How our round top, Texas, gallery came to be.

The adventure began when John and Laurie Lowery purchased a former dairy farm in nearby Burton. Houston city slickers who knew nothing about livestock but had grown tired of big-city life, they decided to buy up some farm equipment, split their time between cities and try their hand at some small-town serenity.

Old habits die hard, though. And for John, a life-long artist, advertising guru and former NASA illustrator, art was a really, really old habit.

In 2016 he picked up his paint brush to put his own spin on the critters, farm accoutrements and characters that called the region home — and decided to sell it out of his very own gallery. (As for Laurie? She’s a very patient woman.)

Humble Donkey began in a tiny cabin on Henkel Square, then moved into a larger space on that same square — and eventually added on to that building. (Hey. Size matters.) A late 2023 renovation elevated the space to a true gallery experience and added a back patio that puts visitors right in the middle of all the Henkel Square action.

Today, John and Laurie fill their time creating fun new artwork and art inspired goods, as well as curating a unique array of jewelry, apparel and home accessories that give visitors a chance to own a little bit of Round Top, Texas. They now call Burton their full-time home, and they’re all in on that small-town life. (Just between us, though? They still know zilch about cows.)