This past weekend, Marika participated in the 16th Annual Texas Country Reporter Festival in Waxahachie, TX. The weather was fantastic as were the many people who attended. This year for the first time, the TCR Festival and CBS 11 Dallas decided to present awards to the vendors. There were approximately 250 vendors but only 5 awards. Marika was one of the fortunate 5. She received the “Crafty Artist” Award.
Below are a few photos from the event including one of Bob Phillips.
The road that leads us to this particular cross begins with Bob, Ryan and Dan traveling the backroads for Texas Country Reporter. One day they pay a visit to Marika’s studio in Seguin. From this interview they create and broadcast to a viewership of 1.4 million an Emmy award winning segment, “Carousel of Life.” On a Sunday morning in Lubbock, as Terri and Carlos prepare for church they see and hear a sculptor from Haiti describing her passion for creating wood sculptures. Marika’s sculptures and her words resonate with the couple.
Terri tells her husband that if she receives the call to lead a “Walk to Emmaus” retreat, she will ask Marika to sculpt a cross for the event. Before receiving the call, Terri visits Marika in Seguin. She asks her to make a cross for the “Walk to Emmaus” explaining it is a retreat to strengthen and renew the faith of Christians. The cross plays an integral part in retreat ceremonies and rituals. As a lay leader, she is responsible for providing a cross.
Not long after, Marika hears the good news from Terri; she is Lay Director for the Women’s Emmaus Walk.
With ideas from Terri, Marika prepares two concept drawings. One is a hand holding the cross; the other is a hooded figure holding the cross. In both cases, the cross is removable from the figure holding it.
Terri decides on the hooded figure.
Emmaus Cross Drawing 1 Hand
Emmaus Cross Drawing 2 Hooded Figure
The second installment will include photos of the first cuts to make the hooded figure.
City Banner
Court House
Court House
Young Artist
Marika Sculptures Booth
Friend from Seguin- Guadalupe County Master Gardeners
Bob Phillips with Peter Bros Hats
Bob Phillips Executive Producer of Texas Country Reporter and Marika
Bob and Marika
The Holidays: Central Park, Seguin, TX
The Story of Marika and a Small Texas Town
A woman from Haiti by taking mallet and chisel to wood, and a small town are writing a Texas story. Five years ago, Marika arrives in Seguin with her tools, wood, and sculptures. Something beautiful happens.
Folks meet her and soon thereafter she is speaking before civic organizations and church groups;
The Seguin Main Street Program appoints her to the Advisory Board;
Texas Lutheran University hosts a solo exhibition;
For the new maternity wing, The Guadalupe Regional Medical Center commissions a sculpture;
The Seguin Oakwood Art League sponsors the Haiti Benefit Art Auction “in honor of sculptor, friend, and member Marika Bordes;” and
The Seguin Heritage Museum schedules a three-month exhibition for Marika and her students for Fall 2010.
Her love for sculpting and the desire to share this life-changing passion places her before diverse audiences: Rotary International, The Shakespeare Study Club, Zonta International, Wesley-Harper Vacation Bible School and other venues. The topics vary. Always, the theme is the importance to both the individual and the community of hard work, discipline and the creativity within us.
Shortly after joining the Main Street Advisory Board, Marika accepts the mandate to develop a plan for promoting and supporting the arts in Seguin. Though her efforts and others, the City of Seguin now has an Arts Commission.
Marika’s passion for sculpture and giving to others shines through when she teaches sculpting. The artist wants the story to continue. A story that begins with the carvers of Africa, then to the carvers of Haiti, and now to the carvers of Seguin. In a small Texas town, from the rising of the sun, until the rising of the moon, mallet and chisel ring out against the intrinsic beauty of wood.
