Home Care In Art, TX

Lawmaking in Texas is a fast-paced political process that is unique compared to other states. We sat down with TCU political science professor and political analyst Scott Braddock to learn the art of Texas politics.

Lots of money and relatively little time: that's the reality for Texas lawmakers. "It's a very, very manic process," said Dr. Jim Riddlesperger, a TCU political science professor.

According to the state constitution, regular legislative sessions only meet in odd-numbered years. Each session starts on the second Tuesday in January and can last up to 140 days. "The framers of the constitution were suspicious of government in general," said Riddlesperger. "And particularly suspicious of government after the civil war."

Each representative and senator makes $7,200 per year, plus $190 per day during sessions. The house is led by the speaker, while the senate is led by the lieutenant governor. Both positions are extremely powerful in the law-making process.

"If a bill's going to pass, it has to be on the radar of both the lieutenant governor and speaker almost from the first day of the session," said Riddlesperger. Braddock, the editor of a political newsletter and host of a political podcast, agrees. "They're controlling the flow of legislation, which bills make it to committees, which bills make it to the floor and which bills actually see votes."

The speaker is elected by members of the house. The lieutenant governor is elected statewide. He is the only full-time politician in the legislature. "He's not in a position of absolute chokehold authority," said Riddlesperger. "But he is probably the single entity that has more influence over the legislative session than anyone else."

Around 10,000 bills are filed each session. Less than half of those will make it to the finish line. "If you don't have a person of influence to get your bill considered, it's not going to be considered," said Riddlesperger.

The only bill that has to be passed is the state budget. That is number one - literally - in the house and senate. Other high priority bills will have the lowest numbers. "In the senate, the lieutenant governor has set aside the first 20 bills, in the house the speaker has set aside the first 30 bills," said Braddock. "So, once you start to see those actually filed, you'll know what the priorities are."

With an estimated $27 billion surplus, this year is different from sessions of the past decade. "The state is awash in money," said Braddock. "So, when it comes to what they're going to spend that money on, it's the question of the session."

But according to Braddock, that money comes with its own challenges. "That can be one of the toughest sessions for legislators," he said. "Because when people are asking for resources, they don't have an excuse if they can't come up with the money."

The Texas legislative session has been called many things: a mad dash, a zoo, a circus. No matter what you call it, Riddlesperger says, it's how we make laws in the Lone Star State. "If you're going to watch Texas politics, you have to do it with a sense of humor!"

Our thanks to Arlington artists Dan Darr and his daughter Ava, who helped bring this story to life.

The Texas Legislature's website is here.

Here's a list of FAQs from the legislature.

Find out which lawmakers represent you here.

Karen Borta

Karen Borta is a veteran journalist who joined CBS 11 News in 1995. Prior to that, she was an anchor and reporter at CBS affiliate WTVT-TV in Tampa, KRBK-TV in Sacramento and KCEN-TV in Waco.

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As a blossoming ‘burb to raise a family, Sugar Land scores high marks. The town was recently named one of America’s best small cities and also a top value for first-time home buyers. However, the area, which is bigger than many U.S. states’ capital cities has never been a hotbed for culture.

Here to help is Art Museum TX, a Fort Bend-based non-profit dedicated to the presentation and understanding of Texas contemporary art through exhibits, events, and education. The nonprofit is launching the experience at Sugar Land Town Square in May in a 4,000-square-foot space adjacent to the central plaza.

This new project comes courtesy of well-known curator, Ana Villaronga-Roman, per a press release. In advance of the public opening, Art Museum TX will host a ticketed preview benefit on May 6 from 5:30 until 9 pm.

Guests can get a first look at the venue, catch live music, art performances, and enjoy light bites. General admission is $45 per person; $95 VIP tickets will include a discounted annual membership.

Meanwhile, opening weekend festivities launch on May 27 from 6 until 9 pm with a spotlight on local artists including Kelley Devine, Rachel Gardner, Carrie Swim, Amanda Wood, and KK Grether.

Villaronga-Roman’s credentials make her ideally suited for launching a new art space in Sugar Land. She founded the first art museum in Fort Bend County in 2013 (the Katy Contemporary Arts Museum), then later, CAM Fort Bend in the Rosenberg Arts District in 2017. She has partnered with organizations such as Latino Art Now!, Harvest Green, Fort Bend Libraries, and the Fort Bend Art Center.

“The contemporary art scene is firmly in place in Fort Bend County with our second location of Art Museum TX in Sugar Land Town Square,” said Villaronga-Roman in a press release. “Despite the uncertainty of the past year, the museum continued to have an impact, and we stay steadfast in our goal of doing our part in building Fort Bend’s reputation as an art market to watch.”

For more information or to purchase tickets to the benefit, visit this site.

four million dollars in the selection of 12 new site-specific art commissions for the new Mickey Leland International Terminal (MLIT) and the new International Central Processer (ICP) at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). The commissioned works are sponsored by Houston Airports (HAS) on behalf of the City of Houston through MOCA’s Civic Art Program.

The commissioned artworks will be new additions to the City of Houston’s Civic Art Collection and are expected to be installed and on view by the Spring of 2024. In line with the equity guidelines and ethos of the City’s Civic Art Program and considering the goals of the HAS, this effort sought concepts for art meant to enhance passengers’ experiences by highlighting ideas that are reflective of the international character of Houston.

“The magnitude of commission efforts at IAH leads in the pace and funding for increased activity in Civic Art across the City and we’re very proud of the artworks residents and visitors to Houston will soon encounter,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “And, how fitting, that artworks from Houston's own artists will welcome every single international passenger landing at IAH.”

For each of the six gates for MLIT, the City requested the submission of proposals from Houston-based artists to design, fabricate, and install a three-part installation addressing the upper and lower landings of six new international gates at the forthcoming airport facility. For all commissions, preference was given to artists not currently represented in the City of Houston Civic Art Collection.

“This significant investment will provide a unique opportunity for our airport guests to experience art,” said Mario Diaz, Director of Aviation for the City of Houston. “The modern, functional and intuitive design of the new international terminal at IAH will be accentuated by these diverse works of art.”

“We are proud of our strong collaboration with the Houston Airport System,” says MOCA Director, Necole S. Irvin. “Together, we are creating a presence at the airport through art that strongly conveys the character of our city, known to be a gateway to Latin America, and our warm welcome to visitors to our city.”

All of the artworks selected reflect the welcoming nature of Houston as a city with a distinct culture, celebrating and evoking the rich and diverse local fabric that makes Houston inspiring for residents and visitors alike.

The artists developing commissions for MLIT and ICP at IAH include: Reginald Adams, Miguel Arzabe, Carolina Caycedo, Marta Chilindron, Emilie Duval, Leslie Gaworecki, Marlo Saucedo, and Houston Poet Laureate Emanuelee “Outspoken” Bean, Graciela Hasper, Lovie Olivia, Gerardo Rosales, Regina Silveira, Nick Vaughn & Jake Margolin and Rafael Vargas-Suarez of Vargas-Suarez Universal.

Find more info on the artists developing commissions, nominators, panelists, and the selection process here.

About the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs The City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA) guides the City’s cultural investments with policies and initiatives that expand access to arts and cultural programs in the community, attract visitors and leverage private investment. Learn more at www.houstontx.gov/culturalaffairs and follow us on Facebook & Instagram @HoustonMOCA.

About Houston Airports Houston Airports is the City of Houston’s Department of Aviation. Comprised of George Bush Intercontinental Airport, IAH, William P. Hobby Airport, HOU, and Ellington Airport/Houston Spaceport, EFD, Houston Airports served 54 million passengers in 2022 and nearly 60 million in 2019. Houston Airports forms one of North America's largest public airport systems and positions Houston as the international passenger and cargo gateway to the South-Central United States and as a primary gateway to Latin America Houston’s Hobby Airport is the first and only 5-star airport in North America and Bush Airport maintained an exceptional 4-star rating for a fifth consecutive year. Find more info, visit https://www.fly2houston.com.

About Houston Arts Alliance Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) is a local arts and culture organization whose principal work is to implement the City of Houston’s vision, values, and goals for its arts grantmaking and civic art investments. HAA also executes privately funded special projects to meet the needs of the arts community, such as disaster preparation, research on the state of the arts in Houston, and temporary public art projects that energize neighborhoods. To learn more about HAA, visit www.houstonartsalliance.com and follow us on Facebook & Instagram @HoustonArtsAlliance.

TEXAS — The Art Institute system of schools is permanently shutting down all of its remaining campuses, including facilities in Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. The closures will be in effect as of Saturday, Sept. 30.

Only eight schools remained in the Art Institute system, half of which were in Texas.

What You Need To Know

The school has not yet provided a reason for the closures. Students also seemed to get little notice of the news.

According to the Houston Chronicle, students were warned of the closures just days before the school's announcement through an email Friday, which detailed the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on the closure.

The school is encouraging students to continue their studies at other schools and transfer if possible. Students at branches of the Art Institute of Houston can review the academic catalog resource to find comparable programs they may be able to transfer to.

The Art Institute says it will mail five copies of official transcripts to students at no cost beginning on or after Oct. 1. Students can also request their transcripts for a fee through the National Student Clearinghouse here. The school also mailed 10-98 forms to all students upon the school's closure, but students can visit this site to print a duplicate copy.

Affected students can review Federal Student Aid's webpage detailing resources for students whose schools have closed that includes a list of support options.

For students who are veterans, the school says they could be eligible for a restoration of benefits. Visit the Department of Veteran Affairs website for more details on this.

International students can contact the SEVP Response Center by email at [email protected] or by phone at 1-800-892-4829 or 703-603-3400 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday to learn how these closures will affect their visa status.

Official list of affected Art Institute schools:

For most Fort Worthians, a pair of boots and a cowboy hat are considered everyday attire, even if they are dressing up. So, imagine what it would be like, if say a group of performers dressed in neon track suits, were to crash a place like the Stockyards. As I’m sure you can imagine, this clash would be hard to ignore.

Well folks, that day has come.

On June 23, Meow Wolf, the Santa Fe-based arts and entertainment company that creates immersive, interactive experiences, is sending out a group of Mall Walkers to invade Cowtown. Why is this happening? According to a release, from June 23–26 these performers will be playing games with people across the greater DFW area as a way of promoting Meow Wolf’s new exhibit The Real Unreal.

This interactive art installation, which has been created by several North Texas artists, is set to open July 14 at the Grapevine Mills Mall. During this invasion, a few lucky Fort Worthians will have the chance to win prizes including free tickets and swag related to the new installation. The Real Unreal experience encourages visitors to explore different dimensions of perspective and creativity through more than 30+ rooms of multidimensional art and compelling narrative.

The storyline for this installment, authored by LaShawn Wanak, revolves around a blended family that has unknowingly unlocked portals to a different existence. As participants investigate these portals to the unknown, they will explore rooms that are both unfamiliar yet accessible through unforgettable psychedelic art. In addition to the exhibition, The Real Unreal also includes a cafe, retail store, and venue for live events.

Meow Wolf Grapevine brought together 150 artists and fabricators, including 38 from Texas, to create this art installation which is made up of 70 unique and captivating experiences within The Real Unreal. Artists of all forms - including muralists, sculptors, photographers, undermallers, and video game designers - have collaborated on a truly unique installation that will immerse visitors in a captivating narrative. Collaborating artists working on this project include Dan Lam, Emmanuelle John, Mariell Guzman, Lance McGoldrick, XaLaVier Nelson Jr., Riley Holloway, and Nico Salazar (Future Fantasy Delight).

Starting July 14, The Real Unreal will be open at 10 a.m. daily. Hours are subject to change. Tickets are now available for pre-purchase starting at $50 for General Admission ($45 for Children). All those interested in attending this art installment are required to pre-book a time slot for entry.

The Mall Walkers' Performance Schedule:

Friday, June 23

Fort Worth Water Gardens

1502 Commerce St, Fort Worth, TX 76102

3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Fort Worth Stockyards

131 E Exchange Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76164

5:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.

Saturday, June 24

Bishop Arts District

Dallas, TX

3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Los Dos Carnales Concert*

Texas Trust CU Theater

1001 Texas Trust Way, Grand Prairie, TX 75050

7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.

Sunday, June 25

Klyde Warren Park

2012 Woodall Rodgers Fwy, Dallas, TX 75201

2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.

Frisco Roughriders Game*

Riders Field

7300 Rough Riders Trl, Frisco, TX 75034

5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Monday, June 26

Deep Ellum

Dallas, TX

3:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

Texas Rangers’ Game

Globe Life Stadium

734 Stadium Dr, Arlington, TX 76011

6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.