The Big One - The Museum Move

Finally, it's the last stop for Thunderbox Road before they all find good homes. We completed our set up at The Museum of Western Art in Kerrville, just in time for their annual Roundup Celebration.

The Thunderboxes were on display until the Auction on May 9th, where they were sold for anywhere from $ 400 - $ 2,400 each and helped us raise over $ 10,000 for our two charities.

The funds were awarded to The PKU Foundation and to the Museum of Western Art's Teachers' Workshops.

The Serengeti Resort - Outhouses and Ostriches

The Serengeti Resort is a new African-themed resort north of San Antonio featuring all of the exotic creatures of the African continent, or of the Serengeti region anyway.

The ostriches looked on as we unloaded and set up our exhibit. Because of the Serengeti's weekend events, we were able to help entertain their guests.

For more about the Serengeti Resort, you can click here for a virtual visit: http://serengetiresort.com

San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Exhibit

After The Menger Hotel, Thunderbox Road traveled only a few miles to welcome guests in front of Freeman Colesium during the 2009 San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo in February.

Thousands ...no, hundreds of thousands ... no, a gazillion people saw the Thunderboxes at the rodeo that The PRCA has voted the Large Rodeo of the year for 5 years in a row. Congratulations San Antonio!

Since most of the Thunderboxes were accessible and folks were able to climb in, it seems as though most Rodeo 2009 photos will include the famous ... "and here we are coming of the outhouse" photo. Great - we love the fact our artists' works could make people laugh.

Images of The Menger Hotel

Top to Bottom:
The Historic Menger Hotel from Alamo Street
The Menger Bar
Ernesto Malacara, The Menger's Historian and Public Relations Director, our host for the January Exhibit and Artists' Reception.

Sonja Howle

The Menger Hotel

Thunderbox Road's Artists' Reception at The Historic Menger Hotel in downtown San Antonio was held Saturday, January 17th. We all enjoyed wine from Grape Creek Vineyard in the Courtyard during the reception, then, many of us went across the hallway to The Menger Bar. By that time it was Saturday night in San Antonio. There's no better excuse to walk by and take pictures of the Alamo, have dinner on the River Walk and enjoy music from an all girl Mariachi Band ...

Front Row, left to right, Sonja Howle, Tami Kegley, Betty Rhodes, Donna Malson; Back Row, left to right, Thom Evans, Gwendolyn Listerman, Ken Malson and Dotti Brundrett.

Sonja Howle

Thunderbox Road Interview on 106.1FM The River in Kerrville

On Thursday morning, January 8th, Thom Evans and I joined Cadillac Jack on 106.1 FM The River in Kerrville.

Cadillac (Roy Holley) had invited us to talk about Thunderbox Road and Thom's Angel of Mercy Thunderbox after reading the story about Thunderbox Road in Hill Country Happenings Magazine.

We had a good time, and another story might follow from Ernesto Malacara, Public Relations Director and Historian of The Menger Hotel, who'll be hosting our artists reception on Saturday, January 17th, 2009 from 3-5pm.

Sonja Howle

Pictured above, left to right: Deb Goia, Thom Evans, Sonja Howle and Cadillac Jack.

Thunderbox Road on News 4 WOAI-TV

On Friday, January 2nd, the Thunderboxes were moved to San Antonio's Historic Menger Hotel across from the Alamo.

The Menger Hotel opened in 1859 on the site of Menger's Brewery. The art collection of The Menger includes paintings by F.L. Van Ness -- his 12' painting Venting Cattle on the Frisco System was borrowed for the filming of the 1956 drama Giant. The table where Teddy Roosevelt recruited his Rough Riders is still at The Menger. The Menger Bar, modeled after the taproom of the House of Lords Club in London, was opened in 1887 -- the same year the hotel installed indoor plumbing.

With its location next to The Alamo, few hotels in San Antonio have the history or sense of place.

"And in January, when the River Walk hosts events like The Mud Festimal, it's a perfect time for us to enjoy the same sense of fun," said Ernesto Malacara, Public Relations Director and Historian for The Menger.

News 4 WOAI-TV joined us at the exhibit on Monday afternoon, January 5th, and ran this story in their 6pm News that night.

Click here to view: http://www.woai.com/news/local/story/Exhibit-Showcases-the-Lowly-Outhouse-as-High-Art/A2-otPFC1Uev9BUk4ahhSg.cspx

The exhibit will be at the Menger until Friday, January 30th. And, if you'd like to meet some of the Thunderbox artists, join us for an Artists Reception on Saturday, January 17, 2009 from 3-5pm in the Courtyard of the famous Menger Hotel.

Sonja Howle