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"A work of artistry and history" - Marshall News Messenger reports on Hub renovation

By Michael C. Smith

Had a nice surprise on the front page of this morning's Marshall News Messenger, which ran a cover story on last night's artists reception at our new offices at the Hub.  The article by reporter Terri Richardson says far better than I have ever been able to what we have been trying to do over the past year.  "A work of artistry and history combined," she wrote, "the Hub Shoe Store was open for business in shoes once again Monday night during a gallery reception  for 'The Shoe Show' featuring seven Marshall artists.  The show is part of an ongoing series of rotating paintings for the halls of the store as attorney Michael C. Smith and partners have dedicated the wall space of the restored retail outlet to historic displays as well as new renderings." 

?This is a revolving art show,? she quotes artist Carol Pace as saying. ?We call it ?Art at Work? and we?ve been doing this for two years, furnishing art to his office, and he features us on his blog to lawyers across the nation.?  (yes, readers, that's you - waiting for me to quit posting on artwork, and explain the latest venue opinion in false marking cases by Judge Folsom.) 

"Conference rooms boasted new art work alongside video display screens that played a slide show of photos from demolition inside the buildings and the restoration efforts," the article continues.  "Artists enjoyed one [conference room], which featured unique Sam B. Hall Federal Courthouse art from when the building was first a post office." 

It was a particular pleasure to have former owners Louis and Audrey Kariel attend the reception, representing the family that ran the Hub from 1897 to 2001.  Thankfully things look a lot better than when we took this picture together when renovations started in the fall of 2009. One of my favorite moments of the evening was catching Louis reading the display on his dad, Louis Sr., who bought the store from his uncle Mose Weisman in 1924, and worked with Louis Jr. in it from 1947 until shortly before he passed away in 1991.  Audrey told me last night that in all the years father and son worked together, she never heard a cross word.  (Between them, she meant - when UT lost a ballgame there were cross words aplenty, I'm sure). 

Anyway, it was a very nice event, and we were very happy to be able to recognize and honor the artists that have made this such a special place to work.  Incidentally, one of the pieces of "shoe" art, Not Forgotten by Mieko Hathaway, is on its way to our firm's Sherman office, where it fits in with the cowboy boot motif my partner Clyde Siebman deems appropriate (if you've seen our firm's website at www.siebman.com you'll know what I mean).

Full post as published by Eastern District of Texas Federal Court Practice on January 25, 2011 (boomark / email).