Category Archives: San Antonio

Mexican Folk Art to Color – have fun!!

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A long, long time ago (1987) I worked with Dr, Marion Oettinger at the San Antonio Museum of Art to produce a coloring book of some of the engaging pieces of art in the brand new Latin American Folk Art collection given to SAMA by Vice President Nelson A. Rockefeller. The Museum itself was only a few years old then.

I was working as a free-lance Illustrator for the San Antonio Express News at the time, and this was a fantastic chance to go behind the scenes at the museum to get a first-hand look at this comprehensive collection. Fun!

Long story short, earlier this week while I was doing my hunkered-down-at-home book organizing routine, I came across a copy of the coloring book we did. It’s called, appropriately enough, “Coloring the Folk Art of Mexico” and it was published by my dear friend David Bowen, whom so many of us still remember.

There are lots of folk art coloring books these days, but back then it was a novelty. We did a second printing with a different cover, but here’s the original version.

And here are a few original images from that coloring book for you to download and color (oh, boy!!) – you’ll be enhancing a little bit of San Antonio history with every mark you make!

Click on the download link below the small images to open and print the page-sized versions. The Devil Biker is my favorite. The Siesta one is the easiest to color. Staying in the lines is NOT required.

Download the Blouse

Download the Delivery Man

Download the Devil Biker

Download the Jar

Download SiestaTime

HAVE FUN COLORING . . .  AND TAKE GOOD CARE in your safe shelters !!

 

Studio visit – James Wyatt Hendricks, SAAL&M 2017 Artist of the Year

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James Wyatt Hendricks has been named the 2017 Artist of the Year for the San Antonio Art League & Museum. Lucky us!

And lucky me to get to visit his Alamo Street studio yesterday. Wow! I encourage you to mark your calendar right now for the opening of his exhibition at SAAL&M on Sunday, September 10th, 3-5 pm. It’s going to be a blockbuster!

James’s sculpture in progress for Laurel Ridge Hospital – huge sheet of metal balanced by incredibly detailed birds

James’s works ranges from mammoth steel sculptures to incredibly delicate Prisamacolor drawings. With 30 years of experience as an artist and craftsman his art is expansive and eclectic.

Frida lamp by James Wyatt Hendricks – I’m in line for the next one!

In a recent interview, James said,

“I work at my studio on a wide range of mediums that include oil painting, stone carving, forged steel, cast bronze, printmaking and traditional welding. I am considered a master craftsman, and I take my work very seriously.”

We talked about the fact that both of us share a background in commercial design – and that both of us worked as illustrators for the Express-News. James has an amazing ability to switch from teeny tine detail design on his Mac to welding huge sheets of steel.

It’s impressive to see him at work in his studio. Here’s a short video of some of the cool things I saw yesterday during our visit.

Studio Visit with James Wyatt Hendricks from Lyn Belisle on Vimeo.

James is so engaging and talks about his work with an insight and sensitivity that is totally authentic – you will enjoy meeting him. You can read more about his work in this article from the Express-News.

As I said, this is going to be a blockbuster exhibit at the San Antonio Art League & Museum on September 10th. Invitations will go out later in August. Email me if you’d like to be on the list.

And you are not to late to catch the last two weeks of “Visions of Summer”, the current exhibit  at the Art League – through July 30th!

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Thank you, Brother Cletus

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Saying goodbye to this San Antonio icon and artist is so hard. Brother Cletus died yesterday. Cletus Behlmann, S.M., a Marianist Brother, taught for 19 years before arriving in San Antonio to become a full time artist. He settled in San Antonio in 1977 and began operating the St. Mary’s University Art Center.

He captured the heart of the city in his painting and in his personal life with his affable, self-effacing wit and generous spirit. Those of us who were lucky enough to know him were blessed, but his work speaks to everybody through joyous color and dancing line.

Thank you, Brother Cletus, for sharing your life and art with us – we will miss you so much, but we know where you live. 🙂

 

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Art openings this weekend – gotta love the San Antonio art scene!

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OK, all you local art lovers – we’ve got some gallery hopping to do this weekend. Friday night there are at least two don’t-miss openings.

The first one is at Blue Star (Studio Building B) , sponsored by the San Antonio Art Educators Association. Called “Artists Who Teach 2016,” this exhibit showcases the best art educators in the region. I got a sneak preview when I dropped off my work there.

It’s going to an excellent show – I particularly loved Deborah Keller-Rihn’s illuminated photographs. This is one of the pieces I submitted, a photoencaustic assemblage titled “Loving Virginia Woolf” which was constructed inside a vintage drawer. Opening hours for Artists Who Teach reception are 6-9 pm.

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Loving Virginia Wolff – encaustic and found objects – Lyn Belisle

 

Not far away at 1800 Fredericksburg Road, Centro Cultural Aztlan present an exhibit of new paintings by Andy A. Villarreal called Indigenous Jaguar Spirits from the Yucatan. Opening Reception is also Friday April 8, 2016 from 6-9. Andy’s work is powerful, colorful, and magical.

On Saturday, fiber art stars at the Fiber Artists of San Antonio Runway Show at Oak Hills Country Club. The luncheon has been sold our for weeks, but the vendors tables’ open at 10:00 and are always exciting. I know that Monika Astara will be there – if you miss her at the FASA event, she’ll be at my Studio on April 24th – more about that soon.

Bryce Milligan constructs hand-sewn chapbooks

Saturday evening is a must-see event – Bryce Milligan’s World of Words and Design opens April 9, 6-9 pm, at Bihl Haus Arts. Bryce (above) is a  Renaissance Man – poet, publisher, artist, designer, musician and all-around iconic fellow. The show opens with a reception, which is free and open to the public, on Saturday, April 9, from 6 to 9 pm. The evening includes poolside jazz by George & Aaron Prado, libations and light hors d’oeuvres. More on the exhibit and related special events here.

The San Antonio Art League and Museum

Last but definitely not least, The San Antonio Art League and Museum’s Annual Juried Exhibit opens on Sunday.  This venerable exhibit is highly competitive and was juried this year by Peter Trippi, Editor of Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine. The opening reception is this Sunday, April 10th, 2016 from 3 to 5pm. The SAALM is located at 130 King William Street.

I was thrilled to learn that two Belisle Studio alums (Gloria Hill, Mary Beth Swofford) were not only accepted but had won awards for their work – congrats, you guys!

Here’s a sneak preview piece from this exhibit by one of my favorite artists, Billy Keene, who is the SAALM’s 2016 Artist of the Year. Don’t miss this exhibit and one of the city’s prettiest gallery locations!

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Easter Sunday stroll on the Greenway Trail

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Easter Sunday was our chance to explore a new greenway trail in the neighborhood. I had watched its construction on my daily commute to Trinity University last year. It parallels Devine Road, a winding tree-lined route through the Olmos Basin Park. 

The 3/4 mile trail starts in the Park  and ends at the Alamo Quarry Market mall. In fact, I saw a woman walking back along the trail carrying a Chico’s bag – nice combo of shopping and hiking! The weather was beautiful, and the park was filled with families celebrating Easter Sunday with barbecues and egg hunts. Here’s a little video of some of the greenway sights.

The brainchild of former Mayor Howard W. Peak, the ultimate vision is to encircle the entire City of San Antonio with a complete ring of trails. When the full system is completed, the connected network of trails along tributaries, neighborhood connections and the San Antonio River will total more than 130 miles.

It was fun to get out of the Studio and onto the trail – after all, French painter Pierre Bonnard said, “Art will never be able to exist without nature.” And it’s particularly nice when the trail ends at Chico’s and Starbucks.