By Anita Wardlow
As much as I love a great museum, the beach might actually top my list of favorite happy places. Fortunately, Galveston Island is only a little more than an hour’s drive from Houston. It has the perfect mix of small town charm and historic character, with plenty of trendy places to shop, eat and browse. It reminds me of the Biloxi I experienced growing up, before casinos became the featured destination.
A couple of months ago, my oldest daughter came down from Denver for a short visit and requested we spend one of our days together in Galveston. Needing zero convincing, I quickly booked us an overnight stay with two shared requirements: a beachfront view and a relaxing hot tub.
After checking into our condo, we quickly realized it was far too hot to hit the beach, so we headed downtown to find lunch and explore some of the island’s boutique shops and art galleries.
In the past, I was often intimidated to walk into an art gallery, assuming the people working inside didn’t want to be bothered by a random window shopper without the budget to buy anything on display. But honestly, I’ve found the opposite to be true. People who genuinely love art also love engaging with others who appreciate it. And although the price of that dreamy painting you fall in love with might not align with the realities of your bank account, there are usually reasonably priced prints available that look just as beautiful on your walls at home.
That day was no different.
The first gallery featured works by several local artists, and the woman inside was excited to tell us about her personal favorites. At our next stop, the work on display belonged to a single artist, and the person behind the counter was her very proud husband. He loved showing off his wife’s pieces and even gifted me a couple of postcard sized prints after learning I shared her love of coastal birds.
However, as usually happens with any of my three daughters, our conversation naturally turned to whether there were any Black or minority owned shops we could visit and support.
A quick Google search later, we were on our way to the Nia Cultural Center, whose mission is to connect visitors to the island’s Black history through art, exhibits and stories highlighting Galveston’s significance as the birthplace of Juneteenth.
As soon as we walked inside, we were greeted with the warmth and familiarity only an older Southern woman can offer. Although we had never met Ms. Madeline, she instantly felt like family. Her passion for sharing knowledge, experiences and art was immediately evident.
Ms. Madeline deserves an article all her own, so I’ll save that story for another day. Instead, I’ll focus on how I discovered my newest treasured piece of art while flipping through a bin of prints.
The moment I saw it, I knew it had to come home with us.
A beautiful young boy with soulful eyes met my gaze and refused to let go. Depending on your mood, his expression seems to shift from sadness to hope, from youthful innocence to wisdom beyond his years. At first, I thought the dark green leaves and white blooms behind him were magnolias, my favorite flower. Then I realized they were cotton blossoms, which somehow felt even more fitting given cotton’s complicated place in our nation’s history.
Then there was the title: Made in America: Land of the Free?
It captured a question many of us are asking right now.
As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, I’ve found it difficult to celebrate while waking up to heartbreaking headlines, from a man killed during an ICE encounter in my adopted city of Houston to the tragic and suspicious death of a young man in our home state of Mississippi who could have easily been someone in any of our families.
Today, the print hangs on the wall of my home. I find myself looking at it often, remembering a wonderful mother-daughter getaway while marveling at how one piece of art continues to stir emotions that change as often as the world around us.
Sometimes the most meaningful souvenirs aren’t the ones we planned to bring home. They’re the ones that continue speaking to us long after the trip has ended.
