On The Crush List because…
This farm’s fields are for cultivating creativity and comfort.
The Herrings are well-known around these parts as gifted creators, collectors, promoters, and presenters of their own and others’ artistic endeavors. Their Red & White Gallery in Fayetteville is the headquarters for most of those activities, but that one fabulous vintage building isn’t nearly enough space for all they’ve got going on. Today I’m taking you around their Blackbird Farm which does multi-duty as the Herring’s home, a BnB property, a gallery/event space, a music venue and an incredible art and framing studio.
Let’s start with the cedar-iffic Blackbird Cabins, loaded with folk art and posh amenities.
Did you just say, “Wait a minute there, what the heck is that?” Well it’s just what it looks like, a huge fantastic photo of Nina Levy’s Big Baby sculpture made of resin, fiberglass and auto paint.
Sidenote: Be very sure you’re prepared for what you’re going to get when you Google Images search “baby sculpture huge.” It’s been 30 minutes since I did it and I’m still kind of disturbed.
Next we walk past the pond to the Herring Hall Gallery and Event Center. Live music performances, exhibits, private parties, just squint a little and I’m sure you can see it all happening.
That last piece (and the blue shadow box house in the cabins) is by an outsider artist I also collect, Missionary Mary Proctor. We have one of her famous Doors like the one above and a Fat Lady Sings painting, both acquired decades ago at an art fest in South Florida. What a fun surprise to see her work way out in rural TX.
Finally, we’ll go to the Herring’s private studio/framing workshop/dreamiest creative space ever. Half of the wonder is in the incredible architecture and volume of the barn itself, the other half is in the incredible collection of things. Y’all can sleep in the cushy beds over in the cabins, I’ll just sleep on the floor here.
