Heart & Enthusiasm: Bohemia Visits an Incredible Art Show by Brett Case

Pictures by Pat Jones of patjonesphotography.com More below!

On Wednesday August 8th I attended the Arc of McLennan County Autism Art show at the Austin Avenue Baptist Church in Waco. The show featured work by autistic children from McLennan County. Their work was displayed throughout the bottom level of Acts church as a colorful tribute to space and human consciousness. I wandered the makeshift gallery taking in the color with a sense of pleasant amusement. The event featured the classical sounds of Waco’s Horton Duo. As I took in the cornucopia of color and spoke with the children and staff involved with the camp I became immediately aware that this was not a normal art show. The camp enriched these children’s lives by providing them a place to socialize and interact with their others during their summer break as well as tap into a form of creativity and expression that is so valuable to children. The Art camp empowered these kids by giving them a place to develop their motor skills and social skills during their summer vacation. The art show and day camp also represented an effort to give these autistic children of McLennan County a chance to express themselves through art and be recognized by the community.

The Motel Life & Those Bruises by Brett

Hey everybody, I would like to share with you some new music from my old college friend Michael Paul Escañuelas and his band The Motel Life. They’ve recently released their new EP Those Bruises and the album has left my ears anything but bruised, my ears are now the opposite of bruised, whatever that is.  The Motel Life is an indie rock group from Ontario California. I didn’t grow up in Ontario, but I did grow up in Corona which is basically the same thing as Ontario. Both cities are a part of the massive expanse of suburb covered hills Southern California known as the Inland Empire. The Inland Empire is kind of similar to Waco and McLennan County in that there isn’t much to do but a cool city is just a short drive away.

This is the Motel Life’s 3^rd EP. I’ve been a casual fan of them since I was invited to join their Facebook page by Mike a few years ago.  I’ve seen them live a few times in Pomona too. Admittedly I was not initially blown away by their music. To be honest, I wrote them off as another one of my friend’s bands that I would halfheartedly support while deep down having no real interest in their success and a feeling that they would inevitably fizzle out and into mediocre obscurity. Oh how wrong I was to think this. After listening to their new EP I was surprised  to find myself enjoying it and listening to it over and over with a big grin on my face. What I was listening to was different than what I first heard in 2010.

Autism and Art by Brett

Hey everybody, a couple weeks ago I  covered the Arc of McLennan County’s Summer Camp Art show at Austin Avenue Baptist Church for the upcoming fall issue of Bohemia.  The art show/ autism camp was put together by the Arc of McLennan County, a local nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of local disabled and autistic children. The show featured the artwork of kids who had been attending the camp throughout the summer. Here are a few of my favorite pieces from the show.

Triathlons by Brett

Last Sunday was Waco’s 2^nd Annual Tri-Waco. The event was a grueling test of physical and mental endurance. The Sprint Triathlon was around fifteen miles total whereas the Olympic distance was around double that. I competed in the Sprint race. It consisted of a 400 meter open water swim in the Brazos, a twelve mile bike ride down MLK Boulevard and a 3.5 mile run around the Brazos River through Cameron Park. Why would anyone partake in such an event? It’s hard to explain. Most triathlon athletes or “triathletes” do not get paid for competing; it costs around $90.00 to enter the Waco Tri. You also need to buy a swim suit, running shoes, a bike and devote months to training. The whole thing is a major resource drain for a reward that is basically meaningless in the real world.   I ran in normal running shorts and a t-shirt and rented a mountain bike from Outdoor Waco.

An Interview With The Waco Praying Man by Brett

Photo by Susan Mullally

The other day I was fortunate enough to run into the infamous Waco Praying man, also known as Virgil Lee Bell.  He is often seen on the bridge over the 77 freeway, between Common Grounds and South 8^th Street. He is usually wearing a robe and holding a wooden stave. He drew a lot of attention from passing motorists; they honked their horns as they passed under him. I asked Virgil if he would be interested in being interviewed for Bohemia and he was more than happy to talk with me. We sat down in the grassy space near Common Grounds. The conversation started off normal enough but soon took an interesting turn.

This Texas Heat by Brett

Ever since I moved here from California a lot of people have wanted to know what I think of the weather. Until now I haven’t had a bad thing to say about it. My only complaint thus far has been that it was a little colder than I was used to during the winter, but that was okay. The spring was pleasant. It’s been a nice change from the stagnant and predictable California climate that I’m accustomed to. I’ve enjoyed this Texas weather until very recently. The summer has finally reared its hot and humid head and it’s not pretty.

Disc Golf In Cameron Park by Brett

It was a warm Sunday morning and the cicadas were singing when I arrived at Cameron Park to attend the 16^th annual disc golf open. The event was held by the Waco Disc Golf Association to raise awareness and funds for the Baylor Autism resource center. The event had over 125 players and several divisions.  The event drew in players from all over Texas and had cash prizes for players in the pro divisions.

Live Concert Review: NPR at the Mo Punk Show by Brett

This is a review I wrote shortly after I saw NPR at the Mo Punk Show in March. I’ve been seeing the photos I took of the show floating around Facebook so I figured I would share the original pics along with the story that goes with them. NPR will be playing at the upcoming Go Skate Day after party on June 23^rd.

Paddleboarding Down The Brazos River by Brett

The other day I was pleasantly surprised to find out  I could rent paddleboards downtown at a new store called Outdoor Waco. For those of you who don’t know what paddleboards are, they are big surf boards you stand on, you move yourself through the water with an ore as if you were canoeing. I’ve seen a lot of paddleboards on the beaches in southern California and it is something I’ve always wanted to try.   Outdoor Waco rents them out for only $15 an hour. I rented one  the other day with a friend and had a lot of fun.

The Contemporary Works of Erin Dobbins at Croft Art Gallery by Brett

Hey everybody. This past Friday was the opening of Croft’s latest exhibit, A Beautiful Mess by the talented artist Erin Dobbins. In this exhibit she showcased various paintings that represented a wide array of emotions. While attending the opening it felt like the paintings were practically blasting me with emotion from all the walls and corners of the showroom. Here are my thoughts on a few of her paintings.

 

Be Like A Vulture by Brett

If you’ve lived in Waco or any rural part of America for a good amount of time then you’ve probably seen a turkey vulture or two. Turkey vultures are usually seen on the side of the road picking at freshly squished road kill or perched on telephone wires patiently scanning the streets.  The other morning I looked out my window and saw a flock of turkey vultures feasting on a dead possum.  Part of me was happy because it meant that I didn’t have to dispose of the dead possum myself; another part of me was in wonder because I was witnessing the natural cycle of life happening in front of me. The tragedy of the squished possum was the story of hope and survival for the turkey vultures.  Vultures are often perceived as disgusting because of their dietary habits and ugly bald heads. In literature they are often associated with death, but why?  Are they any less important to the natural order of everything than say, an eagle? Why does being vulture-like have such a negative connotation? Why aren’t they appreciated as much as other birds?

Riding a Bike In Waco by Brett

Have you ever had to rely on a bike as your primary means of transportation? Right now my bike is my only means of getting from A to B besides walking or the bus. Occasionally I get rides from my wonderful friends but for the most part I’m on a bike. Riding a bike in Waco has been one of the most humbling experiences of my life; it has exposed me to death,the wrath of nature and the worst aspects of humanity and I’ve only been riding for about five months. I don’t ride a bike to be hip or cool or to say I’m better than you. I ride a bike because I can’t afford a car but still like going places.