb Elliott, the Greehey Family Foundation, and Jessica Elliott Middleton.

September events at San Antonio Museum of Art

San Antonio Museum of Art. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

This September, the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) is packed with “can’t miss” events including an Author Talk and book signing, a Japanese Art-inspired lecture, and the highly-anticipated reopening of SAMA’s Latin American Popular Art Gallery. (San Antonio Museum of Art, 2022)

On Tuesday, September 6, 2022 from 6p.m. to 7p.m., visitors can head to the John L. Santikos Auditorium at SAMA for an evening with Anne Elise Urrutia, (SOLD OUT) author of ‘Miraflores: San Antonio’s Mexican Garden of Memory.’ This lecture and book signing will explore SAMA’s Urrutia Arch; its relationship to Dr. Aureliano Urrutia’s historic garden, Miraflores; and the arch’s artists, origins, symbolism, and significance to the city. Her book is available at the Museum Shop for attendees hoping to snag a last minute copy. This free admission, or pay as you wish program, will also be live streamed via Zoom.

The second weekend of September kicks off with the long-awaited return of SAMA’s Latin American Popular Art Gallery, reopening on Friday, September 9, 2022. Formerly known as the Folk Art collection, this internationally recognized gallery is an unmatched experience unique to SAMA. Dr. Lucia Abramovich Sanchez, Associate Curator of Latin American Art, will speak on the reimagined collection with special remarks at 11a.m, with coffee and light bites available from 10a.m. to Noon. The gallery is included in general admission to SAMA. 

On Tuesday, September 20, 2022, functionality and sculpture collide at the John L. Santikos Auditorium at SAMA with Listening to Bamboo: An Unrivaled Japanese Art Form. From 6p.m. to 7p.m., Robert T. Coffland, one of the world’s leading experts on Japanese bamboo, will trace the development of this specialized medium and guide guests on a journey to find where practicality became artistry. Admission is free for members and $5 for non-members.