We said goodbye to Austin—for now—and visited the city of Marfa recommended by Craig Jensen before leaving the State of Texas.

Marfa, known as a place of creative exploration, is a must see in your lifetime. A small city in the high desert of the Trans-Pecos, near the Davis Mountains and Big Bend National Park is captivating and eccentric.

Marfa, is a good choice, whether you enjoy history, want to tour the coolest homes, need to get away, or view the mysterious orbs known as the “Marfa Lights.” You can find your groove here. Maybe you could live here.

In 1971, Minimalist artist Donald Judd moved to Marfa from New York City. After renting summer houses for a few years, he bought two large hangars and some smaller buildings and began to create his art. The buildings in Marfa allowed him to work on a larger scale. In 1976, he bought the first of two ranches that became his primary places of residence, continuing a long love affair with the desert landscape.

© 2017 Louise Levergneux, building that houses Judd's work, The Chinati Foundation, Marfa — © 2017 Louise Levergneux, building that houses Judd's work, The Chinati Foundation, Marfa

In 1979, with assistance from the Dia Art Foundation in New York, Judd acquired decommissioned Fort D. A. Russell and transformed the fort's buildings into art spaces.

Since Judd's death in 1994, two foundations have worked to maintain his legacy: the Chinati Foundation and Judd Foundation.

In recent years, a new wave of artists has moved to Marfa to live and work. As a result, new gallery spaces have opened in the downtown area.

The Crowley Theater hosts public events to nonprofit foundations.

© 2017 Louise Levergneux, The Crowley Theatre, Marfa — © 2017 Louise Levergneux, The Crowley Theatre, Marfa

The multifunctional art space Ballroom Marfa shows art films, hosts exhibits, and musical performances. Marfa Myths, was founded in 2014 by nonprofit contemporary arts foundation Ballroom Marfa and Brooklyn-based music label Mexican Summer. The festival brings together a diversity of emerging and established artists and musicians to work creatively and collaboratively across music, film, and visual arts contexts.

Furthermore, Building 98, is a project of the International Woman's Foundation, which has operated an artist-in-residency program since 2002.

As you can see there are lots to see in Marfa, unless you arrive on a Sunday and leave on Tuesday morning and all these wonderful art organizations are closed on Monday.

We stayed at the Tumble Inn RV Park east of Marfa. I photographed an installation that seemed to appear out of nowhere glowing in the twilight. I got up early the next morning to photograph the same installation at the rose-pink light of dawn. It was bloody cold, well below 50 F/10 C.

© 2017 Louise Levergneux, our little T@B trailer at the Tumble Inn RV Park, Marfa

© 2017 Louise Levergneux, Public Art at the Tumble Inn RV Park at twilight, Marfa — © 2017 Louise Levergneux, Public Art at the Tumble Inn RV Park at twilight, Marfa

© 2017 Louise Levergneux, Public Art at the Tumble Inn RV Park after dark, changing colours as we walked around, Marfa — © 2017 Louise Levergneux, Public Art at the Tumble Inn RV Park after dark, changing colours as we walked around, Marfa

Do you know this public art? If so please let me know, I enjoyed this piece and would love to find out who the artist is!

© 2017 Louise Levergneux, Public Art at the Tumble Inn RV Park at dawn, Marfa — © 2017 Louise Levergneux, Public Art at the Tumble Inn RV Park at dawn, Marfa

The trip does not end once you leave the town limits. 10 miles/17 km west on the Ryan Ranch you will see the skeleton of the mansion from the movie Giant filmed in 1956.

Keep your eyes peeled! 37 miles/60 km past the city you will encounter the pop art exhibit entitled Prada Marfa.

© 2017 Louise Levergneux, The Ryan Ranch, look closely on the very left of the buildings and trees is the skeleton of the set of the film Giant

Great visit—too cold to stay! We went to California for warmer weather!