An Evening with artist Mark Lesly Smith and Esperanza Winery
Join us for a rare opportunity to meet Blanco resident Mark Lesly Smith, co-founder of Austin’s legendary Flatbed Press and a celebrated figure in the Texas art world. A retired university art history professor with a PhD from UT-Austin focused on the late American master Robert Rauschenberg, Dr. Smith has served as assistant dean of UT’s College of Fine Arts and chair of the art department at Southwestern University. In 1989, he co-founded Flatbed Press, one of the most influential collaborative printmaking workshops in the U.S., and in 2012, he was inducted into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame.
Now based in downtown Blanco, Dr. Smith focuses on his own mixed-media work, including his acclaimed masterwork series The Hope Suite, part of the permanent collection at the Obama Presidential Library in Chicago. Four pieces from this series are currently on display at Andalusia Whiskey Distillery.
At this event, Dr. Smith will discuss, sell, and autograph his book Flatbed Press at 25 (UT Press, 2016), a beautifully illustrated retrospective of 25 years of collaboration with some of the nation’s leading artists. Preview his work at marksmithart.com
and on Instagram @MarkLSmithArt.
For this pairing, the drinks are served by Esperanza Winery, the first winery in Spring Branch and Blanco, established by Judith Raven. Using estate-grown fruit and Texas High Plains varietals, Esperanza offers a one-of-a-kind tasting experience in the heart of the Hill Country. Voted Best Winery in Blanco County from 2022–2025, this fine wine offers the perfect palate for an evening of art, stories, and conversation.
> Location: Gem of the Hills, 2233 US-281, Blanco, TX 78606
> Tastings available during the event
> Book sales and signing included
Don’t miss this chance to hear stories from one of Texas’ most influential artists and printmakers, all while enjoying world-class Hill Country wine.
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