Madeworthy: For readers who are discovering Fort52 for the first time, how would you describe your company and the products you create?

Fort52: We create luxury playing cards with 15+ original watercolor images in each deck. We specialize in locations, mostly cities and states, and what makes those places unique and special. You can find our decks in over 130 different stores in 25 different states. We also enjoy working on custom projects for hotels, resorts, brides, and corporations. Our playing cards are created to specifically bring to mind great memories in different cities or trips – we choose the images with that in mind for each deck. Being a small business, we thrive on the flexibility it gives us to use our creative side while also taking the time to pick and choose our next decks as something or somewhere that inspires us. Our decks are made up of bright and beautiful watercolor art, making them so much more than your standard playing card.

photo credit: Jason Kindig

MW: Running a small business together comes with both rewards and challenges. How do your individual strengths complement each other behind the scenes?

F52: Calli is the creative force driving our business forward. She is always coming up with new ideas and new products we could be launching, and she is also the technical piece of our puzzle. Rachel is more the organized piece – dealing with emails, numbers, and keeping things on track. It takes both kinds to run a small business -there’s no way we could do it without each other. When one of us is in the weeds with a project or problem, the other is always right there providing the mile-high view with a way to solve the issue. Being a part of Local Design Studios and learning and collaborating with other women-run businesses is a huge asset for us. The ladies we work with are always willing to help, provide feedback, and brainstorm ideas.

MW: Which product best represents Fort52 right now, and why does it feel especially meaningful to you?

F52: All of our playing cards feel meaningful at the time we create them – we carefully choose the images that are in the decks (it’s a minimum of 15 images and some decks have upwards of 20 because there’s so many landmarks or characteristics that make those locations unique) through research, asking friends and finding the right image to be drawn that would make a great watercolor art piece. The Cowtown Cards will always be special to us, as it was our first deck and gave us the idea to launch a line of playing cards. The Let’s Rodeo deck has been fun recently, being timely for this winter season. Both of our kids have done the Mutton Busting at the FWSSR and love looking at all the different events listed in the deck. We even included a hot-pink pair of cowgirl boots that our girls love.

photo credit: Rebekah Byrne

MW: Your playing cards feel like they are made for gathering. How do you envision people incorporating Fort52 into their homes and routines?

F52: We have both enjoyed incorporating our cards into our regular routines with friends and family! Whether it’s playing Old Maid, Go Fish, or Speed with our kids after school, or a game of Onze or Spades with friends after a dinner party. We have loved hearing from customers on their favorite game night traditions as well. Putting the decks in the clear acrylic boxes makes the cards a tabletop piece as well, so they are easy to grab when you’re looking for something to do. They aren’t just in a drawer somewhere waiting to be used (we hope!) Later this year, we are launching a few more family-friendly games, so be looking for those!

MW: What’s inspiring you lately? Colors, themes, or ideas that we might see in future Shop Fort 52 collections?

Everything bright and colorful! We are thinking outside the box for a few new decks we have in the works – not focusing on cities and landmarks, being more creative and putting a fun spin on the art. Our kids are also getting older (Calli’s oldest is 9), and so they have opinions on what is fun and cool, so we are leaning into that as well – they are always full of ideas! Our latest ideas are still keeping game nights as the main theme of our business, just expanding what games families can be playing.

MW: Before Shop Fort52, did each of you have your own creative path? Tell us about what you did before you started this business.

F52: We both studied Ad/PR at TCU and took a few graphic design classes, which started our love for creating our own designs. We each took corporate roles after college, but were both heavily involved in the invitation process for our weddings. Rachel was extremely particular and came with all kinds of screenshots, and Calli designed her own rehearsal dinner invitations for her dinner at the Fort Worth Zoo. Calli then worked at Paper Affair in Dallas for a year, where she learned the ins and outs of the invitation world – from the initial concept all the way to the printing process. We had talked for a couple of years of dreams of what we truly wanted to do, and at a Christmas in Cowtown committee meeting in 2016, they were talking about any new vendors that we had heard of that should be part of the market – we then looked at each other and thought this is our time! And we launched Wabash Road that fall, doing invitations, gift tags, cups, napkins, and Christmas cards. Since then, we have evolved into just playing cards and changed the name to Fort52 in 2021.

photo credit: Jason Kindig

MW: How do your personal tastes and histories show up in what you create?

F52: We started down the path of creating location-specific decks of cards – as stocking stuffers, thank you gifts, nods to different college towns, a memento for a trip, you name it – they were to encapsulate the memories made in different cities. We then started brainstorming on what other times/ places/ events make the best memories – that’s when we launched the rodeo, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and summer decks. Such great memories and game nights happen in those times, and we wanted to capitalize on that as well. We’ve had Galentine’s Game Nights focused around our Valentine’s Day deck, summer nights full of games with our kids, and lately, with the snow days, we’ve been snuggled up by the fire playing Old Maid and Go Fish.

MW: Fort Worth plays a subtle but steady role in your work. How has living and creating here shaped you as women and as designers?

F52: We are both actually from here, went to high school here, and TCU – so a love for Fort Worth runs deep within us. Calli lived in Dallas for a few years but came back about the time we started our business. A talented mom friend came to us with her drawing of a horned frog for her daughter’s birthday invitation (back when we created invitations), and that got the ball rolling to start the cards. Calli, with her creative mind, thought, “What else could we do with this?” And that’s how the cards were created. So, you could say our love and knowledge of our city is what started us on the path we’re on now. One horned frog drawing has helped launch over 30 different decks of cards.

The post Made in Fort Worth: Fort52 first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

A little history is in order. Until the early part of the 19^th century, artists made their own paints from raw pigments rather than nipping down to the art supply store for a tube of cobalt blue or mosaic gold, which made painting anywhere but a studio difficult. However, after paint in tubes became available, artists were free to paint where they liked, and they really liked painting outside. The Impressionists were especially fond of heading out into a field or to a pond to commune with their muse.

“Plein air [painting] is fun because it gets you outdoors,” Doug Clark said. Clark is a local artist who started a popular plein air group here in North Texas called PAINT, an acronym for “Plein Air in North Texas.”

Doug Clark painting en plein air

Clark, who is both a sculptor and a painter, specializes in wildlife art, something that goes hand in hand with plein air. “I’ve always loved camping and fishing and just being outdoors,” Clark said. “To me, plein air adds to the enjoyment of painting and being outdoors. I’m able to enjoy nature while I’m painting, and I love that.”

Anyone is welcome to join PAINT on their jaunts into nature, regardless of age or artistic ability. The group paints in picturesque locations around the area, such as Benbrook Lake, city parks, and the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge.

“We have members ranging in age from the 40s through the 80s,” Clark said. “Some are retired. Some still work. Some are professional artists, while others just like to paint for themselves. A lot of the artists use oil paints, but some use watercolors or sketch. We even have some who use acrylics outdoors.”

“There really are no rules. We just go out and have a good time.”

Usually, after a painting session, the group will either go somewhere for breakfast or brunch, or Clark will invite them over to his house for what he calls Show and Tell.

“What I find interesting is that when we go out as a group, we’re all looking at basically the same thing,” Clark said. “But at Show and Tell, you’ll have 15 very different paintings with different lighting and moods, even though we all saw the same thing.”

An artist from an early age (“I was always getting in trouble for doodling in class”), Clark went to TCU, where he studied English and history, “so I could go to law school.” After the first week of law school, Clark decided that practicing law was not for him and became a teacher. He first taught third-grade ESL before his principal offered him the position of art teacher. While he taught children about art, he started exploring his own talent.

“My father was a painter,” Clark said. “Not full-time – he was a systems analyst – but he would sell his work. But being an artist was never anything my parents encouraged me to do.”

After the COVID pandemic, Clark had enough of teaching and started creating art full-time.

“Doug is an important person in a lot of lives,” said Trish Wise, a local artist whose work is seen in every issue of Madeworthy in Fresh Family Recipes. “He not only gets us together [for plein air sessions], which always attract plenty of attention, but he invites us back to his home for amazing meals and camaraderie.”

Trish Wise, Madeworthy illustrator and en plein air enthusiast

“A lot of time, you’re not around people as an artist,” Clark said. “You’re working in a studio. Studio work is a solo activity. Plein air is a social activity; you’re not only inspired by nature, you’re inspired by the people around you.”

“Winston Churchill was a painter,” Clark continued. “He said that what he liked most about painting was that when he was painting, painting was the only thing he thought about. Even during World War Two, he would paint to take his mind off the war.”

So, if you’re out and about and see a group of people painting, there’s a good chance it could be PAINT. Go over and say hi. You could even join them.

And be sure to incorporate the phrase “plein air” into your conversations about art.

The post Get Out and PAINT! first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Chef Juan Ramón Cárdenas and his son, Chef Rodrigo Cárdenas, are known for their contemporary approach to Mexican cuisine. They have shared three recipes with us that are sure to entice your family and friends’ palates.

Lamb “Doves”

In Chef Juan Ramón Cárdenas’ hometown of Saltillo, tacos made with flour tortillas are called “palomas” or “doves.” The original recipe calls for cabrito, or kid goat, but Chef Cárdenas suggests substituting lamb for kid goat, as it’s difficult to find kid goat in family-friendly amounts.

Ingredients

For the árbol chile salsa

1 tablespoon oil

8 dried árbol chiles

8 green tomatoes

¼ onion

2 cloves garlic

salt and pepper to taste

For the cabbage salad

½ of a green cabbage, sliced into thin ribbons

½ of a red cabbage, sliced into thin ribbons

1 large tomato, cut into small cubes

¼ cup olive oil

2 to 3 tablespoons lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

For the palomas (doves)

1 ½ cups lamb confit (see recipe below)

6 to 8 flour tortillas

sliced avocado

Directions

For the salsa

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the dried chiles until they turn from red to brown. Remove the chiles from the skillet and place in a blender with the green tomatoes, onion, and garlic cloves until smooth. This will last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

For the cabbage salad

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the palomas

Pour the salsa into a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the lamb confit; stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced and the mixture looks dry.

Heat the flour tortillas and fill with lamb confit in salsa. Place the tacos on a comal or griddle over medium heat, and toast lightly on each side.

Serve the palomas with the cabbage salad and sliced avocados. You are welcome to add your favorite salsa. Serves 4.

Lamb Confit

A confit is a well-seasoned piece of meat cooked slowly in its own fat. As lamb fat is hard to find, substitute lard or beef tallow. [Editor’s Note: Yes,  this sounds rich. It is. However, you don’t use a lot in the recipe, and it freezes beautifully. Additionally, I adapted Chef Juan Ramón Cárdenas’ recipe to make it more family-friendly.]

Ingredients

2.5 to 3 pounds of lamb shoulder chops

1 heaping tablespoon of kosher salt

2 cups lard or beef tallow

2 cups neutral oil, like canola

Directions

Rub the lamb all over with the salt. Place them into a resealable bag and refrigerate overnight.

Place a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the lard or tallow and the oil. Once the lard or tallow has melted and the mixture is shimmering, pat the lamb pieces dry and add them to the oil mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low to low, depending on your stove, and cook the lamb for 3 to 4 hours, or until the bones slide out of the meat. If you have a meat or frying thermometer, keep the oil between 190° and 199° during cooking.

Remove the lamb from the pot. [Editor’s Note: I placed the lamb on a rack that had been placed on a baking sheet lined with paper towels and allowed the lamb to drain.]

Cut the meat into small pieces or shred it. The confit will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days or can be frozen for use within 6 months.

Ceviche a la Mexicana

Ingredients

6 to 8 ounces firm, white fish (such as snapper, halibut, seabass, grouper, or mahi mahi), cubed

¼ of a yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, sliced

1 Persian cucumber, diced

1 ripe tomato, seeded and diced

2 tablespoons chile sauce from palomas recipe (optional)

½ cup lime juice

2 teaspoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 scallion (green onion), sliced

¼ peeled beet, grated (garnish)

¼ peeled carrot, grated (garnish)

Directions

Mix the onion, jalapeño, tomato, and cucumber in a bowl.

In another bowl, combine the lime juice and chile sauce (if using), then add the fish so it can “cook” in the mixture. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and no longer than 4 hours.

Before serving, combine the marinated fish with the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. To serve, place on a plate or in a pasta bowl, then drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with the grated carrot, beet, and scallion. Serve with good-quality tortilla chips. Makes enough for 2 as an appetizer.

Ceviche de Coliflor (Vegan)

Ingredients

1 white cauliflower, cut into small pieces

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 serrano chile, thinly sliced

½ cup lime juice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ bunch cilantro leaves, chopped

1 large mango, cubed

1 Persian cucumber, grated and drained

½ peeled carrot, grated

½ cup corn kernels

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the cauliflower for 4 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain, place in a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate.

Once the cauliflower is chilled, add the onion, serrano, lime juice, and kosher salt and stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or no longer than 4 hours.

Before serving, add the cilantro, mango, cucumber, carrot, corn, and tomato to the bowl with the marinated cauliflower, then toss to combine. Season to taste. Serve with tortillas or as a salad. Makes enough for 8 as a starter or 4 as a salad.

The post Creativity Takes Courage’s Fresh Family Recipes first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Madeworthy: Tell us a little about yourself. (Where you’re from, educational background, art, work prior to Art Tooth, pets, anything you really want to share!)

Shasta Haubrich: I mostly grew up in Cleburne, but we lived in Japan until I was four and I was born in Washington state. Now I have technically lived in Fort Worth longer than I have lived anywhere. I received an Associate’s Degree from TCC and then worked at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth for ten years so I consider that part of my education. I have two adult (barely) children, Aurora and Apollo, a few porch cats and my son has a bearded dragon.

Amira Balmashkan, Shasta Haubrich, Jessica Beatty

MW: Your Patreon says that you create “pop-culture focused art.” Can you tell us a little more about that?

SH: Growing up in the country as an only child, I spent a lot of time watching TV. So I like researching sitcoms and tv shows and movies in various ways. For my most recent project I watched every episode of Golden Girls and tried to catalog every time they say some version of “What are you doing up?” and then I painted those scenes in three large canvases. I am also about to start selling prints of various favorite scenes from tv and movies and hopefully will start selling zines.

MW: Congrats on 10 years of Art Tooth! Can you tell us a little about the idea behind the founding of it?

SH: I started Art Tooth with six other artists from various backgrounds with a mission to create more opportunities for artists in Fort Worth. In many ways it is difficult for artists to show their work if you don’t have a relationship with a gallery. So we decided we would start creating our own art shows. Our first show was at 76102 gallery and then BRIK and we moved on to collaborating in various ways with different businesses and groups including Hotel Dryce, The Pool at Near Southside, FWSSR, Mayfest, and more.

MW: When did it become clear that Art Tooth wasn’t just a collective of artists, that it was evolving into a nonprofit with a real mission?

SH: I think we figured out pretty quickly we could make a difference as a non-profit vs a collective. We had our first gallery show in August of 2016 and we established ourselves as a nonprofit by March of 2017. Our methods have evolved so I try to work with several artists throughout the year. For example, In 2025 we worked with 70 artists and held 19 events. 25 of those artists were people I had never shown before.

MW: For those who are not aware of Art Tooth, what is your mission?

Art Tooth was founded with the intention to create more opportunities for artists in Fort Worth and to build relationships between artists, collectors, and art patrons.

By making contemporary art accessible to an increasingly broad and diverse public, we strive to continue to strengthen Dallas-Fort Worth’s reputation as an arts destination.

MW: A lot of art-based nonprofits are not run by artists. How does being artist-run make a difference in what Art Tooth does?

SH: I think it makes it easier for us because I can anticipate what makes it hard for some artists to get their work out there in the world and try to eliminate those barriers, because I have the same issues trying to show my art. I also think it’s easier for me to talk to artists directly and get their feedback on what they need.

MW: I’m not sure if Art Tooth could exist anywhere else. How does Fort Worth contribute to Art Tooth’s mission?

SH: I think there are several people who have helped us make it to ten years because people see us as a needed entity in Fort Worth. I feel like we are known for having access to several artists and we have the ability to reach out to artists easily.

MW: Conversely, how does Art Tooth contribute to Fort Worth’s role as a leading center for contemporary artists – especially new and mid-level artists?

SH: I don’t think we are reinventing the wheel by partnering with businesses to show art but I think/ hope we are trusted partners to artists and businesses and help eliminate some of the stress for artists trying to show their work for the first time or to a new audience.

MW: Art Tooth is committed to supporting artists from underrepresented communities. Why are inclusivity and equity in art representation so important?

SH: I personally think art should reflect society and we wouldn’t be reflecting society if we just showcased art from white dudes. Statistically, it is more difficult for non-white artists to get their work in galleries, so if we are truly supporting all artists we need to contribute to helping mitigate those barriers.

MW: How does Art Tooth ensure inclusivity and equity in your works?

SH: I think we have generally just tried to see who we have worked with and find a balance, but we are about to start implementing a process of surveying our past artists and getting a clearer picture of where we need to make improvements.

MW: Do you think your efforts have led to more diversity in the contemporary art scene in Fort Worth?

SH: No, I don’t think we can take any credit for that. I think we could probably be doing more.

MW: What do you think are the biggest challenges that artists face in Fort Worth today, both as an artist and as Executive Director of Art Tooth?

SH: I think that Fort Worth wants to be seen as art focused, but when you ask some businesses or leaders to actually support artists by paying them what they are worth they don’t want to contribute or they try to cut corners.

MW: How do you juggle your work as an artist with your job as Executive Director of Art Tooth?

SH: I am actually pretty bad at it. I think sometimes I sign up for stuff with my own art just so I have a deadline I have to make and then I get my art work done at the last minute.

MW: How does your career as an artist influence the way Art Tooth supports artists?

SH: I grew up in a small town and put myself through school while raising two kids so I have had my own hurdles to face trying to get my art out there including imposter syndrome and feeling like I am not educated enough. So I know what fears and hopes artists have and I know that sometimes getting that first chance is everything to keep you going.

MW: Where you see the contemporary art scene in Fort Worth going in the next five years?

SH: I hope we keep going and expanding but these rent prices are a big issue and I think there is a plateau for some artists where they have to leave or show their work in Dallas or move to Austin or Houston because we need more support once artists get to the point where they can sell high dollar pieces. If we can establish more residencies where artists get free studio space and get paid to work that will help significantly.

MW: Where do you see Art Tooth going in the next five years?

SH: We tried to have studio spaces and that didn’t work out but it would be great to have a permanent office and find funding for studios in the next five years and to expand how we work to collaborate with artists in new ways.

MW: Where do you see your art going in the next five years?

SH: I just hope it gets weirder.

Lightning Round: Fort Worth Favorites

• Coffee shop – Black Coffee and Avoca have my favorite match lattes and Cherry has my favorite drip coffee
• Breakfast/brunch place – Montgomery Street Cafe and Cafecito
• Hangout with friends – Chat Room and Boiled Owl
• Place to relax and recharge – My house
• Artist or musician (if this isn’t too political!) – Can’t pick one artist as a favorite but Son of Stan, Spring Palace and Hotel Satellite are my current fave local bands
• Yearly event or festival – Arts Goggle
• Favorite museum – The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth obs
• Thrift or consignment shop – Doc’s Records
• Best bartender, cocktail, or mocktail in town – Oh this one is definitely too political for me
• Best hamburger joint – Gusto’s
• Best barbecue – ok it’s like FW adjacent but Smoke’N Ash
• Mexican restaurant – I have done very little research in this category, but San Luis is probably the one I visit the most.

The post Community Member Spotlight: Shasta Haubrich first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Celia Álvarez Muñoz: El Limite

Through October 18

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

In a new iteration of her installation for the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, from 1991, Texas-based artist Celica Álvarez Muñoz has transformed the Carter’s sloping first-floor gallery. In El Limite, Muñoz references the works of Mexican printmaker José Guadalupe Posada in two large-scale photographs and explores the effects of the railroad on the connections and divisions among cultures, languages, and traditions.

The Questioneers: Read. Question. Think. PLAY!

Through May 24

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

While little ones might balk at spending a couple of hours looking at art, The Questioneers: Read. Question. Think. PLAY! is a hands-on exhibit that encourages questioning, thinking, and problem-solving. Based on the popular children’s book series by Andrea Beaty, which includes favorites such as Rosie Revere, Engineer, and Ada Twist, Scientist, this exhibition will have your kiddos using their little gray cells while having loads of fun. (Just don’t tell them that they’re learning while they’re playing!)

Roy Lichtenstein in the Studio

Through August 16

Nasher Sculpture Center and the Dallas Museum of Art

When someone says “Pop Art,” most people automatically think of Roy Lichtenstein’s large-scale interpretations of comic book panels. However, Lichtenstein’s oeuvre is more wide-ranging, encompassing sculpture, prints, and murals. The Nasher Sculpture Center and the Dallas Museum of Art celebrate the acquisition of over 50 works from the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation in this joint exhibition of drawings, sculptures, and prints by the groundbreaking artist, shown at the neighboring institutions.

Georgia O’Keeffe and the Carter

Through September 2027

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

It’s fitting that a museum dedicated to American art has created an exhibition of works by the artist known as “the Mother of American Modernism.” For the first time, the Carter explores its ties to O’Keeffe, possibly America’s most recognized artist, showing not only her paintings and works on paper from the Museum’s collection, but also photographs, letters, and other materials from O’Keeffe and other artists such as Alfred Stieglitz, Laura Gilpin, and Eliot Porter.

Fire and Earth: Early Chinese Pottery from the MacLean Collection

Through September 27

Crow Museum of Asian Art

Architect Louis Sullivan once declared that “Form follows function.” Fire and Earth: Early Chinese Pottery from the MacLean Collection features 45 vessels spanning the Neolithic period (ca. 10,000–2000 BCE) through the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), exploring how function and technological advances shaped the development of pottery across China, from simple earthenware vessels to early glazed porcelain.

Paper Technologies: Italian Prints and Drawings

Through September 20

Dallas Museum of Art

Through the selection of works from early modern Italy, from Venice to Rome, dated from 1500 to 1750, Paper Technologies: Italian Prints and Drawings explores a complex relationship between drawings, prints, and their afterlife. The increasing availability of paper enabled advancements in drawing and printmaking, and the exhibition features works from the Dallas Museum of Art’s permanent collection as well as never-before-seen pieces from private collectors.

Waste to Wonder

Through May 24

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

We are increasing a throw-away culture. Mass-produced items have a single use and are meant to be disposed of instead of repaired and kept. In collaboration with the Tarrant County Education Foundation, Waste to Wonder explores how innovation and creativity can transform one man’s trash into another man’s treasure with hands-on exhibits that delve into what it means to be truly sustainable.

Paper Knife: Objects of Beauty in Early Modern Japan

Through September 29

Crow Museum of Asian Art

When I say the word “samurai,” what springs to mind? Sword-wielding warriors fighting for their lord’s honor, correct? That image is only a small part of what samurai were. Exploring developments in decorative and fine arts, Paper Knife: Objects of Beauty in Early Modern Japan explores how pastimes, such as calligraphy, tea ceremonies, and landscape painting, were defining features of the elite samurai class, and how craftsmanship and materials elevated the mundane to the sublime.

Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers

March 8 through September 27

The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

In his first major exhibition in more than a decade, multimedia Rashid Johnson uses Black history, art history, and philosophy as a framework to explore masculinity, parenthood, self-care, and identity. Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers includes over 80 works and traces Johnson’s development through early photographic pieces, film, and sculpture to more recent paintings and assemblages.

The Holy Sepulcher: Treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem

March 15 through June 28

Kimbell Art Museum

For centuries, European monarchs competed to demonstrate their piety and support for Christianity in the Middle East by commissioning art and religious items. Composed of more than 60 dazzling pieces gifted by kings, queens, and other rulers to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, The Holy Sepulcher: Treasures from the Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem includes reliquaries, crosses, chalices, vestments, and candlesticks created out of rich materials by the most talented craftsmen and artists of the 17^th and 18^th centuries in Europe.

Black Photojournalism

March 15 through July 5

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

The years between 1945 and the mid-1980s were a time of great change in the United States. From the post-war boom through the Civil Rights movement and beyond, Black Photojournalism explores the essential role of Black photojournalists in documenting historic events and everyday life in Black-owned media outlets during those turbulent times. These photographs create a historical record of Black life that is rich and nuanced, and that serves as a tool for empowerment and education.

Paradise on Earth: Florals in Indian Textiles

April 1 through November 29

Dallas Museum of Art

For thousands of years, Indian textile artists turned to the natural world for inspiration. Exploring the impact of plant and floral imagery in Indian textile and garment design, Paradise on Earth: Florals in Indian Textiles examines the interconnectedness of craftsmanship, art, and nature and showcases the richness of clothing, decorative arts, paintings, and textiles from the Mughal Empire (1526-1827) to the present.

The Cinematic West: The Art That Made the Movies

Through April 25

Sid Richardson Museum

The Hollywood Western wouldn’t be the Hollywood Western without the works of Western artists like Charles Russell, Frederic Remington, and many others. Their art explores the mythology of the American West– a mythology that Hollywood enthusiastically embraced and amplified. The Cinematic West: The Art That Made the Movies juxtaposes paintings, sculptures, and illustrations with movie posters, silent-movie clips, and other ephemera, revealing parallels between “fine art” and “mass media.”

The Statue of Liberty: From Bartholdi to Warhol

August 16, 2026 through January 3, 2027

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

“’I lift my lamp beside the golden door!’” In honor of the 250^th anniversary of the United States, the Carter explores the place of the Statue of Liberty in America’s visual culture and the evolution of depictions of French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi’s monolithic work, Liberty Enlightening the World, as well as its continuing relevance in America’s visual culture. The exhibition is anchored by a rare bronze cast of Lady Liberty, one of only five small-scale bronze casts made during Bartholdi’s lifetime.

Preservation Is the Art of the City

September 10 through September 12

Location to be determined

In its 23^rd year, Preservation Is the Art of the City showcases the work of North Texas artists while raising money for Historic Fort Worth, Inc. The event, spanning several days around Fall Gallery Night, allows art patrons to connect with local artists and their works and celebrates the talent and creativity of our city.

Photography’s First Century: Masterworks from the Bibliothèque nationale de France

October 4, 2026 through January 17, 2027

Kimbell Art Museum

Photography’s First Century: Masterworks from the Bibliothèque nationale de France is the Kimbell’s first-ever exhibition celebrating the art of photography. The Bibliothèque nationale de France holds one of the most extensive collections of photography in the world, and this exhibition uses its holdings to trace the development of the medium over its first century, from the technological breakthroughs of early photographic processes such as the Daguerreotype and calotype to the impact of war and politics between the World Wars.

Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival

April 16-19

Downtown Fort Worth

The granddaddy of all Fort Worth’s art festivals, Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival returns for its 39^th year in 2026. One of the top-rated fine arts festivals in the country and certainly the biggest in Texas, Main St. is an outdoor gallery featuring the art of more than 200 jury-selected artists in media such as sculpture, painting, photography, and more, and is one of the highlights of North Texas’s cultural year.

Grapevine Main Street Fest

May 15-17

Downtown Grapevine

Grapevine’s annual street festival, celebrating all things Grapevine, is a family-friendly festival that features food, shopping, and entertainment. It also includes the Grapevine Art Project Market, which features art from the Grapevine Art Project, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and promoting artists in the city and to providing scholarships to art students in the area.

Denton Arts & Jazz Festival

September 11-13

Downtown Denton

Not just a bedroom community for the bigger cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex or the home of the University of North Texas, Denton has established itself as a center for the arts in North Texas. Founded on the belief that all forms of art should be available to everyone free of charge, the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival offers professional and amateur artists and musicians alike a place to share their art with the public.

North Texas Art Festival

May 16 & 17

Katy Depot, Denison

Situated on the shores of Lake Texoma, Denison is a small town with a big city arts culture. Juried local, regional, and national artists come to Denison every year for the North Texas Arts Festival. Musicians from across Texas and the Southwest perform as families enjoy the kid-friendly activities and shop for art at the historic Katy Depot.

Art Worth: A Festival at Clearfork

October 23-25

The Lawn of the Shops at Clearfork

A relative newcomer among North Texas art festivals, Art Worth is a celebration of visual art and classical music with a juried exhibition of art by Texas and national artists and music from local schools and professional companies. Art Worth also affords the public the opportunity to enjoy glassblowing, pottery, and metalsmithing demonstrations and to converse with the artists.

Cottonwood Art Festival

May 2 & 3 and October 3 & 4

Cottonwood Park, Richardson

Now in its 57^th year, the Cottonwood Arts Festival has become one of the most prestigious fine arts festivals in the United States. Featuring works in all media by nearly 200 artists from across the nation, “The Cottonwood” celebrates the visual and performing arts and has become a Richardson tradition on the first weekends of May and October.

The post 2026 in Art first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

This is an example of the questions Jason and Lauren Morgan, founding directors of Stolen Shakespeare Guild, get every now and then. They’ll tell you this with a good-natured wink and a laugh. But perhaps a better question might be, “Shakespeare? In Fort Worth?” And the answer is (miraculously) “YES.”

Flashback to 2007: Jason and Lauren Morgan first began showcasing the work of their upstart theater company, one that dared to perform Shakespeare, of all things, at the Sanders Theatre, the black-box theater in the late and lamented Fort Worth Community Arts Center (FWCAC). Tenants of the FWCAC received unhappy news in July of 2024: the city was giving tenants five months to vacate. After almost 20 years, the Morgans, along with their friends Hamlet, Cordelia, Puck, and Prospero, would be homeless.

photo credit: Keith Warren

“We were just inundated with questions,” recalls Lauren of the initial flurry of the news. But soon after the die was cast, heroic board members, patrons, volunteers, and artists all jumped in to advocate, raise money, haul supplies, intercede with the city, and champion the herculean task of re-rooting Fort Worth’s only classical theater company. In December of 2024, with only 12 days left to find a home, Stolen Shakespeare Guild (SSG) signed its first-ever mortgage in 20 years of operation.

Fast-forward to now: Lauren and Jason sit under work lights in their new space. She’s wearing painting clothes, her hair up. Jason has been prepping light design. And they are both about to welcome actors for a rehearsal of the first show of the 2026 season in their new theater on Decatur Avenue in Diamond Hill, minutes from the Stockyards.“A lot of things went right for this to happen for us,” says Lauren, who still seems a bit dazed and undeniably grateful.

The Morgans have also been doing right by a lot of other people, too. They managed to remodel the space in only six months — in time to mount and perform their full season’s slate, despite not opening until July 2025 — giving their artists jobs and patrons their fill. The Morgans opened their new space to other displaced theater groups, including the Fringe Festival, which had its highest-grossing year there. They’ve welcomed a Hispanic-heritage theater troupe and a solo artist, both seeking a reasonably priced space in which to showcase their work. “We want to make it really affordable [for these artists],” says Jason, who then jokes, “The only people we might not rent to would be another Shakespeare group!”

But what is perhaps the Morgans’ biggest investment is about to take flight: SSG’s education and outreach programming. “I believe that classical theater lays the foundation for all theater in the future,” says Lauren. “Art can be built upon itself. Classical theater lays the groundwork for modern theater. [Kids] see it in action so they know it’s fun, and moving, and that you can emotionally connect to it. They are the audience of the future.”

photo credit: Bart Stewart

Hundreds of kids each year attend SSG productions at a discounted school rate, some of them encountering theater for the very first time. How do they react to Shakespeare’s English, which so many adults find intimidating? “We try not to put things on a pedestal,” says Jason. “We try to direct so everybody can see themselves onstage — so it’s relatable and easy to understand.” Now with a dedicated theater space all their own, SSG can explore extending runs, putting on more productions, and offering more hands-on classes for students.

They’ve already begun by offering Good Neighbor Scholarships to high school students at nearby Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School to attend their Bard’s Apprentices Workshop. Students compete in a monologue competition for scholarships, then attend camp to learn about classical acting, tackling soliloquies, sonnets, and group scenes. “Those kids are so talented,” says Lauren. “Some do have interest [in acting] but maybe don’t have another outlet to have the experience.”

The Morgans have a mandate from SSG’s mission statement: “Stolen Shakespeare Guild is dedicated to uniting and enriching the community through the preservation and celebration of classic theater.” Which of course begs the question: what IS “classic” theater? The Morgans define it as works that are classics in their genre, including Shakespeare, Ibsen, and Moliere, of course, but also Rodgers and Hammerstein and plays based on the works of Jane Austen or Charles Dickens. Lauren points out that at A Christmas Carol in December, multiple generations of families enjoyed the same show together — the definitive example of “uniting and enriching” the community — even though she hesitates to label SSG shows “family-friendly” in the sanitized sense.

“King Lear may not be for everyone, but everyone has had a chance to see it,” she says. “And the musicals do bring a lot of new people in, and hopefully they will come see some lesser titles.”

photo credit: Delaney Rain Gebhart Photography

This sort of pragmatic, egalitarian sensibility towards audiences is a key reason so many of the Morgans’ diverse patrons have stayed loyal despite the theater moving up north. “A lot have followed us, and we’ve also been able to reach new people,” Lauren says, adding that there is not a lot of live theater available in north Tarrant County — in Keller or River Oaks, for instance. The Morgans are betting, as they always have, that Stolen Shakespeare Guild will have something for everyone in their new digs. And that applies to more than what’s in the season lineup.

“I think we need to figure out what things look like for this organization and what is the best way to expand,” says Lauren. “Are we able to offer classes? Could we do a teen show over the summer? More summer camps? We have more exploring to do.”

In the meantime, they’re busy mounting a Jane Austen classic, followed quickly by perennial favorite Oklahoma, opening April 10^th.

When asked to sum up the past year’s tumultuous, miraculous move in a single Shakespeare quote, Jason jumps in with, “To be or NOT to be!” He and Lauren both break out in laughter that feels both deeply ironic and genuinely tender. That joke is still a bit too close to home.

Lauren thinks for a moment, then offers, “This is the stuff that dreams are made on.”

Jason interrupts, “Is that the right play?”

“It IS from The Tempest!” she insists, laughing, but admits, “You’ll have to fact-check that quote.” The line she’s referencing — Prospero’s — has been paraphrased in about a hundred different pop culture references over the past 500 years (“the stuff dreams are made of”, “the stuff of dreams”, etc.), proving even the Shakespeare experts need Google sometimes. (Turns out, she only got a word or two wrong, and you’ll need to look it up to see which.)

Relatable? Inspirational? Against all odds, SSG has managed to be both this year, both on but especially off the stage.

The post How Like a Dream Is This first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

This, in and of itself, was not earth-shaking news. After all, art exhibitions and shows frequently open in the Near Southside. It is, after all, a major artistic hub for our city.

But A Good Gathering was different than most art shows that we see in Fort Worth. It wasn’t just a collection of art hanging on walls. It was a series of events for artists, entrepreneurs, communicators, and the public to connect and engage, to learn and collaborate, as well as a collection of art (by 20 local artists, both new and established) hanging on walls.

Photo credit: Walt Burns

It’s probably not news to you, Dear Reader, that we Fort Worthians love our art. We’re justifiably proud of our museums. Most cities our size are lucky to have one decent museum. We have three world-class museums. We have theater and ballet companies that perform both traditional and avant-garde works. Look at the sheer number of art-related events and festivals in Fort Worth every year. From the Main Street Arts Festival and Spring and Fall Gallery Nights, from ArtsGoggle to Lost ‘n Sound, Fort Worth is more engaged with its artistic community than most cities of our size.

But back to this unique art experience we were talking about.

A joint exhibition between A Good Man’s Education and Art Tooth (see page 16), A Good Gathering was structured around four “pathways.” Art Tooth explained, “The Art Pathway highlights creative expressions that celebrate the joy of gathering. The Entrepreneur Pathway connects attendees with innovators shaping community engagement. The Cultural Pathway, presented with the Fort Worth Film Club, offers a curated selection of films. And the Community Pathway brings together all the elements through hands-on activities designed for all ages.”

“Art speaks to our souls,” said Dev’n Goodman, the founder and presiding genius of A Good Man’s Education. “It can facilitate conversations that need to be had, and it’s harder to put up barriers to keep people out when you’ve experienced their soul.”

In their series, “52 Faces of Community,” in which they honor “unsung heroes for making extraordinary differences every day: the people who are our neighbors and who quietly make our lives better every day,” the Fort Worth Report describes A Good Man’s Education as an “events business” and Dev’n as an “events planner.” While strictly true, these descriptions fall far short of the mark. Yes, Dev’n plans and hosts events across the city, but she is more than just an events planner. She is an entrepreneur, a cultural communicator, and an educator.

I first met Dev’n at an open house at I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM & VPA. She was my older child’s humanities teacher, and she impressed me from the get-go. My older child is very much a STEM kid, into math and computer science and at the time had little interest in anything else, and yet, Dev’n was able to get them excited about literature and history, something I had been trying to do for years. She created a safe, creative space in her classroom for her Gen Z STEM and arts kids to connect with the material and, more importantly, with each other.

In fact, longtime readers of Madeworthy may recognize Dev’n from our 2020 feature, “Top Teachers of Fort Worth.” These top teachers were voted on by members of the Tanglewood Moms Facebook group. “As a teacher who always taught outside the boundaries, I really appreciated that you all welcomed me like that,” she said.

Education and communication come honestly to Dev’n. Both of her parents are/were educators. Her father, Patrick Goodman, is the offensive coordinator for the football team and the head boys’ basketball coach at New Waverly High School in New Waverly, Texas. Her mother, Crystal Goodman, is a retired education administrator who once served as principal of Dunbar Middle School. (It’s because her parents were educators that young Dev’n did not skip from kindergarten directly to the sixth grade, no matter what the school and various tests said was possible. They recognized that her physical and emotional maturity needed time to catch up with her intellectual maturity.)

It is my firm belief that every child should have That Teacher – a teacher who sparks a fire, who expands that child’s mind in unexpected yet profound ways, who makes connections that create new understanding. Dev’n’s That Teacher was a science teacher who understood the value of the humanities. “Our science projects were also art projects,” Dev’n remembered. “Each project had to use a different medium. I loved it. My model of a cell was a cake. My DNA double helix was made out of sugar cubes.”

Not only did that science teacher combine art into the science curriculum, but she also read to her students. Dev’n said, “When we came into her class, she read to us. She had a massive rain stick for white noise, and when everyone sat down, we were expected to be quiet, and then she read for the first 15 minutes of class.”

Numerous studies have been done on the importance of reading to children. Not only does reading literature to children help with language development and important cognitive skills, but it also helps develop their imagination, emotional skills, and empathy. Dev’n absorbed far more than just scientific facts in that science class. And she took the imagination and empathy from that classroom with her into her career as a teacher.

While she was a teacher in the Fort Worth Independent School District, Dev’n started a relationship with the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, which eventually led to a series of discussions called “Listening for a Change.” For five months in 2021, participants were invited to listen to two specified podcast episodes, chosen to provoke curiosity and introspection, and then take part in a discussion.

Also in 2021, Dev’n created and produced a virtual theater show in collaboration with Fort Worth theater company, Amphibian Stage. A video anthology of music, poetry, and personal histories, This Is My Story aimed to record and amplify the voices of Black men in Fort Worth, including such figures as Fort Worth ISD’s Dr. Carlos Walker and local event coordinator/caterer Henry Wasonga Abuto.

It was during the production of “Listening for a Change” and This Is My Story that Dev’n realized that her interest in the intersection of art, education, and community could be more. She left teaching in 2022, worked for about a year as an engagement manager at TechFW, and then struck out on her own with A Good Man’s Education.

Photo credit: Chelsea Davis

Throughout 2024 and 2025, A Good Man’s Education hosted or co-hosted events centered around art, culture, and community. Whether it was a panel discussion exploring the roles of women and community or a Black art tour done in conjunction with Art Tooth, each event served to connect and educate.

“Everything I do with A Good Man’s Education is centered around art, culture, and community,” Dev’n said. “Art connects us and can provoke powerful changes.”

Dev’n is possessed of a powerful intellect, and she is a mesmerizing speaker. Our conversation in the lobby bar at the Hotel Dryce lasted for over two hours. It ranged over such diverse topics as the relationship between first cousins Richard II and Henry IV of England, the differences in the concept of “family” in white, Black, and Brown communities, and the history of the connection between hip hop and Ralph Lauren. (We might have gone down a couple of rabbit holes.)

When asked about Art Tooth’s collaboration with A Good Man’s Education in A Good Gathering, Shasta Haubrich, Executive Director of Art Tooth (see page 16), said, “Together, [we built] on years of working individually with the creative community. Bringing together more than two dozen artists—including many we’ve each admired and collaborated with—is a powerful way to celebrate Fort Worth and its art scene.”

Traditional art shows and exhibitions usually include an opening reception, where art patrons view the works and mingle while sipping warmish glasses of sparkling wine. They may listen to some remarks by the artist and/or the gallery owner, which (hopefully) will spur patrons to purchase the art.

Selling art was just one of the goals of A Good Gathering. Patrons were encouraged to engage their bodies in movement and mindfulness sessions, make their own works of art in hands-on workshops led by art educator Natalia Margarite, view films in a series of screenings curated by TCU’s Dr. Marcellus Perkins, and participate in a panel discussion led by Kaci Merriwether-Hawkins, founder of Black Girls in Art Spaces, and Dr. Stacie McCormick, professor of English, Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies, and Women and Gender Studies at TCU. There was even a door raffle in which an attendee won one of those pieces of art hanging on the walls.

Photo credit: Walt Burns

Glasstire, an online arts magazine that promotes Texas’s visual arts on a regional and national level, named A Good Gathering one of the top art shows in Texas for 2025.

After the success of A Good Gathering, Dev’n isn’t resting on her laurels. She took some time to rest at the end of last year, but she’s back. Starting in February with a screening of the 1991 film Daughters of the Dust at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, followed by a panel discussion, A Good Man’s Education’s 2026 calendar is punctuated by events incorporating music, literature, film, and art, with an emphasis on education and community.

During March (which is, of course, Women’s History Month), Dev’n is hosting a Women’s Writers Book Swap at Hotel Dryce, featuring a book talk and signing by Jeanette Settembre, author of the acclaimed debut novel Little Red Flags. (There is also going to be a silent book club for introverts who want to read the book but don’t want to attend a talk.)

In June and July, A Good Man’s Education is collaborating with Bodega South Main to produce the Vibe Music Series (exact dates were still pending at the time of publication). There is another Black art walk planned with Art Tooth, and another art show in the spirit of A Good Gathering is scheduled for October.

“I’m a Libra,” Dev’n grinned. “You know, as a Libra, I love me some art.”

Dev’n hopes to expand A Good Man’s Education. She’s looking for partners who are focused on building community and hosting events centered around art, culture, and “just having a good time.” Her long-term goal is to turn A Good Man’s Education into a brick-and-mortar venue with space for events, shows, and lectures.

“I’ve always been fascinated by salons, you know, like Parisian salons,” Dev’n said. “I love the idea of having cultural talks in interesting places. You know, having a lecture on art or music or something is a big thing in the Northeast. I’d love to get that trend started down here.”

Our conversation came to an end, not because we had run out of things to say, but because the organizers of an event later in the evening at Hotel Dryce needed the space. The event was to introduce what was described as a “local boy band.” In a full-circle kind of coincidence that only happens in books or movies, that local boy band is made up of Dev’n’s former students at I.M. Terrell.

The post Provoking Powerful Change: Dev’n Goodman on the Power of Art and the Community first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Of course, the most impressive revitalization project of them all just might be the one that has tied our city together, unifying neighborhoods into a community. In the late 1960s, the Trinity River was not the beautiful watercourse we know and love. Levees built after the historic 1949 flood that turned the Trinity into a one-square-mile lake had reduced the river to a series of stagnant pools filled with trash and muck.

Legend has it that civic leader and whirlwind Phyllis Tilley was driving over the Seventh Street Bridge when she bluntly labeled the Trinity River as “a ditch.” She used her community connections and her considerable powers of persuasion to convince the powers that be that the river was one of our city’s most valuable resources and needed saving.

In 1969, Mrs. Tilley and her cohorts convinced the City to form a Streams and Valleys Committee to, in the words of an article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram from 1970, “cleanse, purify, preserve, conserve, develop, improve, beautify, restore, maintain, utilize and adapt for recreational and other uses” Fort Worth bodies of water. The Streams and Valleys Committee morphed into the non-profit Streams & Valleys, Inc. If you’ve ever enjoyed a run along the Trinity Trails or celebrated Mayfest in Trinity Park, you owe Mrs. Tilley and Streams & Valleys your thanks.

Courtesy of Streams & Valleys, Inc.

Mrs. Tilley’s work along the Trinity has continued into the 21^st century. In November, local leaders joined Streams & Valleys and community members for the groundbreaking of Trinity Park Plaza, a gathering place with a butterfly garden, a wildflower meadow, and space for community gatherings.

“Trinity Park was the first city park in Fort Worth,” Lauren Deen, Executive Director of Streams & Valleys, Inc., said when we talked. While the City of Fort Worth had set aside 31 acres of land on the west side of the Trinity for a city park, “there was no Parks Department in the late 19^th century. The City had no money set aside for parks. People wanted green spaces, so the people of Fort Worth came together to raise the funds to transform the land into a park.”

The new plaza is designed to connect the public with nature. “There will be native wildflowers and native grasses,” Deen said. “We want the plaza to be a cool space where families and kids can come out to see wildflowers without having to risk going to the side of the highway.”

In addition to the pollinator garden and the native plants, there will be a grove of 63 Texas redbuds, possumhaw hollies, and desert willows – one tree for each year of Phyllis Tilley’s life. More cedar elms will be planted to provide summer shade and fall color. Deen said, “It was important to us to have color all year long in the plaza.”

Courtesy of Streams & Valleys, Inc.

The revitalization of the Trinity River is a testament to the power of public-private partnerships. Deen, who is the former director of Friends of the Katy Trail in Dallas, said, “Public-private partnerships are so instrumental in civic projects. It’s easy here in Fort Worth because we have so many civic-minded people and organizations who have a vision of what our city could be and are willing to work with our leaders to make Fort Worth better.”

Construction of the new plaza will be finished before Mayfest, Deen said. And she apologized to everyone who uses the temporarily closed Phyllis Tilley Memorial Bridge. “We know it’s frustrating. We’re disrupting people’s lives but just hang with us. It will be worth it, I promise!”

The new plaza project also includes wider trails through Trinity Park. “It’s great to take a park that’s already thriving and make it even better,” Deen said. “We hope the new plaza and Trinity Park will be a gathering place for family and friends to come together overlooking the Trinity for years to come. After all, we’re following in Phyllis Tilley’s footsteps. What we’re doing is changing the shape of the future of Fort Worth.”

The post Changing the Shape of the Future of Fort Worth first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

We quickly established a family tradition. My parents would brave I-30 to take in an exhibit at one of our city’s world-class museums, and we would all meet for lunch at The Original Mexican Eats Café, affectionately known to generations of Fort Worthians as The Original. As we sat at one of the round tables by the windows, my father would order the Roosevelt Special, my children would gorge themselves on chips and queso, and my mother and I would catch up.

But, as Heraclitus so succinctly put it, the only constant in life is change. After a protracted legal battle, The Original moved to North Main, and the historic building on Camp Bowie has undergone a complete transformation.

Now, after extensive renovation by property owner Derek Muzquiz, the 7,500-square-foot former restaurant is home to six businesses – Color Game Women’s Clothing & Accessories, Waring Tuxedos Fort Worth, Shannon Bower Home & Interiors, Dos Femmes, Honey Loves Boho, and Bowie & Byers Salon.

Longtime customers of The Original won’t recognize the former restaurant. Renovating a restaurant into retail takes an enormous amount of work, but Muzquiz completely renovated the space. Floor studs were replaced. New plumbing and electrical systems were installed. Walls were rebuilt. You might remember seeing an enormous crane on Camp Bowie. That was to remove the restaurant’s massive vent hood. However, if you squint, you can see a little of the building’s original (no pun intended) elements – a skylight here, ceiling tiles there.

Photo courtesy of Camp Bowie District

The building’s metamorphosis from restaurant to retail won the 2025 Camp Bowie District Transformational Award. “It’s remarkable,” Muzquiz says. “People tell me it’s such a great transformation. They wanted more shops on Camp Bowie — somewhere to grab coffee, shop a little, maybe get lunch.”

“Camp Bowie really is having a renaissance,” said Houstoun Waring, proprietor of Waring Tuxedos Fort Worth. “With landmark developments such as Bowie House and the Crescent Hotel, I can only imagine what Camp Bowie will look like in a decade…  From the Stockyards to Camp Bowie, Fort Worth’s strength has always lain in its unique blend of 19th and early 20th century buildings, paired with the technical innovation and business growth of this century.”

When asked why he chose to open “on the bricks,” Waring said, “Choosing to open Waring Tuxedos ‘on the bricks’ was a no-brainer, and truthfully, I didn’t consider any other locations. Options such as University Park Village might have had some logic due to its higher foot traffic, but Camp Bowie’s historic nature, attractive brick road, and central location in the heart of West Fort Worth made it the obvious choice.”

For Erica Bracken, owner of Color Game Women’s Clothing & Accessories, locating her boutique on historic Camp Bowie was a happy accident, but the history of the building and the area were a plus. “I was still toying with whether or not to open a brick-and-mortar store when I met Lexi Eagle,” Bracken said. “She was getting ready to open her store Dos Femmes and told me about available space next to her in the former Original restaurant location. Being in a building that’s considered a Fort Worth institution brings a certain presence to our shops. Clients appreciate that sense of place and continuity, even as the space takes on a new life.”

Fort Worth has a particular aptitude for honoring its past while embracing the future. The renaissance of Camp Bowie is proof of that. And while locals miss The Original, the continued renewal of historic areas is good for Fort Worth. (Don’t worry, you can still get the Roosevelt Special and Elbert’s Tacos at The Original Mexican Eats Café Del Norte on North Main.)

“Being part of Camp Bowie’s renaissance feels incredibly special,” said Erica Bracken, owner of Color Game Women’s Clothing & Accessories. “There’s a renewed buzz on the bricks, and I love that Color Game contributes to that momentum.”

And while our family no longer enjoys a leisurely lunch at The Original when my parents come to town, never fear. We just moved across the bricks to Lucile’s. After all, Camp Bowie is a tradition not only for our family but for the whole city.

The post A Renaissance on Camp Bowie first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

The part of my career in which I helped innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups maximize their chances for success had come to an end. The podcast I hosted, which shared the stories of local innovators in Fort Worth, rode off into the sunset. And the programs, events, data, and research that I created to build the entrepreneurial community in Fort Worth now faced an uncertain future.

I wanted to see if I could keep this work going because I know that my city needs more entrepreneurs and innovators doing what they do best – inventing the new, creating jobs, and building wealth for our community.

So, I did what I saw so many of the entrepreneurs I had worked with do. I started my own company.

Up until last spring, I hosted 150 episodes of a podcast featuring local innovators, researchers, entrepreneurs, and startups who were trying to use their time, talents, and treasure to make our world a better place. These are our neighbors, our friends, our colleagues, and yet we don’t know the stories of the important work they do.

Some of our guests were trying to improve simple things at home, and some were taking on grand challenges that all of humanity faces. Some were producing higher efficiency electric motors or exploring new ways to diagnose Alzheimer’s Disease. These are tough problems to solve, and if our community doesn’t know who these people are or what they are working on, we won’t know how to help them.

Sharing these stories is why the podcast came into being. Most of these innovators and entrepreneurs were in the early stages of developing their solutions and didn’t receive the attention of traditional media. They were too busy innovating to tell their own stories. For many of them, this was the first opportunity to share their story.

Once these stories became public, we saw amazing things happen. By telling their own stories, these innovators and entrepreneurs found a missing puzzle piece – a co-founder, an investor, a mentor, or someone with a solution unique to the problem they were solving. An appearance on the podcast allowed them to tap into the broad resources that are available in our community.

But, like all good things, that podcast ended in April.

A few weeks later, Texas A&M-Fort Worth called, expressing interest in continuing the podcast through the Fort Worth–Tarrant County Innovation Partnership, an entity formed to build an “innovation district” around the Texas A&M Law School in the southeast quadrant of downtown Fort Worth. They saw the value in telling the stories of local innovators and asked whether I would be interested in restarting the podcast under the maroon-and-white flag. I called my former producer, Kendel Rogers, and asked if she was interested in getting the band back together. She agreed, and the “Fort Worth Innovates” podcast was born.

Mission resumed.

photo credit: Devan Peplow

We started in September with Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, who is one of the best champions of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. We have since featured innovators who are creating “Gatorade for dogs” and an app that uses swipe technology to make consumer surveys more fun. We’ve also featured innovative institutions like Cook Children’s Hospital and Texas A&M’s aerospace program.

And we’re just getting started.

We have big plans for 2026. Taylor Sheridan and his work to put Fort Worth on the map for film and movie-making is a great story to tell. Our city is becoming a hub for video game developers, and the animators and visualization students required to design these games are starting to take off here. We hope to tell some behind-the-scenes stories of local companies like HTeaO that are growing and thriving from their home base in Fort Worth.

We invite you to join our community and learn the stories of the innovators solving real-world problems in Fort Worth. Tune in to the “Fort Worth Innovates” podcast and find out how you can help these dreamers, doers, risk-takers, and visionaries make our world a better place.

The post Helping the Dreamers first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.