Steel Entry Gate at H. E. Butt Foundation

The gentle bend of the Frio River, forged in heavy metal

“When you put your hand in a flowing stream, you touch the last that has gone before and the first of what is still to come.”—Leonardo da Vinci

Decorative metal entry gate with floral and nature-themed cutout design, partially obscuring a wall with a quote on a white surface.
Close-up of a black decorative panel with intricate floral and butterfly cutout patterns.
A woman with dark hair wearing a gray sweater and black pants standing inside a modern building near a decorative black metal wall with floral and nature patterns.
A stylized illustration of a sunset over a lush, diverse landscape with plants, flowers, and a flowing river, framed by arching branches with pinecones and leaves, under a starry sky.

The Backstory

Every Texan knows H-E-B. The beloved grocery chain is more than just a store in Texas—it’s a cultural institution. The perfect mix of deep local pride, truly quality products (hello, warm tortillas!), community involvement, and a helping hand in times of crisis. But did you know that, along with the massive stores and Texas-shaped snacks, there is a Foundation committed to developing mental and emotional health, leadership capacity, spiritual formation, and community transformation across Texas?

The H. E. Butt Foundation have been frequent collaborators since I took up an artist’s residency in the spring of 2019 at their outpost in the Frio River Canyon in the Texas Hill Country. As a native Texan, this was a cherished opportunity to revisit and rediscover the place of my youth—outside the hustle and bustle of New York City. During my month-long stay in the Canyon, I developed a body of work that included a steel manhole cover, inspired by the decorative covers I’d encountered on my many trips to Japan. It featured the many varieties of flora and fauna found in the Canyon. The circular piece has found its forever home at Laity Lodge, one of the many Frio River Canyon camps supported by the H. E. Butt Foundation. Seeing my work forged into steel was an incredible experience, especially with my humble beginnings creating ephemeral chalk murals.

Decorative manhole cover with floral, butterfly, fish, and geometric designs, labeled 'LAITY' and 'LODGE'.

The Commission

When designing and planning their new headquarters in San Antonio, the H. E. Butt Foundation enlisted me once again to create another piece of artwork in metal; however, this time on a much bigger scale. Working with Card and Company Architects, we developed the artwork that would become a large, laser-cut steel gate at the entrance to the small campus. The concept was to create a Frio River Canyon and surrounding Hill Country landscape with all of their native trees, plants, and rolling terrain. Complimented by native yucca and agave plants, as well as elm and pecan trees on premises, guests are welcomed through this behemoth gate and ushered into a serene courtyard.

“Working with Dana on the commissioned iron gate for our Foundation San Antonio office was pure joy and a great example of collaboration between artist and client. We gave Dana some general desires early in the process. We were amazed by her designs which captured who we are as an organization.”
— David Rogers, President, H. E. Butt Foundation

One of the first things I show guests on our property is Dana’s gate which honors our mission and symbolizes the hill country landscape where we do our work.
—David Rogers, President,
H. E. Butt Foundation

A woman standing in front of a decorative black metal entry gate with laser cut floral and botanical patterns attached to a modern building.
Decorative black metal gate with cut-outs of flowers, butterflies, and cactus shapes, illuminated from behind.
A woman with long dark hair smiling while holding onto black a decorative gate with intricate patterns, with her reflection visible in a mirror panel.
Decorative black metal gate with intricate cut-out design of plants, flowers, and natural elements.
Modern building entrance with decorative metal gate and security camera.
Decorative metal gate with a cut-out design of cacti, succulents, and desert plants.
A man kneeling on the porch floor, installing a decorative metal manhole cover, with a bottle of water nearby. Another person is bending over in the background near outdoor furniture and trees.
An artist is working on a large, detailed black-and-white sketch of a circular design on a white sheet of paper on the ground, surrounded by art supplies and personal items.
Close-up of a decorative manhole cover with engraved patterns, including a central triangular motif and swirling shapes.
A woman paddleboarding on a calm river with her dog on the paddleboard, surrounded by green trees and a bright sky.

Welcome to the Canyon

Spending extended time in the Frio River Canyon has given me a firsthand understanding of the natural beauty and wonder of this place. Creating these unique metal pieces for the H. E. Butt Foundation has been an exercise in taking my observations, experiences, photos, and sketches and turning them into physical representations of a particular locale—snapshots that embody the spirit of a place.

It’s my hope that folks can engage with the artwork and be transported to the banks of the Frio River—the baby blue sky and rocky canyon walls reflected in the clear viridian water, with catfish swimming below and cliff swallows darting above. Then you’ll be in my favorite place in all of Texas.

Field of yellow, red, and purple wildflowers under a blue Texas sky with a few clouds and a tree line in the background.
Person paddleboarding on a river, with a dog, under a clear blue sky. Lush green trees line the riverbank and a modern building extends over the water. Birds fly in the sky.
Clear turquoise water flowing through a rocky river with green algae-covered ledges and a forested cliff in the background.
A woman walking her dog along a stone pathway in a lush backyard garden with trees and a stone house in the background.
A scenic landscape with a layered rocky cliffside, green trees, a calm river reflecting the sky and cliffs, and a partly cloudy sky overhead.
Wildflowers with purple and brown flowers in the foreground and beekeepers in protective suits working in the background outdoors.
A field of orange and yellow wildflowers with green foliage, and a dense cluster of trees in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
A small, fluffy dog with light-colored fur smiling on a rocky trail surrounded by tall grass and bushes, with a sunset in the background.
A river flowing through a lush, green forest with hills in the background and a bright blue sky with scattered clouds overhead.

Credits

  • H. E. Butt Foundation

  • Card & Company Architects

  • Flux Metal Studio, Robert Díaz Deleón

  • Wendi Poole