Murry & Karen Penner
What’s unique about your team and how does the relationship benefit the business? Our team is part of our family; many of us have worked together since we were in our twenties, so we’ve literally grown up together.
Throughout the year we have many events where our brand representatives come to the store. Without exception, they tell us that our team is the best they’ve seen. This sentiment is validated often by customers who send notes of appreciation (and occasional bottles of tequila) for an experience that exceeded their expectations.
We are very proud of these accolades and credit our staff for their expertise, professionalism, and commitment to excellence. They love to share their interests beyond the fashion world, too; so, if you want to know anything about biking or scuba diving, great vacation spots, or dining recommendations, just ask. On top of that, they’re just a lot of fun to be around.
Tell us about your business. What’s special about what you do and how you do it? In a nutshell, we help men live their best lives in style.
We are unique in Houston by offering a curated collection of both established and artisan luxury brands, along with best of class casual offerings, all together, under one roof. We have been experts in the custom business for over 40 years and offer made-to-measure services from the most sought-after brands in the world, including Zegna, Kiton, Isaia, Brunello Cucinelli, Santarelli, Sartorio, and more. We have what many consider to be the best tailor shop in town, and we offer complimentary alterations, closet consultation, private appointments, style advising, and local delivery.
The M Penner Team: Judy Penner, Jeremy Penner, Cody Sever, Karen Penner, Belinda Hillhouse, Jesus Alfaro, Joel Choney, Andrea Irizzary, Whitney Wiggins, Murry Penner (not pictured – Javier Aceves)
What would you be willing to share with others about the secret of success as a duo? We are often asked how we can be married, work together, and not kill each other — how that works. The easy answer is we trust each other. We share great satisfaction in seeing the business and our employees grow and prosper. On occasions where there is conflict, the answer is simple. The buck stops with Murry … at the store. At home, it’s a … well, another interview!
And what makes for an effective team in retail? Everyone on the team works together, so a culture of mutual respect and trust is fundamental. We’re fortunate to have great synergy here that enhances the experiences of both our team and our customers.
Our team works hard, and they are really talented. To keep things fun, we like to have contests that involve games like winning poker hands and “stealing the $20.” We also set team goals, and it’s wonderful to see how the team always pulls together and encourages each other so everyone wins.
What’s up next? What can you share about your plans for 2023? After 17 years at this location, it’s time for a refresh and we’re embarking on a renovation early next year. We’re also planning something special next year to celebrate 50 years in business. Stay tuned!
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Michelle Vo; Carla Bisong and Michelle Burgess
The Health Museum launched its new Healing Arts program to "bridge the gap between the arts and health sectors," and showcase ways in which art can be integrated into health education and practice. Rose Tylinski has been named the museum's Healing Arts Manager, and will spearhead initiatives such as Paint & Process workshops for those interested in blending creativity with psychological and medical insights; and Hearts of Hope, to support those struggling with mental health challenges.
Healing Hands is also new, a space within the museum to display works by community members who are caregivers. Through Feb. 2025, the gallery will feature art that tells stories about what it means to care for others, and the various pathways to healing.
The museum hosted a private opening reception for Healing Hands, attended by gallerists, artists and health advocates including Mathieu JN Baptiste, Carla Bisong and Anson Koshy.
Anson Koshy, Lori Raijman and Nader Adeeb
Ashura Bayya Lovelady
Carla Bisong, Crsytal Baptiste
Anson Koshy, Katie Scott, Mathieu JN Baptiste, Rose Tylinski, Gabriela Magana.
Michelle Vo
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Lennon and 'Give Peace a Chance' (portrait courtesy Yoko Ono)
The exhibit is exciting, yet understated, in the best sense of the word, as Lennon originally drew and painted with no goal in mind other than to return to and enjoy the unselfconscious creativity we experience in childhood and typically abandon as we grow older and more “responsible.”
OTW Gallery Principal, Mimi Sperber-Wasserberg, who was instrumental in the curation of Give Peace a Chance, believes that for Lennon, creating art a way of reconciling a traumatic childhood with the love he found with his second wife and creative partner, Yoko Ono. “I think Yoko sparked something that allowed him to bloom again,” says Sperber-Wasserberg. “His artwork helped him heal.”
'The City in My Heart'
'A Bird Bath'
'Family of Peace'
'A Cat Napping'
'Power to the People'
Lennon’s trials and tribulations as a self-described “working-class hero,” who penned and sang his cri de coeur anthem “Help” at the height of his fame with The Beatles, are documented in songs that ranged from strange (“Strawberry Fields Forever”) to scorching (“I Want You [She’s So Heavy]”).
But he is also beloved for his post-Beatles repertoire, which includes such radio staples as “Instant Karma,” “Imagine,” and “Starting Over,” a paean to reconciliation with Ono and recorded in the last year of his life. (At age 40, Lennon was shot and fatally wounded by a deeply disturbed fan in the archway of The Dakota, where he and Ono had lived since 1973.)
In the wake of The Beatles breakup, and in his final years as a devoted husband and father, Lennon’s visual art garnered more attention, as it provided a subtle, ongoing commentary on living a relatively normal life in extraordinary circumstances. “He was not afraid to show the world what mattered most to him, which was people communicating,” says Sperber-Wasserberg of the subject matter Lennon explored in both his music and in his art.
Many of the drawings in Give Peace a Chance were created by John alongside his young son Sean. Lennon’s gift for wordplay and wry sense of humor is evident in the titles of this series: “An Elephant Counting” shows a pink elephant, big ears, trunk and all, at rest in a human’s bed, with an arc of sheep floating above its head. In “A Bird Bath,” a small, blue bird is perched atop an apple tree, enjoying a rainstorm as puddles form across the purple-colored landscape.
There are also Lennon’s drawings of himself and Yoko, realized in fluid, interwoven lines that suggest the spiritual connection they shared as soulmates. “Dream Power” is an homage to the cover of Ono’s 1970 debut solo album, Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band, although, in this version, she and Lennon are nude, just like planet Earth’s first creative power couple, Adam and Eve.
The title of the show comes from the 1969 Lennon song of the same name, where nonsensical rhyming in the verses (“Everybody’s talking about / bagism, shagism, dragism / this-ism, that-ism . . .” ) give way to the powerful refrain: “All we are saying / Is give peace a chance.” (A serigraph of Lennon’s handwritten lyrics is included in the exhibit.) Considering that the political unrest of our times feels so similar to that of the sixties and seventies, the message is both timely and timeless. “Lennon’s mindset wasn’t just 60 years ago. It’s applicable today,” says Sperber-Wasserberg firmly before adding with a laugh: “But I’m supposed to focus on the art!”
Give Peace a Chance: The Art of John Lennon is on view at Off the Wall Gallery from Aug. 20 to Sept. 7, 2024.
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