So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye…

by Kelly Klaasmeyer January 28, 2013
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Closing time at the Glasstire Gulf Coast Dive Bar

As of February 8th, I am stepping down as editor of Glasstire to pursue other projects. Some are creative and include more writing, some are (hopefully) lucrative. I love Glasstire and will continue to write for the publication. For now, the editorial duties will be taken over by the multi-talented Bill Davenport, who has agreed to act as interim editor while a search is conducted. (I would suggest lobbying Mr. Davenport to stay on as editor permanently – he’s absolutely great and was involved in the site’s beginning – but he’s rightfully attached to being an artist.) [Update: For anyone interested in applying, the position is posted here.]

Founder and director Rainey Knudson, newswire and events editor Bill Davenport and I have had some highly entertaining staff meetings over the years, usually at Bill’s Junk. And I’m going to really miss their running email commentary, they both have a great and insightful take on art and the art world. Bill’s amazing Glasstire booths for the Texas Contemporary Fair last year and the year before have been a helluva lot of fun. (Except for the time at the 2011 Texas Saloon when I was literally shoveling shit behind Sugar the miniature horse. Sarah Fisch was thoughtful enough to photograph the moment. No, I am not including a link.) I do confess, one of the great disappointments of my tenure is that the George R. Brown would not let us bring in the pet nutria for our Gulf Coast Dive Bar last year. Contemporary art and an orange-toothed swamp rat – what could be better?!?!

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Happy trails Sugar…

If only...

If only…

I have truly enjoyed my five years as editor and a lot of other nice things have happened in the time. Annual unique visitors have tripled since I started in November of 2007. In 2009, Glasstire won 1st Prize at the National Arts Journalism Summit in Los Angeles, beating out more than 100 other entries. That same year I was named a USC Annenberg / Getty Arts Journalism Fellow and received a Creative Capitol / Warhol Foundation Grant for Short-Form Art Writing.

The best part of the job has been working with truly wonderful writers, photographers and videographers. The contributors are what make Glasstire. I have always tried to find talented people with something to say and who say it in a manner that is inclusive rather than exclusive. Thankfully Texas has a wealth of them. Here are some (but by no means all) of my favorite pieces from the past 5 years…

I have to stop adding now but there are so many more. As soon as I hit publish I will think of 30 other wonderful things…

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Bert Long hanging out at the Glasstire Saloon

Most especially, as the inimitable Bert Long fights pancreatic cancer, I want to tell him how fondly I remember his Bolivar project. Bert started going down to Bolivar after Hurricane Ike and taking photographs of the devastation. Months later not a lot had changed and Bert was incensed by the lack of progress and lack of help for the residents. My son was born a few weeks before Hurricane Ike hit and was maybe 7 months old when Bert loaded us both in the car and took me to see what was going on. We wound up going back and doing interviews with Bolivar residents to accompany Bert’s photographs. Bert’s artistic talent, empathy, outspokenness and sense of justice are just a few of the things that have made him a legendary member of Houston’s art community. We love you Bert.

I’ll really miss editing Glasstire, but the up side is that I’ll now have more time to see art and write about it. Let me know what’s up. You can reach me at kelly (at) kellyklaasmeyer (dot) com.

 

Kelly Klaasmeyer has been the editor of Glasstire since 2007. We’re sorry she can’t add “nutria wrangler” to her resume. We’ll miss you, Kelly! Thanks so much for a stellar five and a half years!! – Rainey Knudson

21 comments

21 comments

Eric Jarvis January 28, 2013 - 11:11

You had me at “shoveling shit.”

I also love that the alligator was OK, but the nutria was over the line. WTF?

Bon voyage, Kelly. Wishing you the brightest future…EVERRRRrrrr…….

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Kelly Klaasmeyer January 28, 2013 - 11:19

Aw, thanks Eric. And many thanks to you for all the fabulous audio editing on the Bolivar piece. You are a trooper and you made Rachel’s and all the other audio slideshows wonderful.
And yes, I want to start lobbying for nutria rights.

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Eric Jarvis January 28, 2013 - 11:24

Well, thanks, Kelly. And yes, this nutria-discrimination WILL NOT STAND.

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Ricardo Paniagua January 28, 2013 - 13:12

Good job and thanks for spreading the word!

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Kelly Klaasmeyer January 28, 2013 - 14:44

Thank you!

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Christina Rees January 28, 2013 - 13:25

What? Nooooo! Don’t go. Who else will put up with my neurotic bullshit? You have the patience of a saint. But you’re a great writer, for sure. Godspeed.

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Kelly Klaasmeyer January 28, 2013 - 14:44

You are way too kind. Please keep writing for us!

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Janet Tyson January 28, 2013 - 13:30

A tearful goodbye from me, as well. It has been a pleasure working with you and I wish you the very, very bestest. You leave some big shoes to fill, but I’d join you in voting for Bill to succeed.

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Kelly Klaasmeyer January 28, 2013 - 14:54

I’ll miss working with you too, Janet. And I’m remembering all your great posts, see, I knew I’d forget all kinds of stuff! I hope to have time to read all the books you have so thoughtfully appraised.

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Mr. Joe January 28, 2013 - 13:31

Bert Long is the man

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Allison Currie January 28, 2013 - 13:50

Kelly, may you find all that you seek. 🙂 I wish you all the best.

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Kelly Klaasmeyer January 28, 2013 - 14:55

Thanks you Allison for all your hard work for Glasstire. You need the intern medal of honor!

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Angella Emmett January 28, 2013 - 17:41

Awww Klaasmeyer… Thank you for introducing me to so many relevant artists, ideas and opinions via Glasstire all these years. I can’t wait to see what you do next. Go Kelly!

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John Aasp January 28, 2013 - 19:01

Kelly, thanks a heep for everything! Will miss working with you. I might still pester you. Looking forward to seeing what you do next!

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Kelly Klaasmeyer January 29, 2013 - 06:14

Thanks for all the great writing! We’re in Rockport this weekend. Robb’s giving an oyster talk. Hope to see y’all!

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Beth Secor January 28, 2013 - 21:55

Kelly, we love you. You are the best, and even though I hate to see you leave Glasstire, I look forward to reading more of your brilliant work.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to publish what almost anybody else (except for Rainey and Bill) would have wadded up and thrown in the trash – in other words my near perfect imitation of a room full of monkeys on keyboards.

You better not be moving from town though. I’d hate to have to hunt you down.
xxoo

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Kelly Klaasmeyer January 29, 2013 - 06:21

I’m still in town. Thank you for writing for us, please find time again soon. I was reading back through your old series “Every Freakin’ Gallery in the Whole Damn Town” and saw that Kathy Womack Gallery piece. God that was funny.

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Jack Stenner January 30, 2013 - 11:21

Living in Florida now (one of the few places more f’d up than Texas — or Arkansas), it’s always a treat to get my Glasstire Newsletter and see an article by Kelly and/or Bill. I’m hoping the change will mean we see more of both!

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Kelly Klaasmeyer January 31, 2013 - 05:10

Thanks Jack! And remember, living in a non-f’d up state just isn’t quite as interesting!

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Michael Bise January 31, 2013 - 09:52

kelly freakin’ klaasmeyer – it’s been great working with you at Glasstire and even better becoming your friend. thanks for everything you’ve done for me and adrian – especially this past year. you fucking rock.

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Kelly Klaasmeyer January 31, 2013 - 21:37

Aw, Michael, thank you! Back at you, y’all are the best.

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