The Double J Hacienda & Art Ranch, overlooking the Brazos (de Dios) River and Palo Pinto Mountains, in Mineral Wells, is one of the most breathtaking spots in Texas. On October 21, 2006, the Double J, formerly the historic Seybold Guest Ranch, hosts its first annual open hacienda with musicians, artists, writers, and yoginis participating in an all-day festival. Other Texas ranches cultivate livestock; The Double J Hacienda & Art Ranch cultivates minds and bodies with music, art, storytelling, and well-being.
Walking into the Hacienda feels like a stop on a cattle drive in a mid-century Western movie. In the 1940’s the Seybold Guest Ranch operated as a dude ranch. Charles Dilbeck, a popular albeit eccentric Dallas architect, designed the guest ranch. Elmer Seybold, a nationally known sharp shooter and his wife Dorothy, an international fashion model hosted presidents and entertainers. Stories of the Reagans, Bette Davis, and John Wayne among others abound. Best-selling author John Graves, notes the “dude ranch” in his classic novel “Goodbye to a River.”
The old Guest Ranch has been rejuvenated into creative and inspirational retreat center and art ranch. The Double J Hacienda & Art Ranch provides a peaceful atmosphere to experience healthy living and enjoy music, art, and storytelling. The first annual open hacienda is an opportunity to experience something new in an historical setting.
On the 21st, the day begins with Double J Yoga with Jane at 9:30 am. Jane has been practicing yoga for over 10 years and recently opened her first yoga studio, Double J Yoga. At 10:30 am Songwriter Song Swap. At 11:30 Tori Pendergrass will set up a mini-studio for children to get their hands dirty and create an art project. Tori is the acclaimed director of Pigment School of the Arts in Dallas. At 12:30 award-winning author and sometime NPR essayist, Mike Renfro, takes the stage for some insightful storytelling. At 1:30 pm Doug and Jill Bryan play a live music set. Doug and Jill have been making music together for almost 15 years. They also write music for advertising clients, their church, and publishing. Then Jimmy Baldwin, an up-and-coming singer/songwriter plays. His current release, “Somebody’s Nobody,” can be heard on XM satellite station, X-Country, as well as radio stations around the country. Clay Pendergrass then picks up his guitar for Clay Sounds, a fusion of jazz, funk, twang, and rock ‘n roll. After an official ribbon cutting ceremony at 3:30pm sponsored by the Mineral Wells Chamber of Commerce, the day will culminate in the opening of the Double J Art Gallery with the unveiling of The Medicine Show by Brian Nadurak.
BIOGRAPHIES
Jim Baldwin
Jim is a musician in the tradition of Texas singer/songwriters. Populated by jilted lovers, fallen angels, and midnight blue skies, his songs are cinematic novellas set to soundtracks. His music transcends the country music stereotype making the jimmy sound accessible to listeners of other music genres.
Until now Jim Baldwin has worked behind the scenes. From his award-winning Motel 6 commercials with Tom Bodett, and his sun-baked beach spots for Corona beer which Jimmy Fallon parodied on Saturday Night Live, to his directorial debut honored by Wim Wenders and Dennis Hopper, Jim’s creative work has become part of the American cultural landscape. When Jim is not touring his music or making commercials he’s at the hacienda with his wife Jane and their two-year old daughter Ruby Jane.
Jane Baldwin
Jane is a writer, Yoga instructor and anthropologist. Her monthly column Jungle Jane Explains can be found in the Dallas-Plano based children’s paper, Collin County Kids. Jane teaches Yoga at the Double J Hacienda that creates a true mind, body, and spirit connection through the breath. Before becoming a mom a few years ago, she spent her free time in Belize and Guatemala as an ethnographer and archaeologist studying ancient Maya architecture. Her current projects include a children’s book about open adoption and a book of inspirational poems.
Brian Nadurak
Brian is an abstract expressionist. His in-your-face approach echoes the work of De Kooning, Pollack, Kandinski and Rauschenberg. Like theirs, Nadurak’s work is multi-dimensional, almost like looking at a 3-D chessboard, there’s a different painting on each level. He works in mixed media and exploits the use of modern and primal communication. Besides oils, pastels, chalk and blood, one finds photographs, magazine and newspaper articles as well as objects plastered to his canvases. The color palette he employs ranges from the dark and moody to bright and pleasant.
Doug & Jill Bryan
When Doug and Jill first met, Jill performed a solo acoustic act around Dallas. Doug led the popular band, Big Boss Groove, with gigs around Deep Ellum, lower Greenville Ave. and beyond. It wasn’t long before Jill had joined BBG and the two were writing and recording songs for the band’s second CD release. The well received, “Moontown Street” enjoyed frequent airplay on local radio stations such as KERA 90.1 and KDGE 94.5. Their musical collaborations grew into a romance, a marriage of more than 12 years and their seven-year-old daughter, Riley Anna. Jill has recently begun performing again with a solo act called “Cover Girl” and Doug joins her when he’s not too busy running their post production boutique, Post Op.
Mike Renfro
Mike has worked as a nationally recognized writer and creative director in the advertising business for 22 years. From 1992 to 1998, his essays were broadcast on National Public Radio’s “Weekend Edition.” From 1992 to ’94, he wrote the long-running Motel 6 radio campaign, with Tom Bodett.
His first book, “Under The ‘X’ In Texas,” was published in 1995. He is the winner of numerous national awards and is a regular speaker on the subject of creativity in radio. He is currently working on his second book, “No Man’s Land,” the story of Father-Son and Father-Daughter adventures he takes with his children each year.
Tori Webb Pendergrass
Tori is the director of Pigment School of the Arts in Dallas. Last year Pigment received D Magazines award for Best After School Program. Tori has been teaching children’s art in the Dallas area for over 10 years. She also owns and operates Tori Webb Decorative Finishes and Artwork, and a web based enterprise, Petplatters.com. Tori also regularly produces and shows her work. She recently produced her greatest collaboration, Isabella Sky with husband Clay.
Clay Pendergrass
Clay is the musician’s musician. He’s been playing music professionally since his mom dropped him off at the Deep Ellum clubs in high school to sit in with bands and play the bass. Clay played in David Garza’s band the Lovebeads and also with Jackopierce before establishing his own solo career. Last year he independently released the ethereal and melodic East Dallas Mix Tape. Clay funnels his groovy wordless instrumentals into his alter ego’s band, Future Soul Sound Clash. His live shows come in various configurations, sometimes he’s a one-man band with a DJ, others he’s an eight-piece band with horns.
“2 or 3 Chord Punk.mp3″ by Clay Pendergrass
Kids, this event is worth the drive. The place is gorgeous and the folks participating are a special group. Come on and join me, won’tcha?
Take I-30 W through Ft. Worth past Weatherford -nI-30 turns into I-20 just past Ft. Worth
To avoid driving through Weatherford traffic, drive past all the Weatherford exits until you get to exit 406 just past the Home Depot
Take Exit 406 Bowie and Old Dennis Rd. and turn right at stop sign
Follow Bowie Rd. to Hwy-180 – Turn left on to HWY-180
HWY-180 is at the first stop light. – Follow HWY-180 through Mineral Wells
About 3 miles past the old, yellow-bricked, vacant Baker Hotel turn right on to Indian Creek road
Turn right on to Indian Creek Rd – You’ll see a church with a white steeple just off the corner. (If you cross the Brazos river bridge, you have gone too far) Go straight at first stop sign
Follow Indian Creek road past the cemetery to Seybold Rd – Turn left on to Seybold Rd
The first ranch gate on the left is the Double J Ranch – Park and come on in.
