the Museum of the Big Bend).
Wauneta was a volunteer at the
Museum for 20 years.
In the 1970s, painting came into
Wauneta’s life. She had enjoyed draw-
ing at high school and had a watercol-
orist friend, Iva, who encouraged her.
She was inspired by paintings in gal-
leries in Midland and determined to
give it a go. Self-taught, she applied
herself vigorously, as with music, and
she still paints today. “I can turn them
out like you can’t imagine,” she chuck-
les. Two years ago, the International
Women’s Foundation in Marfa had a
show of her works, and realized its best
sales to-date.
Today, Wauneta, seldom at a loss
for words, adds to the conversation in
the Alpine hospital cafeteria, where she
takes lunch most days. Perceptive in
comments and alert to what is going on
around her, she is a lively force. We
should all wish we had similar music
and painting talents to sustain us.
TOM MICHAEL
Growing up in the 80s in the River
Forest suburb of Chicago was a good
experience for Tom Michael. Born on
October 8, 1969, he was the sixth of
seven children born to Dolores and
Tom Michael, a salesman, and there
was always company at home.
He attended Oak Park and River
Forest High School (most famous
alumnus: Ernest Hemingway) and
developed early a knack for writing and
an interest in history and politics.
Michael continued his education at
Loyola University of Chicago, graduat-
ing in 1991 with a BA cum laude in
English and History. He received an
athletic scholarship for running, and he
continues to run competitively today.
He joined Encyclopedia Britannica in
1991 and stayed for almost 15 years.
He was a junior among the writing
staff, researching and writing papers,
but learned enormously from the expe-
rience. “A great job,” he says.
Meanwhile he began a career as a free-
lance journalist for the Chicago Tribune,
Time Out Chicago and Chicago Magazine.
Michael
met
Katherine
Shaughnessy, who was completing an
MFA at the School of Art Institute,
through her roommate, who worked
with Tom. He recalls that Van
Morrison’s “The Bright Side of the
Road” was playing when they first met.
They married in Cleveland, Ohio on
June 3, 2000. Today they live in a
house in the northwestern part of
Marfa with their children, Fiona Mae
(seven) and Wyatt (nine.)
In 2002, Michael got a reliable tip
about an area of west Texas, centered
by Alpine, full of potential. When he
and Katherine arrived in Alpine, she
got a job doing layout for a new inde-
pendent newspaper, the Desert Mountain
Times, financed by Kay Burnett, widow
of famed lawyer Warren E. Burnett.
He continued his career as a freelance
journalist. Three years later, the genesis
of Marfa Public Radio (MPR) got its
start during a chat between
Shaughnessy and Burnett. Burnett
invested, premises in Marfa were rent-
ed and Michael was hired as General
Manager.
The early years were fraught with
problems; there were delays in getting
the license, delays before the station
went on air, and always a worry about
cash. “It shouldn’t have worked,” says
Michael today. But it did - just. Small-
dollar donations were the key. With
just three paid staff, volunteers were
critical, and volunteers came forward.
The turning point came in 2011
with the local Rock House Fire, the
largest grassland fire in the history of
Texas. MPR realized people needed
news, and the station came through
with the story. Later, as Marfa’s reputa-
tion grew, deep-pocket donors arrived.
The station was able to expand and
develop: the Midland-Odessa public
radio station was absorbed, new and
larger premises were rented, and more
staff was hired. Today Michael says,
“We like where we are at.” In 2014,
MPR won eight Edward R. Murrow
regional awards – the most among
broadcasters in the nation. But the
momentum does not let up. He has
introduced more bi-lingual shows and
seeks to expand regional news and the
role of citizen reporters.
S TONE V ILLAGE M ARKET
Open 7 days: 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Natural foods, Natural Snacks,
Full Service Deli, Salad Bar,
Domestic and imported Beers and Wines
507 HWY 118, Fort Davis
(432) 426-2226
Cenizo
Third Quarter 2015
15