Museum of Fine Arts

By: Alicia Benefield

The only time I have ever been to a museum was in elementary school. We all strolled through the museum looking at things that we totally did not understand or, for that matter, care about. I had always believed that it was aimed at cultured, rich white people.  But this time, we were given instructions what to look for and let go. We got to roam around and take in what we saw. 

Houston Museum of Fine Arts

What is art exactly? If you ask a group of people to point out art, the answer would be different for each person. The Houston Museum of Fine Arts has something for everyone. If you like sculptures of larger than life sized naked men with small penises, oil paintings, watercolors, very old fragile books, or beautiful Egyptian artifacts, this place has something for you. Some of the pieces were so intriguing that you wanted to take a closer look, but didn't get too close because the MFA police will quickly tell you, “twelve inches back please”. They take their jobs very seriously.

I thought that the painting The Elder Sister by William Bouguereau was stunning. Her eyes followed you in any direction that you moved to. The colors were somewhat muted but even still, the picture was beautiful. She seemed to be floating in the middle of the canvas even though you could clearly see that she was sitting on a rock. The sky in the background is vivid; it portrays a very clear sunny day. Despite this fact, the painter decides to use a shade of green that is absolutely drab. I think that his idea was to pull you into the portrait and only see the beauty of the children. Their skin is like porcelain. The use of the colors of their clothes also kept you focusing on the beauty of the little girl in particular. Her skin is flawless and her hair is styled so that you keep gazing at her lovely face.

This was my favorite trip yet simply because it was amazing to see so much history in one place. It was thrilling to be amongst so much money. Not being forced to do a traditional tour was awesome. We were allowed to explore the museum the way we wanted to. This way we saw what interested us and not anything more. I even talked with some of the other students in our class and got their opinions of some of the paintings. Hearing what each person had to say about different works of art made you take another look at the piece in question to see if you related to their opinion or just walk away because you thought that they may be from some place other than our dear planet Earth.

Latin Blood

By: Caleb Moore

I have found a place where the Latin blood boils with emotion and eye opening charisma.With every brush stroke you can see the feeling and dedication put into all of these works of art. In the eyes of each character in these paintings there is life. From the crude examples of the oddities in human life to the noble rulers inspiration is effervescent.

The Museum of Fine Arts Houston has recently shared the exhibit entitled Portrait of Spain: Masterpieces from the  Prado. This collection of Spanish art his truly inspiring. Though the feeling in the room is tranquil and light; the excitement to view each of these wonderful paintings is very prevalent.

You must act quickly!! The exhibit is about to be shipped off to the next location. Do not let laziness keep you from viewing these true works of art. 

Galveston, Oh Galveston

By: Allie Reid

Galveston, Tx is filled with tons of fun and wild parties on beaches. This island is an attraction for many people, young and old, that live in Texas. I personally love going to Galveston. Even though I've been there so many times, I see something new each time. 

One big attraction is The Strand which is filled with shops of all kinds that are in wonderful old buildings. These buildings have gorgeous architecture. Each one is unique. I love looking at and taking pictures of the buildings each time I go. 

The builders, which are really artists, were very talented. The buildings are very old but they are more complex and amazing than buildings built today. They're definitely a sight to see! If you're in Galveston, make sure you stop by and visit The Strand! 

Grand Opera House

By: Jameal Jones

The Grand Opera House is one of the few remaining theatres that lasted in the time it was built back in 1894. It was built to show the culture life of Galveston, TX. The theatre is used for other things than performances. Some people rent it for children’s programming. Looking at the Grand Opera house it has what my generation would call an old fashion touch to it. The designs on the building and the way the texture of the material that was used to build it stands out. 

I loved how the year is proudly shown at the top with the name of the theatre along the sides, in an arch shape. The bricks of the arch have designs at the bottom that make it seem as to hold the arch together. In my opinion the building shows history at its finest. The brick was molded so that the theatre does not look plain but extravagant to anyone that comes to and watches a performance or just to pass by and observe. Even though the color is plain the details are still visible, whatever the artist wanted to be shown was there. Even the storm in 1900 couldn’t hide any artistic features it possessed. 

The Grand Opera House stands and is open today as a piece of history in Galveston, TX. It shows where the city came from and how much it mean for the citizens of the city to have this building in their presence, performances to continue to happen in the theatre, and be able to show it off to the rest of the world. This is my view of the Grand Opera House. These are the things I saw and learned about the building located in Galveston, Texas. 

Old Galveston News Building

By: Jeremy Gallagher

Typically when I think of visiting Galveston Island, I think of enjoying a disgusting dip in murky water that’s filled with endless bands of seaweed that constantly mask the coast. However, I also recall a more pleasant encounter, such as the incredible and uniquely colored pyramids of Moody Gardens that appears over the bridge’s horizon as drivers venture toward Island. Eventually these visitors will typically visit the popular “Sea Wall Blvd” which lines beach of the Island and is overpopulated with an eyesore of modern buildings, restaurants, hotels, shops, and resorts. Fortunately, if one travels inward, toward the central area of the Island, a visitor feels as if they traveled back in time as the approach the majestic antiquity of a cluster of older building that inhabit “Galveston’s Historical District.” 

Old Galveston News Building

For the curious history buffs like me, the story of each building can be found on conveniently placed Texas Historical Markers, each nearby their corresponding site. The most common theme that I noticed among these buildings relates to their gorgeous presentation of Victorian architecture. Often the Tremont Hotel and the Grand Opera House are considered some of the note-worthy, historical structures on the island, but for me, I found the style of the Old Galveston News Building as one of the most memorable buildings. 

Upon examination, I became entranced by the unique construction of the landmark. Additionally, although some items outside of the building's walls were aged, I experienced a feeling of nostalgia, due to the building's resemblance to the small-town downtown districts near my grandparent's home in North Carolina, where a local news building still stands and is used a substation for the state’s newspaper provider. Old Galveston News Building also made me recall an age before computers and cell-phones, where citizens trusted and utilized the information that came from this building, possibly by a band of paperboys that distributed their newspapers all over the island. 

These memories heavily influenced my admiration of the Old Galveston News Building. I highly recommend any visitor to Galveston Island to find and enjoy the Old Galveston News Building, as well as the majesty of the other buildings in the Historical district.

Custom Made

US Customs House - Galveston, Texas

By: Heather Savage

Have you ever wondered what life was like before airplanes, cars, trucks, or even old reliable  (the train)? How would goods from overseas arrive to our coastal shores over one-hundred and fifty years ago if airplanes were not invented? My journey into Galveston Island brought me to the US Customs House. 

At first glance I knew it was a Greek Revival style architect. The many pillars support the magnificent crown molding that frames this beautiful building. The red vibrancy of the brick shouts "Glory!" from its outer walls. One look and I'm taken back to an era when Galveston was the only port for the southern United States. I imagine the horse drawn buggies pulling loads that were just unloaded out of massive ships from another continent. Buildings like the US Customs House, although no longer used as port customs, have endured not only time, but have also weathered storms. On one of the outer walls, about three foot above the ground, is a marker showing the waterline from hurricane Ike. If this building could talk what might it tell you? What stories could it whisper in your ears? What famous people would it claim to have offered shelter to? What history could you read in the pourus cracks of that red brick?