Heading out Ranch Road 965, just about mid-way between Fredericksburg city limits and Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, is a small gallery owned by artful couple Holly and Paul Simonette. The Purple Shack Makers’ Gallery offers a curated collection of objet d’art — paintings, pottery, glass pieces, jewelry, and woven/fiber articles — hand-made by local artists.
“Originally the gallery was to be a place to sell our own works (Paul is a glass blower),” Holly said, “but I met so many wonderful artists who weren’t represented and had no place to show. We keep prices affordable and commissions low so the artists are adequately compensated. It was a wonderful happenstance for everyone.”
Holly calls herself a fiber artist rather than a weaver. “A major portion of my pieces are woven, especially the wearable art, but I want to be able to indulge my urges to play around more with yarn. To experiment with merging found objects and maybe even figure out a collaboration between fiber and glass.”
She began expressing herself with fibers more than 25 years ago as a knitter, a skill she still employs. In 2015, after retiring from work in PR and local government, she took up weaving when a friend gifted her with a 45-inch floor loom. “It sat without a warp for almost a year,” Holly said. “I finally decided to do something about it.” That “something” turned out to be a one-year apprenticeship with noted San Diego weaver Beryl Warnes.
“I learned so much from Beryl about the technical side of weaving,” Holly said, “but also about color and patterns. Even today, elements of my style are reminiscent of her work.”
After Paul retired from his 37-year career as a firefighter, the two decided to hit the road in a 39-foot, fifth-wheel RV touring the continental United States. “We volunteered with the National Parks and Forest Services, working as docents and interpreters for a 3-6 month commitment at each location. We were paid by free hookups,” she said. “We traveled up the west coast and headed east, ending up at LBJ Park (Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site). That’s where we fell in love with the Hill Country.”
They bought the 22-acre ranch site in 2020 to build their home and create separate art studios amid native landscaping.
During their nomadic travels, Holly had taken along a portable loom. She created weavings inspired by her various locations, such as the Cherry Blossoms collection based on time spent in Washington, D.C., and Stormy, reflecting the rain clouds’ hues.
She is still drawing inspiration from nature. “Mealy Blue Sage informed the color choice of the gallery,” she said, “and, as it turns out, the studios, shed and house.”
The gallery is just one facet of Enchanted Fredericksburg Ranch. “Our plan is to transform this property into a beautiful native habitat for birds, butterflies, bats, bees and other wildlife.”
Holly’s vision also includes having art events and gatherings with music and food trucks, all emphasizing creativity, and nature. Even their retired RV has been refashioned into an Airbnb “personal retreat under the Milky Way.”
The Purple Shack Makers’ Gallery is generally open Friday through Sunday or by appointment. For more information or to contact Holly, visit https://www.enchantedfredericksburgranch.com.
By Carol Seminara · From the Summer 2022 issue.
Gallery hours and contact details are as published in Summer 2022.