TroysArt

Galveston, Tropical Storm Bill, and the art of hurricane panic

: Destinations, Food & Beverage, Lifestyle: Written by Troy Broussard : 06-18-2015

The unsinkable Graham Gemoets, Galveston.

I love Galveston—it’s such a short drive from Houston but such a world away from the city. My buddy Graham Gemoets has a charming little getaway there near The Strand. With Mother’s passing and as hard as I have been working I felt long overdue for a trip and quality time with a friend. Mr. Gemoets is almost seven feet tall and more outrageous than can be recounted here–he should have his own TV show. Anyway, a Tropical Disturbance, soon to become Tropical Storm Bill, was churning in the Gulf with all spaghetti models projecting a route directly to Houston. But I …continue reading

The revered Rothko Chapel

: Artists, Destinations, Galleries & Museums: Written by Troy Broussard : 06-08-2015

Photo by Hickey-Robertson, the Rothko Chapel, Houston.

One of the first attractions I heard about when I moved to Houston was the highly revered Rothko Chapel. But back in 1987 I regrettably knew little about Mark Rothko; I was green enough to stick in the ground and grow. I studied up on Rothko a bit and looked forward to the excursion. So imagine my chagrin when, for the first time, I walked into this esteemed sanctuary and wondered where all the paintings were. But I did find the paintings, they were right in front of my face, and I have been back for many visits… “But nobody …continue reading

The true meaning of Memorial Day – Discounts?

: Lifestyle: Written by Troy Broussard : 05-17-2015

Arlington National Cemetery by Andrew Bossi (Own work) [CC BY-SA 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Formerly known as Decoration Day (the day to decorate the graves of the fallen), the federal holiday of Memorial Day was created in commemoration of those who died while serving in the United States military. Observed yearly on the last Monday of May, this year it falls on May 25th. But over the past 150 years Memorial Day has morphed into alternative connotations. Many Americans have come to accept that the new true meaning of Memorial Day is Discounts! For the past several years I have been a designer for a major American furniture brand. And while my skills are better suited …continue reading

The art of the Trumeau Mirror

: Antiques, Furniture & Design, TroysArt: Written by Troy Broussard : 05-07-2015

Louis XVI style Trumeau Mirror, French c. 1850, 45 x 64”, $6,388, from Carl Moore Antiques.

You’ve probably seen one in the movies, in a museum, or in someone’s home but didn’t know the proper term. During the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI, large mirrors mounted within the paneling over a mantel or between windows would often have a painting incorporated above. This is what is referred to as a Trumeau Mirror. Trumeau is an architectural term designating space between vertical elements in an interior such as space between doors, windows, or pilasters. And in the century prior to the French Revolution it was much in vogue to fill the space with mirror in …continue reading

My encounter with Playa del Carmen

: Destinations: Written by Troy Broussard : 04-30-2015

The Mayan Gateway - a 52 foot, 60 ton bronze sculpture by Jose Arturo Tavares in Playa del Carmen

The town of Playa del Carmen barely existed when I was born… it was basically an undeveloped region of beach and jungle. In the 1960s it gained notoriety when Jacques Cousteau filmed a documentary about the Great Mayan Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world. Once he labeled it the world’s top diving site, the Island of Cozumel took flight as a tropical playground. This post is a brief account of my encounter with the Yucatan Peninsula. Playa del Carman is the site of ancient Maya ruins known as Xaman Ha. Xaman Ha is the point where Mayans would rest before making …continue reading

Naked & Afraid’s Billy Berger, and my new Cufflinks

: Artists, Entertainment: Written by Troy Broussard : 04-23-2015

Custom sterling & mahogany obsidian cufflinks with points by Naked & Afraid's Billy Berger.

Have you seen Discovery Channel’s hit show Naked & Afraid? And are you wondering what Naked & Afraid star Billy Berger has to do with my newest pair of cufflinks? To enlighten unaware TroysArt readers, Naked & Afraid is a reality TV show that matches two specialists in the art of survival, a man and a woman, who meet in a Godforsaken hellhole and are given the task of surviving for 21 days, naked. The participants disrobe, meet, get down to the almost impossible task of finding potable water, food, and shelter before making a journey to an extraction point where they are rescued. …continue reading

Climbing the Mayan Ruins at Tulum

: Destinations: Written by Troy Broussard : 04-22-2015

The Temple of the Descending God at Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

The prospect of climbing the Mayan ruins at Tulum greatly interested me. After all, I’ve never seen New World ruins before… While I’ve heard that Chichen Itza is considered by many to be the king of Mayan ruins, the site at Tulum must certainly be the queen. Situated on a tall cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea (in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico), Tulum was one of the last Maya inhabited cities, 70 years past Spanish occupation—though the golden era for this fortified port city was between the 13th and 15th Century. Tulum faces east toward the rising sun and …continue reading

Two Guys and Rothko

: Artists, TroysArt: Written by Troy Broussard : 04-16-2015

Orange, Red, Yellow by Mark Rothko, 1961, sold in 2013 for $87 million, fair use via Wikipedia.org

Not long ago I was talking to Michael Anderson who now lives in San Francisco, whom TroysArt also refers to as Manderson. Manderson and I used to paint together and actually had a few public exhibitions of our work such as Two Guys Painting at the Lowell Collins Gallery. Our shtick was to both undertake the same still life, landscape, or sitter with the outcomes, as interpreted through two different artistic minds, displayed side by side. It was, to say the least, a fascinating experiment. At any rate he was telling me about his idea to do a painting as an …continue reading

Photo Friday: Dianne & Evan McAdams

: Photo Friday: Written by Troy Broussard : 04-10-2015

Sunset View from the Porch by Dianne & Evan

Today’s Photo Friday feature is by Dianne McAdams and her son Evan. “Sunset View from the Porch” was taken in Costa Rica where they stayed for almost a week. It really looks beautiful! I bet they had a blast. Thanks for the picture Dianne and Evan.

Dog on Monday: Tudy

: Dog on Mondays: Written by Troy Broussard : 03-30-2015

Today’s Dog on Monday is Tudy–a spoiled, pampered, and feisty Boston Terrier. She is six years old and her people are Mark Moss and Stacey Abbott of Houston. (Mark’s nickname for Tudy is School Bus.) Stacey Abbott is the owner/operator of fabulous and hip Spa 1107 in Montrose. Stacey is a renowned color expert–they say you sit in her chair as a client and you leave as a friend. Her salon also boasts stylists Renee Rawlinson, Yumi Matsushima, Mark Bocanegra, and Theresa Castillo. Tudy’s habits include hanging out with friends, wearing funny outfits, napping on an electric blanket, and chewing on wood. She’s quite …continue reading