May 2016 be Full of Heart!

May 2016 be Full of Heart:  Mesquite Hearts, Mesquite Furniture & More at www.LouQart.com

And now on to 365 new opportunities to shine our light, share our love, make: mesquite furniture, mesquite sculpture, mesquite hearts, mesquite art or whatever else we are guided to create. 

There are infinite possibilities as this new year awakens..... 
With ♡LOVE,
Lou&Cheryl Quallenberg

Making Mesquite in the SIZZLING August Heat

This summer while not as hot as some is still a very hot one and if you have been to the shop lately you know the temperature inside has reached the 100's regularly. We really need to get some temperature control in the shop. We had originally hoped to be moved to a more permanent and expandable location by now, but at this point are committed to stay and help my declining, aging parents.  So the question is: To cool? or not to cool? and hopefully soon it will be: To heat? or not to heat?

This quote below really struck a chord for us, it is how we are trying to live our life of mesquite, so we needed to share it:

"Creating a life that reflects your values and satisfies your soul is a rare achievement. In a culture that relentlessly promotes avarice and excess as the good life, a person happy doing his own work is usually considered an eccentric, if not a subversive. Ambition is only understood if it’s to rise to the top of some imaginary ladder of success. Someone who takes an undemanding job because it affords him the time to pursue other interests and activities is considered a flake. A person who abandons a career in order to stay home and raise children is considered not to be living up to his potential — as if a job title and salary are the sole measure of human worth.

You’ll be told in a hundred ways, some subtle and some not, to keep climbing, and never be satisfied with where you are, who you are, and what you’re doing. There are a million ways to sell yourself out, and I guarantee you’ll hear about them.

To invent your own life’s meaning is not easy, but it’s still allowed, and I think you’ll be happier for the trouble".  

- Calvin and Hobbs creator Bill Watterson

 Check out the latest mesquite heart sculpture "Mesquite Hearts A'Flame" on youtube video for a 360 view.

Just a reminder you can see Lou's work up close and in person at: 

Marta Stafford Fine Art 

200 Main St, Marble Falls, TX 78654

 

The Llano Fine Art Guild & Gallery 

503 Bessemer Ave, Llano, TX 78643

 

Don't miss the Lee Casbeer Special Exhibit in September.

The Western Trappings on The Llano Exhibition & Sale 

September 18, 2015 - November 15, 2015 

at the Llano County Historical Museum

310 Bessemer (Hwy 16), Llano, TX

Grand Opening Weekend Schedule

Meet the Artists Fri September 18 5pm-8pm

Chuck Wagon Breakfast Sat September 19 8am-10:30am

Live AUCTION Sat September 19 1pm 

     (Registration & Preview starts at10:00am)

Plus

Celebrate the Art & Artists

Open House & Reception October 17th 9am-5pm

This year due to time constraints and a full schedule
we will NOT be participating in:

The 16th Annual Texas Furniture Makers Show 

Kerr Arts & Cultural Center 

 October 29, 2015 – November 28, 2015

 Awards Reception: November 7, 2015  5:30pm – 8pm

We have and will continue to support this Show. We look forward to seeing what our artist friends will have on display. 

Now maybe someone else besides Lou can win the Best Texas Style Furniture Award :)

Mesquite with all my HEART ♡

Well my goodness it really has been a while since I have posted to the blog.  Our hands and hearts have been full with elder care, which is a bit like juggling jello at times. So some things have gotten dropped. Hopefully I will rise above the emotional, physical and financial toll this has taken on our family and continue to post our progress.  That is the plan.

With that said I am happy to share Lou Quallenberg's latest direction in his mesquite masterpieces. Lou has always put so much of his heart and soul into his work and this new direction is no different.  His new works actually take the shape of a heart with his distinctive design style - of course.

Mesquite Hearts for Cheryl on Valentine's Day

Every year for Valentine's Day he presents me with a mesquite valentine.  They range from tiny tokens to 3ft sculptures carved into a branch and everything you can imagine in between. The heart posted on the blog in February last year  Mesquite Furniture, Fire & Flames was one such heart.

Mesquite Heart in Flames by Lou Quallenberg

 During the @LAST Llano Art Studio Tour a few years ago a gentleman saw it and asked to have something similar created for his wife. Lou put it on the back burner. Eventually he decided to make two so he could pick one and the other could go to Marta Stafford Fine Art Gallery since he had been promising her something new for a long while. Once people saw those hearts being made in the shop, they ordered their own hearts and so Lou was launched into the sculpture business by way of heart.

BTW the very patient and understanding Marta Stafford still has not received one for the gallery yet.

Open Heart in Mesquite for Cheryl

Moresco Square Base Mesquite Heart by Lou Quallenberg

Moresco Natural Base Mesquite Heart by Lou Quallenberg

Messer Mesquite Heart by Lou Quallenberg

Lacy/Franco Mesquite Heart by Lou Quallenberg

 Laminated Mesquite Heart by Lou Quallenberg

So as we start this day in celebration of our 20 years of marriage I publish this post in honor of my talented, artist of a husband Lou Quallenberg. I only  ask that our remaining years be filled with as much love as the last 20 years!

with all my HEART ♡

Love,
Cheryl