WORDS BY ASHLEY BROWN
Photo by 220 Fine Arts Gallery
Many people visit Wimberley to leisurely shop the boutiques, taste local wines, or enjoy the area’s natural beauty, particularly Cypress Creek and the Blanco River. They may not know, however, that this “little piece of heaven” is also a hub for the arts. Over the years, Wimberley has attracted creatives like an artistic magnet. Musicians such as Slaid Cleaves, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Edie Brickell and Paul Simon have joined four-time Grammy winner Sarah Jarosz, an area native, in calling the town home. World-renowned painters and sculptors make their creations in their Wimberley studios and writers flourish here. From visual art to music to the famous boots all over town, the possibilities are endless for a visitor craving a taste of the creative life.
Let’s start with the giant 6-foot-tall painted boots you see all over town. In 2014, the Wimberley Valley Arts and Cultural Alliance launched the Bootiful project to celebrate the arts. Initially 32 boots, each uniquely designed and painted, were installed at the locations of local sponsors. Because of their popularity, there are now over 50 boots, and the project will be capped at 60. If you want to visit them all, you can find a map at bootifulwimberley.com or grab a printed version at the Visitor’s Center in town.
Wimberley is home to nine art galleries, seven of which are within walking distance from one another, right in the town’s main square. You can just feel the artsy vibes flowing through as you mosey around — and you can find everything from glass art at Wimberley Glassworks and Silo Gallery & Glass Studio, to collectibles, fine art, installation pieces at Art on 12 and photography. What’s more, many other shops proudly display and sell the work of local artists such as the beautifully designed Casa V Wine on RR12 on your way into town from Austin.
Photo by Rodney Bursiel
Two of the newer galleries to town are Wild Life: Rodney Bursiel Gallery and 220 Fine Art Gallery, which is located in the Texas Historic Landmark property The Danforth/Kerbow House, and is owned and curated by Suzanne Oliver. Representing premier artists from central Texas, the gallery offers a unique collection of emerging talent from across mediums and styles. Viewing in this gallery is fun and free, and Oliver will often have a lovely bottle of wine open for visitors to enjoy while perusing the art. According to Oliver, the mission of her gallery is to “represent some of the finest talents in Wimberley, and also to introduce Wimberley to artists from other parts of the region.”
This fall, 220 will host monthly receptions, informative talks and artist demonstrations from 4–7 p.m. Visit 220gallery.com for hours and more details.
At Wild Life, across RR12 from Ranch Brand Wine & Spirits — a delightful bistro and tasting room — you’ll find the work of Rodney Bursiel, an amazingly talented photographer of all things wild from sharks and whales to leopards and elephants … and musicians such as Billy Gibbons, Willie Nelson and Ryan Bingham. The gallery features four rooms, each with their own theme: horses, Africa, music and underwater creatures.
These stunning photographs reflect Bursiel’s adventurous spirit and extensive travel. He’s been to France five times to photograph the wild horses of Camargue and has traveled all over the (sea)world to photograph sharks, orcas, great whites, rays and whatever else he comes face-to-face with down below. He’s traveled to Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda, and will soon travel to Africa again to add Morocco to the list. When he first ventured to Africa, he was there to see the elephants but he fell in love with it all — lions, giraffes and especially rhinos. After learning about the near-extinction of northern white rhinos, he was inspired to become involved in conservation efforts to save the species. Back home, he held a fundraiser, and the money was donated to Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Those funds also made it possible to adopt a baby southern white rhino, now named Wimberley. Proceeds from the gallery’s merchandise go back to Ol Pejeta to help with their conservation and research efforts.
Wild Life, photo by Ralph Yznaga
When he’s not traveling the world, you can find Bursiel at the gallery Thursdays through Sundays or in Austin photographing the local late- night music scene. The “red room,” or music room at Wild Life is a cool addition to all the animals and international trinkets, and is fitting for this musical town. In 2022, Wimberley was certified as a Texas Music Friendly Community.
“Our community is exceptional in the quality of musicians who live here, the well-known names who play here and the number and variety of great music venues here,” says Deirdre Taylor, past president of the Wimberley Valley Arts and Cultural Alliance. Wimberley is home to the world-class Blue Rock Artist Ranch and Studio as well as other excellent independent production facilities. On any given weekend, you can find live music playing all over town, and Wimberley is also host to a number of annual concert series. The Stars Over Wimberley Benefit Concert Series, for example, is a collaboration between WVACA and the Wimberley Players, the local live theater group. The series showcases Texas musical artists, “shining stars,” and supports the Robert Moreman Memorial Scholarships for creative Wimberley graduating high school seniors. Recent performers include Ruthie Foster, Alejandro Escovedo and Slaid Cleaves, and Sarah Jarosz will be playing on November 22. You can get your tickets (which sell out fast!) online at starsoverwimberley.org.
Finally, Wimberley has also been certified as a Texas Film Friendly community (and happens to be where some episodes of The Walking Dead were filmed). As mentioned earlier, writers of all types thrive there. And the town annually hosts the Wimberley StoryFest, featuring the stories, songs, culture, history and cuisine of the Wimberley Valley. This year, the StoryFest will be held October 12–14. You can learn more at wimberleystoryfest.org.
So if you’re thirsting for culture in addition to, or instead of, a little wine, Wimberley is sure to satisfy!
