Whether you like the tide lapping over your toes, the freshest seafood imaginable, or just getting out of your routine to be with your loved ones, the United States has a plethora of lovely coastal hamlets to visit that are far from the madding crowds of the typical tourist spots. These towns are perfect for laid-back vacations, full of nature and lovely downtowns. As this issue is all about finding your happy place, who knows? You might find your happy place on this list.

Tremont, Maine

Located on what locals call the “quiet side” of Mount Desert Island, Tremont lies on the southwestern coast of the island. While Tremont and the villages of Bass Harbor, Seal Cove, and Gotts Island aren’t as well-known or as flashy as Mount Desert’s resort towns like Bar Harbor or Northeast Harbor, they are just as lovely and far less crowded. (Less expensive in the high season, too!) Tremont is also minutes from Acadia National Park, the first national park in the eastern United States, which is home to some of the most beautiful hiking trails along the East Coast. Whether you want to hike in a national park or explore the little shops and local restaurants, this is sure to be a happy place for you.

New Castle, New Hampshire

The town of New Castle is the easternmost town in New Hampshire, situated at the mouth of the Piscataqua River. Stay surrounded by historic luxury in the 152-year-old Wentworth by the Sea hotel. This hotel is where, in 1905, Theodore Roosevelt hosted the Russian and Japanese delegations who negotiated the end of the Russo-Japanese War and the Treaty of Portsmouth. (President Roosevelt won a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.) Explore Fort William and Mary and Fort Stark Historic Sites. Hike or bike the Portsmouth and New Castle Scenic Loop. Or simply soak up the peace on Great Island Common.

Chatham, Massachusetts

Sitting on the southeastern tip of Cape Cod, Chatham is a quintessential East Coast beach town. If you have a serious angler in your family, Chatham is the place to visit, as you can charter a boat to go out to the southern end of the famous Georges Bank. There are charming inns and cottages to stay in as you explore the four villages that comprise Chatham. Whether you prefer art galleries or boutiques, you can spend a day shopping. If a day of biking is more your speed, rent a bike at one of the several bike rental shops and hop on the Cape Cod Rail Trail before ending the day at one of Chatham’s dockside restaurants, where the seafood is guaranteed to have been swimming just that morning.

Cape May, New Jersey

One of the most beautiful Victorian towns in America, Cape May, while technically on the Jersey Shore, is about as far away from the traffic, crowds, and mess that the rest of the Jersey Shore is (in)famous for. Cape May’s pristine beaches are the perfect place to look for “Cape May diamonds,” beautifully clear quartz pebbles that have been polished smooth by the tides. Take a trolley tour of the historic town, or if you’re brave enough, take a ghost tour at night. Are you a birder? Cape May is the crossroads of several migratory paths, and the Cape May Bird Observatory is the place to add to your Life List. And if you just want to spend a lazy afternoon, why not head to the Cape May Brewing Co. to enjoy an afternoon/evening of good beer, good food, and good music?

Duck, North Carolina

On the northern end of the Outer Banks, Duck sits between the Atlantic Ocean and Currituck Sound. Explore the mile-long boardwalk or shop the waterfront shops before having a picnic in the 11-acre Town Park. One of the best ways to explore the area is to rent a kayak and spend the day on the Sound. If you’re a history geek, explore Island Farm, a living history site, or head to Fort Raleigh, where Sir Walter Raleigh attempted to found a colony. If you really want to immerse yourself in the history of the area, spend an evening enjoying The Lost Colony!, an outdoor dramatic retelling of the story of the Lost Colony of Roanoke. Maybe you can figure out what happened to those colonists.

Apalachicola, Florida

Let the tourists flock to the towns of 30A. If you want to experience beautiful beaches, art galleries, and possibly the best Gulf oysters you can find, you want to spend a week in Apalachicola and Florida’s Forgotten Coast. This historic fishing town is located on the shore of Apalachicola Bay and is a center for Gulf Coast eco-tourism. Stay in an historic inn or rent a house on the beach. Take a sunset cruise along the Apalachicola River or go snorkeling in the shallows of St. Joseph Bay. You can explore the John Gorrie Museum State Park, which commemorates the inventor of air conditioning. Whatever you do, Apalachicola is the perfect place for a quieter Florida vacation.

Dauphin Island, Alabama

Dauphin Island is known as the “sunset capital of Alabama,” and boy, does this family-friendly town deliver. Spend an evening picnicking on West End Beach to catch some of the most beautiful sunsets you’ve ever seen. Rent a bike and spend a morning on the seven-mile-long bike path around the island, or hike the trails of Indian Shell Mound Park. The Alabama Aquarium is open year-round, as is the Audubon Bird Sanctuary. (Dauphin Island has been voted “America’s Birdiest City” for the last three years.) There are charming boutiques and little art galleries, but the best thing to do in Dauphin Island is to grab a book and spend a day relaxing on the beach.

Palacios, Texas

We’re all familiar with Galveston, Corpus Christi, and Port Aransas, but if you want a slower-paced, less crowded vacation, head to historic Palacios. Palacios offers some of the best fishing on the Texas Gulf Coast, and birders flock to the town (see what I did there) for the spring and fall migrations. Spend the morning or evening fishing off the Palacios Seawall, and explore the City by the Sea Museum in the afternoon. Stay at the Peaceful Pelican bed and breakfast or rent a cottage by the shore. And if you’re not into fishing or birding or exploring, head to the Old Main Bookstore to grab a coffee and pastry while you browse the bookshelves.

Solana Beach, California

Just north of San Diego lies the city of Solana Beach. This walkable gem is perfect for a week spent hiking, shopping, and relaxing on the beach. Tide Beach Park is known for “table top” reefs and the eponymous tide pools, which are chock full of sea life when the tide goes out. The 2.3-mile loop of Annie’s Canyon Trail meanders through a sandstone slot canyon that opens out to stunning coastal views. Spend a day wandering through the shops, galleries, and cafes that make up the Cedros Design District, or explore the Cedros Avenue Farmers Market on a Sunday. There’s live music at the Belly Up Tavern, horse racing in the summer at the historic Del Mar Racetrack, and surfing at Fletcher Cove.

Cambria, California

Located almost directly between Los Angeles and San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway, the town of Cambria sits amidst one of only three native Monterey Pine forests in California. Blessed with scenic beaches and rocky cliffs, Cambria is a paradise for the whole family. Want to shop? Cambria’s downtown is full of galleries and boutiques, but not full of tourists in the high season. Are you a nature lover? Kayak or snorkel in one of the nearby marine conservation areas, hunt for moonstones on the aptly-named Moonstone Beach, hike the numerous trails around the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve (alone or with a guide), or visit the elephant seal rookery at Piedras Blancas. (Just don’t ask why those rocks are white!) If you’re a history geek or movie fan, spend the morning at Hearst Castle, and then reward yourself with an afternoon tasting the award-winning wines at Cutruzzola Vineyards. The local surfing is great, the beaches aren’t crowded, and the town has charming bed and breakfasts to ensure you’re well-rested for tomorrow’s adventures.

Ferndale, California

Northern California is as different from Southern California as Galveston is different from El Paso. Instead of the palm trees and sandy beaches and lonely deserts of Southern California, Northern California is home to redwood forests and green mountains and foggy mornings. Ferndale is a beautifully preserved Victorian town at the mouth of the Eel River, off the beaten path. Whether you want to commune with the redwoods in or shop in an authentic general store, Ferndale is your place. Take a spin down the Lost Coast Scenic Drive, a wildly remote and spectacularly scenic drive twisting through high alpine forests down to the Pacific coast along a narrow, deserted highway. Or drive north to the Avenue of the Giants, and drive through a redwood in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Regardless of what you choose, Ferndale is sure to become a happy place.

Neskowin, Oregon

Nestled between Cascade Head and Nestucca Bay on the unspoiled Pacific coast of Oregon, the quaint hamlet of Neskowin is the perfect place to spend a laid-back week of exploring and relaxing. Unlike some of the other places on this list, Neskowin is best visited in winter. (Yes, you read that correctly.) During the winter, the low tides reveal the Neskowin Ghost Forest, a Sitka Spruce forest that, for whatever reason, disappeared beneath the waves over 2,000 years ago, making for an eerie-yet-arrestingly picturesque sight through the winter mists. The famous Proposal Rock lies just to the north of the Ghost Forest along the coast, and is a beautiful place to picnic, explore tide pools, or fly a kite (or, you know, propose). The whole stretch of coast around Neskowin is perfect for winter storm watching or whale watching, and the bird population at the Nestucca Bay Wildlife Refuge during the spring and fall migrations fill the tidal marshes and freshwater wetlands. Neskowin is also home to the historic Neskowin Beach Golf Course. Opened in 1932 and in continuous use since, the Golf Course is a public, nine-hole course set in one of the most beautiful locales you’ve ever golfed.

Long Beach, Washington

On the Long Beach Peninsula, jutting out into the Pacific Ocean, Long Beach is the perfect headquarters for exploring Washington’s Evergreen Coast. The historic town of Oysterville lies to the north of Long Beach and is the gateway to Leadbetter Point State Park and the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge. To the south, Cape Disappointment State Park offers beautiful hikes, World War II bunkers, and the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, as well as spectacular storm watching in winter. If you’re a Goonies fan, Astoria, Oregon, is just across the Columbia River. But the best thing to do in Long Beach (in my opinion) is to fly a kite on the beautiful, uncrowded beach that looks out over the Pacific before exploring one of the craft breweries or local wineries.

Port Townsend, Washington

An exquisitely preserved Victorian seaport on the northeastern tip of the Olympic Peninsula, the picturesque town of Port Townsend has a little something for everyone. Walk along the beach to Point Wilson Lighthouse and then explore historic Fort Worden State Park (which served as the main filming location for 1982’s award-winning An Officer and a Gentleman). If you are a festival fanatic, you will be sure to enjoy the annual Rhododendron Festival, Wooden Boat Festival, or Port Townsend Film Festival. Grab some delicious goodies at the Crusty Crumb Bakery (seriously, the cardamom buns are amazing) and have a picnic and toss a Frisbee in the beautiful Chetzemoka Park with its breathtaking views over Admiralty Inlet. Explore the Port Townsend Historic District, home to numerous charming Victorian homes and storefronts, and shop the local boutiques of Water Street. Any budding marine biologists in your family will love the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, and ghost hunters will want to stay in either Room 302 or 306 of the Manresa Castle Hotel. Whatever kind of vacation you desire, Port Townsend has you covered.

Coupeville, Washington

The only town on this list located in a National Historical Reserve, Coupeville is probably best known as the filming location for 1998’s Practical Magic. Filming location aside, Coupeville is a beautiful town on the southern edge of Penn Cove, home of the world-famous Penn Cove mussels, on Whidbey Island in Puget Sound. Surrounded by the Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, Coupeville is the perfect base for exploring Whidbey. Hike the bluff trail of the Historical Reserve for jaw-droppingly beautiful panoramic views of Mount Baker to the east, Mount Rainier to the southeast, and the Olympic Mountains to the west. Visit Price Sculpture Forest or the Lavender Wind Farm. Explore Coupeville Farmers Market, one of the oldest farmers’ markets in Washington State, or take a whale watching tour out into Puget Sound. Whatever you do, Coupeville and Whidbey will definitely make your list of happy places.

Roche Harbor, Washington

Located on scenic San Juan Island, tiny Roche Harbor is just 20 minutes north of the bright lights of Friday Harbor on San Juan Island at the northern end of Puget Sound. This winsome hamlet is the perfect base for exploring all the island has to offer. To get to San Juan Island, you can take a ferry from Anacortes on the mainland, but if you want a real treat, take a Kenmore Air seaplane from Seattle to Friday Harbor. The views as you fly over the sound are astounding. Stay at the historic Hotel de Haro, the oldest operating hotel in Washington State. Grab lunch at the Lime Kiln Café and picnic in Lime Kiln Point State Park to watch the orca pod playing in the Sound. (There’s a reason Lime Kiln Park’s nickname is Whale Watch Park.) Shop the boutiques and art galleries in Friday Harbor or explore the two wineries or the alpaca farm on the island. Hike through the 20 acres of outdoor art in a beautiful natural setting at the San Juan Sculpture Park, maintained by the San Juan Islands Museum of Art. Whether you love history, the outdoors, art, or the sea, Roche Harbor and San Juan Island are sure to become happy places.

The post Coastal Gems to Explore first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

For years, our happiest places have been far-flung mountain tops, remote waterfalls at the end of a long trek with camping gear in tow, and tents pitched on the side of a cliff with a view that money can’t buy. Places you can’t get to in a car. Give me a dehydrated meal and a sunset over the Rockies, and you’ll never find someone happier. Sneak some pastries into my pack, and I’ll be your best friend.

Last year, my husband and I changed our travel style. We invested in an off-roader camper van to be our home on wheels. It was the start of a long-awaited dream, a sabbatical from the rigors of owning our own business. After a decade of building MELT Ice Creams and being deeply committed to the people we work with, we prepared our team and went on the road and off the grid for a season of rest. Adventure rest.

We left Fort Worth at the end of June and headed for the mountains.

We had a few agreed-upon destinations but only a very loose itinerary. We didn’t know where we would sleep or how many nights we would be there. Each day, we’d scroll through apps rating national forest campsites or BLM [Bureau of Land Management] land, and we would drive along washed-out roads, hoping the spot we chose was level and safe and with a good view.

Because we didn’t plan each leg of our trip, we could let the magic of the road unfold before us. We promised ourselves that we would always detour for three things: people, pizza, and pastries. And low-intervention wine. (Please note that ice cream is included in the pastry category.)

Every day, we sought out long hikes with our dog, Mills (named after Milford Sound in New Zealand, another adventure destination we love). Every night, we came back to the van – our tiny, mobile safe place. We made our meager dinners and sat outside to stargaze until we drifted off to sleep. In this way, we made our way across the Rockies.

In Colorado, we shared many meals and hikes with friends. We even celebrated the Fourth of July above the fireworks with the publisher of this magazine! People shared hot showers and hot meals with us. We learned pretty quickly that when someone offers you a shower or access to a washer, you never say no. Water is the greatest luxury in van life.

We rock climbed for the first time without a guide and met strangers who encouraged us, gave us tips, and kindly built our confidence. We had dinner with the owner of MELT’s headquarters building as we passed through Aspen; he welcomed our smelly dog and our dusty selves into his home and treated us like family. The next day, we hiked 18 miles to the nation’s highest hot springs.

We met people everywhere we went.

We met them on trails, climbing Fourteeners [mountain peaks with an elevation of at least 14,000 feet], and at the top of summits, sharing pocket tamales while keeping Mills from chasing marmots over the edge. We met other Vizsla owners and let our dogs romp together. I thought that when we left Colorado, we would see fewer people and would settle into the silence of rivers and forests. But everywhere we went, another interesting person seemed to appear.

When we made our way to Idaho, I was stunned by the scenery. The Sawtooth Mountains towering over endless green prairies didn’t feel real.

One day in Idaho, we fueled up on hot coffee and oatmeal, packed our PB&Js, and hiked a 22-mile backpacking loop. We stopped for lunch at an alpine lake and submerged ourselves in the icy water. Mills refused to get into the water but happily rolled in patches of snow. We draped ourselves over sun-warmed boulders to dry off.

On the trail, we met a women’s hiking group who return every year to the same beautiful trail. We ate fried chicken at a tiny restaurant recommended by the New York Times restaurant critic. (The chicken was excellent.) We had the worst pizza of the trip in Stanley, Idaho.

Because we didn’t have an itinerary, we decided to stay a few extra days to explore. We watched sunsets as elk bugled on the ridge above us. We found a hot spring that fed into a river, surrounded by wildflowers, and we had it all to ourselves. At night, the stars stretched across the Sawtooths in a display that made shivers run up my spine.

I had no expectations for Idaho, and it was stunning.

In the tiny Washington town of Mazama, we found pastries that shocked me with their flavors. We stopped at a trailhead in the North Cascades to stretch our legs on a short hike to a crystal-clear lake, when I heard a familiar voice. Thousands of miles from Fort Worth, and yet here was our neighbor, standing at the same alpine lake surrounded by forests with no cell service. We laughed, took photos, exchanged travel stories, and walked back to our separate vehicles, shaking our heads in disbelief.

We made our way to Bellingham on the northern edge of Puget Sound and fell in love with the town. There were endless trails and fresh seafood. We took a sunset sail with Mount Baker standing behind us and the Canadian Cascades stretching out before us. We were freezing as the sun slowly melted into the sea, but our hearts were so full from the beauty around us and the people we kept meeting. The boat captain told us about the marine creatures he’s seen, his day trips to Canada to ski, and stories of nearby islands.

Bellingham became one of my favorite places to run on the trip – flowy trails, green everywhere, and the salty breeze of Puget Sound to keep me cool. The owners of a wine bar treated us like we were locals and told us where to find the best pastries in town. We ate local oysters, sipped crisp rosé, and devoured fresh bread with butter by the bay.

From Bellingham, we went to Orcas Island in the San Juans. We took the ferry, our van’s first ocean voyage.

Arriving on a weekend, we found a shaded campsite by a small lake surrounded by tall, old-growth trees. Sitting on the campsite’s table was a vase filled with freshly picked pink and orange flowers – a quiet kindness from the camper before us. Far from the known, surrounded by nature, that small gesture gave me pause. Kindness can show up in the most unexpected ways. It was lovely to receive such a gift.

We decided to go on a whale-watching tour, one of the few paid excursions on the trip. I packed little cans of Negronis, crackers, and cheese. We stood shoulder to shoulder with other tourists, all waiting and watching.

And then we saw them.

A pod of orcas, their black-and-white bodies cutting through the water just off the ship’s bow. We took turns with the binoculars, listening to the whoosh of their breath through their blowholes. For that moment, everything was still except for those magnificent creatures. On the way back, we saw sea lions and sea otters playing in the waves.

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On Orcas Island, we paddleboarded in cold lakes, Mills wearing a life jacket that matched mine. We hiked to the highest point on the island and ate seafood in a shack on the edge of the Sound. We played Phase Ten with other visitors while the dog slept in the sun, soaking up the island’s magic. On our last night on Orcas, we shared a table at dinner with two women celebrating family and friendship. We ate pizza and shared our wine.

One of the women was a widow from Bainbridge Island. She told us about her late husband – his life as a lawyer in Seattle, the impact he made on his community, and the cancer that ended his life too soon. She spoke of her daughter, an actress on a show that I’ve seen, her grandchildren, and their beautiful, bright blue eyes.

Her eyes sparkled, and she smiled as she spoke, and I was moved by the way she described her husband and the life they built together. How he didn’t allow age to define who he was or what he could do. She commended us for taking time to travel and just be.

I know so many details about her life. Yet, I don’t remember her name. But I remember her overwhelming love for her family.

Orcas Island is a special place; it’s almost sacred. It feels like it exists in a different time. It also requires some planning, as lodging and dining reservations fill up quickly, but somehow, life is slower here.

From Orcas Island, we went to visit old friends outside of Seattle. We hadn’t seen them in years, and again, we were met with generosity and kindness. I had never met their children, but it felt natural to scoop up one of their daughters, holding her on my hip as she told me to smell the flowers in the garden and explained how bees pollinate them. With the right people, time cannot change your connection.

Of all the places we visited, the Pacific Northwest captured our hearts.

We slowly worked our way down the Pacific coast on the way to California, stopping in redwood forests and walking for hours along empty shorelines. In Big Sur, we stayed at the cliffside property of a new friend. She welcomed us into her home and made the most delicious meal. I still think about the compound butter she made with flowers pressed into the edges.

She served cider from her harvest of apples and pears. Delicious! She invited us to help with the grape harvest at her small vineyard, and we eagerly agreed.

A wine harvest in Big Sur with no machines. We cut the grapes from the vines. We sorted and de-stemmed them by hand. We pressed the grapes with our feet. I was completely enamored with the process. We were surrounded by incredible people – farmers and cooks from a nearby retreat center who prepare organic meals three times a day for guests. We felt like the luckiest people on earth. Until our dog chased one of the vineyard cats, and we had to apologize profusely.

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The farmers gifted us day passes to the retreat center, where we sat in hot springs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Then we steered our van back down Highway 1, weaving our way to the Central Coast of California.

We met up with some friends for happy hour on the beach to watch the sunset. They invited us into their home, let us use their outdoor surf shower, and made space for us in their lives.

We have a circle of friends on the Central Coast because Fort Worth friends have introduced us to this special place and these special people. We parked the van in their vineyard, surrounded by acres of organic grapes, which in turn are surrounded by palm trees. We fell asleep next to the flower and vegetable garden, listening to owls hooting to each other. The next day, we helped them to bottle our favorite sparkling wine and joined their family for a meal, sipping wine and learning about their winemaking process.

Van life distills everything down to simplicity and necessity. Inside the fan, space is limited, and everything is intentional. Outside, everything expanded – mountains, oceans, skies. Possibilities.

Our adventures were life-giving. They reset us. They gave us the solitude and rest we craved. But for me, the people we met are the center of this story.

The moments that live in my memory now aren’t just the landscapes. It’s the conversations, the shared meals, the unexpected connections I remember. The strangers who became part of our story. These are the memories my mind returns to on hard days.

I remember the sea lions, otters, whales, and eagles. I remember mountain sunrises and ocean sunsets. The twinkling stars, frigid rivers, steaming hot springs, and day-long hikes; these will always stay vivid in my memory. But it’s the people I shared them with that make them matter.

Maybe my happy place was never a place. It wasn’t the mountains or the ocean; it was the people we met along the way, and the small, moving home that carried us to them.

All photos used in this article are courtesy of Kari Crowe Seher and may not be used in any way without permission. 

The post Where Is Your Happy Place? 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.

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, 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.

Not New Year’s resolutions, necessarily. Just a change in attitude. In 2026, instead of trying to lose those pesky pounds, why not get off the fast fashion merry-go-round and start thrifting? Fast fashion relies heavily on exploitive labor practices and is very damaging to the environment. By thrifting, you’re keeping pre-loved clothing out of the landfill while saving loads of money. Win-win!

We asked the members of the Tanglewood Moms Facebook group for their favorite thrift shops and places to donate clothes. Unsurprisingly, they had the best answers!

Berry Good Buys

If you ask the Tanglewood Moms where to donate gently used clothing and home goods, or you ask for great places to thrift, you will be overwhelmed with recommendations for Berry Good Buys. Since 1988, all profits from Berry Good Buys have gone to The Archway (formerly SafeHaven) to support their work offering victims of domestic abuse a safe and stable way forward. Whether you’re donating clothes your family no longer wears or looking for a great new look, Berry Good Buys is ready to help.

Fort Worth Community Collaborative/Cowtown Closet

Fort Worth Community Collaborative (FWCC) operates Cowtown Closet, a free community closet for anyone who needs it. No judgement. FWCC sorts and repairs or upcycles gently used clothing, either stocking their storefront and emergency clothing lockers for partner agencies or recycling what cannot be used. If you want to thrift, FWCC has Donation Mondays, where, for a $5 donation, you can find anything and everything your thrifty heart could desire.

The Resale Shop

For more than 20 years, the Resale Shop has offered gently used clothing and home goods, with all proceeds supporting the Center for Transforming Lives in its mission to help single mothers and their children thrive. Additionally, participants in the Center’s programs receive “Resale Bucks” to help clothe their families and make a home for them at no cost.

Clothes Mentor

Clothes Mentor is committed to reducing fashion waste while providing women with trendy, stylish clothing. With sizes 0 to 26, Clothing Mentor ensures most women can find the perfect outfit at an affordable price. And when you sell your pre-loved clothing at Clothes Mentor, you get cash for a new outfit on the spot. It’s all part of what Clothes Mentor calls “cyclical fashion”  – sustainable, fashion-forward, and affordable.

Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County

When a person arrives at Union Gospel Mission (UGM), they usually only have the clothes on their back. By donating your family’s gently used clothing, you are providing more than a pair of jeans or shoes. You’re providing a child with a school uniform. You’re providing a person with an outfit for a job interview. You’re giving a person a bit of their humanity back.

Flipstone Vintage & Thrift

Owners and sisters Dancing and Lily are seasoned thrifters, and they wanted to use their expertise to create a thrift boutique that combines the best of thrift shops’ selections and prices with vintage boutiques’ curated offerings. And thus, Flipstone was born. The sisters also travel throughout North Texas, compiling a guide of thrift stores to help people shop sustainably. Flipstone is an indigenous- and woman-owned small business.

Prom Dreams Boutique

How many little children dream of prom? But prom dresses are expensive, and not every family can afford one. Prom Dreams Boutique at University Christian Church allows students to find the prom, Homecoming, or formal dress of their dreams, complete with shoes and accessories. If you have pre-loved formal dresses and accessories, you can help a student’s dreams come true!

Thrift Giant

Are you a hardcore thrifter? You NEED to check out Thrift Giant. A DFW chain, Thrift Giant boasts the most extensive thrift inventory in the Metroplex, daily sales, and a handy app to help you with your thrifting. They accept donations, and they use their profits to support local nonprofits. Big sales, an enormous inventory, and they support local nonprofits? See you there!

Community Crossroads

Community Crossroads is First Presbyterian Church Fort Worth’s outreach ministry located in the Near Southside. As well as offering free food and sack lunches, pet food, diapers, and formula, and a free dental clinic, Community Crossroads is proud to offer its Clothed in Love ministry that distributes clothing and blankets to those in need without judgment and with love.

Uptown Cheapskate

If you’re a thrifter who loves finding a bargain on premium brands, check out Uptown Cheapskate. With a focus on designer brands, you can find amazing pieces at incredible prices, ensuring that you’re always on trend. Bring your clean, gently-loved clothes in and get a new outfit before the store’s buyers make you an offer. Uptown Cheapskate will donate items they didn’t buy, so you don’t have to bring them home.

Love and Light Ministries

Love and Light Ministries works with the unhoused in Fort Worth, helping them “from camp to a home.” As part of their outreach in the homeless community, Love and Light donates approximately 150 items of clothing each month. You can be sure that your donations are needed and will be appreciated by people in need.

Family Thrift Center

Another thrifting supercenter, Family Thrift Center offers gently-used clothes, toys, books, and household essentials at incredibly reduced prices. With a user-friendly app and a loyalty rewards program that allows you to save even more, Family Thrift Center is your one-stop thrifting shop.

Chosen Ones Community Closet

Families who foster and adopt are special, and they sometimes need special help. Chosen Ones is a ministry that supports fostering and adopting families, offering counseling, help navigating bureaucratic mazes or finding a pediatrician, or clothing and diapers when a placement occurs more quickly than anticipated. The Community Closet provides food, clothing, baby equipment, toys, and necessities like diapers and formula so that families can focus on what’s important – giving love and support to a child who needs it.

The Mercantile

You can’t have a list of places for thrifting without mentioning The Mercantile. Founded by Fort Worth businessman Holt Hickman, The Mercantile has over 200 carefully curated dealer booths offering everything from antiques to fashion. The best part? After you’ve found your treasures from multiple dealers, there’s a central checkout process that streamlines your thrifting experience. Great deals, a curated selection of dealers, and an easy checkout? Score!

ReStore by Trinity Habitat for Humanity

While it might not be your traditional thrift store, ReStore needs to be on your list, especially if you’re a do-it-yourselfer. You can find building materials, furniture, and even appliances at the four locations of the Trinity Habitat ReStores. And if you have leftover building supplies, furniture/or appliances that need a new home, ReStore runs on donations. By shopping or donating, you’re helping families come home.

Vintage Martini

If you’re into vintage clothing, you need to make the drive to Dallas. Vintage Martini was founded by a costume designer who loved and collected vintage clothing. Need a dress from the 1920s? No problem. Want a Christian Dior dress from 1961? They’ve got it. And they carry contemporary pieces from design houses like Mandalay, Versace, and Fendi. They offer consignment services, too. Now if only they would move to the cool side of the Metroplex!

Clotheshorse Anonymous

I have a confession. I grew up in Dallas. I know, I know. But I grew up hearing about Clotheshorse Anonymous, and believe it, it lives up to the hype. Since 1974, those in the know have found incredible buys on luxury brands. In fact. Clotheshorse Anonymous is Dallas’s oldest luxury consignment shop. As part of their services, they offer brand authentication; you know you’re getting the real deal.

Clothes Circuit Upsale Resale

Another Dallas classic, Clothes Circuit is a luxury resale shop that offers a drop-in-and-donate service for busy Dallasites, in addition to more traditional luxury consignment services. Their donations are your gains because you can find incredible deals on hundreds (yes, hundreds) of designer brands, and you can shop, knowing that each piece has been authenticated. Trust me, it’s worth the drive!

Second Glance Thrift Shop

If you’re looking for a one-stop shop for middle- to high-end clothing, furniture, kitchen accessories and appliances, plus games, books, and other media, you don’t need to take a second glance. Profits from Second Glance support CEC (Community Enrichment Center) and its ministry among the unhoused people of our community. They also accept clean pre-loved donations, and seniors and veterans always receive 10% off their total purchase each Tuesday.

Angels’ Attic Upscale Resale

What began as a series of garage sales to help the hurting and the hungry, Angels’ Attic Upscale Resale is now a thriving resale shop filled with fabulous finds. Whether you’re looking for gently used clothing, furniture, or accessories, Angels’ Attic is the place to shop. An outreach ministry of White’s Chapel Methodist Church in Southlake, proceeds from Angels’ Attic go to support nonprofits and ministries around the world.

Christ’s Haven Resale Shop

Christ’s Haven for Children offers trauma-informed, family-modeled care for displaced children and teens in a neighborhood of homes in north Fort Worth. The families who love and care for these children need clothing, furniture, baby goods, and more. Any donated items that are not used are sold in the Resale Shop, with proceeds going directly back to the program.

Seven Boutique

Do you love designer goods but not designer prices? Seven Boutique offers pre-loved luxury items from top designers at bargain basement prices. Looking for a pair of Louboutins? They have them. A Louis Vuitton handbag? No problem. What color would you like? From Alexander McQueen to Zimmerman, Seven Boutique has you covered.

Kiss It Good Buy

Furnishing a house is expensive, especially if you want something other than do-it-yourself, laminate-covered items from a big box store. Kiss It Good Buy, located in Grapevine’s historic downtown, offers an eclectic assortment of gently pre-loved and unique home furnishings, décor, and accessories. So rent a trailer and head up to Grapevine – you’ll be glad you did!

Furniture Consignment Gallery

What do you do when you have a beautiful couch or antique armoire that you don’t have room for in your home? Or where do you go to find quality furniture at prices you can actually afford? Furniture Consignment Gallery, of course! Whether you need to furnish a room or you want to get rid of some beautiful pieces that you don’t need anymore, Furniture Design Gallery is ready to help. As their website says, “We all love affordable luxury.”

The post Out with the Old: Best Places to Thrift, Consign, and Donate in DFW first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.