June 28, 12:01am – July 7 12:00pm
Offshore: $50 Inshore: $25 Youth Division: $10
Tickets available at Tournament Headquarters, Boyd’s One Stop, and Lee’s Bait & Tackle
T-Shirts, hats and skyline passes can also be purchased at Tackle Time Headquarters.
Register OnlineTo Register online, select your division using the drop down menu below, then click Buy Now. Upon registering online, an e-mail will be sent to the Texas City Jaycees with your registration information. At any point during the tournament, before weighing your fish, please stop by Tackle Time Headquarters to pick up your Registration stub.  
http://tclmjaycees.com/tackletime/  ​

​Mr. Charles T. Doyle, also known as Chuck, served as the Chief Executive Officer of Texas Independent Bancshares, Inc since July 1979. Mr. Doyle serves as Chairman Emeritus of Texas First Bank and its parent Texas Independent Bancshares, Inc. He served as the Chairman of the Board of Texas First Bank and its parent Texas Independent Bancshares, Inc since October 1972. He was the Co-founder of ICBA Bancard Inc. and served as its Special Advisor. He served as Regional Director of USA Region of Visa Inc. from October 2007 to January 27, 2011. He also served as Mayor of the City of Texas City from May 1990 to May 2000. He served as the Chairman of Rust, Ewing, Watt & Haney, Inc., an independent general insurance agency and subsidiary of Texas Independent Bancshares, since September 2000. He served as the Chairman of Inovant since September 2007 and served as its Director from November 2000 to October 2007. He served as the Chairman of ICBA Bancard, Inc. He has been an Independent Director of Q2 Holdings, Inc. since May 2011. He serves as a Director of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas Education Foundation 
Wait stop what am I thinking......
A friend of mine Kathy Marullo called me the other day to let me know what Chuck has been up to lately. She told me a story about Chuck going to visit and honor someone he knew at a cemetery. When he got there he looked around at this place of rest and his mind could not rest. This cemetery has been forgotten and appears to be well just neglected. Chuck called some friends to get together and help to clean up, mow, trim trees and haul of trash and other debris. Chuck reached out to an organization by the name Servolution Mainland. They came out with about 30 volunteers and really helped make a difference. Chuck had a new flagpole installed to honor the veterans and their families. There is no telling what else Chuck is going to do there but I am sure it will be amazing. If you see my friend Chuck shake his hand or just pass a smile along I know he will smile back.  Chuck is a great guy and our community is very blessed to have the Doyle family in it.  I went to visit the cemetery this morning as some local residents and staff from Texas First Bank put flags on the veterans graves. It is amazing to be able to watch the good in people and to be a small part.  I want to thank them for everything that they do for there community. I also want to thank the veterans that are at rest in this cemetery for serving our country. They have watched over our country to allow us the freedoms that we have. If you can this Memorial day please honor a veteran that has given their lives serving our country. 

(Copied from someone else; not sure who wrote it originally, but it’s too good not to share) 
Church is hard.
Church is hard for the person walking through the doors, afraid of judgment.
Church is hard for the pastor’s family, under the microscope of an entire body.
Church is hard for the prodigal soul returning home, broken and battered by the world.
Church is hard for the girl who looks like she has it all together but doesn’t.
Church is hard for the couple who fought the entire ride to service.
Church is hard for the single mom, surrounded by couples holding hands, and seemingly perfect families.
Church is hard for the widow and widower with no invitation to lunch after service.
Church is hard for the deacon with an estranged child.
Church is hard for the person singing worship songs, overwhelmed by the weight of the lyrics.
Church is hard going alone.
Church is hard for the man insecure in his role as a leader.
Church is hard for the wife who longs to be led by a righteous man.
Church is hard for the nursery volunteer who desperately longs for a baby to love.
Church is hard for the single woman and single man, praying God brings them a mate.
Church is hard for the teenage girl, wearing a scarlet letter, ashamed of her mistakes.
Church is hard for the sinners.
Church is hard for me.
It’s hard because on the outside it all looks shiny and perfect. Sunday best in behavior and dress.
However, underneath those layers, you find a body of imperfect people, carnal souls, selfish motives.
But, here is the beauty of church--
Church isn’t a building, mentality, or expectation.
Church is a body.
Church is a group of sinners, saved by grace, living in fellowship as saints.
Church is a body of believers bound as brothers and sisters by eternal love.
Church is a holy ground where sinners stand as equals before the Throne of Grace.
Church is a refuge for broken hearts and a training ground for mighty warriors.
Church is a converging of confrontation and invitation. Where sin is confronted and hearts are invited to seek restoration.
Church is a lesson in faith and trust.
Church is a bearer of burdens and a giver of hope.
Church is a family. A family coming together, setting aside differences, forgetting past mistakes, rejoicing in the smallest of victories.
Church, the body, and the circle of sinners-turned-saints is where He resides, and if we ask, He is faithful to come.
So even on the hard days at church--
The days when I am at odds with a friend. When I’ve fought with my husband because we’re late once again. When I’ve walked in bearing burdens heavier than my heart can handle, yet masking the pain with a smile on my face. When I’ve worn a scarlet letter, under the microscope. When I’ve longed for a baby to hold, or fought tears as the lyrics were sung. When I’ve walked back in, afraid and broken, after walking away.
I’ll remember, He has never failed to meet me there.
Church is a body, a family, a place to love God and love others through our struggles!

​

Gambling and illegal pleasures have always been a part of Galveston history. As early as 1839, when the City of Galveston was founded, local officials have faced an uphill battle to keep illegal gambling operations out of the city. During the period from 1923 to 1957, Galveston reigned as the gaming capital of Texas.
Opening Act
Before it became the infamous Balinese Room, the site located at 21st Street and Seawall Boulevard, was home to the 21th Street fishing pier, the Original Mexican Restaurant, and the first of two Pleasure Piers. Gambling first debuted on the pier when Salvatore (Sam) Maceo and his older brother Rosario (Rose) Maceo invested in the restaurant, Chop Suey, in 1923.
In May of 1928, the former restaurant opened as the City’s newest dining and dancing club, Maceo's Grotto. The interior decorations and setting made the club a distinctive landmark, but it closed later that year for liquor and gaming violations. Law officials confiscated and destroyed all gambling materials found on the premises. The structure was damaged by a storm in 1932. It was remodeled with Oriental décor and a new 200-foot pier and reopened as the Sui Jen Café (pronounced “Swee Rin”). The interior of the Sui Jen was said to be one of the most beautiful and attractive in the country, but after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the decor was modified accordingly.
The Headliner
On January 17th, 1942, the Maceos opened their Galveston jewel, the Balinese Room. The interior had been remodeled in a South Seas motif and the pier had again been expanded, this time to 600 feet. Its private back room was equipped with the most modern gaming equipment, and long before Vegas attracted the big names, the Maceos lured high rollers to "Play on Galveston Island."
In its heyday, the Balinese Room drew crowds from all over the country. The showroom featured a laundry list of stars including Phil Harris, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, the Ritz Brothers, George Burns, and Gracie Allen, Peggy Lee, Duke Ellington, and Jayne Mansfield among many others of the industry’s best. It is said that Fred Astaire and Arthur Murray would even give free dance lessons to the hotspot’s lucky patrons. There is even a story that the B Room’s bartender invented a new drink for singer Peggy (Margaret) Lee in 1948. He supposedly named it after the Spanish version of her name, Margarita, and it’s been a hit ever since.
There is also an epic tale that the Balinese Room was raided on 64 consecutive nights – without one charge ever made. When Texas Rangers would raid the establishment, a buzzer would sound in the back room, all gambling devices would disappear into the secret floor and wall compartments and tables would instantly be set with linens and silver. By the time the Rangers would reach the end of the pier, guests would stand and the band would strike up “The Eyes of Texas.”
There was a small fire on March 8, 1953, but a larger blaze caused by defective wiring forced the Balinese Room to close seven months later. The plush Balinese Room was destroyed. The club was operated by Anthony and Victor Fertitta, nephews of the late Sam Maceo. In 1955 a new Balinese Room featured an automatic sprinkler system and a fire escape around the entire structure. Officials raved that the new club was to be even more elaborate than its predecessor.
Finale
Unfortunately, the refurbished B-Room was not allowed to flourish for long. In 1956, Will Wilson was elected as Texas' Attorney General after campaigning to "close down Galveston" and its illegal casinos. On May 30, 1957, Sheriff Paul Hopkins raided the Balinese Room. With two undercover detectives already inside the casino, he demanded entrance. The charges stuck, and the gaming devices were confiscated and destroyed. This marked the end of the illegal gaming era in Galveston.
The Balinese Room sat empty for years. In 1961, Hurricane Carla tore through Galveston, and further damaged the former hotspot by washing away many of the pilings that supported the structure. It has had several owners since then, but after sitting vacant for so long, the Balinese Room eventually became the property of the State of Texas.
A local attorney, Scott Arnold, reopened the Balinese Room for business in 2002. After much-needed repair, Mr. Arnold brought back the lustrous beauty of the former nightclub. It featured artifacts such as the original chalkboard ledgers used for baseball betting, the restored South Seas interior decor, and even the piano once used by Duke Ellington. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
In September of 2008, the famed club would get its grand finale. Although the pier was higher than the seawall, the storm surge of Hurricane Ike completely destroyed the Balinese Room, leaving behind little but its iconic red door and memories of its yesteryear. May it only be remembered with the fondest of heart.

“Time is like a river, it flows in bends. 
If we could only step back around the turns, 
we could travel in either direction. 
I’m sure it’s possible.”
Albert Einstein
I’ve been home to Texas City many times since I moved away, thanks to the encouragement of my classmates and the GOTCHA girls, but only once have I been there unannounced and unknown to friends or relatives. And I’ve always believed there’s magic in being where you aren’t expected to be.
I had business in Houston, and I didn’t think there would be time to get to TC. However, I had several hours before my flight, so on impulse, I rented a car at Hobby Airport and drove down the freeway, to the town that was once a soft place for my 10-year-old heart to land. I was rootless before 1955, and TC was a gift of kindness and stability.
All these years later, on this unplanned visit, I drove up and down Sixth Street and Palmer Highway, sought out what used to be Blocker and Danforth Schools, and stopped in front of my old house on 17th Avenue. I drove out on the dike, as we all do when we visit. Paris has the Eiffel Tower, Egypt has the pyramids, but TC has the dike, and we love it, residents and alumni alike.
When I’m in Texas City I experience the old cliché in reverse. The town seems bigger than I remembered, not smaller, as people sometimes view the landscape of the past. My schools, my house, TC itself – they used to be just big enough to shelter those who loved it there. Now things seem larger, curiously strange and familiar at the same time
.
The profound experience, the magic of being where I wasn’t supposed to be, happened when I parked at the old high school. I walked over to the gym, and I felt a shift, a softening. I stood still, then I took a step around the bend in Einstein’s river. I let go of time. The air around me changed, the colors, too, and I was there, in 1963. In the reality of time and space, I had just turned 70 years old. In that moment I was 17 again. I felt the hair blowing around my neck, long like it used to be. I was light and free, like it is when you’re very young.
I remembered the brick walls, and the windows, and I wondered: did they remember me? Could the glass into Mrs. Morton’s classroom see me? Could the sidewalk remember the brush of my feet in the colored tennis shoes that were popular senior year?
The gym doors stood open, and I heard the belly thump of the band playing the fight song. A pep rally, so it was Friday. The parking lot bulged with ‘57 two-tone Chevys, black and white, turquoise and white. Girls in dresses floated by like butterflies, and boys, tucked up and clean cut, smiled at them, and at me. Then a cloud covered the bright blue memory, moved on to another day in 1963. This was where I stood when I learned President Kennedy was dead. I felt my boyfriend’s tenderness as he embraced me, and felt my shoulders shake against his chest as I cried.
Then like dreams do, just when I thought I might stay there, in the kind days when we grew up at leisure, the river of time brought me back. I imagined the words of our senior yell: Here we are, there ain’t no more . . . And it was over. The gym was silent. The windows and walls were just windows and walls, inanimate and un-alive, not looking at me, not looking at anything.
It was Sunday again, and my rental car was alone in the lot. I had one last thought about our strange journey through time. In the sunny days of childhood, it took seven long years to get from 10 to 17. But the time it took to go from 17 to 70? Just a week. That’s how time works now. A week from 17 to 70; maybe only a day from 70 to what comes next.
I had a plane to catch, and another home to go to, but I’ll return to Texas City as often as I can, open to another moment of magic, knowing that no matter what, the GOTCHA girls, my classmates, my friends, and my hometown will make me welcome, always.
Rebecca Long Hayden graduated from TCHS in 1964 and now lives in Northern Virginia with her husband of 48 years. They have two grown children and three grandchildren. Rebecca is the author of Tuesday in Texas, a memoir about growing up in Texas City in the 50’s and 60’s (available on Amazon).
  ​

THE TEXAS CITY WE KNEW. 138 years ago (May 19, 1881) my great-uncle, W. O. Wheeless, was born in Able Springs, Texas.
Uncle Bill was the closest person I had to a grandfather. He lived next door to us and was always there to talk to and tell us stories of his past. I remember his mentioning of his uncles who fought in the Civil War.
His life was full of trials and tribulations. After moving to Texas City in 1912, he lost his wife and one-year-old daughter to a cholera epidemic in 1915. In 1925 he lost his seventeen-year-old daughter, a recent graduate of Wovin High School, to an unknown disease.
He bought the house in the background around 1930 and struggled to make the payments, especially during the depression. He made the last payment during WW2.
He had a variety of jobs, living from paycheck to paycheck. At times he worked several part-time jobs just to survive. His final employment was being a custodian at the Old City Hall into his seventies.
Uncle Bill was a poet and wrote thousands of poems. One of his books is in the Texas City Museum. With only a fourth grade education, he worked hard to educate himself. He read the entire newspaper every day and stayed up to date on current events.
Uncle Bill had no television, telephone, air conditioner, or hot water heater, and his heat came from a space heater. He did have a radio and would listen to Texas City's own KTLW all day long. On weekends he would tune to the Grand Ole Opera and the Louisiana Hayride.
Uncle Bill died January 31, 1963, in Danforth Hospital, and he was the first close family death I experienced. At 81 he had never been out of Texas. He left behind this house, old furniture he had built, and less than $2.00 in cash.
He left us much more. He was a living testimony of being content in any situation. (Philippians 4:11-13). He will always be remembered as a kind man who lived by faith and treasured his family and friends

​(StatePoint) There’s nothing better than a night on the town. But when you’re trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle, restaurant menus aren’t always your friend.

Here are six foods to avoid -- some are sneaky, some are loaded with calories and sugar and some are just easy to overdo.

1. The Bread Basket: Besides water, the pile of bread delivered to your table is one of the few things you’ll get for free. But it’s not completely free. Each roll, when slathered with butter, can amount to around 140 calories. Here’s a tip from South Beach Diet ambassador, Jessie James Decker, “I like to order a fresh salad to start my meal so that I’m not quite as hungry. It allows me to avoid the bread.”

2. Margaritas and Daiquiris: Even a lime margarita -- without strawberry, mango or other flavors -- can be close to 300 calories with an astounding 36 grams of sugar. If you go for a second round, you’ve downed 600 calories before the appetizers even arrive. Opt for a seltzer with lime or glass of white wine instead.

3. Guacamole: Avocado is loaded with healthy fats that can help you stay full, have been shown in studies to burn off belly fat and benefit heart health. Add lycopene from the tomatoes and guacamole seems like a great choice. But serving size matters. A proper serving is just a quarter cup, which at most restaurants, gets scooped onto one or two chips. And those chips aren’t helping, either. With chips and dip together, “tableside guacamole” served at major chain restaurants can be almost 1500 total calories.

4. Caesar Salad: But it’s salad! Right? Technically, yes. But it’s covered in cheese and creamy dressing that can be up to 180 calories per serving. Croutons alone can deliver 93 calories in just a half-cup serving. Add protein, and you could be consuming almost half a day’s worth of calories. Your best bet? Stick to garden salads with vinaigrette dressing on the side.

5. Chicken Wings: Wings pack a big caloric punch for being so small. That’s because they’re more skin than meat, and most buffalo sauces have a pretty simple recipe: half melted butter, half hot sauce. A “small” order of medium-heat wings from a top chain has 820 calories and a jaw-dropping 45 grams of fat. That’s more fat than you’ll find in four servings of butter. Split an order and make it your meal or skip the wings and get grilled tenders with dipping sauce on the side.

6. Anything “Loaded,” “Double-stuffed,” “Creamy,” “Cheesy” or “Fried”: All those terms are missing one word -- “over.” They’re overloaded, overstuffed and usually oversized. An order of “loaded” potato skins at one popular restaurant has almost 1400 calories and nearly 100 grams of fat.

For more healthy tips, visit palm.southbeachdiet.com.

Eating out is a favorite pastime for many. So, don’t give it up. Simply learn to navigate menus, sticking to items that keep you on track.

While deciding which business structure will best serve your needs, always consider several key factors. For example, look at how many employees you plan on hiring and how much time you want to spend managing the company. You should also make sure you’re fully protecting your personal assets against future lawsuits and not incurring any excess taxes.
One excellent way to choose the best structure for your company is to meet with your Houston business law attorney. The two of you can discuss all that you might gain (or lose) by starting your company as either an LLC (limited liability company) or an “S” corporation.
Before noting some of the basic steps involved with forming an LLC and an “S” corporation, here’s a brief overview of the unique offerings and drawbacks of both structures.
What are some chief advantages and drawbacks of starting an LLC?
Depending on the size of your business and the types of goods or services you’re selling, you may prefer an LLC for the following reasons.

• It offers a less formal structure. An “LLC” is also often easier to manage than an “S” corporation, especially when you have few employees. And you’ll never need to have any board meetings to tackle problems tied to issuing stock certificates;
• You can readily change this business structure (once all proper paperwork is filed). If

you’re running an “S’ corporation, you’ll first have to arrange a formal board meeting before trying to change the business structure);

• All members of an “LLC” do not have to be permanent residents or U. S. citizens;
• You can more easily divide up who handles most of the daily work – while allowing others to just be investors. You can also simply divide up the profits based on each person’s initial investment and daily work contributions;
• Disadvantages of an “LLC” compared to an “S” corporation. These can include having all the company profits subjected to self-employment taxes. Your growth may be limited since your business cannot issue any stock shares. Always ask your Houston business law attorney about any other potential disadvantages that may apply to your unique situation.

Why do some entrepreneurs prefer forming “S” corporations – despite the limitations?

• Formality is viewed more favorably by some. Outside businesses often prefer interacting with companies that employ a more formal corporate structure;
• You can often use this structure to avoid double taxation of income;
• Profits are passed on to the shareholders (by way of their paid dividends). Therefore, the company does not have to pay taxes on those profits;
• Possible drawbacks. All shareholders must be permanent residents or U.S. citizens. There can be no more than 100 shareholders. Added state filing fees may apply. Also, the IRS

tends to monitor “S” corporations very closely since some people try to improperly avoid certain taxes by wrongfully using this business structure.
What are some basic issues that must be addressed while forming an “LLC” in Texas?

• Membership. You’ll need to decide how many owners or members you’ll have and if they’ll share all the managerial duties;
• Naming your business. You must choose a unique name to avoid confusion with already existing companies;
• File all required forms. You’ll need to start with a certificate of formation (Form 205) that must be filed with the Texas Secretary of State’s Office;
• Registered agent. You must name a registered agent who can accept the service of process on behalf of your company;
• You’ll need to create an operating agreement. It’s usually best to ask your Houston business law attorney to draft this document for you after you’ve

discussed the precise nature of your new business;

• Fully satisfy all state and federal paperwork requirements;
• Obtain all required state and local business licenses that may be required for your industry.

(Note: Some of these same steps may also be required while forming an “S” corporation below, regardless of whether they’re listed).
Here’s a brief review of key issues involved in starting an “S” corporation in Texas

• The drafting of Articles of Incorporation. These must be filed with the Texas Secretary of State’s Office;
• Stock certificates must be issued to all initial shareholders;
• All applicable business licenses and certificates must be obtained in a timely manner;
• You’ll need to file Form 2553 with the Internal Revenue Service. (Your lawyer can first check to be sure you meet all the qualifying terms for creating an “S” corporation).

Please feel free to contact one of our Murray Lobb lawyers so we can answer your questions about each of these business structures. We can also help you draft all the documents you’ll need to transact business throughout the year.

CATEGORIESADMINISTRATIVE, AVOIDING COMMON MISTAKES, BUSINESS, BUSINESS FORMATION, BUSINESS LAW, CORPORATE LAW, INCORPORATING A BUSINESS, PLANNING, Q & ATAGS#ADVANTAGESOF, #BASICSTEPS, #BUSINESSLAW, #BUSINESSSTRUCTURE, #COMPARE, #CORPORATION, #FREQUENTLYASKEDQUESTIONS, #HOUSTONATTORNEYS, #KNOWLEDGEISPOWER, #LEGALBLOG, #LEGALTIPS, #LLC, #NEWBUSINESS, #PROSANDCONS, #SCORP, #TAXES, #TEXAS, #TEXASBUSINESS, #TEXASLAW, #TEXASLAWYERS, #VS.
​CONTACT US

• Email
  lawyers@murray-lobb.com
• Phone
  281-488-0630
• Address
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  700 Gemini, Suite 115
  Houston, Texas 77058

At first glance, it might seem impossible to probate the estate of someone who is missing and presumed dead. However, the Texas Estates Code provides for this very process under Title 2, Subtitle J, Chapter 454 entitled, “Administration of Estate of Person Presumed Dead.”
That chapter clearly states that a probate court has the required jurisdiction to determine the likelihood of a person’s death when specific steps are followed — even if the main evidence presented is entirely circumstantial. However, the Texas Estates Code was carefully drafted to prevent fraud by requiring a lengthy delay before the assets of these types of estates can be distributed.
What are the main steps usually taken to probate the estate of a missing person?

• Request for letters testamentary. After the probate process has begun with the filing of a request for letters testamentary, the court-appointed personal representative must serve a citation on the person presumed dead in the manner required by the court. Since the person is missing, this often means publishing a notice of the proceeding in one or more print newspapers – and in any other manner dictated by the court;
• Contacting the proper authorities. The personal representative must then formally contact the proper authorities about the estate owner’s missing status. Among others, law

enforcement officials and state welfare agencies should be notified – along with any others suggested by the court;

• A professional investigative agency should be hired. This must be done in keeping with the provisions of  Section 454.003 of the Texas Estates Code (requiring efforts to locate the missing owner of the estate). During this process, the investigator may encounter potential heirs who may have crucial information that can help locate the missing person – or help determine where s/he was living shortly before death.

The investigator should create a report based on all research and interviews conducted and then present it to the court – documenting that the missing person cannot be located. The cost of this investigation is normally reimbursed by the estate, after the court has had time to review the requested fees.
How quickly can the estate be distributed?
Section 454.004 of the Texas Estates Code clearly states that this can only be done after three years have passed since the date on which the letters testamentary were issued by the court to the personal representative.
What personal liabilities can arise if the person presumed dead reappears after distribution?
If the missing person returns and presents conclusive evidence that s/he was alive at the time the
letters testamentary were granted, that individual has the legal right to regain control of the estate — whatever remains of the funds or property.
However, this person who was presumed dead – yet has now reappeared – cannot get his/her property back that was sold for value to a bona fide purchaser. Instead, this person only has the right to the proceeds or funds obtained for the sale of the property to the bona fide purchaser.
In addition, Section 454.052 states that the personal representative who handled all the legal sales transactions for the estate, not knowing that the missing person was actually alive, cannot be held liable for any financial losses suffered by that individual who has now returned. And any surety who issued a bond to that personal representative cannot be held liable for anything the personal representative did while complying with approved court-ordered activities.
Should you need help probating any estate, please feel free to contact one of our Murray Lobb attorneys. We’ve had the opportunity to help many clients and can readily answer all your questions.

CATEGORIESDOCUMENTS, ESTATE PLANNING, HOW TO, MURRAY LOBB, PREPARATIONS, PROBATE THE ESTATE, TEXAS LAWTAGS#ESTATEDISTRIBUTION, #HOUSTONATTORNEYS, #INVESTIGATE, #KNOWLEDGEISPOWER, #LEGALBLOG, #LEGALTIPS, #MISSINGPERSONSESTATE, #TEXAS, #TEXASESTATECODE, #TEXASLAW, #TEXASLAWYERS, #WHATHAPPENS, PROBATE

​CONTACT US

• Email
  lawyers@murray-lobb.com
• Phone
  281-488-0630
• Address
  Murray Lobb Attorneys
  700 Gemini, Suite 115
  Houston, Texas 77058

Joseph C. Henderson, 63, loved art while he was growing up but didn’t get into serious painting until he moved to Galveston five years ago. For 30 years before that, he was a registered architect, an occupation that explains his affinity for depicting the city’s famously eye-catching architecture in his artwork, along with beach and harbor scenes.
    Henderson is a member of the 105-year-old Galveston Art League, a nonprofit organization that promotes visual arts and arts education in Galveston County and beyond (details at www.GalvestonArtLeague.com or call 409 938 1671). The Art League operates a gallery at 2117A Postoffice St. in downtown Galveston, and Henderson sells his paintings in that gallery and in Third Coast Gallery, 2413 Mechanic St. in Galveston.
    Below, the artist opens up about factors that influence his paintings and his appreciation for art past and present.
Q: What medium/media do you work in?
A: I started out in watercolor but have now switched to acrylic on panel or canvas.
Q: At what age did you discover your passion for art? How?
A: As a student in middle school and high school, I was often painting in our suburban, split-level basement in Indianapolis. In the late 1960s, my parents purchased a large oil on canvas by the East Coast American impressionist A.C. Goodwin (1864-1929). I was fascinated with the colors and loose, thick brush strokes. It was a Boston harbor scene with the skyline in fading sunlight, and the wharf and harbor looking very dark and cold.
Q: How have you improved your skills over the years?
A: Early retirement and a move to art-friendly Galveston gave me the time and encouragement to once again start painting and explore different media and styles.
Q: How has the Galveston Art League benefited you?
A: The GAL is a wonderful organization that encourages, educates, and supports all types of artists in the area. Their recent gallery expansion will offer a new variety of exhibition spaces. The Art League has requested I show as a featured member in August 2019. [Any visual-arts fan can be a member, not just artists; visit www.GalvestonArtLeague.com and click on “Join” to learn more.]
Q: What is your educational background as related to art?
A: Some high school classes and a couple of college courses.
Q: Could you describe your start-to-finish process?
A: I follow a fairly typical painting process. I start with an underpainting layer of burnt sienna, then sketch the subject working from photographs. Next I start to develop the scene with additional darker tones, and then eventually add color. I often adjust or fine-tune the colors as the painting develops.
Q: Do you work outdoors or indoors?
A: I have always painted indoors from photographs, although I greatly admire plein air work such as the pieces by our local artist Randall Cogburn.
Q: Do you favor certain subjects for your paintings?
A: Galveston buildings, beaches, and boats.
Q: Do you use photos as part of your artistic process?
A: The photos I use are from my phone. It’s always in my pocket to capture unexpected scenes or lighting effects.
Q: What is your biggest challenge artistically?
A: I was a registered architect for 30 years so my natural inclination is toward more hard-edged, precise renderings. I am always trying to loosen up my style.
Q: Do you often enter competitions?
A: I always try and enter work in the three annual juried Galveston Art League shows each year [visit www.GalvestonArtLeague.com to see competition details]. My first entry was a watercolor in 2016 that won a first-place award. Since then I have received additional ribbons and recognition including a Best of Show award in the fall of 2017. I also have received the annual McGivney Purchase Award in 2017 and 2018, and those two pieces are now part of the Rosenberg Library’s permanent art collection.
Q: Did family/friends encourage you?
A: Family, friends, and a very strong art faculty in high school were most supportive when I was younger. Third Coast Gallery curators Jack Morris and Betsy Campbell have been big supporters more recently.


Q: What’s your favorite artwork by a famous artist?
A: I can’t pick a single favorite work of art or artist. While working in downtown Chicago across the street from the Art Institute I would attend their free lunch-time lectures several times a week. The lecture might focus on an art movement, a single artist, or a specific painting or sculpture. Their collection is overwhelming, and I found many favorites.
Q: Do you have any rules that you follow in creating your artwork?
A: Keep an open mind. Explore new styles, subject matter, and media. Embrace the unexpected when you work. An unintended effect might completely alter the piece you are working on, often with great results.

Q: What’s the most rewarding aspect of creating art?
A: I’ve always enjoyed giving pieces to friends and family. Also, watching people’s reactions to my work and talking with them during gallery shows is entertaining.
    Interview by: Mary Vinnedge

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