Is it the end of the old year or the beginning of a new one that we celebrate? I really think it is a little of both as we look back at what we have survived and accomplished (or not as the case may be) and then prepare for all of the incredible possibilities a new year brings......
 |
| Is it the end of the old year or the beginning of a new one that we celebrate? |
 |
| British Airways Face to Face Award |
A quick look back on 2011 reminds me that at this time last year I was busy planning my trip to New York, London and Egypt. All thanks to the British Airways Face of Opportunity Award. The New York leg was detoured because of the crazy weather and Egypt obviously did not happen due to the turmoil in the country but it was replaced by sunny and beautiful Barcelona and for that I am thankful. Barcelona was never really on my top 10 list but now I can't wait to take Lou there, if I can ever get him dusted off and out of the shop. I guess it is hard to take a vacation when you do what you love and feel like you don't have enough time to accomplish what you want to with it in this lifetime! |
| Mesquite Entry Table 2011 by Lou Quallenberg |
Lou worked away this year through the extreme cold and then the exhausting heat and drought. Projects included a Mesquite Dining Table, a Mesquite Entry Table, and then eight beautiful Benches / Pews for the Chapel. We were blessed this year with plenty of work, new clients and even more to come in the New Year as the work schedule fills and the waiting list grows ever longer.
Is it the end of the old year
or the beginning of a new one
that we celebrate?
While one door closed, Riverbend Fine Art in Marble Falls came to an end, a few opened as we found representation in Fredericksburg with Galeria 19. Marta Stafford Fine Art will open her doors in Marble Falls and while she has no room to place our pieces we wish her huge success and value her advice and opinion on all things art. Thanks goes to both Galleries for selling pieces, old and new, of Lou's work this past year. Thank you also to Ann Bradley at Artisans at Rocky Hill for referring a client our way. We do miss the regular visits with the owners, Art and Artisans from that Gallery but as we know things change and change has been good to us this year.
 |
| Crated and ready to head across the pond. |
We sent two pieces to the United Kingdom last year and are being patient as the seeds planted there begin to take root and will hopefully bear fruit. We thank Joe Prest and Amie Prest of The Mesquite Company as they do the hard work of introducing the UK and Europe to the beauty and character of all things Mesquite and especially Lou Quallenberg's Mesquite Furniture.
 |
| @LAST Llano ART Studio Tour 2011 MAP |
This year we contributed to the Llano Art scene by helping start up @LAST: Llano's Art Studio Tour the LAST Saturday in March. It was such a great success that we will be holding @LAST Annually! We joined the Llano Fine Art Guild and expanded the Llano Trail of the Deer Art Project with another deer our own Buck-B-Q! While he is not an actual working Barbecue pit, he does sport his own food, flames , thermostat and BBQ tools. He also has the ability to spurt smoke out his nose. Our homage to Llano's famous Bar-B-Q and it's reputation as Deer Capital of Texas.
 |
| Buck-B-Q our 2011 contribution to Llano's Trail of the Deer |
We continue to deal with the issues associated with aging parents and while difficult at times we would not trade it for anything. This year's knee replacement for Me Maw brought us back together with some of the same nursing and care staff at St. Davids Hospital that we got to know with last years broken ankle surgery. It made me wonder about paths and journeys crisscrossing and entwining and really opened my eyes to teachers and lessons.
Thank you for reading this blog because I know that if you are actually reading this blog you are one of our supporters, clients, friends or family and we are so thankful to have you in our lives. So it looks like we will continue on for another new year discovering the many mysteries that mesquite furniture making in the Texas Hill Country holds in store for us.......
