Anthony Balladares

There's a shoe tree in town. The tree, adorned with several pairs of shoes, has a unique story. Anthony Balladares walks us through the story in this Bobcat Update.

Bluebonnet Drive is located a mere five-minute walk behind Grin's Restaurant. Quiet and secluded, the peaceful street is home to locals and even a few students. It is also home to the shoe tree. The tree isn't hard to find, but its backstory is a mystery to some.
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Zach DeBaylo has lived across the street from the shoe tree for over a year.
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It turns out the shoe tree was part of an art project started by Texas State Art Professor Eric Weller. Weller passed away a couple of years ago, but he used to live on the property where the tree is. All of the shoes on the tree were found in the San Marcos River, and Weller placed them there as a statement against pollution. He knew the abandoned footwear would be an eye-sore, but that was the point. Polluting the river is detrimental. It's harmful, and it's ugly. Jennifer Pemp now lives in Weller's former home. She decided to continue the shoe tree tradition.
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The shoe tree wasn't the only thing Professor Weller left behind. The backyard of the place is a tribute to Weller's love of art. Several of his metal sculptures are still there. Pemp says Weller even had a hand in making the six-foot tall stone wall that wraps around the left side of the yard
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Weller's creation will live on.
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For Bobcat Update, I'm Anthony Balladares.