Spend time in Llano County and you’ll soon fall in love with the hills, lakes, scenic drives, vintage architecture, authentic local cuisine, and abundant wildlife. These things not only sate the senses, they also fuel the creative juices, which is why an active and vibrant art scene thrives here.
On a typical weekend, you could go from gallery to gift shop to art festival, picking up paintings, sculptures, and handcrafted jewelry along the way. You could even take a class or workshop.
Start with this cross-section of Llano County’s creative community. Call or check the websites for hours. Some are open by appointment only.
Llano Art Guild and Gallery
503 Bessemer Ave., Llano
325-247-4839
The Llano Art Guild and Gallery showcases the works of more than 30 artists in a broad range of media. Paintings include Western art and Hill Country landscapes. The gallery also displays jewelry, mixed media, ceramics, stained glass, wood carvings, and mesquite furniture. Throughout the year, the Llano Art Guild and Gallery hosts artist demonstrations, special events, workshops, and art festivals.
Gridiron Gallery
112 E. Main St., Llano
830-613-5570
The Old West is alive within the walls of Gridiron Gallery, which occupies a vintage building that once housed the Llano Post Office. The restored structure is a fitting setting for the works of Western artist Jack Moss, who recreates a variety of scenes from that era.
Lou Quallenberg Studios
Llano
325-247-4645
Lou Quallenberg shoots commercial photos and designs and builds mesquite furniture in a style known as “urban organic.” Several companies, including San Antonio-based H-E-B, have used his photographs in their advertising. The studio is open by appointment only.
Buchanan Arts and Crafts Gallery
17534 Texas 29 East, Buchanan Dam
512-793-2858
Some two dozen local artists and crafters display their work at this gallery near the shores of Lake Buchanan. Like other Hill Country galleries, it offers bluebonnet paintings, some done with eye-catching acrylic on granite. Buchanan Arts and Crafts Gallery sponsors demonstrations and workshops and highlights a featured artist each month.
West Shore Wind Spirals
3796 Texas 261, Buchanan Dam
713-898-9011
Self-taught metal sculptor and retiree Ralph Moresco creates wind-driven kinetic sculptures out of copper, stainless steel, and brass. Moresco designs his creations, which operate on the same principle as a windmill, to withstand temperature extremes and winds up to 70 mph. Studio is open by appointment.
Kingsland House of Arts and Crafts
112 W. Chamberlain St., Kingsland
325-388-6159
The shop offers a plethora of handmade goods, including jewelry, ceramics, newborn sets, and tea towels. The Kingsland House of Arts and Crafts, a 48-year fixture in East Llano County, sponsors workshops, field trips, and market days. It also recognizes a Crafter of the Month.
You can visit artists in their studios and attend hands-on classes during the annual Llano Art Studio Tour, which is the last Saturday in March. For more information, visit the tour’s Facebook page.
