When we first started talking about an Art House Dallas launch, we knew it needed to include three aspects: good food, live music, and opportunities to gather our Dallas friends for meaningful conversations. We imagined a handful of Dallas artists and Art House America supporters would meet together for a couple of hours to talk about what it looks like to live an “artful life.”
God imagined something much bigger for Friday, October 15, 2010.
What started as a small afternoon gathering turned into a breakfast with the Art House Dallas Creative Council, lunch and live music followed by a stellar music panel, and an evening of stories and songs. By the end of the day, more than 300 people had been introduced to the newest work of Art House America in Dallas.
Below are a few images of that "EAT : MEET : GREET" event. We are so grateful to Sandra McCracken and Sleeperstar for coming out to play music and support Art House Dallas, along with Joy Willams, Nate Yetton, Jillian Edwards, Josh Jackson, Kate Miner, and Cary Pierce who offered great insights on the music panel.
Art House Dallas's Executive Director, Jenny White, takes the stage.
Checking out the Art House Dallas brochure for the first time.
Sandra McCracken performing live.
Charlie Peacock introducing the music panel participants: (L to R) Kate Miner, Nate Yetton, Joy Williams, Josh Jackson, Sandra McCracken, Cary Pierce, and Jillian Edwards.[All "EAT : MEET : GREET" photographs by Ann West, who blogs at Dollop.]
The Art House team is still reveling in the beauty of the "Stories and Songs" evening at the Reeves’ residence. After all the guests cleared out, we sat on scattered chairs and the living room's wooden floor, which only minutes earlier had been filled with lively conversations and acoustic performances. While munching on the last few scrumptious petits fours appropriately decorated with music notes, we discussed our favorite parts of the evening: the perfect temperature outside to enjoy a delicious meal, sharing the Art House Dallas video with many people for the first time, and our favorite songs by Jillian Edwards, Nick Chatham, and Joy Williams.
But we all agreed that the most amazing part of the evening was the incredible group of people that joined us to celebrate the launch of Art House America's expansion to Dallas. The packed house certainly affirmed the good things that God has in store, and we are grateful for everyone who attended and has now become part of the story; it has only just begun.
Sam Ashworth and Joy Williams rehearsing.
Art House Dallas dinner al fresco.
Art House Dallas leadership: Brad Reeves and Jenny White.
Native Dallasites: Jillian Edwards and Kelsey Walker performing at "Stories and Songs."
Art House America Co-Founders: Andi Ashworth and Charlie Peacock.[All "Stories and Songs" photographs by Mark Nicholas.]
In addition to building a creative community of people, Art House Dallas’s primary focus over the next nine months will be to raise the necessary support to physically build the new Art House Dallas space — "A place where good can happen," as Art House America co-founders Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth would say. We can hardly wait to provide people with a place to attend events, lectures, and vocation groups to connect others with those who love what they love.
Our greater hope is that the presence of Art House in east Dallas will do more than just facilitate conversations and convene creative community. In efforts to encourage and equip individuals, we have confidence that corporately we will be a community whose gifts and creativity work together for the common good of Dallas and beyond.
We would love for you to stay connected with us and learn about opportunities to get involved:
1. Follow us on Twitter.
2. Join the Art House Dallas Facebook group. Check out more of the event photos (courtesy of Ann West) in the Facebook album and tag yourself so we can keep connecting faces with names.
3. Fill out the “Get Plugged into Art House Dallas” form. This virtual card online will add you to our e-mail update list.
Jenny White is a native Texan who recently returned from a 5-year adventure in Washington, D.C. She serves as the Executive Director of Art House America’s new location in east Dallas, where she loves drinking coffee at the Pearl Cup, going to concerts at Granada Theatre, cycling around White Rock Lake, and cooking in her tiny kitchen.
