Texans are known for taking things to the extremes—big hair, big accents, big greetings, big cowboy hats, big tailgates. . . So when it came to cultivating a national arts hub, it’s perhaps no surprise that they managed to make yet another statement. Though it’s anything but large, size-wise, the west Texas town of Marfa (population 2,000) has achieved practically mythical status for its edgy art and music spaces, avant garde shops, and the visionary individuals who have put it on every stylemaker’s must-visit list.
Artist Susan Hable, whose paintings hang in our Draper James boutiques (and who we profiled here), recently made a visit to Marfa for a friend’s 50th birthday. “It was my first time going, even though I am from Texas.” she says. “I’m from east Texas, and it is a different world on the west side! We saw road runners and mountain sheep and all kinds of animals and plants unique to this part of the world.”
See Susan’s favorite spots in Marfa below.
Susan Hable’s 5 Must-See Marfa Spots
A Marfa newbie needs to know what is happening the weekend that they are going and to find out what is actually open! There is a cool coffee shop called Do Your Thing and a grocery called The Get Go (score a tote here as your Marfa take-away), which are always open and always good!
There are many things to see in Marfa, but my favorites were:
1. The Chinati Foundation and all of the Judd properties that one can tour. We spent a day just viewing Donald Judd’s projects and it set the tone for the whole trip!
2. Dinner at the Capri—or any meal. Delicious and a cool environment.
3. The bookstore at the Hotel Saint George has the most incredible art book selection! I could spend hours in there!
4. Shopping around town at cool shops like Mano, Cast + Crew, Freda, and the shop at El Cosmico.
5. Lunch at the food truck called Food Shark. Fun spot with quirky old cars parked around. One was head-to-toe covered with long brown fur on the inside—Chewbacca!
