Heights Entrepreneurs Flourish At Arts Market
Regulars to the First Saturday Arts Market may recognize a few regulars that return each month and Heights residents may notice their neighbors. The Heights has always been known as eclectic and artsy so its no surprise to find neighborhood artists at an event like First Saturday Arts Market.
Fresh into its sixth year, visitors may notice Paule Hewlett when walking in on the right. Hewlett and her husband Mike are fairly recent residents to the Heights. Under Hewlett’s white canopied tent it looks like a gift shop boutique, yet all the card sets, handbags, shirts, scarves and kitchen accessories are adorned with the delicate watercolors Hewlett creates in her studio.
Homemade paper beads? “Yes!” Mitch Cohen, the market founder and coordinator says of Sheena Stegent, “Sheena’s jewelry is truly unique an what we always strive for at the market. She actually makes her beads by hand from paper and only found out it was an ancient art form with modern tools available a few years ago. She insists on continuing to make them by hand!”
One of the best Heights artist stories may be that
of Jan Johnson. An amateur photographer, Johnson was laid off from her job at UT Health and Science Center and launched Letterscapes at the arts market one year ago. The patron has a chance to be creative with Letterscapes by choosing from Johnson’s vast library of photos of different “letters” of the alphabet and assembling their art of someones name or phrase.. An “a” might be a swing set, or a “b” may be a broken tile. Each creation is truly unique and its helped Johnson make ends meet in a tough job market.
The arts market has always been an incubator for aspiring entrepreneurs and food in Houston is no stranger to that. Yvonne Cavazos, also a Heights artists has a lot of mouths to feed and started “What’s Up Cupcake!” Cavazos converted an old trailer into a mobile dispensary for her delectable creations. New on the scene is Wild Bean Coffee Co., another new Heights business. Amazing!
Entertainment this month is the energetic duo of Rebecca Ferguson and John Stoll of Westbound, performing soft and sweet jazzy songs, classic rock, Americana, and outlaw country.
Saturday March 6 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the parking lot of Wind Water Gallery at 548 W. 19th St. at Lawrence St. – fifty artists will showcase their paintings, sculpture, photography, jewelry and handmade wares in as many white canopied tents.
The Heights 1st Saturday shopping shuttle runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The market is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and located on the parking lot of Wind Water Asian Antiques Gallery at 548 W. 19th St. at Lawrence St. Admission are free.
For more information about the First Saturday Art Market, call 713-802-1213 or visit the website www.FirstSaturdayArtsMarket.com
Westbound
Originally trained in classical and choral singing, Rebecca strayed from that path and began finding her true voice in blues, americana and jazz. From there she developed a love of songwriting, fascinated by the endless potential a song has to tell a story or share a moment.
For 17 years, John has played different instruments in rock bands all over Texas, and is defined by the music he plays.
He approaches music with a fire and a passion matched by nothing else in his life, so much so that he regularly and happily loses both sleep and guitar strings in the quest to take the music higher.
Following a series of luck-based circumstances, the two met and discovered an extraordinary musical chemistry. It was thus that the acoustic duo, Westbound, made its way into the world.
John has found his voice beside Rebecca, playing acoustic guitar and harmonica, singing backup vocals, and playing a very unique and crowd-pleasing stomp-box. Rebecca holds the audience captive with a versatile voice suited for everything from raunchy blues to sweet serenades.
Westbound is currently writing and recording their debut album, Blackjack Road. They also play frequently at bars, restaurants, festivals, artist markets, living rooms and open mics in Houston, Galveston, Clear Lake and Austin, TX, and in Clarksdale, MS.
You can contact Westbound at thewestboundband@gmail.com, and connect with them online at http://thewestboundband.com.
