< Previous80 COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2022 CURRENTS | ART WEARABLE WORKS Friendswood artist turns her paintings into fashionable wraps story by SUE MAYFIELD GEIGER photos by LESLIE PLAZA JOHNSON F riendswood artist Kelly Halbach has been painting wildlife, land- scapes, abstracts and everything in between since she began her art career. “I eventually started taking art lessons and have learned various techniques over the years, and since I’ve lived in numerous places in the U.S., I’m drawn to those surroundings,” said Halbach, who grew up on a dairy farm in Lubbock and always has been inspired by nature. Halbach’s many subjects have included African safari animals, Texas long- horns, shorebirds, underwater life, various trees, flower gardens, lighthouses, abstracts, antique cars, scenes from her travels and a bit of kitsch, such as mermaids and martini ladies. (Right) Friendswood artist Kelly Halbach wears her “Evening Elegance” wrap with a lone white egret on a black background. The silk chiffon wraps, also called “ruanas,” feature scenes or partial scenes from her many paintings. (Above) Halbach shows off her “Blue Bonnet Belle” wrap. COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2022 8182 COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2022 CURRENTS | ART to date, all have titles. Coastal wraps include “Ocean White Coral” with soft milky blues and greens; “Golden Seahorses,” with striking yellow seahorses climbing vines among a blue ocean; and “Flamboyant Flyer” featuring a pelican in flight amid a pink and purple background. To get a painting on a wrap, Halbach sends high-resolution photos to a person out of state, who uses a process to fit the design of the painting onto fabric. “The painting often may have more of a spatial background, so it depends on the scene,” she said. Other wraps include “Red Coral” with deep pinks and apricot seahorses floating on a coral reef; “Night Flight” is a stunning scene of a heron flying among dark blue clouds; and “Evening Elegance” features a lone white egret on a background of the black of night. “One of my very first paintings that was transferred to fabric was my ‘Scarlet Ibis,’” Halbach said. “It’s very simple but elegant with the ibis perched on a tree limb on a pale green background.” “Zanzibar” is one of her most popular wraps taken from an abstract painting fea- turing a soft blue background, yellow swirls and a coral border. Halbach’s wraps can be found locally at shops on The Strand in Galveston’s down- town and her paintings are for sale on Post- office Street, also in the island’s downtown. Two of her wraps, “Blue Bonnet Belle,” which features a longhorn in bluebonnets, and “Blue Bonnet Sunset,” featuring a Texas Hill Country scene with a bright orange sky, are available at The Bryan Museum in Gal- veston. Stores in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Her paintings grace the walls of local and out-of-state establishments. But her newest creations are worn by people — silk chiffon wraps that feature scenes or partial scenes from her many paintings. The wraps also are called “ruanas” from the Sanskrit language, and include every- thing from landscapes to coastal scenes, along with longhorns and abstracts. “They can be worn in many different ways — like a shawl, off the shoulder, tied in the front or however creative you want to be,” she said. The wraps, totaling 32 separate designs (From top) Kelly Halbach’s wrap designs include everything from landscapes to coastal scenes, along with longhorns and abstracts; several of Halbach’s watercolor pieces are hanging in her Friendswood home. She sends high-resolution photos of her paintings to a person out of state who uses a process to fit the design of the painting onto fabric. “Art is such an inspiration, and it should be a part of your daily life, on your walls or wearing it.” KELLY HALBACH COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2022 83 Napa Valley, California, also carry her wraps. She learned a lot taking lessons from Shirley Sterling, an art teacher who taught at Texas Art Supply in Webster, she said. She also studied at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Halbach has had showings in Galveston and Harris counties and has won awards from the National Society of Art and the Galveston Art League. A few of her newest paintings soon will be gracing the walls of Nick’s Kitch- en & Beach Bar on Galveston’s seawall. Although Halbach’s wraps are immensely popular, she still enjoys painting with oils, watercolor and acrylics — preferring nature scenes, she said. “At present, I have a commission to paint the Bolivar Lighthouse, and I may end up doing a wrap of that if the client agrees,” she said. “Art is such an inspiration, and it should be a part of your daily life, on your walls or wearing it.” www.kellyhalbachart.com (Clockwise from top left) Kelly Halbach’s wraps, totaling 32 separate designs to date, all have titles, such as “Night Flight,” featuring a heron flying among dark blue clouds; “Golden Seahorses,” with yellow seahorses climbing vines among a blue ocean; and “Flamboyant Flyer,” featuring a pelican in flight amid a pink and purple background.84 COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2022 16602 San Luis Pass Rd. 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The Caesalpinia pulcher- rima — its Latin name — is a member of the pea family. Its name means “very pretty.” And pretty it is. The colorful bowl-like blooms have five crinkly petals, and the orange/red/yellow variety has a long red stamen that protrudes from the center like whiskers. The fern-like leaves stay green all year. The good thing about this plant is it’s also freeze-resistant. Winter Storm Uri in 2021 froze most of the pride of Barbados plants in this area, but once spring came, they re-emerged from the root and continue to flourish. The plant is native to the West Indies but also is the na- tional flower of Barbados and is depicted prominently on its coat of arms. Besides its beauty, this plant provides a food source for hummingbirds, bees and butterflies, all attracted to the colorful blooms. The plant also has been identified as deer-resistant, meaning it doesn’t taste good to animals who usually eat anything growing. It is toxic, however, to dogs and cats. Lisa Belcher grows the plant in her League City yard, some she started from seed. “When I look in my backyard and see my pride of (Above) Lisa Belcher holds a yellow pride of Barbados she grew from seed. (Opposite) A butterfly on a pride of Barbados plant. With its fiery blooms, this showy plant is perfect for tropical climates. It loves sun and heat and needs little to no water. COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2022 8788 COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2022 GARDEN VARIETY Barbados, both yellow and red/ orange, I reflect on the fond memo- ries I have of a friend and I planting the seeds together four years ago,” Belcher said. “Those plants are now over 7 feet tall.” While her other plants are strug- gling in the blazing Texas heat and humidity, the bright yellow and orange and red flowers are there each morning waiting for her, she said. The leaves on pride of Barbados are so small and delicate, she said. “I am in awe how they can survive this blistering Texas heat,” Belcher said. “And I sometimes feel as if they (Above) Galveston County Master Gardener Judy Anderson prunes a pride of Barbados in the Earth Friendly Garden at Carbide Park in La Marque. (Opposite, from top) Pride of Barbados plants grow along a fence on 52nd Street in Galveston; pods of mature pride of Barbados plants. You can propagate and grow pride of Barbados from seeds harvested from the pods throughout the blooming season. are whispering to me, ‘We are here to get you through the summer.’” Among other things, this plant has been recognized by Texas A&M AgriLife as a “Texas Superstar,” which makes it a proven winner, said Gal- veston County Master Gardener Judy Anderson. “The pride of Barbados is a popular choice for Gulf Coast gardeners who are looking for bright colors to show- case their landscape,” Anderson said. “The red and orange flowers are real scene stealers alongside any plant. “In addition to their bright, beautiful color, the plants love high tempera- tures and are drought-tolerant. These plants thrive in Texas heat and will not bloom until the temperatures are high. When planting, a raised bed is recommended; they like well-drained soils.” It isn’t difficult to propagate and grow pride of Barbados. The easiest way is to gather seed pods — hard brown 4-inch-long legumes encasing several seeds — and wait for them to pop open when they’re “ripe.” Ander- son collects them before they mature. When the pod splits open, gently clip one corner of a seed, place it between moistened paper towels for a few days, and then plant in small pots and wait. In a few weeks, the seeds will germinate, and a new plant emerges. Transplant it when it gets to be at least 6 inches tall. Propagation also is possible by clip- ping soft wood cuttings in the spring between joints and below a node and placing them in clean soil in a bright location. Be sure to plant them in well- drained soil because they don’t need much water. Luckily, pride of Barba- dos is also salt-tolerant, so the coastal air won’t have any adverse effects. Prune the plant annually in early spring, cutting back lifeless limbs. Shaping the plant will increase its blooming capacity. COASTMONTHLY.COM | SepTeMber 2022 89Next >