About Us
The Brenham Art Alliance brings artists and neighbors together to form meaningful community, encourage growth and creation, and share our work together. Through monthly social “meet-ups” and regular art shows & events, we strive to provide opportunities for adults of all ages and experience levels to be a part of a greater community of creatives.
About
Our Story and Creative Mission
Brenham Art Alliance was born from a chance meeting between two transplanted local artists, Maxx James and Melissa Windham Neill, when they met at a juried Art Show and both shared a calling to create more meaningful community for the artists in the Brenham area. Their vision was to harness a space where age, background, experience, or any other cultural or social differences, became irrelevant to the shared interests of creating or appreciating the arts and allow a space for that shared experience to build relationships and peers.
At BAA, the mission is to nurture visual art in the community by supporting area artists, fostering a welcoming and collaborative creative community, encouraging mentorship, and creative opportunities to showcase and experience visual arts together.
Leadership Team
Melissa Windham Neill , Co-Founder & President
Melissa W. Neill is a Texas-based painter, muralist, educator, and arts advocate with almost two decades of professional experience. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Stephen F. Austin State University and has created murals and public art projects throughout Texas. Neill has served as an arts educator, board member for the Texas Arts & Music Festival, and currently serves on the Downtown Brenham Design Committee. She actively supports local nonprofits and community organizations through volunteer art and design work. She is a cofounder and board member of the Brenham Art Alliance.
Maxx James, Co-Founder & V. President
Maxx James is a lifelong fine artist, craftsman and retired award winning art director and illustrator from the world of advertising.
Over the years, Maxx has created countless of advertising designs and illustrations for a variety of clients that have been printed, produced, broadcast and distributed around the world (pre-internet). Maxx’s creative promotional clientele has included local businesses, local-state-national political candidates, higher education institutions, broadcast television affiliates and multi-national corporations.
Nowadays, Maxx focuses his talents on fine art that often centers on nature and Americana… and woodworking projects from time to time. Maxx is a cofounder and board member of the Brenham Art Alliance.
Amy Branham, Secretary and Treasurer
Amy Branham is an avid supporter of the arts and works with needle and thread, and other creative hobbies. Branham has a love for writing. She has experience as a secretary and transcriptionist, with medical and legal work, and with customer service. She helped to run her family business where she was responsible for clerical work and financial records. Branham currently sits on the board as secretary and treasurer for the Brenham Art Alliance.
Marcy Tran
Marcy Tran is a Brenham entrepreneur, painter, and creative. For years, Marcy expressed her creativity through the digital world, building engaging social media content and compelling websites that help businesses tell their stories.
A Brenham resident since 2014, Marcy set her own artistic ambitions aside for a season while raising two sons and launching the business from the ground up. Now, with the shop established and her creative energy renewed, she’s eager to pour that passion back into her community. That’s exactly what draws her to the Brenham Art Alliance.
Mandy Beausoleil
Mandy Beausoleil began her graphic design career in Houston with Geer Design before moving to Bellville in 2001. She taught graphic design and animation at Bellville High School from 2011 until retiring from education in 2022. She then founded Beausoleil Creative, where she specializes in logo design and brand identity.
Mandy currently serves as the Communications & Programs Coordinator for the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, where she combines her expertise in design, marketing, communications, and community engagement.
A lifelong advocate for the arts, Mandy is an avid art collector and enthusiast, as well as a painter and ceramic artist working from her home studio in Brenham. She is honored to serve on the Board of Directors for the Brenham Art Alliance and is passionate about supporting and promoting the vibrant arts community in Washington County.
Alex Hamilton
Alex Hamilton is an accidental artist. A lifelong writer and public speaker, he only recently began his journey in the visual arts. His primary medium is in wood with a focus on scroll saw fretwork and wood turning. He prides himself in doing everything by hand without the aid of lasers or CNC equipment. He utilizes many species of wood to create color preferring to allow the natural beauty of the wood to shine through without the use of stains, dyes or paints. For Alex, art is a way to slow down and focus on the beauty of God’s creation.
When he is not making sawdust, he is busy as a trauma therapist specializing in complex PTSD and child abuse recovery work. He originally moved to Brenham in 2011 as the President of Miracle Farm and stepped down after a long health crisis that forced him to slow down. Prior to coming to Brenham, he worked as a Vice President for Lutheran Social Services and in a variety of child welfare related fields in addition to maintaining a 25-year private practice.
Community Impact
Brenham Art Alliance 