Madeworthy’s Fort Worthies for March/April 2021

With the launch of Madeworthy, we wanted to have a page dedicated to local people, places, and events that add color and life to our city. Originally called “Be Seen,” this page was renamed “Fort Worthies” in our first anniversary issue. Here are the Fort Worthies we featured in our March/April 2021 issue.

Armond Vance is a professional violinist and multidisciplinary musician based in Fort Worth. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, he has lived in the Fort Worth area for two years. Armond regularly performs for a variety of celebrations and gatherings. Described as “Strings without borders,” Armond does not have any stylistic inhibitions, and his playbook is full of an eclectic mix of music from Beethoven to the Beatles to the Notorious B.I.G.! Armond’s setup is particularly unique in that he brings the concert to you. Think of it as an Uber concert!  

Delucca Gaucho Pizza is a culinary experience unlike anything else! Over a century ago, thousands of Italians immigrated to South America, and soon, they were sharing their tables, food, and wine with the gauchos of the region. Both Italians and South Americans share a passion for rustic cooking and abundant food, and soon, the cowboys of the pampas had adopted pizza, giving it a uniquely South American twist. Now open on Hulen, Delucca Gaucho Pizza invites you to enjoy this distinctly Brazilian delight! 

Chester Cox, along with his son and two friends, brings the funk to Funky Town monthly with Funky Town Swap. A monthly, vintage swap meet with over 25 vendors, live music, and food trucks, Funky Town Swap’s main goal is to give back to their community. To that end, Funky Town Swap is working with projects like Art Courts, Fire Station Park, Funky Town Fridge, and area schools. This cool, new monthly event’s motto is “Together We Are Better,” and they hope to make a difference to their neighbors in our city.  

After an extensive, nationwide search, Fort Worth Country Day has named Leigh Block as its new athletic director. With over 20 years of experience working in independent schools, Block brings a wealth of experience to Country Day. Eric Lombardi, Head of School, said, “[Leigh’s] success has been the result of possessing incredible work ethic, humility, communication skills, organization, and, most importantly, heartfelt commitment to kids and coaches.” The entire Country Day community welcomes its ninth athletic director! 

Congratulations to Katie Carter-Gutierrez, a member of the brand-new women’s professional volleyball league in the United States, Athletes Unlimited! Returning to the court after having her daughter Noelia Lynn, Carter-Gutierrez is a standout collegiate and professional volleyball player who owns HG Beach Volleyball, a camp and clinic, with her husband Hector. Athletes Unlimited supports pro athlete mothers returning to their career after giving birth and has created a new way to play pro sports. The new league will play its first season at Fair Park Coliseum in Dallas.  

Lena Pope’s Early Learning Center has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), one of the world’s largest organizations working on behalf of young children. The Center, which serves children ages six weeks to five years old, went through an extensive self-study and quality-improvement process, followed by NAEYC’s audits. Jennifer Carpenter, Director of Early Learning Programs at Lena Pope, stated, “We have worked extremely hard to achieve this mark of quality, ultimately to benefit the children we serve. Our students’ development and growth are our highest priority.”  

TCU grad student Lindsey Dixon has created a vintage TCU fan clothing business called Riff Ram that is quickly getting noticed. Through the use of social media and socially-distanced pop up events on game days in strategic locations near TCU’s campus, Riff Ram quickly became extremely popular with college students. Having launched a website, Dixon plans to continue to grow her business, sharing her love of both vintage clothing and TCU history with every piece she sells! 

The Tarrant County Medical Society Alliance (TCMSA) is a group of physicians and their spouses who are focused on helping improve the health and well-being of families in Fort Worth. The group partners with organizations to vaccinate children for school and to provide bicycle helmets. In addition, they give scholarships and help facilitate surgical care for those who have no access to such services. To help fund these programs, the annual “I <3 My Doctor” campaign raises donations while celebrating the donors’ physicians. Both the donor and their physician receive a yard sign, and the physician received a heartfelt message of thanks!  Despite the pressures of the pandemic, Fort Worth’s artists continue to create.

The Rebecca Low Sculpture Gallery, Inc. invites you to come explore works by owner Rebecca Low and artists Nic Noblique, Jeff Skele, Terry Jones, David Mikitka, Chastity Hernandez, Dewayne Nall, Christian Hootsell, Dale Ousley, and Juliette Edgerton. Appointments are requested, and masks and social distancing while in the gallery are required.  

A stalwart of the Fort Worth art scene for over 46 years, William Campbell Contemporary Art has new owners. Fort Worth Contemporary Art Partners (FWCAP), consisting of Jadz Pate, Clayton Snodgrass, Tim Locke, J.W. Wilson, and Peeler Howell, acquired William Campbell Contemporary Art from owners Pam and Bill Campbell in December of 2020. Howell has been the Campbell’s gallery assistant since 2017 and will continue to manage the gallery. FWCAP plans to continue to honor the gallery’s founders’ vision.  

Baking has always been Becky Fetty’s creative outlet. She has now taken a significant step in her journey as a home-based baker specializing in decorated vanilla sugar cookies. In February of 2021, Becky opened Confetty Cookies & Cakes, turning her passion into a business. Her custom-decorated cookies are almost too beautiful to eat! However, the cookies are so delicious that to regard them merely as works of art would be a shame. Becky posts her beautiful creations on her Instagram page, but be sure that you’re not hungry when you visit! 

In December of 2020, Pouring Glory, the growler filling station that also serves craft beer, food, and cocktails, unveiled their new mural by Fort Worth artist Kristen Soble, just in time for their fifth anniversary. The mural was commissioned by Pouring Glory in partnership with the Near Southside’s Art South program. Primarily a commercial artist, Kristen is now collaborating as a muralist and a sign painter with the Fort Worth Zoo, where she was involved in the visual development of the Toyota Children’s Ranch and the African Savannah and has many more projects in the works.

If you or someone you know has done something wonderful, please contact our editor at lee@madeworthymedia.com.