Big Bend Art Studio — Attraction in Manuel Benavides

La Bruja de Terilingua

1 star if you’re looking to simply purchase art in an uneventful transaction. 5 stars if you’re looking for an adventure.

My friends and I went on a camping trip through Big Bend. Often that’s the beginning of a horror movie, little did we know, we would wind up in one. Big Bend itself was beautiful and uneventful, save for some close run-ins with wildlife. One night there was something stalking our camp site through the woods. We rationalized it had to be an animal looking for our food, but after the events in Terlingua, we now know we were being stalked by a witch; looked upon as Hansel and Gretel nachos to this West Texas Bruja. That night we were spared, but something drew us to Terlingua.

My friend’s little brother and his girlfriend said we had to visit The Big Bend Art Studio. We tried to drive passed it, but the car took itself into the parking lot. We surveyed the stucco building. Beer cans, soda cans, bottles, and stained glass lining the ground and walls of this building. Surely to lure in hipsters and drunks. Heat waves emanate from the black parking lot. These wavy fumes put us under a spell and we could not go backwards, only forwards. That is when she appeared. Out from the cover of shadow through the door way into our world, casting rhyming spells unto us; testing, trying each out to see which will work. One-by-one each of us pull in closer to her. Once we’re within her range she douses us with her witchy elixir of root bark and sassafras, drenching our beards and hair, impairing our ability to speak out and move backward.

We’re drawn further into her studio to see the hundreds of paintings, drawings, and sculptures. Each the captured soul of a different traveler we can only assume as we await our fate, wondering which method she will capture us in. We will spend eternity in solitude in our own vessel or have a home together in a painted vista; we don’t know but are horrified. Her song and spells do not stop and we cannot move, she blocks our way out. Confused and lost in the rubble of what must be the kept belongings of hundreds, maybe thousands of sojourned souls.

She attempts to make physical contact; her everlasting curse of loneliness, her longing for her lost love, hopefully quenched with one of our souls. With her concentration there, it breaks the spell on the rest of us and we are free to run. Struggling we find our way, hazy, foggy, and weak, we break through, one-by-one we push through the barrier of her spell casted door. She feels us leave and gets distracted. Our friend’s soul is spared and she bellows out a ghastly cry. We feel it in our bones as the ground rumbles and pillars of salt rise blurring our vision. We make it to the car but it will not start. She is moans the loss of our souls. Our lone straggler makes his escape. Distracts her and we are able to start the car, he jumps in as she brakes the ground with her foot steps, pushing up tiny mountain ranges through the asphalt trying to stop us.

Driving away to the edge of town we see a drifter. IT’S HER! SHE’S THERE WITH A BROOM AND CAPE AROUND HER NECK! Swerving around her, she strikes toward us and misses. The wind from the broom concusses us and the impact opens the ground. We often think about the time we made it out with our souls intact, but our spines are shaken, and constantly, we are drawn back to the brujeria...

Many people pass by this place, expecting a cutesy modern studio appointed with neutral palette tones, or overpriced portraits of long-dead native americans, drawn and sold by old white people Well, this is not that. Alice Knight is a legend of Texas music and art. Her stories and art are moving and incredible for those who take the time to LISTEN and try to understand without judgement. Some of her music is available on Spotify and other streaming platforms and she has many CDs and cassettes for sale, as well as her lovely colorful artwork. Alice is a true career artist, and has made it work her whole life through her wiles and talent. You never know the circumstances and situations people go through in life. We are all lucky to be breathing this air and living on this planet. How lucky indeed! You will feel lucky to have met her if you approach with an open mind and compassion. The most creative and beautiful people in this world often live torturous lives at varying times. Try not to judge, and LISTEN! Alice taught me more about life in a few weeks of knowing her than anyone else I know.

BTW, most of the trash is cleaned up. Give...

First I want to say, don't let the bad reviews sway you, those are clearly written by bland wonder bread people that haven't traveled very often outside of their gated communities. There is nothing "terrifying" about this 72 year old woman. Sure, she can talk your ear off BUT SHE IS AN ELDERLY LADY WHO LIVES ALONE IN THE DESERT?! Like, do yall not have granmas? Anyway, Alice is full of esentric stories, personality, and ghost tales. Deff don't stop by if you're in a hurry. But DO stop by if you want real local tales of Teralingua, a souvenir that has an actual story behind it, and not those mass produced "Big Bend" shirts you'll find elsewhere, and a good laugh. If you're a boring walnut who is scared of a 72 year old lady who might have a heavy hand, then yea - stay away . I left with one trippy looking painting and one unique sculpture. She doesn't take card, you can find an ATM to give her cash OR you can do what me and my wife did, and buy her a bottle of vodka and trade it for some art. Would go visit her all the time if I...