11. Marfa, Texas

Join Jon and Jackie as they traverse their most mysterious exploration yet by reaching into the enigma that is Marfa, Texas.  They will investigate mysterious lights in the sky, they will learn of mysterious shoe stores in the middle of the desert, and they will try to decipher the permanent art installations on their journey.   Relax, get cozy, and ride on into the American West and into the unknown of Marfa, Texas.

Jackie Reilly: Host
Jon Schaller: Host
Charles: Producer
Email: cozynookexplorers@gmail.com

Daniel Roberts: Correspondent (instagram @danoffstage)

Community Shoutout:
Blackwell School
Texas Monthly Article About The Blackwell School

Mentioned in this episode:
Hotel Paisano
The Chinati Foundation
New York Times Article About Marfa

** 1 Disneyland = 500 acres ** 

Transcript

JACKIE: I’m Jackie Reilly

JON: And I’m Jon Schaller

JACKIE: And we are the cozy nook explorers!

JON: Welcome to our show where we explore the world from our cozy nook here in New Jersey using the power of the internet!

Jackie: Yes and it’s Wednesday which means it’s time for another exploration! This week we are going to Marfa, Texas!  

Jon:  And for those of you who have not heard of this town we did forget how to pronounce Martha,  There really is a place called Marfa spelled M-a-r-f-a.. Oh and Speaking of Wednesday, I think we should take a moment to let our listeners know we put out a new episode once a week on Wednesdays.

Jackie: Agreed. I don’t know if we ever really clarified that, but this is a WEEKLY podcast and you can expect a new show in your feed every Wednesday! 

Jon: On Wednesdays we explore.

Jackie: And keep it cozy!

Jon: Speaking of cozy, what’s keeping you cozy this week, Jackie?

What’s Keeping You Cozy

Jackie: Sunday, Funday!- Sundays have become a very special time for me. A DAY OFF which is something I haven’t really implemented for myself and it’s been GREAT. I actually think it’s making me more productive. So sunday funday involves lots of relaxing and lots of decaf coffee to make sure that I don’t get too jittery. Lots of television and sometimes pancakes!

• Does sunday funday need to happen on sunday?- nope!
• What’s your favorite sunday funday activity?- a nice big long walk

Jon: Oil Paintings

• Do you have a favorite oil painting?
• If you could have an oil painting done today would you want to dress in oldentime clothes or would you want to dress in modern clothes?

Ask Charles 

Jackie: So, our producer Charles likes to keep his life private, but listeners have been wanting to get to know him better, so he’s kindly agreed to answer some listener questions.

Jon:  This week’s question is: Charles, who’s your favorite celebrity?

Jackie: And his answer is Laura Linney because she is the greatest actor of all time and her flawless transition from film to television by starring in Ozark was an exemplary use of the medium. 

Let’s Get Into It 1

Jackie: So, let’s begin by saying Howdy!

Jon: No let’s not.

Jackie: HeeHaw!

Jon: I am not sure that’s the way to go 

Jackie: Beyonce.

Jon: I am not sure how Beyonce became a greeting to you….

Jackie: Did you know that Beyonce has BEEN to Marfa, Texas?!

Jon: I saw that. It seems like a hot spot for celebrities and fancy film and art people. So, Marfa is in west texas about 90 minutes away from Big Bend National Park.

Jackie: It’s basically a fancy, arts and craftsy rural Texas town with alien lights and burritos.

Jon: That about sums it up. Marfa has a population of about 1800 people and their website homepage says, “Tough to Get Here. Tougher to Explain. But Once You Get Here, You Get It.” 

Jackie: Their homepage also says that Beyonce has been there.

Jon: We already covered that.

Jackie: It’s worth covering twice.

Jon: Moving on…

Jackie:  If we are going to be moving on we need to talk about Prada Marfa 

Jon:  Way to bury the lead. We just said that there are alien lights and we are just going to leave that hanging out there.  We need to talk about the Marfa Lights.

Jackie:  People are guaranteed to be able to see Prada Marfa. If they visit they aren’t necessarily going to see the lights.

Jon:  But there is very weird twilight zone like stuff that is going on.  And we are not going to talk about it because people might not see it.

Jackie:  Ok we will rock paper scissors for it alright 

Jon and Jackie:  One, Two, Three

Jon:  Haha Strange lights in the sky wins.

Jackie:  We will talk about Prada Marfa in a moment.  But let’s start with the light. Jon tell us EXACTLY what the Marfa lights are.

Jon:  Well no one really knows.

Jackie:  Well that was interesting moving on…

Jon:  Wait, wait, wait  No one really knows but there have been sightings for a really long time.

Jackie:  I saw that the Native Americans thought that they were falling stars.

Jon:  Except they can’t be seen from other locations so that pretty much rules out falling stars.  It can be seen from Marfa if you stare east over the Mitchell flat.

Jackie:  But you are not guaranteed to see it.

Jon:  This is true which even makes the experience all the more mysterious is that they appear at random times so you don’t know when they are going to show up.

Jackie:  I read so many people think it is Aliens.

Jon:  I also have read that they are some type of Ghosts

Jackie (adorable) oh spooky.

Jon:  There are reports all the way back to 1883 when a Robert Reed Ellison who was a driving a herd of Cattle in Mitchel flats and saw what he thought were camp fires. But there was no stones, no ash, no evidence of a fire.    He then talked to some people in the area who said yeah they see lights in the area.

Jackie:  I saw that a number of World War II pilots tried to fly over the lights

Jon:  They did at that from the Midland Airfield and they couldn’t figure out what they were.

Jackie:  Did you see explanation about the “Fanta Morgana”

Jon:  I did.

Jackie:  A fanta morgana  occurs when a layer of calm, warm air rests above a layer of cooler air.  It creates an optical illusion.

Jon:  It can create a huge mirage and can make ships look like they are sailing above the horizon but I haven’t seen anything that says it can do that with the lights but I think that is actually a part of what has been going on.

Jackie:  Do tell you mysterious lights expert.

Jon:  I am hardly an expert but I went through so much video footage of the lights and I have to say I think there is something to the idea that physics students from the University of Texas Dallas came up with that some of these lights come from the cars coming from the 67 highway.

Jackie:  Hummm.

Jon:  Well often enough in the footage I would see two lights that move across the sky and as they move they are perfectly parallel like the lights of the Car.

Jackie: But there were no cars in Texas in 1883

Jon:  I know which only makes all of this weirder sometimes the lights appear to be single lights sometimes a variety of colors. Some people say it is a type of swamp gas.

Jackie:  But there are no swamps in West Texas.

Jon:  Correct but there are petroleum reserves which can produce methane and have a potential swamp gas like effect.

Jackie:  I like the igneous rock theory because I remember igneous rocks from our Grand Canyon Exploration.  The theory states that the igneous rocks create a piezoelectric charge.

Jon: Even that theory is speculation.  The rolling stones even mention it in the song “No Spare Parts”   in the song they get lost in Texas and the proof that they are lost is that they see the Lights of Marfa.  Even the Rolling Stones are saying this is real.  The point is that this location has no explanation of a real phenomena and that is worth exploring.

Jackie:  Speaking of worth exploring we should talk all of the retail locations that are worth exploring

Jon:  I thought you wanted to talk about Prada Marfa.

Jackie: We’ll get there. In regards to retail, it seems like there are quite a few stores that are art galleries and art galleries are stores. I was looking through the different places to shop and many of them carry handmade items that are presented in an art gallery style. The stores looked nice, but given my budget I’d mostly be window shopping.  And of course there is Prada Marfa. 

Jon: There it is.

Jackie:  Yes there it is 

Jon:  We should explain that there is not a real Prada store in Marfa.

Jackie:  Well Yes- and no.

Jon: Well, which is it?

Jackie: Neither and both.

Jon: Oh boy…

Jackie: Let me explain- it all makes sense… kind of… SO Prada Marfa is a permanent art installation of a Prada store that is basically in the middle of the desert about 26 miles from Marfa.

Jon:  We are talking about a place that looks exactly like a Prada Shoe store off the side of the road with nothing but dessert as far as the eye can see.

Jackie:  Prada sell a lot more than shoes, Jon and Prada Marfa doesn’t sell anything. But It’s a pretty cool sight! It has been there since October of 2005 and 15 years later is a great photo opportunity, so when you look up Marfa, you see tons of photos of it online. The backstory is quite interesting. It was made by the art duo Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset. They describe the work as a ‘pop architectural land art project.’

Jon: What?

Jackie: I don’t know- Jon, It’s art. Inside the installation are actual prada bags and shoes that were provided by the head designer of Prada and when it was built they had originally planned to never repair the building and let it degrade over time, but it was unfortunately vandalized and robbed on the FIRST night it formally opened. 

Jon: Yikes!

Jackie: Yeah, agreed. Since then, they’ve taken extra precautions to be sure the installation stays safe.  After that, it doesn’t seem like too much happened until 2013 when there was a potential that the installation would need to be taken down. The Texas department of Transportation said it did not fit the specifications of a billboard and claimed it was basically an advertisement. There’s a little more to this story that’s not exactly family friendly that’s VERY interesting, and worth looking up if you’re an adult. After this allegation, the designers of Prada Marfa noted that it’s not technically an advertisement because they were not paid by Prada to create it. Eventually the state created a go-around where Prada Marfa was made into a museum and the only exhibit is Prada Marfa, so it’s now a museum and I am imaging it will be around for many years to come. 

Jon: Oh wow. I bet this is a great place to visit during the pandemic because it is driveable and it’s the perfect social distance outing. You don’t need to touch anything and it’s in the middle of nowhere, so you can definitely keep a 6-foot distance! 

Jackie: Yes! Go get your snazzy photo if you’re in the area! Did you see information about the hotel Paisano?

Jon: I did! Should we talk about that after a quick break?

Jackie: Yes- see you soon!

Ad Break #1- Oil Paintings

Jackie(like kindergarten teacher)- hi Uggg

Jon-  Hi Susan

Jackie- What are you up to?

Jon-  Me was talking to all the other cave people

Jackie-  ugg it is 30,000 bce now you can just say people.

Jon-  all of other people who live in cave they see you stand in front of cave wall all day.

Jackie-  uh huh

Jon-  and they say you smash up things that are colorful and place colorful things in your hand 

Jackie- Yes

Jon-  Then you put your hands on the cave wall and move them around.

Jackie-  ok

Jon-  So all the cave people umm people who live in cave want to know.  What me want to know is what you doing.

Jackie-  So I am making Art 

Jon-  What is Art?

Jackie-  Well it’s self expression

Jon- Me no understand

Jackie-Look at this for instance what do you see?

Jon- Color on cave wall

Jackie- well yes but this is a deer

Jon-  Deer is three dimensional this not deer

Jackie- it is a picture of a dear and I made it

Jon- you made a deer that is not deer.  This confusing why you do this?

Jackie-I do this to express things that are in your mind

Jon- you have deer in your mind.  Deer is big how’d it get in your mind

Jackie- i mean not literally.  I just wanted to see a deer that is in my mind and now it is on the wall.

Jon-  Susan me can get you deer.  Me can kill deer and put it on the wall.  It will fall when ugg takes his hands away but me still could do it.

Jackie-  Thats why we have paintings so our arms don’t get tired

Jon- ohhhh 

Announcer- Paintings so your arms don’t get tired

LET’S GET INTO IT #2

Jon: So, the Hotel Paisano is a beautiful historical hotel that was opened in 1930 and in 1955 when the movie Giant was filmed in Marfa stars Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean all used the hotel as their main headquarters. 

Jackie: So neat! According to one video I saw, the cast and crew even watched the film dailies in the lobby.  Many people visit the hotel to remember the movie.

Jon: It was also James Dean’s final movie before he passed away, so the hotel has actually preserved the room he stayed in as much as possible. Even though it’s a bit worn, they even have the original tile from the 1950’s in the bathroom. 

Jackie:  No Country for Old Men and There Will be Blood were shot in the Marfa area too.

Jon: Have you seen either of those movies?

Jackie:  No too violent.  But what is the quote everyone does?

Jon:  I drink your milkshake that one?

Jackie:  Yes that is the one. Not a very cozy quote. I like Milkshakes.

Jon:  It’s not just movies, Marfa also has 14 art galleries

Jackie:  14?

Jon:  14 in an area roughly the size of two Disneylands. 

Jackie: Aw 2 Disneylands- so cozy.

Jon: This place is something. So many art installations and so many people have contributed to this cultural achievement that is this town, but the first person to kickstart the art scene in Marfa is Donald Judd!

Jackie: Mr Judd!! He came to Marfa in the 1970’s

Jon:  And he turned an old Military base into a….

Jackie:  Wait wait I think we have to go back in time a bit to the beginning of the Marfa Army Airbase.

Jon:  Well then we might as well go further back in time to the 1880’s when Marfa was a water stop.

Jackie:  Yes. No one knows for sure how the town got its name.  People have speculated that it may have been named after characters from either Dostoevsky or Jules Verne novels.

Jon:  I had read a railroad executives wife had named it but I wasn’t able to confirm that anywhere

Jackie:  Even the town name is a mystery.

Jon:  Everything is a mystery with this place, but later this small town got a military base in the form of the Marfa Army Airfield.

Jackie:  Later the Airfield closed down and in the 1970 who should move in but an artist named Donald Judd.

Jon:  He more or less bought a significant portion of the Airfield to create permanent Art fixtures

Jackie:  He got this huge grant from the national endowment of the arts and bought roughly 32,000 acres.

Jon:  That is 64 Disneylands just outside of town.

Jackie:  And his art is still there.

Jon:  I would look at his work and think it was minimalism and sculpture.  As an example he has a piece that is Over 60 concrete units that surround the property that look like very large boxes.

Jackie:  He would not call his work minimalism.  He described it as 3 dimensional objects that were neither sculpture nor paintings

Jon:  Whatever they are the are so beautiful.  But if you go to see his work be prepared to only be able to describe it to your friends.  You are not allowed to take pictures of the art so you can have a more.

Jackie:  There are so many pieces by Judd and other artists. Do you have a favorite?

Jon:  I could definitely choose a favorite.

Jackie:  Do tell

Jon:  It is Robert Irwin’s Untitled Dawn to Dusk which is a confusing title.

Jackie:  That’s the art piece that is the whole building.

Jon:  Yes is like a temple to light and darkness

Jackie:  Ohhh

Jon:  It is like if the after life had a waiting room this is what it would be.  My words fail to describe this place but it would be my number 1 stop if I am ever able to make it there.

Jackie:  The Chinati Foundation is the organization in charge of that building and a lot of the art in the area. That’s a great thing to check out.

Jon: We also wanted to mention that over the years since Judd moved to the area, a number of wealthy individuals have moved to Marfa because it is such a wonderful place to live.  However, this has raised Property taxes and cost of living in the area on everyone, even those who have lived there for a long time. This has created a difficult problem for many longtime residents for which there is no easy solution.   

Jackie: If you are interested in learning more about this issue we will link to an informative new york times article in the show notes.

Jon:  And with that I think our exploration has come to an end.

Jackie: We will see you soon for our community shoutout! 

Ad Break #2- Sunday Funday

Jackie: It’s sunday funday

No time to run today

Pancake breakfast and movies all day

It’s sunday

Jon: Hey Jackie?

Jackie: Yeah

Jon: It’s wednesday

Jackie: Oh… It’s wednesday friendsay…

Community Shoutout- The Blackwell School

Jon: So, every episode we like to take some time to research and highlight something special in the community that we are exploring. This week’s community shoutout is the Blackwell School.

Jackie: The blackwell schoolhouse was authorized by the school board to be built for the Hispanic children who lived in Marfa. The building was opened in 1909.

Jon: As a little context, as early as 1889, Texas school districts used de facto segregation to separate the mexican american students from the anglo students.  Segregating hispanic students was not a state law like it was for african american students. But, texas chose to segregate the children anyway.  

Jackie: That’s so terrible.

Jon: Agreed. But, even though the hispanic children were in segregated schools with less resources than the equivalent anglo schools, the blackwell school was quite the educational hub. They even had a marching band and a football team. 

Jackie: The blackwell school was just for grade school and middle school, and children who wanted a high school education could go to the local highschool. This was not something that was expected, but by the 1960’s most of the blackwell students were continuing onto highschool which is really awesome. 

Jon: Something that was unfortunate about their education is that the students were only allowed to speak english and not spanish. The children would even be instructed to write down phrases in spanish and bury them. 

Jackie: That is so sad. I have to say the history of the blackwell school is a complicated one. But, the reason we wanted to talk about it is because today in 2020 the blackwell school building was actually saved by some of it’s old students and what they are doing is very inspiring! 

Jon: Yes, segregation ended in 1965 which is only 55 years ago and that means that many students who attended the blackwell school are still alive. 

Jackie: When the building was almost torn down in 2006, a group of former students who called themselves the blackwell school alliance proposed a plan to make the old schoolhouse into an inclusive community center.

Jon: They secured a 99 year lease and the schoolhouse is now a dedicated Texas historic landmark. It is a non profit organization and they teach about the history of hispanic culture in Marfa, as well as educating about the past segregation in Marfa. 

Jackie: they also have a block party every year that looks awesome! I would definitely plan a trip to Marfa around being able to attend that and visit the blackwell school! Unfortunately the block party had to be cancelled this year because of the pandemic, but hopefully it’ll be able to happen next year.

Jon: We will put a link to the blackwell school’s website in the show notes along with a link to an article from Texas Monthly that gives a deeper and more detailed explanation of the history of the school.

Jackie: Sounds great, Jon. 

Jon: Well, that’s all for this week! Thank you so much to our producer Charles.

Jackie: Thanks Charles. And thank you so much to our correspondent Daniel Roberts, a Texas native, for suggesting we look into Marfa!

Jon: And of course, thank you so much to our listeners. If you’ve been enjoying this podcast we would really appreciate it you took the time to rate the show and write a review. 

Jackie: We will be back Wednesday with our next EXPLORATION! 

Jon: Yes, on WEDNESDAYS we explore!

Jackie: Stay cozy, and we’ll see you soon.